What impact did the Reagan presidency have? Flashcards
When did Reagan become president?
1981 (following 1980 election)
How old was Reagan when he was first elected?
69
What question from Reagan tipped the balance in the final TV debate?
“Are you better off than you were four years ago?”
How much of the 1980 popular vote did Reagan get?
50.7%
How much of the 1980 popular vote did Carter get?
41.0%
Who won control of the Senate at the 1980 election?
Republicans, for first time since 1955
What was the Electoral College outcome of the 1980 presidential election?
Reagan 489, Carter 44
When was Reagan shot and badly wounded?
March 1981
Who was the third candidate at the 1980 presidential election?
John Anderson, for the National Unity Party
What were Reagan’s three key campaign promises?
- cut taxes
- cut domestic spending
- increase military spending
What was the basic premise of Reaganomics
supply-side economics, so reducing taxes so as to increase incentives to work, save and invest
Under what Act were Reagan’s first tax cuts?
Economic Recovery Tax Act (1981)
What budget cuts were recommended in 1981?
$35.2 billion
What was the key premise of Reagonomics?
supply-side economics, reducing government interference and taxes, so increasing incentives to work, save and invest
What changes did Reagan initially make to welfare?
Changed to provide only for those who could not work due to disability or childcare; little actual reduction in welfare spending
Why did national debt massively increase under Reagan?
increase in defence spending
What happened to government deficit in 1982?
Nearly doubled to $111 billion
What happened to total national debt in 1982?
went above $1 trillion
What did the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Bill (1982) do?
- reversed some of the 1981 tax concessions to business
- increased taxes on cigarettes and airline tickets
What effect did Reagan’s economic changes have?
severe recession with high unemployment but by 1983, inflation below 2% and unemployment began to fall (partly due to increased defence spending)
What did the 1986 Tax Reform Act do?
- simplified tax, reducing number of tax brackets
- reduced tax rates - highest went from 50% to 28%
- exempted millions of low-income families from paying tax
How many new jobs were created 1983-89?
18 million
What happened to the balance of payments during the Reagan years?
USA become a debtor nation for first time since 1914
By 1986, what was the National Debt?
$2 trillion
Did Reagan reduce or increase regulation?
reduced regulation
Name two government agencies affected by deregulation of Reagan’s administration.
- Consumer Product Safety Commission
- Environmental Protection Agency
Why did Reagan remove federal regulations on price of domestic oil and natural gas?
- to reduce consumption
- to stimulate search for alternative energy sources
Give two examples of Reagan’s stance on “green” issues.
- encouraged use of land for industrial purposes
- little regulation of nuclear industry
What did Reagan do when 12,000 air-traffic controllers went on strike in 1981?
He fired them, sent in the military, revoked federal certification of their union and ordered Department of Transport to train up 12,000 new controllers.
Which parts of social welfare did Reagan reduce?
- food stamps
- school meals
- childcare
Which parts of social welfare did Reagan increase?
- social security
- Medicare
- farming subsidies
What was Reagan’s stance on civil rights?
- supported Justice Department in removing affirmative action programmes for jobs and education
- opposed bussing of students to schools in other neighbourhoods
What was Reagan’s stance on abortion?
He opposed it and encouraged anti-abortion organisations.
What was Reagan’s stance on gun control?
He opposed legislation limiting purchase and use of guns (despite having been nearly assassinated himself)
What was Reagan’s stance on women’s rights?
- He opposed the Equal Rights Amendment (that prohibited sex discrimination) as he thought women already protected by 14th Amendment.
- He opposed the cause of equal pay for jobs of comparable worth.
- But he named the first female justice to the Supreme Court.
Who did Reagan beat in the 1984 election?
Walter Mondale
What % of the popular vote did Reagan get in 1984 election?
58.9%
What was the Iran-Contra affair?
- In 1985, Reagan secretly authorised sale of arms to Iran to secure release of American hostages in the Middle East.
- Some of the money instead purchases military supplies for the Contras, a right-wing group trying to seize control of Nicaragua, in defiance of a ban.
- Reagan denied knowledge of it.
What was Reagan’s populatory rating in 1989?
70% (higher than any president since Roosevelt)
What lucky circumstances helped Reagan to seem a successful president?
- fall in world oil prices (reduced inflation)
- USSR in difficulties (so appeared to “back down”)
- managed to escape Irangate and other scandals involving officials he appointed
What foreign policy achievements did Reagan have?
- stood up to USSR in his first term
- established friendly relationship with Gorbachev
- helped USA win the Cold War
What was Reagan’s political legacy?
- restored USA’s faith in presidency
- USA shifted politically to the right
What was Reagan’s economic legacy?
USA moved from deep recession to economic prosperity and stayed there: low unemployment, booming stock market, budget surplus
What was Reagan’s social legacy?
- Wider gulf between rich and poor
- Increase in crime, violence and drug addiction in poorest areas
- wider diversity, eg increase in Hispanic population and Asians
