3. George H. W. Bush A New World Order Bush calls for a “new world order” as the Soviet Union begins its decline Malta Conference Bush and Gorbechev discuss superpower cooperation Reduction of troop deployments Reduction of arms Settling regional disputes Stimulating East/West trade German reunification was seen as a part of this new world order START I treaty (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) Marked the beginning of an era of cooperation between the U.S. and Soviets
4. George H. W. Bush Domestic Issues Tax reform: “Read my lips, no new taxes!” Sounded good in principle, but his administration struggled with the enormous deficit from the Reagan years Bush gives in to Democrats and raises taxes Ruins his credibility and his approval rating Other domestic reform Americans with Disabilities ACT of 1990 (ADA) Clean Air Act Both were fairly progressive for a conservative president
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6. George H. W. Bush The Persian Gulf War (Gulf War I) Bush intervenes when Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait in 1990 First international crisis since the end of the Cold War Bush identifies the Gulf War as the first step to create a world based on democracy and global free trade Manifest Destiny continuing into another century Bush launches 4,000 bombing runs and a successful ground offensive His ratings skyrocket as a result The 1992 election looked promising for him
8. The Clinton Years Election of 1992 Initially, the election looked promising for incumbent George H. W. Bush Successful offensive in the Gulf War Economy was relatively stable However, the economy began to recess as the election season started Clinton wins the election with 43 % Texas billionaire (and independent populist) Ross Perot split some of the vote between Clinton and Bush
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10. The Clinton Years Domestic Policies FLMA Act (Family and Medical Leave Act) Brady Bill Five day waiting period on handgun purchases Assault weapons ban First White House website launched in 1994 Gays’ rights in the military Clinton argued for this in his campaign The public was hostile to the issue Settled on the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy
11. The Clinton Years NAFTA (North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement) Agreement that would greatly reduce and/or eliminate the majority of tariffs for products traded between the United States, Canada, and Mexico Essentially a free-trade zone for the United States, Mexico, and Canada Democrats charge it caused the loss of jobs (no labor provisions) Some say our deficit has ballooned 11 times over what it was before NAFTA However, the American economy has grown 54% since its inception Overall, more time is needed to judge its successes and failures
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13. The Family Unit in the 1990s Decline of the traditional family After 1970, fewer American families had a father who was the sole breadwinner Cohabitation without marriage became common Divorce rates doubled More unmarried women (especially teenagers) having children Quality of public education declines after the 1980s Movement to return to “traditional family values” began Nostalgic return to the 1950s begins as a result of the Christian Right movement Others gravitate toward alternative lifestyles
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15. Women in the 1990s More married women entered the workplace Some achieved remarkable success Most were relegated to low paying jobs or “female” jobs Women on average made around 75% of men’s salaries throughout the 1990s NOW (National Organization for Women) push for another Equal Rights Amendment for women, but ultimately fail
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17. Election of 1996 Clinton easily defeated Republican Bob Dole Becomes the first Democrat elected to two terms since FDR Ross Perot runs again as a Reform Independent Only garners 8.4% of the popular vote Clinton embraced the most popular Republican policies like welfare reform Left Dole with extreme positions that were unpopular among suburban middle-class voters Hostility to abortion rights and environmental protection
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19. The Computer Revolution The rise of the computer industry and the Internet produced a new economy Steve Jobs (Apple) and Bill Gates (Microsoft) quickly became guiding forces for the future of computer-based technology The Internet expanded the flow of information and communications more radically than any invention since the printing press
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22. Globalization Globalization became the new concept of the 1990s The process by which economies, cultures, and societies are linked through a global network of communication, transportation, and trade Term is typically used to refer to economic globalization Integration of national economies through trade, foreign investment, capital flow, technological integration, and migration
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24. The Clinton Scandals In the 1980s and 1990s scrutiny of politicians’ private lives became far more intense than in the past Whitewater Scandal Real estate controversy involving Bill and Hillary Clinton The Clintons partnered with James and Susan McDougal to purchase 220 acres of land in Arkansas to become the Whitewater Development Corp. The venture failed, the McDougals entered the banking industry, and began another real estate investment that caught the attention of federal regulators After Clinton took the presidency, an independent investigation found that Clinton pressured a supporter, David Hale, into making a loan that benefitted Clinton and the McDougal’s Savings and Loan
25. The Clinton Scandals Whitewater Scandal Initially, the Clintons were cleared of wrongdoing, but Kenneth Starr (President of Baylor U.) took over and used David Hale as a key witness against the Clintons Alleged that Clinton pressured Hale to illegally loan $300,000 of federally-backed money to Susan McDougal Hale was convicted of numerous felonies and the allegation lost its credibility However, Starr’s investigation led to the numerous sex scandals involving Bill Clinton Paula Jones (former government employee in Arkansas) Monica Lewinsky (White House intern)
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27. Clinton’s Impeachment After Whitewater, Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr conducted an investigation of Clinton that included abuses of: Improper firing of White House travel agents Alleged misuse of FBI files Sexual harassment claims from Paula Jones Perjury statements dealing with his sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky Overall, Starr’s report indicated that impeachment proceedings should proceed Clinton was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice
28. Clinton’s Impeachment After a month of deliberation, the Senate acquitted Clinton of both charges In April 1999, Clinton was cited for contempt of court regarding his “willful failure” to tell the truth in the Paula Jones lawsuit He was assessed a $90,000 fine, had his Arkansas law license suspended for 5 years, and resigned from the United States Supreme Court bar Out of court, he settled with Paula Jones for $850,000 in damages
29. Clinton’s Impeachment Publically, 50% of Americans supported Clinton’s impeachment and 42% disapproved of Clinton’s acquittal Clinton’s job approval rating rose during the impeachment scandal, but his poll numbers regarding honesty, integrity, and moral character sharply declined As a result, “moral character” was a significant issue in the 2000 election Post-election results from the 2000 election indicated that the single most significant reason people voted for George W. Bush was for his moral character and his image as a “compassionate conservative” The association between Clinton and Al Gore (Clinton’s Vice President) greatly impacted Gore’s campaign
31. The 2000 Presidential Election This election proved to be one of the closest in the nation’s history Second to the election of 1877 The election was notable because of the controversial voting recount in Florida Gore requested hand recounts in 4 counties Results indicated Bush won Florida and Gore appealed to the Florida Supreme Court The Florida Supreme Court ordered a total state recount
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33. The 2000 Presidential Election The U.S. Supreme Court immediately struck down the Florida Supreme Court’s recount In December 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled: 7 to 2 that the Florida Supreme Court’s ruling for a complete recount was unconstitutional 5 to 4 that the Florida recounts could not be done before a “safe harbor” deadline and should cease Subsequently, the previously certified total (that indicated Bush won Florida) should hold. Overall, like in 1877, the U.S. Supreme Court had to decide the outcome of the presidential election
34. Results of the Election One of the more remarkable things about the election was not so much its controversial ending, but the even division of the country it revealed Democrats blamed the Supreme Court, Ralph Nader, and sheer bad luck for Bush’s narrow victory The election also revealed a broad disengagement from public life Primarily, low voter turn-out Roughly 100 million show up to vote Over 280 million people in the U.S. (2000 Census)
