RONALD REAGAN
•	Supply-side economics:  increasing the supply of goods and services available
–	Result=increased need for employees=increased employment=increased money back into the economy
–	Similar to Hoover’s trickle down (Reagan more successful) 
–	Used to justify reduced (business) corporate taxes (George HW BUSH continues policy) 
•	War on drugs 
–	Just say no
–	DARE 
•	Star Wars 
–	Increased military spending (uses space for defense) 
–	Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) 
•	Immigration Reform and Control Act
•	Iran-Contra Affair 
–	Presidential aides had sold weapons to Iran to help with release of American hostages in Lebanon 
–	$$ from sale went to contras in Nicaragua 
–	Many saw this as bargaining with terrorists 
–	Colonel Oliver North
•	Détente (thawing in Cold War tensions 
–	Gorbachev (head of USSR) 
–	Arms reduction 
–	Gorbachev and Reagan credited with helping to end Cold War 
•	New Right (New Conservatism) 
–	Reduce size of gov’t by cutting social programs 

The 70s
•	Title IX – no one can be excluded from or discriminated against in education based on sex (mostly college and HS athletics) 
•	26th amendment
–	Lowers voting age to 18 
–	Passed because of involvement in Vietnam 
•	Old enough to fight, old enough to vote 
•	New York Times v. United States 
–	Gives media more power against government secrecy 
–	Protects first amendment rights 
•	Roe v. Wade 
–	1973 
–	Establishes that states cannot criminalize abortion  
–	Many people still fighting to overturn case (pro-choice v. pro-life)

George HW Bush
•	Promised no new taxes —poor economy—taxes raised 
•	Appoints Clarence Thomas to Supreme Court  
–	Allegations of sexual harassment 
•	Persian Gulf War 
–	Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait 1990 
–	Bush sends troops into Saudi Arabia 
–	UN imposes economic sanctions on Iraq
–	Operation Desert Shield 
•	UN Operation of buildup in Saudi Arabia 
–	Operation Desert Storm 
•	January 1991 
•	US and allied forces 
•	Air assault on Iraq
•	Cease fire February 
•	Iraq accepts UN demands  
–	Later will not let UN into Iraq  = leads to Iraqi War 2003

CLINTON
•	Adopted some Republican polices (gets more support)
•	Balanced budget 
•	Economic growth 
•	High employment rate
•	Scandal and Impeachment 
–	Whitewater 
•	Clintons investigated for involvement for real estate scheme 
•	Never charged 
–	Impeachment 
•	1998 impeached 
•	Perjury and obstruction of justice 
•	Acquitted 
•	Global Economy (encourage growth of economy and trade)  
–	North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) 
•	US, Canada, Mexico
•	Goal: Improve trade and break down trade barriers 
•	Problem: would we lose jobs to Mexico
–	GATT 
•	General Trade Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 
•	Reduce tariffs and build world trade

80s, 90s and today
•	Baby boomers = lots of people of working age= money to spend=demand for consumer goods
•	Baby boomers getting older= graying of America
–	Economic Problems with providing Social Security benefits 
–	Economic and social problem=providing heath care for the aged 
•	Personal information stored on computers may not be private (hackers, criminals) 
•	NATO actions (collective security) 
–	Kosovo 
–	Milosevic genocide of ethnic Albanians 
•	Collapse of Soviet Union 
–	Berlin Wall falls = symbol of end of Cold War 
–	Maintain relationships with Gorbachev, Yeltsin, Putin
•	Election of 2000 
–	Florida votes in contest – Supreme Court case decides votes go to Bush 
–	Bush wins electoral --- Gore wins popular = Bush takes presidency 
•	Many want to AMEND constitution to have president elected by popular vote