Post-Watergate: Anger, Post-Watergate: Anger, Apathy, AlienationApathy, Alienation

Q. How did the 1970s set the stage for the 1980s?

Malaise: n. 2. A vague Malaise: n. 2. A vague or unfocused feeling of or unfocused feeling of mental uneasiness, mental uneasiness, lethargy, or lethargy, or discomfort.discomfort.

I. Economic MalaiseI. Economic Malaise End of the “golden era”: End of the “golden era”:

1947-19731947-1973

A) Underlying structural A) Underlying structural reasons: reasons: relative relative economic economic declinedecline

““Benefits” of bombingBenefits” of bombing

A) Underlying structural A) Underlying structural reasons: reasons: relative relative economic economic declinedecline

B) Policy mistakes: LBJ and B) Policy mistakes: LBJ and RMNRMN

A) Underlying structural A) Underlying structural reasons: reasons: relative relative economic economic declinedecline

B) Policy mistakes: LBJ and B) Policy mistakes: LBJ and RMNRMN

C) OPEC and Oil Shock: C) OPEC and Oil Shock: “stagflation”“stagflation”

A) Underlying structural A) Underlying structural reasons: reasons: relative relative economic economic declinedecline

B) Policy mistakes: LBJ and RMNB) Policy mistakes: LBJ and RMN C) OPEC and Oil Shock: C) OPEC and Oil Shock:

“stagflation”“stagflation”Stagnation + inflation began Stagnation + inflation began

before, but oil shock worsened Fed before, but oil shock worsened Fed + Pres errors+ Pres errors

II. Political MalaiseII. Political Malaise

A. A Ford, Not a LincolnA. A Ford, Not a Lincoln

II. Political MalaiseII. Political Malaise

A.A. ““A Ford, Not a Lincoln”A Ford, Not a Lincoln”B.B. Jimmy Carter: Problems Jimmy Carter: Problems

without Solutionswithout Solutions

Campaign '80Which message will resonate with voters?

                                                                                

"Let's talk better mileage"

- Jimmy Carter

"Kill the Bastards"

- Ronald Reagan

Fake: From “The Onion”

II. Political MalaiseII. Political Malaise

A.A. ““A Ford, Not a Lincoln”A Ford, Not a Lincoln”B.B. Jimmy Carter: Problems Jimmy Carter: Problems

without Solutionswithout SolutionsC.C. Decline in Voter Decline in Voter

ParticipationParticipation- all the same, why care?- all the same, why care?

40

45

50

55

60

65

1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988

% Voter Turnout Presidential Elections: 1964-1988

III. Cultural Malaise: The III. Cultural Malaise: The “Me” Decade“Me” Decade

San FranciscoSan FranciscoA) People’s Temple: Jim A) People’s Temple: Jim Jones—Don’t Drink the Jones—Don’t Drink the KoolAidKoolAid

Jonestown, GuyanaNovember 18, 1978

III. Cultural MalaiseIII. Cultural Malaise San FranciscoSan Francisco

A) People’s Temple: Jim A) People’s Temple: Jim Jones—Don’t Drink the Jones—Don’t Drink the KoolAidKoolAid

B) Patty Hearst and the B) Patty Hearst and the Symbionese Liberation ArmySymbionese Liberation Army

III. Cultural MalaiseIII. Cultural Malaise San FranciscoSan Francisco

A) People’s Temple: Jim JonesA) People’s Temple: Jim Jones—Don’t Drink the KoolAid—Don’t Drink the KoolAid

B) Patty Hearst and the B) Patty Hearst and the Symbionese Liberation ArmySymbionese Liberation Army

C) Dan White, Harvey Milk, C) Dan White, Harvey Milk, and the “Twinkie Defense”and the “Twinkie Defense”

Really just argued that it was a symptom of the Really just argued that it was a symptom of the depression, not the causedepression, not the cause

George Moscone

Harvey Milk Dan White

Disco: symptom or Disco: symptom or cause?cause?

The Rise of the New The Rise of the New RightRight

The New RightThe New Right Major shift in national politics: Major shift in national politics:

Democrats (esp. liberals) dominant 1932-Democrats (esp. liberals) dominant 1932-19681968

Like the New Left: break from pastLike the New Left: break from past Emphasize social and cultural Emphasize social and cultural

conservatismconservatismAlthough also political and economicAlthough also political and economic

Old Right: NortheastOld Right: Northeast New Right: Southeast and SouthwestNew Right: Southeast and Southwest

I. Decline of the New I. Decline of the New Deal CoalitionDeal Coalition

New Deal CoalitionNew Deal Coalition: working : working class, suburban whites, minorities, class, suburban whites, minorities, Catholics, white southernersCatholics, white southerners

Benefits to blacks limited by Benefits to blacks limited by Southern DemocratsSouthern Democrats

1960s: loss of “moral compass”1960s: loss of “moral compass” Republicans: common sense Republicans: common sense against liberals, bureaucrats, against liberals, bureaucrats, communists, blackscommunists, blacks

II. Cracks in the New II. Cracks in the New Deal CoalitionDeal Coalition

A. White Southerners and Civil RightsA. White Southerners and Civil Rights 1948: Strom Thurmond and Dixiecrats1948: Strom Thurmond and Dixiecrats 1964: Barry Goldwater1964: Barry Goldwater

Breaks Solid SouthBreaks Solid South First use of “New Right”First use of “New Right”

1968: George Wallace, American 1968: George Wallace, American Independent PartyIndependent Party Support: Deep South, blue collar NESupport: Deep South, blue collar NE

A. Backlash Against CRMA. Backlash Against CRM 1966: Reagan and CA Governor’s 1966: Reagan and CA Governor’s

Race— Rumford Fair Housing Act Race— Rumford Fair Housing Act (1963): no discrimination in housing; (1963): no discrimination in housing; repealed in referendum 2:1 (later repealed in referendum 2:1 (later reinstated)reinstated)

Affirmative Action: 1978 Affirmative Action: 1978 Regents of Regents of the University of California the University of California v. v. BakkeBakke ““reverse discrimination”reverse discrimination” Quotas out, race as Quotas out, race as aa factor factor

Busing: boycotts, private schoolsBusing: boycotts, private schools

B. Backlash Against B. Backlash Against Student MovementStudent Movement

Reagan and Wallace vs. Pat Reagan and Wallace vs. Pat Brown and UC BerkeleyBrown and UC Berkeley

Brown sent in cops, but poured Brown sent in cops, but poured in $ (tuition $100/yr)in $ (tuition $100/yr)

Gov. Reagan: make the Gov. Reagan: make the ungrateful brats pay and ungrateful brats pay and workworkno time for activismno time for activism

C. Backlash against the C. Backlash against the Women’s MovementWomen’s Movement

1972: ERA passes Congress 1972: ERA passes Congress overwhelminglyoverwhelmingly

1973: 1973: Roe Roe v. v. WadeWade Phyllis Schlafly: “Stop ERA” and Phyllis Schlafly: “Stop ERA” and

Eagle Forum—ERA and feminism Eagle Forum—ERA and feminism are a “satanic assault on the home”are a “satanic assault on the home”Stops ERA 3 states shortStops ERA 3 states short

D. Backlash against the D. Backlash against the Gay Rights MovementGay Rights Movement

Most shocking to the New RightMost shocking to the New Right 1975: CA repeals sodomy law by 1975: CA repeals sodomy law by

1 vote1 vote Anita Bryant, “Save Our Anita Bryant, “Save Our

Children”Children”

III. Reagan’s Message III. Reagan’s Message and “Cultural War”and “Cultural War”

1. Not strong civil rights, 1. Not strong civil rights, but did not race bait: roll but did not race bait: roll back Federal government, back Federal government, less “social engineering”: less “social engineering”: can’t legislate moralitycan’t legislate morality

2. Reclaim American 2. Reclaim American respect abroad: Build up respect abroad: Build up military to stand up to military to stand up to USSR and IranUSSR and Iran

3. Side-step 3. Side-step uncomfortable uncomfortable facts of the past: facts of the past: “Mickey Mouse “Mickey Mouse History”; we won History”; we won VietnamVietnam

4. Cut taxes: 4. Cut taxes: “Voodoo “Voodoo Economics”Economics”

1992 Republican Convention in 1992 Republican Convention in Houston: Pat Buchanan proclaims Houston: Pat Buchanan proclaims a “cultural war” for America’s soul a “cultural war” for America’s soul Helps lose Bush the election: Helps lose Bush the election:

Reagan arose at peak of Reagan arose at peak of conservative popularityconservative popularity

Bush II and resurgence (as much Bush II and resurgence (as much structural as popular; 9-11)structural as popular; 9-11)