Standard 8Indicator 8.4

Standard USHC-8: The student will demonstrate an understanding of social, economic and political issues in contemporary America

Enduring Understanding: In the recent past, political views in the United States have embraced both conservative and liberal perspectives. To make informed political decisions about contemporary issues, the student will…

USHC-8.4 Analyze the causes and consequences of the resurgence of the conservative movement, including social and cultural changes of the 1960s and 1970s, Supreme Court decisions on integration and abortion, the economic and social policies of the Reagan administration, and the role of the media

Conservatives vs. Liberals• The fight between Conservatives &

Liberals has been going on since the beginning of US History & still exists today!• Seems to especially be more fierce in

times of great social change and during times of economic uncertainty• Political positions span from far Right to

far Left with Moderates in the middle

• People can be socially or fiscally Liberal• People can be socially or fiscally

Conservative• People can even be a mixture of both!• Since the 1790’s, political parties have

been the means by which “like-minded” people have influenced their gov’t• “Like-minded” people have shaped

policies that reflect their positions on issues

• Federalists & Democratic-Republicans split because over the issue of the appropriate role & power of the National gov’t• THIS IS STILL A MAJOR DIVIDER TODAY!!!• Political Parties address many issues• Just because someone says they are a

Democrat or a Republican doesn’t mean they agree with all the issues• Each party has their Liberals &

Conservatives

• Political Parties reflect public opinion & become more Liberal or Conservative depending on its voters• The basic differences between Liberals &

Conservatives in the 1980’s & TODAY developed because of different responses to the Great Depression, New Deal, Civil Rights Movement, & Great Society• Changes that occurred in society &

counter culture of the 1960’s strengthened Conservatives

• A Conservative backlash first showed up with Southern resistance to the Brown v. Board decision• TV & Media showed social unrest of the

cities in the North & West• Conservatives saw LBJ’s Great Society as

helping African Americans at the expense of whites—despite the fact that many Whites benefited from these anti-poverty programs

• The reactions to Civil Rights & Affirmative Action pointed out basic differences between Conservatives & Liberals!

CONSERVATIVES• Believe that a large federal gov’t threatens

individual freedoms• The majority of governing should be left to

the states = “STATES RIGHTS”• Believe in personal responsibility• Gov’t should leave charity to the private

sector• Do not support the extension of the welfare

state

• Believe welfare programs make their recipients permanently dependent on gov’t & are too costly

• Women’s Rights Movement challenged the status quo and the Conservative ideals of the proper role of women in society

• The Roe v. Wade decision outraged some Conservatives & prompted a “Right To Life” movement

• Conservatives believe the Supreme Court should overturn the Roe v. Wade decision

• Oppose ratification of the ERA- Equal Rights Amendment

LIBERALS• Believe that the federal gov’t should take an active

role in protecting the rights & welfare of its citizens

• Should protect minority groups against prejudices• Advocate gov’t programs to aid those who are

least able to care for themselves• Believe an individual should have the right to

make decisions about his/her well being• Supports a woman’s right to choose• Supported the ERA

• As the Vietnam War was watched on TV, the generation gap & polarization of society intensified as Americans saw themselves as “Conservative Hawks” or “Liberal Doves”• Conservatives hated burning of draft

cards & peace marches• When Vietnam fell to the VC in 1975,

Conservatives intensified their anti-Communist views

• Conservatives also feared US was losing its place as a world leader

• The Counter Culture that developed from the anti-war movement caused the sexual revolution of the 1960’s

• This alienated many Conservatives even further…

• Drug use, the divorce rate, number of unmarried people living together climbed

• Conservatives said this was caused by the decline in family values

NEW RIGHT• Created because of RMN’s promise to

restore “Law & Order” amid riots & protests• This was part of his “Southern Strategy”• Businessmen who opposed environmental

protections because they killed jobs & economic prosperity were “NR”• Conservatives who opposed abortion =

“NR”• They will all join together to form the “NR”!

• Fundamentalists & Evangelical churches organized politically as social Conservatives

• Televangelists & radio personalities used the media to reach millions every day with their conservative ideals

• By the 1980’s, cable TV, 24 hour news, political talk shows intensified their rhetoric

• Their impact was felt when after the Watergate Scandal & Gerald Ford’s pardon of RMN---it led to the election of Democrat Jimmy Carter

• Jimmy Carter inherited economic problems from the Vietnam War, ongoing crisis in the Middle East, double digit inflation, & an energy crisis

• This all eroded prosperity of the Middle Class & undermined social welfare programs• Conservatives in turn became VERY

popular with Americans• When Carter couldn’t end the Iranian

Hostage Crisis, the stage was set for Ronald Reagan

RONALD REAGAN• CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN• Campaigned for President with concern

over the economy & US status in the world in question• RR had a “can-do” attitude & patriotism

that appealed to Americans• The RR was inaugurated, the Iran hostages

were set free• This added to his “can-do” image

• Named first female to the Supreme Court, Sandra Day O’Connor (also Conservative)• The Conservative Supreme Court was one of

Reagan’s enduring legacies

• RR launched “Reagan Revolution” = cutting taxes for the wealthy to promote investment & create jobs• RR cut gov’t spending• Conservatives loved RR—saw him as

opposing the New Deal!• These Conservatives believe if the

wealthy have more money, then prosperity will “trickle down” to the rest of society

• The rich invest in building businesses & they hire workers (supply side)• Liberals called it “REAGANOMICS” = that

the economic well-being of the nation depends on the ability of all the people to consume the goods produced• Because increased demand will prompt

business owners to create more jobs & more people with jobs will spend more $$$$$ (demand side)

• Liberals believe that the wealthy should pay taxes in proportion to their ability to pay• Tax cuts should go to the lower & middle

class who will use that money to consume goods which prompts investment, jobs, & prosperity• Liberals believe that in economic hard

times, the federal gov’t should stimulate the economy through deficit spending

• Conservatives believe “belt-tightening” & balanced budgets should get the US through economic hard times• RR limited the enforcement of

regulations on businesses & banks• This DEREGULATION was supported by

economic Conservatives who believe that regulation of businesses limits the free enterprise system• Liberals support REGULATION!

• RR limited enforcement of environmental protections• Conservatives argue that jobs are more

important than the environment—denying the impact of pollution• Liberals argued that we can have jobs &

environmental protection to ensure the health & well-being of the public & environment

• Conservatives approved when RR took a rhetorical hard line against the Communist USSR• RR significantly increased Cold War

defense spending• Liberals say the fall of the USSR was due

to internal problems & the change of their leadership

• Reaganomics, defense spending, & globalization had such a long-term impact that it is still debated TODAY!• Yearly budget deficits because of the

defense spending contributed to the US national debt tripling• When many deregulated financial

institutions failed, massive bail-outs added to the national debt & economic crisis of 1980 is being RELIVED TODAY

• Neither Liberals or Conservatives addressed the issue of manufacturing jobs moving where labor costs are significantly lower

• New jobs in the US recently have been in low-paying service industries = low tax revenues

• Low wages & Reagan tax policy contributed to a widening gap between the rich & poor while,

• Consumerism & speculation fueled both prosperity & further speculation about the future of America

• RR was able to change the vocabulary of politics to make conservatism synonymous with economic growth & traditional values• While, Liberalism is synonymous with

wasteful spending & an overweening gov’t• Liberals tried to counter this, by

portraying themselves as champions of the middle class and that the gov’t should protect the middle class