George H. W. Bush

Republican1989-1993

I. Political Backgrounda. 1967-71Serves as U.S.

Representative from Texasb. 1971-73 Serves as U.S.

Ambassador to the U.N.c. 1974-75 Serves as director

of the CIAd. 1981-1989 Serves as VP

under Reagane. 1989-1993 Serves as 41st

President

II. Election of 1988a. George H.W. Bush/Dan

Quayle (Republican)b. Michael Dukakis/Lloyd

Bentsen (Democratic)

d. Election revolved around issues of the Iran-Contra Scandal and growing budget concerns

e. Election Results1. Popular Vote: 48,886,097 (R),

41,809,074(D)2. Electoral Vote: 426 to 111

Green=Bush Blue=Dukakis

III. Domestic Policy

a. “Read My Lips: No New Taxes”1. Early campaign promise of

Bush – he came to later regret this statement

2. Long battles over the budget broke out after Bush was elected

3. To help complete the budget process, Bush compromised with the Democrats on a federal deficit reduction that included tax increases.

4. Conservatives were outraged! Blocked the compromise but different version was passed. This version included both higher taxes and Bush’ s tax reform ideas.

b. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)1. Lowered legal and physical obstacles for the physically challenged2. Approved in 1990

c. Additional Domestic Spending1. More money was targeted for the improvement of education and the nation’s highways

2. Clean Air Act – set new antipollution standards for fuel burning

d. Economic Recession

1. In spite of the financial growth of the 1980s, 14%

of Americans were still living in poverty. Economy stopped

growing in the early 1990s.

e. Appointment of Supreme Court Justices

1. David Souter – passed with no controversy

2. Clarence Thomas – very controversial appointment. Thomas was accused of sexual harassment of Anita Hill. Hill was a member of Thomas’ staff

David Souter and Clarence Thomas

IV. Foreign Affairsa. China 1989

1. Chinese students protest the Communist government

2. Chinese tanks and troops of Deng Xiaping killed 2000 in Tiananmen Square June 5, Bush suspended arms sales to China

Single Chinese Student Protesting

b. Fall of Communism

1. Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989

2. Berlin Wall opened at midnight Nov. 10 after the fall of the Communist regime in East Germany. Germany would be united October 3, 1990 as the Federal Republic of Germany and the parliament met in the Berlin Reichstag

c. Collapse of the Soviet Empire

1. 1990 – Soviet republics began to issue declarations of independence

2. 1990 –Boris Yeltsin was elected the chairman of the Russian Republic Parliament

3. Attempted coup to overthrow Gorbachev after he refused to support military law

4. Military units were met by protest from Yeltsin and other republics

5. December 25, Gorbachev resigned – new flag was raised on December 31 (Russian Tricolour)

c. Panama 1989- War on Drugs

1. Invaded Panama in to arrest President Manuel Noriega – known drug king

2. Invaded by 22,500 U.S. troops Dec. 20 in Operation Just Cause.

3. Noriega was captured on January 4 after seeking asylum from the Vatican embassy on December 24

4. U.S. Troops played relentless rock music over loudspeakers - songs by The Animals, Bobby Fuller, and Bruce Springsteen

d. Operation Desert Storm1. August, 1990, Kuwait was

attacked by Iraq.2. Iraq also stationed armies near the borders of Saudi Arabia and Iran3. Kuwait held 10% of the world’s oil reserves, Iran 10%, S.A. 25%

4. Bush helped to create a broad international coalition against Iraq

5. Included support from most of the United Nations members

6. Bush ordered the largest deployment of troops (425,000 troops) since the Vietnam War

7. Called it Operation Desert Shield8. January 1991, secured

Congressional authority to use all necessary means to expel Iraq from Kuwait

9. February 1991, ground forces pushed Iraqi soldiers out of Kuwait (in less than 100 hours)

10. Gulf war was over in less than 2 months, 149 Americans were killed, 10,000 Iraqi soldiers were killed

11. Saddam Hussein remained in power

Saddam Hussein 1990s

VII. Legacy of President Bush

a. His handling of the Gulf War was regarded as his finest accomplishment

b. Continues to remain politically active through his son George W. Bush

c. Was appointed co-ambassador with Bill Clinton to help with relief efforts after the Indonesian tsunami