Reagan’s Political CareerReagan was originally a Democrat who considered Roosevelt his political hero.

After WWII, Reagan became less comfortable with the Democratic Party, and in the 1950s he joined the Republican Party.

He praised capitalism and attacked government regulation, and he also spoke out against Communists in the U.S.

He was elected governor of California in 1966.

He became committed to conservative values.

The New Deal

New Deal agencies provided banking regulations, assistance to farmers, and aid for the unemployed.

Critics argued that in a capitalist country, government should not undertake these tasks.

Some critics later formed the American Liberty League which was established in 1934. The Liberty League sought to teach respect for the rights of individuals and property.

Eisenhower and Goldwater

He was elected in 1952, beginning 8 years of Republican rule.

He accepted the basic outline of Roosevelt’s New Deal.

In 1964, Republican Barry Goldwater ran for President facing Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson .

Many Republicans believed Goldwater was too conservative to lead their party.

Lyndon Johnson crushed Goldwater in the elections

The Great Society

In 1965, President Johnson pushed ahead with his Great Society program, an extension of the New Deal.

Under the Great Society, the Office of Economic Opportunity helped the poor, Medicare provided medical care for elderly people, great school support programs were set up, and provided good housing for all Americans. However, the Great Society cost billions each year and raised expectations beyond what the government could meet.

Nixon and the Welfare State

In 1968, Richard Nixon won the presidency, bringing Republicans back to power.In 1970, the Occupational Safety and Health Act provided for employee rights in the workplace and demanded that safety standards be maintained with federal enforcement regulation.Also in 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created to oversee federal antipollution laws.

Social Issues

Rock music became more openly sexual and drug-oriented.

The use of illegal drugs became widespread

Waves of violent student protests occurred on the college campuses.

After the Roe v. Wade court ruling to legalize abortion, many anti-abortion forces launched a campaign to overturn the decision.

The Woman’s movements called for equal rights and for new opportunities.

The New Right Coalition

In 1976, Ronald Reagan had challenged President Gerald Ford for the Republican nomination, lost, and came back in 1980 to try again against Democratic President Jimmy Carter.

In 1980, conservative groups formed a new powerful political coalition called the New Right. A key concern was the size of government and its role in the economy. The proposed cutting government-funded social programs.

A Reagan Landslide

The growing strength of conservatives in the Republican Party gave Ronald Reagan the presidential nomination in 1980

He pocked fun at Jimmy Carter and how he handled the economy

Reagan gained 51% of the popular vote to Carter’s 41%. Carter won only 49 electoral votes while Reagan picked up 489.

The Republicans gained control of the Senate for the first time since Eisenhower’s first term.

Three Broad Policies

Slash taxes

Eliminate unnecessary government programs

Strengthen the defense capability of the United States

Reaganomics

Main goal was to spur business growth

His economic program, called “Reaganomics”, rested on the theory of supply-side economics

Supply Side Economics- Focuses not on the demand of goods but on the supply of goods

Tax Cutting

October 1981- Reagan put a 5% tax cut into effect.

1982 & 1983- Reagan put a 10% tax cut into effect.

In 1986 Congress passed the most sweeping tax reform in history.

It closed loopholes that allowed some people to avoid paying their fair share of taxes.

Taxpayers benefited; Wealthy taxpayers benefited more.

Cutting Regulations & Slowing Federal Growth

Reagan wanted to eliminate government regulations that he believed stifled free market competition

He expanded the deregulation of the energy, transportation, and banking industries begun under the Carter administration.

Reagan sought to give more responsibility to the state and local government. He called this plan the New Federalism, meaning the federal government would no longer tell states exactly how federal aid had to be used, rather it would let states create and pay for programs they saw fit. This plan never worked.

Military Buildup

In 1983, Reagan announced the Strategic Defensive Initiative (SDI), popularly known as “Star Wars.”

SDI proposed the creation of a massive satellite shield in space to intercept and destroy incoming Soviet Missiles

Trouble Spots Abroad

Russia complained about the U.S. stationing new intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Western Europe.

In 1982, Reagan sent several thousand marines to Beirut, Lebanon to keep the peace. In October 1983, a terrorist truck full of explosives crashed into the marine barracks, killing 241 Americans. All the troops left the following February.

Death of a President

Ronald Reagan passed away on June 5th, 2004

Funeral service and Burial was at the Ronald Reagan Memorial Library