-176619 CHAPTER 30—POWER AND POLITICS, 1974-1992 Murrin, Johnson, McPherson, Fahs, Gerstle, Rosenberg & Rosenberg Copyright © 2008 Wadsworth Group Liberty, Equality, Power: A History of the American People, 5e 0704lep5e.bmp
Times Instructions: Identify the following term(s). During the 1970s, popular support for social welfare measures began to strengthen. fade. remain constant. disappear. be concentrated in the Republican Party. B Least Difficult p. 937 Analytical 1 The first person to become both president and vice president, without having been elected to either position, was Jimmy Carter. Nelson Rockefeller. Richard Nixon. Gerald Ford. Ronald Reagan. D Average p. 938 Factual 1 The popular image of Gerald Ford was that he was elitist and arrogant. a strong and powerful leader. consumed with gaining political power. genial and bumbling. paranoid and suspicious. D Average p. 938 Factual 1 The winner of the 1976 presidential election was Gerald Ford. Jimmy Carter. Walter Mondale. Robert Dole. Richard Nixon. B Least Difficult p. 939 Factual 1 The Soviet Union invaded which one of the following countries in 1979? Turkey Armenia Kazakhstan Afghanistan South Korea D Most Difficult p. 942 Factual 1 In 1980, with slightly more than 50 percent of the popular vote, ____ was elected to the presidency. George Bush Ronald Reagan Jimmy Carter Gerald Ford Richard Nixon B Least Difficult p. 945 Factual 1 In 1984, Ronald Reagan defeated ____, a Minnesota Democrat, for the presidency. Gary Hart Robert Dole Michael Dukakis Walter Mondale Ted Kennedy D Average p. 949 Factual 1 In 1983, the United States overthrew the government of what small Caribbean nation? Cuba Jamaica Bermuda St. Croix Grenada E Average p. 952 Factual 1 Throughout the 1980s, the Reagan administration attempted to overthrow the leadership of what Latin American nation? Guatemala El Salvador Nicaragua Honduras Panama C Average p. 952 Factual 1 The Democratic opponent to George Bush in the 1988 presidential election was Jesse Jackson. Michael Dukakis. Edward Kennedy. Walter Mondale. Ted Kennedy. B Average p. 954 Factual 1 In 1990, ____ of all U.S. households had a fully employed husband and a mother who only worked on taking care of children and the home. 15 percent 25 percent 40 percent 50 percent 65 percent A Average p. 960 Factual 1 In December 1989, U.S. forces entered what Latin American nation in order to arrest its president? Honduras Panama Nicaragua Guatemala Mexico B Least Difficult p. 955 Factual 1 The 1992 Democratic nominee for the presidency was Bill Clinton. Michael Dukakis. Al Gore. Edward Kennedy. Joe Lieberman A Least Difficult p. 958 Factual 1 The independent, self-financed candidate in the 1992 presidential election was billionaire Donald Trump. Ross Perot. John Rockefeller. Allan Frost. Al Franken B Least Difficult p. 958 Factual 1 In 1978, Jimmy Carter brokered a historic peace accord between Iran and Iraq. Lebanon and Syria. Great Britain and Argentina. North Korea and South Korea. Israel and Egypt. E Average p. 941 Factual 1 During the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Clarence Thomas, Anita Hill testified against Thomas, accusing him of racial discrimination. anti-Semitism. income tax evasion. sexual harassment. spousal abuse. D Average p. 961 Factual 1 In 1983, after a truck bomb killed 241 U.S. soldiers in Lebanon, President Reagan ordered air strikes against suspected terrorist targets. attempted to destabilize the government of Syria. withdrew the remaining American troops from Lebanon. increased arms sales to Israel. threatened to invade Iran. C Average p. 952 Analytical 1 One of the most damaging problems of the Carter administration was its failure to win the release of U.S. hostages from Iraq. Iran. Kuwait. Lebanon. Jordan. B Average p. 942 Factual 1 All the following statements regarding the New Right are true except its interests are almost entirely centered around social and cultural issues. origins can be traced back several decades before Ronald Reagan became president. supporters were outraged over Roe v. Wade court case. supporters include Protestant fundamentalists. a diverse coalition of conservatives. A Most Difficult p. 943 Factual 1 All of the following occurred during the Reagan administration except the increase in the rate of poverty. reduction in federal spending for social welfare programs. soaring of the federal deficit. appointment of many Catholic social conservatives to courts. reduction in environmental protections. B Most Difficult p. 948 Factual 1 President Jimmy Carter supported all of the following domestic policies except government funding for public-works jobs. expansion of domestic energy production. deregulation of some industries. tax cuts. dramatic cuts in welfare spending E Average p. 940 Analytical 1 The end of the Cold War and the fall of Eastern European communism occurred during the presidency of Jimmy Carter. Ronald Reagan. George Bush. Bill Clinton. Gerald Ford C Least Difficult p. 954 Factual 1 The 1984 Democratic vice presidential nominee was Walter Mondale. Geraldine Ferraro. Lloyd Bentsen. Edward Kennedy. Shirley Chisholm. B Average p. 949 Factual 1 In the aftermath of Vietnam and Watergate, the mood of the public was optimistic. disillusioned. militant. disinterested. fearful. B Average p. 937 Analytical 1 Prior to becoming president, Gerald Ford had been all of the following except a republican. secretary of state. football star. congressman. vice-president. B Average p. 938 Analytical 1 In response to the Khmer Rouge seizure of the U.S. ship Mayaguez, Gerald Ford appealed to the United Nations for help in freeing the ship and crew. apologized for the ship's accidental intrusion into Cambodian waters. refused to negotiate with the Cambodians. took no direct action and let events play themselves out. ordered a rescue mission and a bombing attack. E Average p. 939 Factual 1 Jimmy Carter appealed to voters because he was a "born-again" Christian. Washington outsider who was untainted by the political corruption of the Nixon era. former governor with a southern small-town agricultural background. retired naval officer. all of the above. E Most Difficult p. 939 Analytical 1 The domestic policies of the Carter administration greatly increased aid to low-income families. lowered the gas tax to increase the competitiveness of U.S. oil companies. increased price inflation and stifled economic growth. eliminated "stagflation" and expanded the economy. ensured his reelection. C Most Difficult p. 940 Analytical 1 Which of the following is not an example of Jimmy Carter's foreign policy? establishment of formal diplomatic relations with Communist China negotiations that improved relations between Israel and Egypt expansion of American control in the Panama Canal Zone development of a human-rights policy to determine which countries received U.S. foreign aid failure to deal effectively with the hostage crisis C Most Difficult p. 941-942 Factual 1 While he was governor of California, Ronald Reagan significantly reduced the state's welfare system. encouraged a police crackdown on college campuses. pursued a hard line conservative agenda. showed little willingness to compromise on issues. all of the above. B Most Difficult p. 944 Analytical 1 The phrase "supply-side economics" refers to Franklin Roosevelt's economic policy of supplying war materials to the allies in World War II. Jimmy Carter's reduction of capital gains taxes. congressional efforts to control the federal budget. a theory embraced by Ronald Reagan that tax reductions would stimulate the economy. the U.S. policy of supplying aid to third world countries that supported the U.S. D Average p. 946 Analytical 1 In the Persian Gulf War, President George H. W. Bush did not oust Saddam Hussein from power because he considered him a potential ally. he had promised not to do so at the start of the war. the United Nations forbid him to do it. U.S. military planners worried about being able to control a post-Saddam Iraq. the casualty rate among U.S. troops was already very high. D Average p. 957 Analytical 1 During the 1980s, conservative Reaganites redefined the word "liberalism" to mean wasteful social programs that robbed working Americans and rewarded lazy undeserving people. limited government spending that controlled inflation. moderate support for traditional family and social values. government programs that helped average families purchase homes and consumer goods. sexual promiscuity. A Most Difficult p. 951 Analytical 1 Reagan's "Star Wars" program was a cultural exchange with the Soviet Union that included sharing of science-fiction films. so expensive that Congress refused to fund it. a space-based defense against incoming missiles. made into a block-buster movie. a government program to subsidize the movie industry. C Average p. 951 Factual 1 Which of the following was not true of the Iran-Contra affair? The United States secretly sold weapons to Iran. Iran promised to help gain the release of Americans held hostage by Middle Eastern terrorists. Profits from arms sales were used to fund revolutionaries in Iraq. President George Bush pardoned the officials who participated in the scheme. Oliver North and others destroyed documents and lied to Congress. C Most Difficult p. 952-953 Factual 1 During George Bush's presidency, the federal deficit continued to increase. the Soviet Union was abolished. the United States invaded Panama. the Persian Gulf War was fought all of the above E Average p. 954-957 Factual 1 George Bush's campaign faltered during the election of 1992 because Bush did not have a clear, consistent vision of foreign and domestic policy. the Democrats attacked him as an enemy of "family values." his appearance on MTV shocked conservative voters. white southern Protestants overwhelmingly supported the Democratic ticket. the Democratically controlled Congress took credit for the economic prosperity. A Most Difficult p. 957-958 Factual 1 All of the following statements regarding the economy during Carter's administration are true except the price of oil soared. the rate of inflation topped thirteen percent. Carter supported increasing pubic works spending. Carter opposed tax cuts. unemployment rose. D Most Difficult p. 940 Factual 1 When Bill Clinton ran for president in 1992 he emphasized his roots in the 1960s. cast himself as a traditional Democrat. was hurt that neither he nor his running mate had any military service. made the preservation of the welfare system a top priority. admitted to having extramarital affairs. A Most Difficult p. 958 Analytical 1 Jimmy Carter appealed to young voters in 1976 by calling for more aid to college students. promising to pardon most Vietnam War draft resisters. lowering the voting age. denouncing the high cost of higher education. promising to raise the minimum wage. B Average p. 939 Analytical 1 In 1976, Jimmy Carter won every southern state except Georgia. Alabama. Virginia. Florida. Texas C Most Difficult p. 939 Factual 1 James Schlesinger served as Jimmy Carter's secretary of the interior. state. agriculture. energy. treasury. D Average p. 940 Factual 1 "Operation Just Cause" was aimed against Nicaragua. Iraq Cuba. El Salvador. Panama. E Least Difficult p. 955 Factual 1 Jimmy Carter was a devout Baptist. Presbyterian. Methodist. Congregationalist. Jew A Least Difficult p. 939 Factual 1 In 1980, Jimmy Carter's major Democratic opponent to his renomination was Ronald Reagan. George McGovern. John Anderson. Walter Mondale. Edward Kennedy. E Least Difficult p. 942 Factual 1 President George H. W. Bush's popularity rose as a result of his change of heart in raising taxes. the Persian Gulf War. his actions in the former Yugoslavia. the state of the economy in 1992. his role on the Iran-Contra affair. B Least Difficult p. 957 Analytical 1 Since he left office, the popular memory of Ronald Reagan has risen considerably. had been marred by later revelations of political misdeeds. remained about where it was in 1988. fallen dramatically. remained favorable only among hard-line conservatives. A Average p. 944 Analytical 1 In 1990, the average full-time income for a woman was ____ for every dollar earned by a man. 55 cents 65 cents. 75 cents. 85 cents. 95 cents. C Average p. 960 Factual 1 The advocacy group ACT-UP is most associated with gays. women. Blacks. Hispanics. Asians. A Average p. 963 Factual 1 In 1977 Jimmy Carter announced there existed a "moral equivalent of war" in regards to high unemployment. poverty. an energy crisis. stagflation. human rights. C Most Difficult p. 940 Factual 1 The Supreme Court ruling in the case of Bowers v. Hardwick (1986) was a major victory for gay rights activists. F Most Difficult p. 962 Factual 1 During the Carter administration, treaties were signed that would return the Panama Canal to Panama. T Average p. 941 Factual 1 The first woman ever to run for president or vice president on a major party ticket was Sandra Day O'Connor. F Average p. 948 Factual 1 The Gramm-Rudman Act of 1985 mandated a federal balanced budget by 1991. T Average p. 951 Factual 1 The U.S. operation to remove Iraq from Kuwait was known as "Operation Just Cause." F Average p. 955 Factual 1 George Bush's vice president was Dan Quayle. T Average p. 954 Factual 1 When he ran for president in 1976, Jimmy Carter asked voters, "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?" F Average p. 945 Factual 1 George Bush failed to keep one of his most important 1988 campaign pledges--the pledge of "no new taxes." T Average p. 954 Factual 1 Voter turnout in 1992 reversed a thirty-year decline in participation. T Average p. 958 Factual 1 The price for a barrel of oil quadrupled between 1971 and 1980. F Average p. 940 Analytical 1 The Iranian hostage crisis was one of the most embarrassing foreign policy failures of the Carter administration. T Average p. 942 Analytical 1 In the 1990s and early 2000s, a dramatic rise in the number of Americans of Indian descent was not the result of an increased birth rate or immigration. T Average p. 965-966 Analytical 1 Ronald Reagan's pro-labor policies helped increase union membership in the 1980s. F Average p. 959 Factual 1 The Reagan administration supported "freedom fighters" in Ethiopia, Angola, Nicaragua, and elsewhere because these revolutionaries were dedicated to democracy and human rights. F Most Difficult p. 952 Analytical 1 None of the major participants in the Iran-Contra affair were punished for their crimes. T Average p. 953 Factual 1 Ronald Reagan was a divorced, one-time Democrat. T Most Difficult p. 945 Factual 1 Formal diplomatic ties between the United States and China were made during the Carter administration. T Average p. 941 Factual 1 Jimmy Carter won a decisive victory in the election of 1976. F Average p. 939 Analytical 1 A concern for human rights lay at the center of Jimmy Carter's foreign policy. T Least Difficult p. 941 Analytical 1 The minimum wage when measured in constant dollars rose throughout Ronald Reagan's presidency. F Average p. 947 Factual 1 "Hispanic" is a term that simply means Mexican American. F Least Difficult p. 966 Factual 1 The Religious Right criticized Ronald Reagan when Robert Bork failed to win confirmation to a seat on the Supreme Court. T Average p. 949 Analytical 1 The Reagan administration believed that democratic forces included almost any movement, no matter how autocratic, that was noncommunist. T Average p. 952 Analytical 1 President George H. Bush opposed the North American Free Trade Agreement. F Least Difficult p. 957 Analytical 1 Bill Clinton won election in 1992 with well under half of the popular vote. T Average p. 958 Factual 1 Deregulation during the Reagan administration kept the savings and loan industry from financial collapse. F Average p. 949 Analytical 1 In 1992, Bill Clinton's main criticism of George H. W. Bush was that he had left Saddam Hussein in power after the Persian Gulf War. F Least Difficult p. 958 Factual 1 In the 1984 election, Ronald Reagan carried forty-nine states. T Average p. 949 Factual 1 Leaders of the Religious Right strongly supported the separation of church and state doctrine of the constitution. F Average p. 944 Analytical 1 Gerald Ford's decline in public popularity can be attributed to intense media criticism. F Least Difficult p. 938 Analytical 1 Michael Dukakis focused his presidential campaign in 1988 on domestic social problems. T Average p. 954 Analytical 1 During his second year in office, Jimmy Carter extended amnesty to those who had resisted the draft during the Vietnam War. F Most Difficult p. 939 Factual 1 Jimmy Carter failed to win congressional approval of either his welfare program or his energy plan. T Average p. 940 Factual 1 In 1992, Vietnam veterans overwhelmingly voted against Bill Clinton. F Average p. 958 Factual 1 Democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale called for tax hikes in 1984. T Average p. 948 Factual 1 In the 1970s, worldwide shortages of oil resulted in long lines at gas stations for American drivers. T Average p. 940 Factual 1 Rush Limbaugh's radio program benefited from the elimination of the Federal Communication Commission's "fairness doctrine" in 1987. T Average p. 969 Analytical 1 Affirmative action programs have been criticized as "reverse discrimination." T Least Difficult p. 968 Factual 1 Iranian militants who held 66 Americans hostage demanded the United States stop its support of Israel for in exchange for their release. F Most Difficult p. 942 Factual 1 In 1991, George H. W. Bush referred to Iraq as an "evil empire." F Least Difficult p. 951 Factual 1 In 1981, Ronald Reagan nominated ____________________ to be the first woman Supreme Court justice. Sandra Day O'Connor Average p. 948 Factual 1 0 The space-based defense system promoted by Ronald Reagan, which supposedly would stop incoming missiles, was popularly dubbed ____________________. Star Wars Least Difficult p. 951 Factual 1 0 The less authoritarian, Western-looking leader of the Soviet Union who rose to power in 1985 was ____________________. Mikhail Gorbachev Least Difficult p. 953 Factual 1 0 In 1968, Indian activists created ____________________, which used confrontational tactics. American Indian Movement Most Difficult p. 964 Factual 1 0 In 1980, the ____________________ boycotted the Summer Olympics in a dispute over Afghanistan. United States Average p. 942 Factual 1 0 The Persian Gulf War resulted from Iraq's invasion of ____________________ . Kuwait Least Difficult p. 955 Factual 1 0 Ronald Reagan was designated the "____________________ president" because his personal popularity was not diminished by criticism of his policies. Teflon Average p. 948 Factual 1 0 An important event in the rise of gay activism was the police raid at the ____________________ in 1969. Stonewall Inn Average p. 961 Factual 1 0 Gerald Ford's "Whip Inflation Now" program included cuts in spending and a one-year ____________________. income tax surcharge Most Difficult p. 939 Factual 1 0 The____________________ Party controlled Congress during Gerald Ford's brief presidency. Democratic Average p. 938 Factual 1 0 ____________________ was president when South Vietnam collapsed. Gerald Ford Least Difficult p. 938 Factual 1 0 The economic term that describes low growth coupled with high inflation is ____________________. stagflation Average p. 940 Factual 1 0 Moderate Republican ____________________ ran an independent campaign for president in 1980. John Anderson Average p. 945 Factual 1 0 Between 1970 and 1990, the number of African American families living in the middle-class had ____________________. doubled Most Difficult p. 947 Factual 1 0 ____________________ was head of the CIA when Panama's General Manuel Noriega was recruited as an Agency "asset" during the mid-1970s. George H. Bush Average p. 955 Factual 1 0 Between 1970 and 1980, the number of African American families with an annual income of less than $15,000 had ____________________. doubled Average p. 947 Factual 1 0 "Operation Just Cause" involved a U.S. invasion of ____________________. Panama Average p. 955 Factual 1 0 In 1988, the United States began paying reparations to all ____________________ who had been confined in internment camps during World War II. Japanese Americans Average p. 968 Factual 1 0 In 1991 ____________________ abolished the Soviet Union. Boris Yeltsin Average p. 954 Factual 1 0 Statistics show that African American men in their twenties are ____________________ times more likely than their white counterparts to be imprisoned. ten 10 Average p. 963 Factual 1 0 ____________________, Jimmy Carter's running mate in 1976, was a senator from Minnesota. Walter Mondale Average p. 939 Factual 1 0 ____________________ served as Jimmy Carter's first secretary of state. Cyrus Vance Most Difficult p. 941 Factual 1 0 The administration of ____________________ rolled up the most extraordinary record of deficits and spending in U.S. history. Ronald Reagan Average p. 946 Factual 1 0 The Reagan administration initiated Radio Martí to discredit ____________________. Fidel Castro Average p. 951 Factual 1 0 At a summit with Soviet leaders in ____________________, Iceland, in 1986, Ronald Reagan surprisingly called for a wholesale ban on nuclear weapons. Reykjavik Average p. 953 Factual 1 0 The cartel that dominates oil rich nations in the middle East is known as ____________________. OPEC Average p. 940 Factual 1 0 In 1966, the women's rights advocacy group, ____________________, was founded. National Organization for Women Average p. 960 Factual 1 0 In 1977, Jimmy Carter stated the ____________________ was the "moral equivalent of war." energy crisis Most Difficult p. 940 Factual 1 0 In the 1990s it was announced the Ronald Reagan was suffering from ____________________ disease. Alzheimer's Average p. 953 Factual 1 0 When he was elected in 1980, Ronald Reagan was ____________________ years old. 70 Average p. 945 Factual 1 0 Panama Canal Treaty: signed by the United States and Panama in 1977. Returned ownership of the canal, which had been controlled by the United States, to Panama by the year 2000. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 Oliver North: middle-level National Security Council operative who did much of the field work involved in the Iran-Contra operation in violation of the stated White House policy and the will of Congress. Testified before Congress and was later convicted of various crimes relating to the operation. The conviction was overturned. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 Mikhail Gorbachev: new-style Soviet leader who became head of the Communist Party in 1985 and advocated economic liberalization (perestroika) and political openness (glasnost). TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 Operation Desert Shield: U.S. military operation employing over 200,000 soldiers sent to protect Saudi Arabia from possible Iraqi attack following Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 "stagflation": a term that describes the economic condition in which there is high inflation coupled with low economic growth. The stagnation of growth and rising prices plagued the nation in the mid 1970s during both the Ford and Carter administrations and eroded consumer confidence as well as their buying power. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 contras: a U.S.-trained and -equipped military force that opposed socialism in Nicaragua. When Congress cut off funds, the Reagan administration financed the contras through secret arms sales to Iran. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 General Manuel Noriega: former CIA operative who became president of Panama. George Bush ordered a U.S. invasion of Panama in order to remove him from power. Noriega was arrested, tried, convicted, and imprisoned for drug trafficking. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 Ross Perot: Texas billionaire who spent millions to form his own third party and promote his bids for the presidency in 1992 and 1996. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 Examine the Carter presidency. Describe the president's successes and failures in his domestic and foreign policies. President Jimmy Carter was elected to the White House on the strength of his honesty (a strong asset following the Watergate scandals) as well as his stance as a political outsider. To many Americans, his precise political beliefs and goals were probably less important than these traits. Once in office, Carter had some difficulty in successfully pursuing either his domestic policy or his foreign policy goals. In the area of domestic and social policy, Carter attempted to carve out a middle ground on such social policies as welfare, but the results were mixed. Although Carter advocated a jobs-creation program, Congress resisted and instead passed bills allotting greater cash assistance to low-income families. In economic policy, Carter had even less success, although the failures were not entirely his fault. Rising inflation and a virtual halt to economic growth left many Americans feeling that the economic future was dim. Carter's greatest setbacks, however, came in the area of foreign policy. Although he negotiated further nuclear reduction treaties with the Soviets, facilitated the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, championed international protection for human rights, and won approval of the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977, his problems with Iran undermined his presidency during his last year in office. In November 1979, in response to allowing the deposed Shah of Iran to enter the United States for medical treatment, militant Iranian activists took sixty-six Americans hostage in the U.S. embassy compound in Teheran. Economic reprisals, negotiations, and a disastrous military expedition failed to free the hostages, who returned to the United States only after Carter's defeat in the 1980 election. TYPE: Short Essays 1 -1 Examine the foreign policy of President Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan was elected to the presidency in 1980, at least in part on the perception that he would take a tough stance in the area of foreign policy. Believing that U.S. power was not sufficiently respected abroad, Reagan promised to reverse this trend. The framework for this began almost immediately as a significant portion of Reagan's federal budget was allocated to increased defense spending. By the mid-1980s, the Pentagon was purchasing about 20 percent of the entire nation's manufacturing output. Included in this military buildup was the controversial Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars). Reagan put some of this military equipment to use almost immediately with military actions in Lebanon and Grenada in 1982 and 1983. Although the first mission ended in disaster, the invasion of Grenada proved relatively easy and popular with the American people. In addition, members of Reagan's administration mounted a clandestine military effort against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua by mining the Nicaraguan harbor and pouring massive amounts of military assistance into the hands of the Nicaraguan government's rebel opponents, the "contras." More limited military operations, such as the attack on Libyan leader Qaddafi, and continued tough talk against the Soviets, underscored Reagan's commitment to a military-based, anti-Communist foreign policy. TYPE: Short Essays 1 -1 Explore the Iran-Contra affair. What was the purpose behind the initial mission, and what were its implications for the Reagan presidency? The Iran-Contra, "arms for hostages" initiative served several purposes: It fulfilled the needs not only of the Reagan administration, but also those of Iran, and the contra rebels in Nicaragua. The mechanics of the exchanges were relatively simple. The Reagan administration sold weapons to Iran which, in exchange, secured the release of U.S. hostages in Lebanon. The profits from these secret sales then were sent to aid the contras in their effort to topple Nicaragua's government. There were several problems with this arrangement, however. First, the stated policy of the Reagan administration was 1) not to sell weapons to the Iranians and 2) not to negotiate for the release of hostages on the grounds that negotiations would encourage the further seizure of hostages. In addition, by giving weapons to the contras, the administration was violating federal law, specifically the Boland Amendment, which banned the provision of supplies to the contras. Moreover, Reagan's domestic critics argued that this initiative showed contempt for the democratic process since the entire operation was being run by certain segments of the National Security Council. Two NSC officials, Oliver North and John Poindexter, were convicted of felonies but their convictions were overturned on appeal. In 1992, George Bush pardoned all of the former Reagan officials who had been implicated in the Iran-Contra affair. Reagan (and George Bush) denied any knowledge of the scheme, but Reagan's prestige suffered as a result of the impression that, at best, he had been inattentive to important foreign policy actions. TYPE: Short Essays 1 -1 Analyze the presidential election of 1992--the aspirants, their goals, and the results. The election of 1992 seemed to herald the end of the "Reagan Era," but, in early 1992, few would have predicted the defeat of George Bush, who, on the heels of the Persian Gulf War, had reached the highest point of popularity in his administration. By November, however, it was clear that many Americans were willing to give the Democratic opposition a hearing, and Bill Clinton, governor of Arkansas, gained his party's nomination. He advocated reducing the national debt, creating a national health-care program, and restructuring welfare. He made strong appeals to women, to younger people (even appearing on MTV), and to voters of color; and he portrayed himself as a "new Democrat" who was not wedded to the "liberal, tax-and-spend" policies that Republicans associated with his party. Although Bush was never as conservative as Reagan, he still emphasized many of the themes of his predecessor. The campaign was bitterly fought. Clinton had to withstand questions about extramarital affairs, and Bush had to explain the reversal on his pledge against any new taxes. Billionaire Ross Perot, who ran an unorthodox campaign that relied on his private fortune and media appearances, garnered almost 20 percent of the popular vote. Ultimately, Clinton won an impressive victory in the electoral balloting, but he gained less than a majority of the popular vote. TYPE: Short Essays 1 -1 Examine the goals and actions of Ronald Reagan's domestic policies. What did the phrase a "Morning in America" mean? Ronald Reagan promised to reverse the policies that he claimed had reduced the international prestige of the United States and had undermined the public's standard of living. He awakened the nation to a "new morning" and launched a conservative attack on high taxes, wasteful social programs, and government overspending. His "supply-side economics" program reduced tax rates in order to revitalize business and to increase consumer spending. To control inflation, the Federal Reserve Board maintained high interest rates. The Reagan administration did not reduce the federal budget to accommodate the decline in tax revenues and therefore the national debt rose to unprecedented heights. Despite Reagan's outspokenness against "tax and spend" policies, his deficit spending outstripped that of previous administrations. While the wealthy benefited from the "Reagan revolution," lower-income wage earners and people on fixed incomes saw their real earnings decline. President Reagan also undercut the union movement by firing the air traffic controllers who went on strike, packed the federal courts with politically conservative appointees such as Sandra Day O'Connor and Antonin Scalia, reduced funding for food stamps and other social welfare programs, gutted the agencies responsible for enforcing safety regulations and environmental protection policies, and relaxed federal support for Affirmative Action. While conservatives applauded Reagan's fulfillment of his campaign promises, the number of households that ranked below the poverty level increased. TYPE: Short Essays 1 -1 Analyze the U.S. involvement in the Gulf War. What caused the war? What were its results? Why was George Bush unable to profit politically from the war? The obvious cause of the Gulf War was the invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi forces in August 1990. The underlying issue was oil. U.S. military advisors were surprised by Saddam Hussein's aggression against Kuwait even though the Iraqi leader clearly had been building up his forces and publicly criticizing Kuwait's government. The United States feared that Hussein's attack on Kuwait would lead to a future invasion of the major oil-producing nation in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia. To protect American oil interests in the region, President George H. Bush responded quickly and organized the "Desert Shield" operation. With Saudi Arabia's permission, the United States sent 23,000 troops to the Middle East. Next, Bush convinced the United Nations to apply economic restrictions against Iraq and to support an international military intervention to restore Kuwait's independence. The U.S. Senate backed Bush's decision to use military force, and the president mounted an offensive--renamed "Desert Storm"--that included an international army of approximately 700,000 troops. A six-week-long air war preceded the ground offensive. Then, in only four days the U.S.-led ground forces defeated the Iraqi army. The U.S. death toll was 148, while Iraq lost between 25,000 and 100,000 soldiers. Both Kuwait and Iraq suffered heavy physical damage from the warfare. After an overwhelming victory against Iraq, Bush and his advisors allowed Saddam Hussein to remain in power. The United Nations continued its economic sanctions and set up a system to supervise the elimination of Iraq's facilities for producing weapons of mass destruction. During and immediately following the Gulf War, George Bush's popularity rating soared. The euphoria over the "success" of the Gulf War, however, did not last long enough to win re-election for Bush in 1992. Bush failed to eliminate Saddam Hussein and thus left a still formidable enemy of the United States in the Middle East. Also, the president was never able to articulate clearly his concept of the "new world order" or to create an image of himself as an effective international leader. TYPE: Short Essays 1 -1 Compare and contrast the domestic policies of the Carter and Reagan administrations. Essay should address several key points: A. Domestic policy of Jimmy Carter 1. Cautious proposals for modifications of social policies long identified with the Democratic Party. a. Called for restructuring of welfare b. Advocated public "workfare" i. Congress opposed ii. Proposals abandoned c. Economic policy i. Tax cuts ii. Increased public-works spending iii. Increased inflation resulted 2. Environmental/energy programs a. Hoped to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign oil b. Advocated alternative forms of energy c. Met opposition on both sides--oil producers in the United States and environmentalists 3. Failure of economic policies B. Domestic policies of Ronald Reagan 1. Supply-side economics a. Substantial tax cuts, especially for wealthier citizens, to spur economic growth through higher rates of investment b. Large-scale government spending in defense industries 2. After early economic slowdown, the beginning of the "Reagan boom" a. Eleven million new jobs created b. Many were minimum-wage, service-oriented positions, however c. Inflation reduced to 2 percent 3. Possible problems a. Federal deficit grew dramatically b. United States borrowed heavily abroad c. Critics charge economic growth not evenly distributed 4. Reagan attempts to "turn back clock" on Affirmative Action and social welfare policies a. Cut budgets for various social programs b. Helps set agendas that become part of 1994 "Contract with America"
TYPE: Long Essays 1 -1 Examine the U.S. involvement in the Persian Gulf War. Essay should address several key points: A. Iraqi invasion of Kuwait 1. Goals of Saddam Hussein a. Iraqi demand for oil b. Annexation of Kuwait B. U.S. response 1. Fear for fate of neighboring Saudi Arabia a. Desert Shield: U.S. troops sent to Saudi Arabia b. United Nations calls for international force to remove Saddam Hussein 2. 500,000 U.S. troops sent to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Storm a. President Bush outlines practical and idealistic reasons for military response i. Protection of oil supply ii. Halt an aggressive nation b. International participation C. Persian Gulf War 1. U.S. Air Force inflicts devastating bombing on Iraq a. U.S. leads ground offensive b. 25,000-100,000 Iraqi dead c. 148 U.S. battle deaths 2. Hussein agrees to cease-fire a. Iraq retreats from Kuwait b. Hussein left in power
TYPE: Long Essays 1 -1 Explore U.S. foreign policy during the Reagan and Bush administrations. Essay should address several key points: A. Reagan's anti-Communist stance 1. Publicly denounced the Soviet Union as "evil empire" 2. Continued criticism of Nicaragua's leftist Sandinista government a. Financed Contras--rebels attempting to overthrow Nicaraguan government b. Military actions under Reagan i) Lebanon and Grenada ii) Libya 3. Iran-Contra "arms for hostages" a. Arms deals with Iran for release of hostages b. Public outcry when deal was uncovered B. Foreign policy under George Bush 1. End of the Cold War a. Disintegration of the Soviet Union b. Collapse of Communist regimes in Eastern Europe 2. Operation Just Cause a. Bush invades Panama b. Noriega arrested as drug trafficker 3. Persian Gulf War a. Iraqi invasion of Kuwait b. U.S./U.N. force attacks Iraqi troops (Operation Desert Storm) c. Iraq driven from Kuwait
TYPE: Long Essays 1 -1 During the time period between the presidencies of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, the Cold War ended. Examine the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union and analyze each president's foreign policy strategy for dealing with Communist nations. Essay should address several key points: A. Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) 1. Post-Vietnam syndrome 2. Contradictory goals and approaches a. Cyrus Vance, behind-the-scenes diplomacy b. Zbigniew Brzezinski, hard-line confrontation B. Human rights policy 1. Philosophical rejection of alliances with repressive anti-Communists 2. Inconsistent application of human rights standards 3. Formal ties with Communist China 4. Fall of Somoza in Nicaragua 5. Response to Russian invasion of Afghanistan C. Ronald Reagan (1981-1989); escalating the rhetoric 1. Combating the "evil empire" 2. Increased military spending; "Star Wars" defense 3. Support for "democratic" revolutions around the world 4. Peacekeeping in Lebanon 5. Invasion of Granada 6. Support for the Contras in Nicaragua 7. Gorbachev ends the Cold War D. George Bush (1989-1993); restructuring 1. Collapse of the Soviet Union 2. Encouraging capitalism with economic aid 3. Decline of leftist influence in Central America 4. Turmoil in former Communist areas of Eastern Europe 5. Taking credit for the failure of Communism
TYPE: Long Essays 1 -1