Reagan election
Path
supported Goldwater
Gave speech during
Goldwater's campaign,
didn't help Goldwater but
got Reagan elected as
governor of CA
served two terms
and won presidential
nomination in 1980 by
a landslide
Became spokesman
for general electric
and toured nation
giving speeches
Started as an actor
Conservatives
gain strength
population trends
Sunbelt became
republican
White South became
Republicans after
civil rights reforms
Americans were moving
to suburbs and became
detached from liberalism
Criticized welfare
programs
felt affirmative action
contributed to reverse
discrimination
welfare contributed
to children born out
of wedlock and
encouraged decline
of traditional family
felt Great Society
worsened poverty
Democrat party was
unraveling
urban riots, Vietnam
War, counterculture,
Watergate, oil crisis,
Iran hostage crisis,
stagflation
New Right, resurgent
conservative movement,
grew rapidly and was a
coalition of many groups
with varying ideas and goals
Moral majority
worked to fulfill
religious goals
boosted republican
chances of winning
presidency
Sagebrush rebels-
activists who believed
federal gov controlled
too much land in
western states and
land should go to states
Republicans became
increasingly critical of
liberal policies
complained about
unfunded mandates,
programs required
but not paid for by
the fed government
Blamed policies
for stagflation and
economic problems
Reagan Wins
Showed his gift
as a communicator
in presidential debate
as a
appeared friendly
tempered/calmed
fears that he didn't
have enough experience
to win
Carter had
lost support
Reagan won
overwhelmingly
Supported
strong military
Had traditional
values
Made it clear
he opposed big
government
Conservatives
Conservatives
(Republicans)
anticommunists
questioned detente policy
and fought against SALT II
neoconservatives warned
of dangers posed to society
by abandoning traditional
values
of dangers
religious beliefs
thought liberal policies
caused inflation and
were a waste
favored free market,
private organizations,
and individuals to help
needy
Felt large central gov
endangered economic
growth and individual
choice
sought to reduce
taxes and limit gov
regulation of
industry
