Reagan's 1980 Election

Valued free market, private organization, and competition

Goals: Limit taxes, cut spending, limit government intervention and ease regulation on business and industry to make way for economic growth

More Traditional, religiously motivated southerners to lean towards conservatism

Anticommunist

Pushed for tax cuts making conservatism more appealing to those within South and those subjected to poverty

Appealed to public as he was a actor that utilized his communication skills

1980 Debate Reagan destroys Carter and his reputation

Valued government intervention and helping the needy

Liberalism lost its appeal after the Vietnam war and Johnson administration

Conservatives believed that the government taxed citizens too much and energy crisis and economic problems made conservative tax cuts appealing

Contributed to reverse discrimination in wake of rights movements and social programs

Public lost faith in the theory of big government

Experienced push-back to counter culture and social movements as conservatives tapped into traditional resurgence