Election Of Reagan Reasons
Conservatives wanted to reduce taxes
and limit gov regulation of industry to
promote economic growth and reduce
inflation
Because of the decline in Northern industries, Americans
lacked faith for the future and when the economy stagnated, liberal ideas fell short and conservative ideas rose
unfunded mandates: programs required but not paid for
by the federal government
liberal gov taxed too heavily an spent too much on the wrong programs; great society made poverty worse
sagebrush rebels wanted land given back to the western states believing that the federal gov owned too much of it
Conservatives/anti-communists questioned
detente and the dangers posed by the Soviet Union
Population trends benefitted the republican party
an increasing amount of americans moved to the suburbs which became a conservative area
migration of conservatives from the rust belt to the sun belt
benefitted conservatives as the sun belt was highly populated and allowed conservatives to recieve many votes
southerners changed from democratic party to republican
Reagan showed his communication skills during he and Carter's only presidential debate
Conservatives were worried about the threat posed to society by abandoning traditional values for the freedoms represented by the mass media
Liberal welfare contributed to more children being born out of wedlock and therefore further declining the traditional family
Affirmative action caused reverse discrimination
The moral majority was a political organization working
to fulfill religious beliefs and prevent the degredation of the traditional family
boosted republican party by reaching voters who had not
voted before and favored republican canidates
Faith in the government was lost
Democratic party unraveled and the vietnam war
and urban riots further weakened the trust
Watergate and the oil crisis combined with the
Iran hostage crisis worried Americans