Election of Reagan

new right!!!!!

criticized liberal programs

some thought welfare programs were rewared lack of effort

thought Great society made things worse

resurgent conservative movement

thought gov. taxed too heavily

population trands

republicans became dominant political party in south

more moved to suburbs and liberal idea support waned bc cities were very liberal

migration from rust belt to sunbelt

reagan became spearhead of new conservative movement

sagebrush rebels

want more power to states

thought federal gov. controlled too much land in west

anticommunism

focused on dangers posed by USSR

questioned detente

fought SALT II

reduce taxes and limit gov. regulation of industry for economic growth

criticized "throwing money" at social problems

state gov. over federal

Milton Friedman (conservative economist) and wife Rose Friedman wrote free to choose

types of conservatives

neoconservatives

traditionalists

warned about leaving traditional values for new freedoms from counterculture

personality

even-temmpered communicator skills (showed before debate

more charismatic and polished than Goldwater

optimistic

convinced Americans he would bring new era of prosperity and patriotism

religion became popular and widespread

reached to Americans who normally didn't participate in political process

2 mil. more voters

moral majority: political organization working to fulfill religious goals

time for choosing speech

won over lots of admiration

motivated many conservatives

won by landslide

electoral votes

won 50.6% of pop. vote and 90.9% of electoral

electoral votes are given "winner takes all" basis

loss of trust in gov.

Iran hostage crisis

watergate

polarizing issues= first priority

urban riots

vietnam

democratic party unravels

counter culture

distanced southern Americans and mid westerns

distanced white conservative Christians

conservatives

few conservative pres. in last few years and lost many votes after Barry Goldwater lost

agreed with liberals in some aspects but differed in many things too

not very popular at the time

Liberals

cooperation with international organisations and UN

protect rights of minorities and women

picked up as civil right and activist issues began to appear on national stage

beleived federal gov. should be very active

1940s and 50s

blurred party dividing lines

bipartisan foreign policy