Reagan's Election

Ronald Reagan = new hero
for the conservatives

elected president in 1980

Two Major Views

liberal

generally favored government
intervention for the needy

conservative

generally allowed the free market,
private organizations, and individuals
to try to help the needy instead of
the government

agreed on most of the basic ideas

individuals in each of the parties
did not always conform totally
to the party's beliefs

Ideas of Goals of Liberalism

sponsor laws that
protect women,
children, and minorities

support greater government regulation

favor cooperation with
international organizations

Ideas and Goals of Conservatives

large government endangered and individuals rights

felt 1960/1970 liberals left
the nation inflation and
enormous waste

want to promote economic growth

want to reduce taxes

do not want to "throw money" at the issues in society

Reagan's path to presidency

childhood

grew up suffering the hardships of the great depression

spokesman for General electric

began to criticize against communism, big government, and high taxes

Reagan Wins a Close Election

carter did not make presidency look good

Reagan won 50.6% of the popular vote

line separating democrats
and republicans has blurred

developed a bipartisan policy
with the goal of containing
communism

republicans become increasingly critical
of the liberal democratic policies

New Right

resurgent conservative movement

grew quickly

a combination of several
different groups and
opinions with varying goals
as well

liberalism loses it's appeal

weakened faith in the public government

the new right criticizes liberal programs

unfunded mandates:
required programs that
are not funded by the government

believe the government spends to much on the wrong programs

Religious Participation Rises

moral majority: a political
organization reaching to
fulfill religious goals

founded by Reverend Jerry Falwell

boosted the republicans chance of winning

worried about the decline of traditional value

population trends cause boost in conservation

since mid 1960s southerners changed their political alliance