The Reagan Revolution
A. We have seen this pattern repeated over and over: the federal
government gets more involved in people’s lives and in making
reforms (Progressive Era, New Deal, Great Society), then there is a
backlash against reforms when people begin to question the role of
the government (Roaring 20’s, the 50’s, Nixon era). The reaction
to the social upheaval of the 1960’s and 1970’s (civil rights
movement, women’s movement, Vietnam) leads to the
conservativism of the 1980’s.
B. Ronald Reagan assembled a conservative coalition the swept him
to power in 1980. His supporters included hard line conservatives,
the religious right (Jerry Falwell and Moral Majority), single-
issue voters (anti-busing, anti-abortion, anti-gay), businessmen
who sought to reduce government regulation, and moderate
Democrats who thought the civil rights movement had gone too far
(affirmative action as reverse discrimination).
C. Reagan’s Economic Policy (Reaganomics)
1. Cut government spending. Reagan proposed massive budget
cuts in programs that benefited the poor: food stamps, welfare,
jb training, Medicaid, school lunches (his administration
proposed that schools be able to count ketchup as a veggie).