Explain at least three reasons for the rise of conservatism in the last part of the 20th century.
1. The Vietnam War raise the conservatism, with the cost of the war America not only with the financial increase of billions tax payers money and also the cost of lives.
2. Inflation and the economic crisis of the 1970's, with unemployment that rose up to 6% in the Nixon presidency.
3. Americans unrest with not having confident in the government with Washington cover-up such as the Watergate conspiracy.
Explain at least one way in which the rise of conservatism had a positive or negative impact for a specific group of Americans. The wealthy Americans are a group of conservatism that had a positive impact, by President Reagan gives tax cuts to the upper class Americans.
According to Barnes, L. & Bowles, M. (2014). Reagan believed that the wealthiest Americans were taxed too heavily, and that this was hurting everyone by starving the economy of investment.
He proposed reducing taxes, which in theory would enable wealthier Americans to reinvest in the economy and in turn create jobs for the less well-off. The wealthy got richer by the tax act of 1981 in which it lower the capital gains of big companies, and the middleclass suffer from the outcome.
Then, select an issue that you feel is important today. How does knowledge of history help us gain a better understanding of this issue? Reaganomics or supply-side economics is something that we are still seeing today from Reagan time in office to the two Bush administrations that also had the same views as Reagan.
Polices that had been put in place set on a course that change the face of this nation. We can see how the big corporations taking their business to other countries for lower cost worker hurt the American economy. The people of this country must now look to how we can change to future so that we can have a future for the children. Reagan once stated "In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problems. Government is the problem (Barnes & Bowl 2014)" and the government is still the problem today.
References:
Barnes, L. & Bowles, M. (2014). The American story: Perspectives and encounters from 1877. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
In the text book reading, I have noticed that in the 20th century a lot had happen. For example the Reagan Era, the end of the Cold-war and the fall of the Berlin Wall in late 1989. President Reagan's speech had an impact to all the people "beginning with Poland where voters elected a non-Communist opposition to their government, the movement spread to Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania" (Barnes & Bowles, 2014). A little over two years later, Germans on both sides broke down the wall as the government of East Germany collapsed.
Another example is the "War on Drugs", where President George Bush was in office. "According to the Drug Policy Alliance (2014), the number of people jailed for nonviolent drug offenses rose from 50,000 in 1980 to more than 400,000 in 1997" (Barnes & Bowles, 2014). The goal was to enforce mandatory minimum sentences for drug violations, and stick to the sentencing guidelines based on the weight and amount of drugs distributed or found on them. The drugs affected mostly the African American community, leading to death or incarceration.
In 1990, the Immigration Act was established. People from Africa, Asia, Middle East would come to the United States to seek out jobs, an better education, and a better life for themselves and their families. "As a result, between 1992 and 1998, the average number of immigrants totaled from 675,00 to 825,000 per year" (Barnes & Bowles, 2014).
These examples have had positive impact because it help with the building and molding of the United States of America. The issue that I feel is important today, is the Immigration Act because of President Trump. There is controversy about Trump sending all illegal immigrants back to their countries.
Reference
Barnes, L. & Bowles, M. (2014). The American story: Perspectives and encounters from 1877. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
What caught my attention was President Reagan and President George Bush who made a difference in the world when they were in office. Reagan Era, the end of the Cold-war and the fall of the Berlin Wall in late 1989.
President Reagan's speech had an impact to all the people. A little over two years later, Germans on both sides broke down the wall as the government of East Germany collapsed. The "War on Drugs", where President George Bush was in office.
The goal was to enforce mandatory minimum sentences for drug violations, and stick to the sentencing guidelines based on the weight and amount of drugs distributed or found on them. The drugs affected mostly the African American community, leading. The insight I have is even though President Trump is in office, a change is coming whether it's for the good or bad.
Reference
Barnes, L. & Bowles, M. (2014). The American story: Perspectives and encounters from 1877. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.