Politics of the 1980s Essay

The 1980s were marked by the election of Ronald Reagan to the presidential office.   The Republican Party had succeeded in gaining control of the Senate for the first time since 1954 (Spartacus Educational, 2007).   Conservatism, the ideals and goals of the new Republican president, began to change politics, religion, and the economy of the United States.   Reagan had many visions that appealed highly to social conservatives.   This paper will discuss the political issues during the Reagan administration. During the presidential campaign of 1980, a highly critical event was occurring under President James Carter.   In the conflict between Iran and Iraq, several Americans had been taken hostage by Iran.   President Carter was attempting to negotiate the release of the hostages.   Is successful, this move could prove dangerous to Reagan’s campaign.   After Iraq invaded Iran in September 1980, Carter proposed a deal with Iran that would provide much needed parts and equipment in exchange for the American hostages.   Because of the large amount of media coverage, President Carter was unsuccessful in this attempt. Ronald Reagan, however, was able to promise Iran that they would receive the parts and equipment, provided that the hostages were released.   Reagan won the election against Carter.   The hostages were released after Reagan was sworn into office.   Reagan gained the public’s confidence by being successful where Carter could not be: getting the hostages released and returned home.   William Casey, appointed by Reagan as CIA director, arranged delivery of the equipment and parts to Iran.   All the promises that were made to Iran, by Reagan, had been fulfilled.   Unfortunately, Iran now had the means to make attacks against the United States (Spartacus, 2007). Reagan’s political goals appealed to the social conservatives of the nation.   Unfortunately, Reagan’s social goals did not gain as much widespread attention as his economic and military goals.   Regan sought to cut taxes and increase military spending (Davidson et al, 2002). Reagan’s main goal was to weaken big government by using a supply-side economic theory.   By implementing a huge tax cut, the economy would be stimulated enough to raise tax revenues.   Critics argued that economic expansion would be slowed greatly.   Reagan chose higher employment and weakened unions as methods to combat inflation (Davidson et al, 2002). Reagonomics, the term used to describe Reagan’s economic policies, eventually led to a recession (Davidson et al, 2002).   Big corporations had to unwillingly yield regarding wages and work conditions.   Ultimately, the interactions between the aspects of Reagan’s policies caused conflict.   Weidenbaum (1997) stated: â€Å"Monetary restraint was the key to unwinding inflation, as well as precipitating sharp recession.   Recession, in turn, delayed the beneficial effects of the tax cuts on investment and pushed the budget deficit to unprecedented heights†¦Ironically, it was the enactment of tax cuts unmatched by spending cuts that scared the Fed into a tighter monetary policy.   The subsequent recession caused serious budgetary imbalance.† In addressing his military goals, Reagan chose to raise the spending budget.   Reagan’s desire was to create a force that could act against threats of Communism world-wide, on its own.   This was a task not easily carried out previously (Davidson et al, 2002). The largest increases of the military spending budget were allotted for expensive nuclear weapons system.   The defense planners of the Reagan administration brought back the antinuclear peace movements with Europe and America.   The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) had the purpose of establishing a missile defense system that was to be based in space. Even though the economic aspects of Reagan’s political goals were conflicting with each other, the public’s confidence was still strong.   Reagan’s publicity was so sound that it seemed impenetrable.   Reagan easily won the 1984 presidential election (Davidson et al, 2002). Reagan adopted the same attitudes toward foreign policy as the rest of his political agenda.   Reagan was a strong believer that the United States should stand tall and proud.   Unfortunately, growing problems overseas proved that maintaining order was quite problematic. Reagan, in trying to help a war torn region gain peace, sent American members of the Marines to Lebanon.   The American peacekeepers were soon forced into the middle of a civil war.   Terrorists blew up a U.S. military barrack, killing 241 people.   The President ordered the troops to leave immediately (Davidson et al, 2002). Growing problems in other nations were occurring as well.   By the middle of 1985, there were two major problems that demanded immediate attention.   â€Å"First, Congress had forbidden support of the Contras in Nicaragua.   And second, Iranian-backed terrorists continued to hold American hostages in Lebanon† (Davidson et al, 2002). Controversy soon took control.   Reagan had found a way to negotiate the release of the hostages in Lebanon.   If the U.S. sold Iran a few weapons, they might, in turn, persuade Lebanon to release the hostages.   In a year’s time, there had been four secret shipments of weapons to Iran.   Only one hostage was released.   This exchange of weapons for hostages was not only a failure, but completely contradictory to the President’s solemn promise to never pay a ransom to terrorists (Davidson et al, 2002). Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North and NSA Advisor Robert McFarlane had discovered a way to secretly aid the Nicaraguan Contras.   McFarlane was able to convince Saudi Arabia to deposit a large amount of money into a savings account where it could then be laundered.   Oliver North then spent the money on weapons that were sent through Central America (Davidson et al, 2002). Because information of the two secret operations had been leaked, there were hearings held.   The scandal had been named â€Å"Irongate,† comparing it to Richard Nixon’s scandal.   The hearings soon ended.   Reagan’s improving relations with the Soviets helped to restore confidence once again (Davidson et al, 2002). In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev entered the Kremlin.   In December 1987, Reagan met with Gorbachev to sign the Intermediate Nuclear Force treaty, in which both sides would destroy any intermediate-range nuclear missiles with ranges of 600 to 3400 miles.   Both sides agreed to on-site inspections of any missile bases (Davidson et al, 2002). With the presidential election of 1988 growing near, Reagan could now take credit for the positive results of relations with the Soviets.   George H.W. Bush, the Vice President, seemed to be the rightful Republican heir.   â€Å"Bush vowed a continuation of Reagan’s policies and in foreign affairs he was as aggressive as his predecessor† (Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th edition; 2007). As a conclusion, Lawrence Kudlow (1997) stated: â€Å"It was Ronald Reagan who led this Revolution, who established this new higher ground, who provided us with the spirit, the vision, and the road map which is today still being followed by the most successful politicians on the world scene.† References Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th edition. (2007). â€Å"United States.† New York: Columbia University Press; 52958 pgs. Davidson et al. (2002) Nations of Nations: A Concise Narrative of the American Republic, 3rd edition, Vol. 2. Kudlow, L. (1997). â€Å"Reagonomics: What Worked? What Didn’t?† Keynote Address delivered to the Center of the American Experiment. [electronic] Accessed at http://www.kudlow.com/pdfs/Reagonomics.pdf Spartacus Educational. (2008). â€Å"Ronald Reagan.† Accessed at http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAreagan.htm Weidenbaum, M. (1997) â€Å"Reagonomics – Its Remarkable Results.† Christian Science Monitor, December 18, 1997. Accessed at http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/1997/12/18/opin/opin.2.html