Reagan Election

Democrats- wanted government intervention in domestic issues

supported laws that helped minorities and programs to assist the poor

Favored cooperating with international organizations such as the United Nations

The Vietnam War and urban riots of the 1960s continued to divide people who were railed about Johnson's Great Society plan

Counterculter alienated Christian whites in the south and midwestern Americans

Watergate, OPEC crisis, and the Iran hostages resulted in the loss of trust in political officers

Due to the stagnated economy, liberal ideas lost their pull and conservative beliefs became more attractive

Moral Majority was a political organization that worked to fulfill religious goals

Opposed Engle VS Vitale (banned religion in school teachers); Roe VS Wade (legalize abortion)

BOOSTED REPUBLICAN POLITICAL PARTY: reached out to those who traditionally didn't participate in political process

Registered at least 2 million voters before the 1980s election

Distributed Moral Majority "report cards" that favored republicans

Reagan's victory was accomplished due to his opposition to big government, which was important to the public due to the rise in the rebulican beliefs

Radiated optimism for a new era of growth and had a great communication style which appealed to his supporters

Became first known after his absence from the film industry when he left to deliver speeches about his stance against big government

Became the governor of California and although he lost the Republican presidential nomination in 1976, he won by a landslide in 1980

Reagan won 50.6% of the popular vote; won majorty of electoral college votes

Republicans captured the US Sentate for the first time since 1955

Republican- believed in letting everything sort itself out without government assistance

Feared that the government endangered economic growth and liberals were simply "throwing money at issues"

Worried about leaving behind traditional values for the countercultered youth; the worry came about from the conservative's religious belief

Anticommunism was a large portion of conservatives who were wary of the detente with the Soviet Union and opposed SALT II

New Right: resurgent conservative movement that was a coalition of different groups with varying ideas

Unfunded mandates were an issue to conservatives due to the government not paying required programs

Conservatives continued to judge the Great Society claiming it worsened poverty and wanting to get rid of affirmative action

"Sagebush Rebels": Believed that the government should give control of western land to the states to be used to their best economic advantages

Republicans attacked school busing as social engineering that threatened traditional neighborhood schools

Republicans benefited from the migration from the Rust Belt to the Sunbelt

After the enactment of the civil rights legislation, many white southerners who were previously a democrat, switched political parties

By the 1980 election, the Republican party was dominate which gave Reagan an advantage as the Republican canidate

Carter was not in the public's favor due to the Iran hostages, stagflation, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

Reagan: "Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?"

The presidential debate showcased Reagan's communicating ablities leaving Carter with less support