In 1964 Goldwater lost election and it was up
to the conservatives to rebuild their organization
-large government impeded economic growth
and individual choice
-liberals led to inflation and waste due to social problems
-reduce taxes, limit industry regulation
-neoconservatives and traditionalists did not want to abandon
traditional values
-anticommunist (anti SALT II)
-clear goals included small govt, strong military,
traditional values, and OPTIMISM
-movie actor with good communication skills (easy to like)
-speech for Goldwater in 1964 won admiration of the right
-Carter had no chance (little experience, Iran hostages, Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan
-in debates, Reagan crushed Carter (good speaker)
-won electoral college vote overwhelmingly and Senate was now red
-Wanted more power in federal government
-Valued social programs and minorities
-pro regulation of industry
-favored international organizations like UN
-Vietnam War, urban riots, counterculture, Watergate, oil crisis, and Iran hostages divided the nation
-declining economy did not attract liberal views
-criticism during 60s and 70s by conservatives led to new agenda
-first time there were two distinctive parties
-criticized the left for unfunded mandates (required programs, but not paid by govt)
-Great Society made poverty worse
-traditional values were lost
-Sagebrush rebels wanted control in west
-Moral Majority founded by Falwell fulfilled religious goals (anti ERA, homosexuality, and 60's court cases)
-Moral Majority helped register 2 million Americans to vote
-Suburban life called for conservatism
-South now voted red bc of civil rights
Short:
-good speaker
-optimistic
-Carter lost trust
Long:
-economy needed change
-Americans wanted tradition back
-Rise of red after liberalism in 1960s and 1970s
-groups like Sagebrush and Moral Majority pushed for conservative views