chapter 21

Chapter 21:
Carter-Reagan-Bush: The Bipartisan Consensus
Notes
· Zinn feels that both Republicans and Democrats are incapable of serving the people beyond Capitalistic goals
· Much of the population was experiencing economic insecurity
· No major candidates proposed dramatic reform
· Voter rates dropped and non-enthusiasm rose
· Many people felt excluded from politics
· Commercial radio was dominated by the right wing
· President Carter changed little about the government system
· The Panama Canal contract was renegotiated
· The United States trained foreign military leaders
· Spending on national defense was high
· Tax reforms benefited big business under Carter
· Hostages were held in Iran until the 1980 election
· Federal judges were mostly conservative
· OSHA was managed to benefit corporations
· George Bush wanted to appear as an environmentally-friendly President, especially after the Clean Air act
· Tax cuts under Reagan were meant to stimulate the economy
· Although Zinn mentions that unemployment grew during Reagan years, he fails to mention that it actually dropped overall by the end of Reagan’s second term, just as inflation did
· Welfare was denounced
· The rich-poor gap grew
· Both congressional Democrats and Republicans were responsible for the deregulating of savings and loan banks
· The Soviet collapse left the United States unprepared
· Liberal democrats like John Kerry supported military intervention on several occasions to show bipartisan foreign policy
· Bush went to war twice
· Hussein was not removed from office after Desert Storm