Chapter 25 Notes

Notes for chapter 25 The 2000 Election and the “War on Terrorism” Colin Faherty

- Clinton served two terms as president.
- The democratic candidate was Albert Gore.
- Bush accused Gore of “Appealing to class warfare”
- Joe Lieberman, Gore’s Vice president, was “Proudly pro- business”. He supported Silicon Valley and the military-industrial complex of Connecticut.
- Bush raised 50 million more than Gore showing he had more corporate support.
- Bush and Gore both did not have a plan for free health care, low cost housing, or dramatic changes in environmental controls.
- Both supported death penalty, the enlargement of prisons, the military establishment, the use of land mines, and sanctions against Cuba and Iraq.
- Ralph Nader was the third party candidate. He criticized corporate control of the economy.
- Nader emphasized health care, education, and the environment.
- He was shut out of nationally televised debates.
- Poor people did not think either of the candidates would affect their way of life.
- Al Gore received much more of the popular vote.
- The election came down to the electoral votes in Florida.
- George Bush’s brother, Jeb, was the governor in Florida.
- The Secretary of state in Florida, Katherine Harris was a Republican she rushed the recount process and declared Bush the winner.
- The Supreme Court which was dominated by conservatives ruled in favor of bush being the winner.
- Bush proceeded with his pro-big-business agenda.
- The democratic only put up a week objection.
- Bush cut taxes for the wealthy
- 9/11, The World Trade Center was hit along with the pentagon.
- The hijackers were mostly from Saudi Arabia saw the united states as the enemy.
- The” War on Terrorism” by George Bush.
- Osama bin laden was primary objective He was believed to be in Afghanistan.
- Afghanistan was invaded.
- Bush was stupid to retaliate against the terrorist. It did not work for the British against the IRA.
- The Pentagon was only bombing military target, but admitted that they may be injuring some civilians.
- The public was overwhelmingly supportive of the war on terrorism.
- The news network was determined to show patriotism.
- The government went to great lengths to control the information out of Afghanistan.
- American flags became very popular items to display.
- The FBI talked to people for being critical of the government.
- Congress passed the “Patriot Act” which made it legal to detain non-citizens on suspicion
- Bush cautioned the nation not to react with hostility to the Arab Americans.
- Government begins to round up Muslims holding them in detention without charges.
- Peace rallies took place.
- 600 citizens signed a newspaper ad for the universal declaration of human rights.
- Some of the family members of people that had died in the September 11 attack wrote President Bush urging that he not match violence with violence.
- Some families of victims of 9/11 went to visit Afghan families that had lost loved ones in bombings.
- Critics of bombing said that the terrorist activities were rooted in deep grievances against the United States.
- Such changes could not be accepted by the military industrial complex that dominated the major parties.
- Soldiers should be sent overseas not to kill and maim but to restore the nation’s infrastructure.
- The futility of meeting violence with violence become clear.