America in a New

Millennium

Chapter 34Lecture Outline

© 2013 W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

The 21st Century

America’s Changing Mosaic

• Demographic Shifts– The United States would reach 306 million people by the 2010

census.

– Most of the growth in population occurred in areas that had a

milder climate and low taxes.

– Women continued to

enter the workforce and

the traditional family unit

continued to decline.

Bush to Clinton

• Recession and Downsizing

– A prolonged economic recession was the most devastating

domestic program that Bush would face in office. Around 20

percent of the labor force was unemployed at some point in 1991.

Bush to Clinton

• Republican Turmoil

– In 1988 Bush had

campaigned that as

president he would not sign

a bill raising taxes.

– However, when the

economic recession hit, he

was forced to renege on

this pledge.

– This would be used against

him in the 1992 election by

the Democrats and by

opposition within his own

party.

Bush to Clinton

• Democratic Resurgence– In 1992 the Democrats would take advantage of Bush’s tax hike

foible and his apparent lack of interest in domestic issues in lieu of

foreign affairs.

– They would nominate Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas as their

candidate.

The 1992 presidential campaign

Presidential candidate Bill Clinton and his running mate, Al Gore, brought youthful enthusiasm to the campaign trail.

Bush to Clinton

• Democratic Resurgence– Clinton would win the election with 43 percent of the vote. Bush

received 39 percent as he was challenged by a third-party

candidate, former Republican Ross Perot, who drew conservative

support from the incumbent.

Domestic Policy in Clinton’s First Term

• The Economy– To bolster the economy, Clinton signed legislation raising taxes on

corporations and individuals in the higher tax brackets. In addition,

the North American Free Trade Agreement was ratified, which

opened up free trade between the United States and Mexico.

Domestic Policy in Clinton’s First Term

• Health Care Reform– Clinton would also try to reform health care by supporting

legislation providing all Americans with health care through the

federal government. This plan would go down to defeat in summer

1994.

Republican Insurgency

• The Contract with America

– In the midterm elections of 1994, the Democrats would lose

control of Congress for the first time since the 1980s.

– The new Republicans were led by Newt Gingrich, who

campaigned for office on the Contract with America, a ten-point

outline promising the voters what the Republicans would

accomplish once in office.

Republican Insurgency

• Legislative Breakthrough

– In 1994 Congress

would enact

legislation ending the

open guarantee of

welfare for all who

asked and limiting the

amount of time a

person could remain

on the program.

Republican Insurgency

• The 1996 Campaign– In the 1996 election, the Democrats renominated Clinton and the

Republicans nominated Senator Bob Dole. Clinton would win the

election with 49 percent of the popular vote, while Dole would win

41 percent and Perot, running again, would receive 8 percent.

The Clinton Years at Home

• The “New Economy”

– Spurred by technological advances, the stock market would soar in

the late 1990s. But in 2000, many of these new technological

startups, known as “dotcoms,” would fail, and a recession would

replace the era of unprecedented growth.

Globalization

Another major

development during this

time was the ability

transcend historic

communication

boundaries

The Clinton Years at Home

• Race Initiatives

– In the case Adarand Constructors v. Pena (1995) the Supreme Court

ruled against Affirmative Action, requiring that those programs had to

be narrowly tailored to serve a compelling national interest. The next

year saw the overturning of Affirmative Action programs as they

pertained to universities in Hopwood v. Texas.

The Clinton Years at Home

• The Scandal Machine

– During his first term in office, Clinton had been dogged by

allegations of improper involvement in an Arkansas land deal

while governor.

– .Once Republicans took control of Congress in 1994, they would

appoint Kenneth Starr to serve as an independent counsel of this

case.

– Ultimately, his investigation turned over an improper relationship

between the president and a young intern.

– Originally Clinton denied the charges, but ultimately he admitted

the affair.

– Starr’s report would result in impeachment charges being passed

against Clinton, only the second time a president had been

impeached, but he would not be removed from office.

The Clinton Years at Home

Impeachment Representative Edward Pease, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, covers his face during the vote on the third of four articles of impeachment charging President Clinton with “high crimes and misdemeanors,” December 1998.

Foreign-Policy Challenges

• The Middle East

– A secret treaty between the

Palestine Liberation

Organization and Israel in 1993

provided for the restoration of

the Palestinian self-rule of the

Gaza Strip in Jericho.

This Land is Mine:https://youtu.be/4pKMV6e5kEo

Foreign-Policy Challenges

• The Balkans

– 1991, Yugoslavia, a nation that had basic communist tendencies,

imploded and the former nation of multiple ethnicities began to wage a

civil war.

– North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) troops would be dispatched to keep

the peace in October 1995.

– In 1998 Serbia would launch an attack against Kosovo, a province on the

border inhabited by Muslims.

– The Orthodox Christian Serbs battled the Kosovo Liberation Army, which

fought to secure its independence.

– In 1999, the United States would sponsor NATO strikes on Serbia to

save the Kosovar people. Finally, the Serbs withdrew.

Behind Enemy Lines movie trailer: https://youtu.be/BwFdHdCQNHc

Foreign-Policy Challenges

• The Clinton Presidency

– President Clinton was able to revitalize the Democrat party during his

administration and was well regarded for his charisma and charm.

– At the same time, he had a recklessness and arrogance that hindered

his legacy and caused his legislative agenda more harm than good.

The Election of 2000

• Gore vs. Bush

– In the election of 2000, the Democrats nominated

Clinton’s vice-president, Al Gore.

– The Republicans nominated George Walker Bush,

governor of Texas.

– In the closest election in memory, Gore and Bush ended

up without an electoral majority and Florida’s vote was in

doubt.

– Gore sued Bush, and eventually the Supreme Court

decided that the Florida law allowed only one recount of

votes.

– Bush had won the state, and with it, the election.

Election Night: https://youtu.be/JEB9hWYMpA0

The Election of 2000

Compassionate Conservatism

• The Second Bush Presidency

– He succeeded in winning the passage of legislation cutting the

income tax rates before a key Republican senator changed to an

independent, and with this action, gave control of the Senate to

the Democrats.

• No Child Left Behind

– One of Bush’s top priorities was reforming the education system.

His plan was to ensure all students were proficient at reading and

math by 2014.

– If a school was unable to meet these new guidelines, the state

was supposed to take it over and mandate the changes.

– However, due to lack of federal funding, this policy would not

achieve the results Bush desired.

Global Terrorism

• 9/11: A Day of Infamy

– A group of terrorists led by Osama bin Laden, calling themselves Al

Qaeda, hijacked four jets loaded with civilians on September 11, 2001.

Two planes struck the World Trade Center buildings in New York, one

struck the Pentagon, and the fourth crashed in Pennsylvania

Global Terrorism

• War on Terrorism

– Bush would forge an international coalition to strike at terrorism

worldwide. The first attack was in Afghanistan, which had been linked to

the terrorists. The government there was overthrown and a new, freely

elected government was established.

Global Terrorism

• Terrorism at Home

– To combat terror at home, Bush would create a new federal agency, the

Office of Homeland Security.

– At the same time, Congress passed the USA Patriot Act ,which gave

government agencies the right to eavesdrop on suspected terrorists and

try them in secret military courts.

Water Boarding: http://youtu.be/EEX8WeZU2wA

Global Terrorism

Bush’s defense policy President George W. Bush addresses soldiers in July 2002 as part of an appeal to Congress to speed approval of increased defense spending after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Global Terrorism

• The Bush Doctrine

– In 2002 Bush would launch a new

policy of preemptive attacks

against nations that were viewed

as being hostile to the United

States and preparing to attack.

Global Terrorism

• A Second Persian Gulf War

– In 2002, Bush urged the United Nations (UN) to confront Iraq about

Saddam Hussein’s actions toward the United States.

– The UN would pass a resolution demanding that Iraq disarm or face

serious consequences.

– Hussein refused, so on March 19 Bush ordered in U.S. troops along with

British forces. Within six weeks, the Iraqi war was over.

Global Terrorism

• Rebuilding Iraq

– Once the war was over, the United States set about rebuilding the nation.

– It was soon apparent that the United States had misjudged the difficulty

of unifying and pacifying the region.

– Iraqi insurgent groups would attack the coalition forces while the

president urged Americans to continue to support the efforts.

Global Terrorism

• The Election of 2004

Second-Term Blues

• Hurricane Katrina

– In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, virtually destroying New

Orleans and heavily damaging Alabama and Mississippi.

– Nearly 500,000 citizens of New Orleans were evacuated, and many of

those that remained were videotaped looting while others were trapped

in attics and roofs for several days without water or aid.

– Both local and federal officials were caught off guard in this emergency,

and ultimately, President Bush took responsibility.

Kanye: https://youtu.be/zIUzLpO1kxI

Second-Term Blues

A Stalled PresidencyKatrina, the Iraq War, and failing domestic programs led many to desert Bush in his second term.

Second-Term Blues

• Voter Rebellion

– In the 2006 midterm election, the

Democrats capitalized on the poor

public approval ratings of Bush

and won control of both the House

and the Senate.

– In the House, Nancy Pelosi from

California became the first female

Speaker.

Second-Term Blues

• Economic Shock– Following the 2001 recession, the U.S .economy would again

skyrocket.

– Home values would rise to new levels, and consumer spending

(much of it on credit) would spur industrial growth.

– However, all of that came to an end when the bottom fell out of

the market in October 2008.

– What began as a decline in home prices ended up in a global

economic crisis.

– Investment accounts were crippled, and banks foreclosed on

homes and were foreclosed on themselves.

– Congress would pass the Troubled Asset Relief Program, which

would give banks upward of $700 billion to stay afloat.

A Historic Election

• The 2008 Election

– Bush’s unpopularity with the American people gave the Dems a chance

– The Republicans would nominate senator John McCain of Arizona

McCain was a Vietnam veteran who had been a prisoner of war for five

years. He chose Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.

– The Democrats warred among themselves until Barack Obama won

– In the election itself, Obama won a majority of electoral votes and

became the first African American to win the presidency.

Speech at DNC: https://youtu.be/OFPwDe22CoY

A Historic Election

Obama’s First Term

• The Sluggish Economy

– As President Obama was inaugurated, the nation was bleeding itself dry.

– Unemployment was soaring, the national debt rose over $10 trillion, and

the United States was involved in two wars.

– His task was monumental and the expectations for success were high.

– Many were quick to place success or failure squarely on the shoulders of

the inexperienced president.

Obama’s First Term

• Health Care Reform

– President Obama would invest a considerable amount of his

political capital in reforming the nation’s health care system.

– His bill would pass, but it would have repercussions in the 2010

election, in which his party lost control of the House of

Representatives and narrowly avoided losing the Senate as well.

Silly Biden: https://youtu.be/HHKq9tt50O8

Jimmy Fallen:https://youtu.be/sx2scvIFGjE

Obama’s First Term

• Regulating Wall Street

– President Obama would also sign legislation

regulating the freedom of banks to make loans.

Obama’s First Term

• Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

– In February 2009, Obama announced that all U.S. combat troops would

be withdrawn from Iraq by 2011.

– At the same time, another 21,000 troops were sent to Afghanistan.

– By the summer of 2011, he announced the beginning of the withdrawal of

U.S. forces from that region, culminating in 2014.

• The Death of Osama Bin Laden

– After ten years of evading U.S. forces, Osama bin Laden, the terrorist

leader of Al Queda, was killed by U.S. Navy SEAL Team 6.

Inside the Situation Room:https://youtu.be/ogUDnIuvZdQ

Obama’s First Term

Home from Iraq American troops returned from Iraq to more somber, humbler homecomings than the great fanfare that rounded off previous wars.

Obama’s First Term

• The “Arab Awakening”

– During 2010 and 2011,

democratic uprisings

began to occur in the

Middle East in nations

such as Tunisia, Egypt,

and Yemen.

– In Egypt, thousands of

protestors took to the

streets to oppose the

abuses of President

Hosni Moubarak, who had

been in that office for

decades.

– On February 11, 2011, he

would resign and turn

control over to the military.

Obama’s First Term

• Libya Ousts Gaddafi

– Rebellion spread to Libya where Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown by a

similar period of unrest.

– He would be killed by rebel fighters while trying to flee.

Obama’s First Term

• The Tea Party

– Seizing on the concept of rebellion launched by American forefathers

with the Boston Tea Party, the Tea party, a movement opposed to liberal

policies of spending without controls, erupted on the scene in 2009.

– Lacking both a national leader and headquarters, this loose

amalgamation of individuals would transcend established political party

lines and work to return the United States to what they saw as its

constitutional roots.

Obama’s First Term

• Conservative Resurgence

– After two years of awaiting the “Hope and Change” candidate Obama

had promised, disgruntled Americans rejected the Democrat party in the

2010 midterm election and returned the House of Representatives to

Republican rule.

– The Democrats saw their majority in the Senate shrink substantially but

were still able to retain control.

Obama’s First Term

The Tea Party Movement

Tea Party supporters gather outside the New Hampshire Statehouse for a tax day rally.

Obama’s First Term

• Occupy Wall Street

– The reactionary response to the Tea Party’s conservatism was the

emergence of the liberal Occupy Wall Street movement.

– Thousands of people would flock to the nation’s financial and political

centers opposing what they viewed as the reckless policies that led to

the financial crisis in the first place.

Obama’s First Term

• Polarized Politics

– After the 2010 election, both major parties withdrew to their respective

camps and refused to compromise on any issue that came before them.

Obama’s First Term

• Bold Decisions

– In the summer of 2012, President Obama announced that he supported

the right of gay couples to marry.

– As this was just his opinion, it did not have the force of law, and polls

conducted immediately afterward showed an evenly split American public

on this issue.

– The next month, Obama would sign an executive order that allowed

undocumented immigrants who had come to the United States as

children to remain as long as they pursued a path toward citizenship.

• The Court Rules

– The most decisive action of the president, the passage of the Healthcare

Reform Act, was found constitutional because monies owed by

uninsured people were viewed as a tax by the Supreme Court. At the

same time, the Court’s opinion, written by Chief justice John Roberts,

severely curtailed the power of Congress under the Commerce clause

for the first time since the New Deal.