Untitled Quiz

Chapter 32: Shocks and Responses: 1992-Present

• The chapter covers significant events in the United States from 1992 to the present.
• Key events and themes include the presidency of Bill Clinton, economic booms and the internet, the 2000 election, the new terrorism, and subsequent responses like the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
• The chapter also discusses important figures like Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and important events of the time like September 11, 2001 and Hurricane Katrina.
• The chapter also addresses the Iraq insurgency, the 2008 election, the financial meltdown, and Obama's presidency.
• It also covers topics like health care reform, immigration reform, environmental concerns, and global economic impact.

A New Face: Bill Clinton

• Born in 1946, William (Bill) Jefferson Blythe IV; his father died in a car accident before his birth.
• Though his stepfather was an abusive alcoholic, Clinton legally adopted his stepfather's name at age 15.
• Graduated from Georgetown, won a Rhodes scholarship to study at Oxford, graduated from Yale Law School.
• Returned to Arkansas, elected state attorney general.
• In 1977, Clinton, with his wife Hillary Rodham, and James McDougal secured a loan to build vacation homes in the Ozarks.
• The Whitewater development became insolvent, and federal investigators claimed the Clintons were potential beneficiaries of McDougal's illegal activities.

The Election of 1992

• President Bush expected easy re-nomination but encountered opposition from outspoken conservatives within the Republican party.
• Ross Perot, a billionaire from Texas, announced he would run as an independent candidate.
• He declared that both major parties were out of touch with the people, and promised to spend $100 million of his own money on the campaign.
• Perot’s campaign popularity in several key states was a concern for the Bush campaign.
• Bush was re-nominated by the Republican convention.
• Clinton won the election with 370 electoral votes to Bush’s 168, having accused Bush of failing to deal with recession and promising public works projects, encouraging private investment, and improving education and health insurance systems.

A New Start: Clinton as President

• Clinton used executive power to strengthen the Supreme Court majority, upholding Roe v. Wade.
• Clinton appointed Ruth Bader Ginsberg to the Supreme Court, someone known to believe abortion was constitutional.
• Clinton indicated he would veto any bill limiting abortion rights, reversing some Bush policies.
• He introduced a plan to reduce the deficit by $500 billion over five years, aiming for cuts in spending and new taxes, which was met with resistance.

Emergence of the Republican Majority

• In 1994, Republicans, led by Congressman Newt Gingrich, offered a program to stimulate the economy by reducing federal debt and income tax.
• They proposed turning many federal government functions over to the states or private enterprise.
• The program included replacing federally administered welfare programs with block grants to states and repealing many environmental protection measures.
• Republicans gained control of both houses of Congress and attempted to pass their “Contract with America” but faced an impasse as it was vetoed by Clinton.

The Election of 1996

• Public blamed Congress, especially Gingrich, for the government shutdown.
• Clinton's approval rating rose.
• By 1996, unemployment was below 6%, and inflation was below 3%.
• The Dow Jones Industrial Stock Average soared above 6000.
• Clinton won the election with a comfortable margin, but Republicans retained control of both houses of Congress. Republican candidate Bob Dole faced a challenging campaign.

Clinton Impeached

• In January 1998, a judge ordered Clinton to testify in a lawsuit by Paula Corbin Jones.
• Jones tried to demonstrate the long history of womanizing by Clinton, and subpoenaed a former White House intern, Monica Lewinsky.
• Clinton and Lewinsky denied an affair.
• In hearings with Clinton's and Lewinsky's testimony, details of sexual encounters were revealed that led to charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.
• Although impeached by the House, Clinton was acquitted by the Senate.

Clinton's Legacy

• A key factor in Clinton's survival was the healthy state of the economy.
• His presidency coincided with the longest economic boom in U.S. history, with reduced federal deficits and interest rates.
• He promoted NAFTA and globalization.
• Criticism about Clinton's foreign affairs record was mixed, while successful efforts were made, such as Kosovo intervention.
• Critics pointed out his personal failings and conflicts of interest, impacting the course of his presidency.

The Economic Boom and the Internet

• A significant portion of 1990s prosperity came from new technologies such as cell phones, genetic engineering, and especially the development of the Internet.
• The internet lacked a common language, which was addressed by Tim Berners-Lee devising software ("grammar") called the World Wide Web (WWW).
• Bill Gates's Microsoft entered the scene with its Windows OS, creating easier access.
• The rise of companies such as Amazon further drove the expansion of the internet economy.

The 2000 Election

• During the 2000 election, Vice President Al Gore secured the Democratic nomination with Senator Joseph Lieberman as running mate.
• George W. Bush was the Republican nominee, with Dick Cheney as his running mate.
• Ralph Nader was also in the race on the Green party ticket.
• A main issue was how to handle the federal surplus of $1 trillion—Bush wanted substantial tax cuts, while Gore wanted to increase spending on education and shore up social security.
• On election night, Bush appeared to win Florida and secure a plurality in electoral votes.
• A recount followed disagreements on the use of punch card ballots, ultimately decided by Supreme Court that hand recounts violated the constitution, awarding the election to Bush.

The New Terrorism

• After the Cold War, many military dictators who depended on U.S. or Soviet support sought popular support, inciting anti-American sentiment.
• Rulers in Arab nations cultivated popular support by denouncing Israel.
• Al-Qaeda, led by Osama bin Laden, published the fatwa to “kill Americans” and their allies.
• Al-Qaeda perpetrated bombings in multiple locations.

September 11, 2001

• Flight attendant Madeline Amy Sweeney placed a call to inform supervisors of four Arab men taking over an American Airlines flight.
• The hijacked airliner slammed into the 96th floor of the north tower of World Trade Center, killing numerous people.
• A second jet crashed into the 80th floor of the south tower of World Trade Center.
• Another hijacked airliner crashed into the Pentagon causing fires.
• A fourth hijacked plane crashed in Pennsylvania.
• Thousands of people died in the September 11th attacks.

America Fights Back: War in Afghanistan

• Bin Laden was sheltered by the Taliban, causing the U.S. to launch the war in Afghanistan.
• U.S. troops and associated forces toppled the Taliban regime.
• Bush ordered the Taliban to turn over bin Laden and al-Qaeda leaders.
• The Taliban refused. Bush launched missile and air strikes.
• Small teams of American soldiers were deployed with high-tech equipment like hand-held computers and satellite-linked navigational devices.

The Second Iraq War

• After the Taliban's defeat, Bush declared a campaign focused on preemptive action against threatening regimes.
• He identified Iran, Iraq, and North Korea as an "axis of evil" necessitating preemptive military action.
• The U.S. and other coalitions attacked Iraq with an intent to remove Saddam, in a campaign dubbed "Shock andAwe".
• After months of fighting, the U.S. entered Baghdad, and Saddam disappeared, marking what initially seemed to be a successful campaign.
• Later, the U.S. faced a prolonged insurgency and rising casualties, leading to protracted conflict.

2004: Bush Wins a Second Term

• The war in Iraq became a major issue in the election campaign.
• Senator John Kerry was gaining in polls in the Democratic Party and won the Democratic nomination by April.
• During the campaign in Iraq, American soldiers suffered from the actions of insurgents and the cost of occupation escalated.
• Bush mobilized conservative and religious fundamentalist support.
• Bush's campaign attacked Kerry's war record, highlighting differences in military service.
• More than 12 million new voters participated in the election. Bush won by a comfortable margin in electoral votes.

Crime: Good News and Bad

• Crime subsided during the 1990s.
• By 2009, the homicide rate was 40% down compared to 1991
• Various explanations, including "law and order" campaigns, general economic health and the legalization of abortion, contributed to the decrease in crime rates.
• Despite the decrease, violence like the Columbine and Virginia Tech massacres brought the issue back into the forefront, influencing the gun control debate.

Hurricane Katrina

• National Weather Service warned of devastating damage from hurricane Katrina.
• Federal officials evacuated the Louisiana coastline as millions fled.
• Hurricane Katrina made landfall in early August 2005, causing significant damage and loss of life.
• Most of New Orleans was under water, displacement, and several thousand deaths.

Iraq Insurgency and Bush's "Surge"

• Iraq suffered societal breakdown after Saddam.
• Coalition forces tried to establish a new government and halt violence, but faced strong resistance from various factions.
• The initial election for a new Iraqi leadership saw participation by eight million Iraqi voters.
• The Shiites, Kurds, and Sunnis formed disparate factions, which created internal conflicts in the newly formed government.

2008: McCain v. Obama

• John McCain, a Republican senator from Arizona, won the party's presidential nomination.
• He had military service in the Vietnam war.
• Sarah Palin was chosen as his running mate.
• Barack Obama, a Democratic senator from Illinois, won the Democratic nomination, with Joe Biden as his running mate.
• Obama criticized the Bush administration for the war in Iraq, and proposed sending troops to Afghanistan.
• Obama raised significant funds and mobilized young voters using electronic media to outspend McCain.

Financial Meltdown

• Fault lines of the 2008-2009 financial crisis were evident in the 1990s.
• Consumers went on a spending spree and their savings vanished within a decade, and by 2005 spent more than they earned.
• Politicians, bankers, and financial "wizards" devised solutions to encourage home ownership including easy loans and investments.
• The increased issuance of mortgages, largely outside of traditional lending standards, and complex "bundles" proved problematic and risky, leading to widespread investments, loss of capital, and major bank failures.
• Large international investment banks like Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, and Bear Stearns collapsed.

"Yes We Can": Obama Elected President

• The economic crisis and negative views on the Republican administration contributed to Obama's election.
• Obama won by a substantial margin in both popular vote and electoral college votes.
• His victory as the first African-American president was unprecedented in U.S. history and stunned global observers.

Obama as President

• Obama initiated policies to address the economic crisis and challenged the Bush administration's policies by reversing certain ones.
• He closed CIA-run secret prisons, and banned torture.
• Obama placed Hillary Clinton as secretary of state.
• Obama's administration worked more closely with international groups to address domestic and global issues.
• Obama cautiously handled the Iraq situation, asking Robert Gates to remain as secretary of defense.
• He announced a plan to withdraw most American troops from Iraq.

Health Care Reform

• By 2009, medical costs became unsustainable, driven by factors like Medicare, technological improvements, and insurance company practices.
• Obama aimed to reform health care through a compromise of the American public and insurance companies, which faced strong opposition and intense debate.

Immigration Reform

• Obama’s presidency included an increase in border security but illegal immigration persisted.
• Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed tough immigration laws requiring immigrants to carry forms of identification.
• Obama faced criticisms and debates about the measures taken for immigration reform.

Environmental Concerns and Disaster in the Gulf

• Obama initially pledged cooperation on climate change, aiming to ratify the Kyoto agreement, but was influenced by the economic crisis leading him to withdraw from the agreement.
• In April 2010, a disaster struck in the Gulf of Mexico.
• A British Petroleum (BP) oil drilling rig exploded, resulting in a massive oil spill that had damaging environmental consequences.
• The incident led to investigations about BP and the Minerals Management Service (MMS).

Afghanistan, Again

• In 2001, the war in Afghanistan seemed to be over after a successful removal of the Taliban, while Bush shifted focus to the Iraq war.
• The Taliban returned after multiple attacks and conflict.
• Obama faced continued political turmoil and an unstable situation.
• The war in Afghanistan remained a dominant issue throughout Obama's tenure.

The Persistent Past and Imponderable Future

• Human events are rarely predictable due to factors like terrorist attacks, wars, economic downturns, and natural disasters.
• The "past" may not provide certain predictability towards the "future".
• Seismology provides a helpful analogy, as seismologists can't predict when and where earthquakes occur but their studies help explain the underlying phenomenon.
• History offers insights into underlying forces of change but cannot consistently predict the future course of events.