US History: Late 1980s-Early 2000s

• Study notes for US History from the late 1980s to the early 2000s

Election of 1988

• Michael Dukakis, the Democratic candidate and Governor of Massachusetts, was perceived as lacking emotional appeal.
• Jesse Jackson's "rainbow coalition" gained momentum but did not lead to a nomination.
• George H.W. Bush, Reagan’s VP, ran on a platform of low taxes, being tough on crime, and maintaining a strong defense.
• Bush won the election with 426 electoral votes to Dukakis' 111.

George H.W. Bush Presidency (1989–1993)

• Bush was from a wealthy New England family and a Yale graduate.
• Bush served as a WWII naval aviator and made a fortune in Texas oil.
• He previously served as a Congressman, UN Ambassador, CIA Director, and VP.

Foreign Policy: The Persian Gulf War

• Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990 seeking oil and debt relief after the Iran-Iraq War, leading to global condemnation.
• Operation Desert Storm (January–February 1991) involved a coalition of over 800,000 troops, including 500,000 from the U.S.
• General Norman Schwarzkopf led the operation
• Iraq was expelled from Kuwait, but Saddam Hussein remained in power.

Domestic Policy

• Bush called for a “Kinder, gentler America.”
• Clarence Thomas' Supreme Court nomination was controversial due to Anita Hill's accusations of sexual harassment.
• The hearings sparked a national debate on race, gender, and workplace ethics.
• Bush's broken promise of "Read my lips: No new taxes" and a recession led to a drop in approval ratings, with unemployment exceeding 7% by 1992.

Election of 1992

• Bill Clinton, the Democratic candidate and Governor of Arkansas, ran on a "New Democrat" platform focused on economic growth, welfare reform, and healthcare.
• Ross Perot, an independent candidate, gained nearly 20% of the vote.
• Clinton won the election with 370 electoral votes to Bush's 178
• Democrats also took control of Congress.

The Clinton Presidency (1993–2001)

• Domestic Policy
• "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" (1993) was a compromise policy regarding gays in the military, where the military couldn't ask about orientation, and service members couldn't disclose it.
• It was repealed in 2010.
• Hillary Clinton led the healthcare reform effort, proposing that all employers provide insurance.
• The proposal was opposed and failed to pass in Congress.
• A tech boom and rising revenues helped balance the budget, leading to the first balanced budget in 30 years by 1998.
• A Crime Bill banned assault weapons.
• The Waco Siege (1993), Oklahoma City Bombing (1995), and Columbine (1999) shootings influenced policy and national debates.

Foreign Policy

• NAFTA (1994) created no tariffs between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
• It was criticized by labor unions fearing job losses and was a symbol of globalization.
• Clinton prioritized trade with China despite human rights concerns.
• This led to large trade deficits.
• The U.S. withdrew from Somalia (1993) after troop deaths.
• The U.S. did not intervene in the Rwanda genocide (1994–1995).
• NATO intervened in Bosnia/Kosovo against Serbian ethnic cleansing, leading to Slobodan Milosevic's arrest and trial.

Impeachment Scandal

• The Whitewater land deal led to no charges against the Clintons.
• Clinton was impeached by the House for perjury and obstruction related to the Lewinsky Affair but was acquitted by the Senate in 1999.
• Public disapproved of personal behavior but supported job performance.

Transition: Election of 2000

• Al Gore, the Democratic candidate and Clinton's VP, was considered lacking in charisma.
• George W. Bush, the Republican candidate and Governor of Texas, promised tax cuts and compassionate conservatism.
• The election was highly contested, particularly in Florida, where Bush won by only 537 votes after a Supreme Court decision stopped a recount, leading to Bush winning the Electoral College 271–266.
• Gore won the popular vote by over 500,000 votes.

George W. Bush Presidency (2001–2009)

• Early Domestic Policy
• Bush implemented a $1.3 trillion tax cut, which turned the budget surplus into a deficit.
• Global funding was withdrawn from clinics offering abortions, stem cell research was limited, and environmental science on climate change was ignored in favor of the oil industry.

September 11, 2001

• Al Qaeda launched coordinated attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.
• The attacks killed over 3,000 people.
• Bush emphasized unity, Muslim tolerance, and counterterrorism.

The Patriot Act

• This act expanded surveillance and detention powers.
• It was controversial for infringing on civil liberties.
• It led to indefinite detainment and reports of torture at Guantanamo Bay.

War on Terror

• In Afghanistan (2001), the Taliban refused to hand over Osama bin Laden, leading to a U.S. invasion that toppled the regime within 3 months.
• Bin Laden remained at large until 2011.
• The Iraq War (2003) started with claims that Iraq had WMDs and links to terrorism, leading to the toppling of Saddam Hussein.
• No WMDs were found, which resulted in a long, costly occupation.
• The U.S. handed over power in 2004 and fully withdrew in 2011.

Social & Demographic Changes

• Major Divides
• Political: Abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and climate change.
• Economic: Recession, rising income inequality, and globalization.
• Technological: The Internet transformed work and communication
• Immigration:
• Shift toward Latin America & Asia.
• Nearly 1 million/year; heavily impacted Southwest.
• Sparked backlash and reform debates.