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Title: Politics and Major Events of the 1990s


1
Politics and Major Events of the 1990s
2
Rise of Conservative Media
  • In 1987, the Reagan Administration, in an effort
    to deregulate the communications industry, vetoed
    the reauthorization of the Fairness Doctrine.
  • Since 1949, the Fairness Doctrine was used by the
    FCC to prevent the emergence of partisan press.
  • Without the requirement for equal coverage for
    controversial subjects, AM stations created
    partisan programming.
  • In 1988 Rush Limbaugh began his conservative talk
    show, which is currently airs on more than 600
    stations.

3
Rise of Conservative Media
  • The end of the Fairness Doctrine coincided with
    general dissatisfaction with the mainstream
    media.
  • Many believed it was elitist and did not reflect
    their politics or values.
  • Outlets such as FOX News, headed by former
    Republican communication consultant Roger Ailes,
    capitalized on this void.
  • New stations offered plainspoken reporting and
    populist appeals to the middle class.

Roger Ailes
4
The Exxon Valdez
  • The Exxon Valdez spill in March 1989 was the
    largest ecological disaster in American history.
  • The supertanker spilled 11 million gallons of oil
    that covered 470 miles of Alaska coast.
  • Billions have been spent on the cleanup, but the
    damage in many places is irreparable.

5
The Exxon Valdez
This image of an oil-covered duck illustrates the
impact of the disaster on wildlife. Over 50,000
birds, fish, and animals died.
This image shows lingering damage on a beach in
2003, 14 years after the spill.
6
Iraq Invades Kuwait
  • Iraq was nearly bankrupt after a war with Iran.
  • Saddam Hussein saw his oil rich neighbor as the
    solution to his economic problems.
  • In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait.
  • Kuwait had virtually no military.
  • Hussein then annexed Kuwait and threatened Saudi
    Arabia..
  • Iraqi control of Saudi Arabia would allow Hussein
    to corner the world oil market.
  • President George H.W. Bush announced that the
    invasion would not stand.

7
The Gulf War
  • In November 1990, the U.N. authorized all means
    necessary to reverse the invasion.
  • The war began in January 1991.
  • After a month of intensive bombing, only a
    minimal ground assault was necessary to remove
    the Iraqis from Kuwait.
  • After the war, President Bush said that the U.S.
    would support the overthrow Hussein.
  • The Iraqi Shiites rose up but, when no American
    help materialized, they were crushed by Hussein.

8
The Fall of the Soviet Union
  • In August 1991, hard-liners in the Soviet
    government attempted a coup against the liberal
    rule of Gorbachev.
  • Moscow Mayor Boris Yeltsin led a demonstration
    against the coup.
  • The leaders of the conspiracy ordered soldiers
    and tanks into Moscow to arrest Yeltsin, but many
    soldiers switched sides.
  • Gorbachev returned from house arrest overshadowed
    by Yeltsin.
  • They negotiated a power sharing agreement, with
    Yeltsin assuming the presidency.
  • In December 1991, with Yeltsin at the helm, the
    Soviet Union voted itself out of existence.

9
Economic Troubles Recession of 1991
  • Despite Bush's foreign success, he was dogged by
    economic troubles at home.
  • By 1991, the American economy was in recession.
  • Personal spending fell dramatically and
    unemployment rose.
  • Bush was forced break his campaign pledge not to
    raise taxes.
  • By 1992, domestic problems had eroded Bushs
    once unapproachable popularity.
  • He was vulnerable in the upcoming election.

10
The Los Angeles Riots 1992
  • In 1991 Rodney King, a black motorist, was
    severely beaten by LAPD officers following a
    traffic stop.
  • The incident was caught on tape.
  • The officers were prosecuted acquitted in 1992.
  • The verdict outraged the African American
    community.
  • Lawless elements erupted into violence.
  • For 3 South Central LA was wracked with rioting
  • National Guard was deployed to restore calm.
  • 55 people died, 2300 were injured, and 1100
    buildings were burned at a cost of over a billion
    dollars.

11
The Election of 1992
  • The Election of 1992 was a 3-way race between
    George H.W. Bush, Democrat Bill Clinton, and
    independent H. Ross Perot.
  • Clintons candidacy was sunk while pursuing the
    Democratic nomination by a sex scandal.
  • In the general election the presence of Perot, an
    eccentric Texas billionaire, split conservative
    vote and allowed Clinton a relatively easy
    victory

12
Waco
  • In February 1993, the FBI and ATF, acting on
    weapons violations and allegations of child
    abuse, raided the Branch Davidian cult compound
    in Waco, Texas to arrest leader David Koresh.
  • The heavily armed Davidians fought off the
    agents, killing 4 and wounding 20.
  • 51 day siege ensued. In April, agents again
    raided the compound.
  • Koresh ordered his followers to burn the compound
    and commit suicide.
  • Many believed that the initial raid was an
    infringement upon the religious liberty of the
    Branch Davidians.

13
Health Care Reform, 1993-1994
  • President Clintons major goal was reform of the
    healthcare system.
  • Hillary Rodham Clinton to headed the Task Force
    on National Healthcare Reform.
  • In September 1993, President Clinton presented
    the plan to guarantee coverage for all Americans
    to Congress.
  • While the plan was popular with the public, its
    opponents were able to bog the legislation down.
  • A year after proposal, Senate Majority Leader
    George Mitchell pronounced the bill dead.

14
Republicans Take the House
  • In 1994 Republicans took the majority House of
    Representatives for the 1st time in 40 years.
  • Under Rep. Newt Gingrich, Republicans campaigned
    on the Contract with America.
  • The Contract nationalized the campaign, turning
    the election into a referendum on Democratic
    leadership.
  • Republicans gained 54 seats.
  • By the end of 1995 most of the Contract died in
    the Senate or were vetoed.

15
The Oklahoma City Bombing
  • On 19 April 1995, the 2nd anniversary of the Waco
    raid, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols bombed
    the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.
  • McVeigh and Nichols were members of rightist
    fringe and white supremacy movements.
  • 168 were killed.
  • The bomb targeted ATF offices inside the
    building, but exploded near the facilitys day
    care, killing 19 children.

16
The Election of 1996
  • In the Election of 1996, President Clinton faced
    Republican Senator Robert Dole.
  • Dole survived a bruising primary campaign while
    Clinton was able to focus his attention on the
    general election.
  • Republican hopes were elevated by their control
    of the House and a minor Clinton fundraising
    scandal
  • Clinton won a relatively easy reelection.

17
Impeachment
  • In August 1998, Clinton testified that he had not
    perjured himself in a sexual harassment case by
    denying a sexual relationship with former intern
    Monica Lewinsky.
  • Clinton admitted on TV to having an improper
    relationship with Lewinsky.
  • In December 1998, the House offered 4 articles of
    impeachment, 2 of which were accepted.
  • The impeachment trial began in January 1999.
  • Neither article garnered a majority.
  • On his last day in office, Clinton agreed to
    surrender his law license and pay a 25,000 fine.

18
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19
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feature/2004/05/26/rush_limbaugh/story.jpg Slide
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