Daddy Bush

• George H.W. Bush- the OG Bush, he promised not to raise taxes.
• Persian Gulf War- Iraq: Saddam Hussein is dictator. Invades Kuwait in 1990 because it’s a small land, wanted Kuwait’s oil supply to add to Iraq’s oil supply.

  He goes to invade Saudi Arabia, closer to owning 45% of the world’s oil supply which is bad, U.S. plans to stop Iraq

  General Collin Powell- leader of US?

  We invade Iraq and push troops out of Kuwait.
• We can either leave or stay, we leave Iraq.

  People loved Bush because of this decision.

  Bush lied about the no new taxes, gives new taxes and economy crashes again.

  American with Disabilities Act- made every new building after 1992 be ADA compliant.

  Nomination of SC Justice Clarence Thomas- used to work for the EEOC.
• Clarence Thomas was the first black man nominated for Supreme Court Justice by a conservative.

  Anita Hill- EEOC Secretary came forward about Thomas sexually harassing her along with multiple women in the EEOC.

  Joe Biden was a senator from DE leading the conference hearings, brought Anita Hill to interview her live, it goes on the record and Thomas is still Supreme Court Justice.
• Election of 1992- George H.W. Bush vs. William Jefferson Clinton (Bill Clinton), Clinton wins and is a “new“ democrat.

  Youngest president since Kennedy, former governor of Arkansas.

  L.A. Riots- beating of Rodney King, who was pulled over for reckless driving and was almost beat to death. 8 police officers were arrested but found not guilty despite it being on video, L.A. responded with violence.
• Bush didn’t do anything about the riots.

  Ross Perot- fiscal conservative that liked all civil rights, gays, women, but thought the U.S. was spending too much money.
• Clinton Domestic Policy

  1. focused on fiscal policy, economy is strong, dot com boom (internet is here)

  Has to work with Newt Gingrich, speaker of the house in Republican Congress, get a lot of goals accomplished. Raised taxes on wealthy.
• Clinton Domestic Policy

  2. Most extensive gun control bills and health care things.

  Brady Bill- mandatory waiting period for background checks for buying guns.

  94 Crime Bill- raises mandatory minimums on drug crimes, 3 strikes law: convicted of a felony 3 separate times, you get life in prison. Increases funding for law enforcement. Bans 20 different types of assault weapons.

  Assault weapons thing lapsed in 2005 and hasn’t been renewed.
• Violent crime feels like it’s rising in the 90s.

  FBI says media is over reporting crime things.
• Oklahoma City Bombings- largest domestic terrorist attack before 9/11, brought down a federal building, killed lots of adults and children (daycare), 2 guys made a bomb and were arrested and sent to prison.
• Columbine High School Shooting- 1999, 12 students and 1 teacher killed, audio and video is still available, the plan was to set up bombs in the cafeteria and blow them up, they didn’t go off so the two teenagers starting shooting.

  Most people killed in the library, the shooters killed themselves afterwards.

  Affected not only Columbine but schools all around the nation. Questions about school safety and gun safety come up, Dylan’s (shooter) mom becomes a gun control activist.

  Police never entered the library despite the shooting being active because they didn’t have training on what to do.
• Bill Clinton signs into law 2 bills:

  DOMA (Defense Of Marriage Act)- marriage is between a man and woman, some states had already passed same sex marriage laws

  DODT (Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell)- you can be gay in the military but you can’t tell nobody, and the military can’t ask you if you’re gay.