revitalising presidency

• To what extent did Reagan revitalise the presidency?

  Reagan had brought back both trust in the president and

  government again

  His charisma, presidential image and foreign affairs success revitalized the image of the presidency.

  Bush was less able to capture the public support that Reagan had and was a 1 term president.
• How did presidential involvement in legislation change under Reagan

  Reagan’s early success with legislation and bipartisan

  support from Congress was short lived

  Reagan advised some of his policies were too conservative and there was opposition from his own party over environmental issues

  Bush raised taxes

  Clinton also failed to get policies like his healthcare legislation passed

  Presidential involvement in legislation was short-term
• Iran Contra Affair damage public image?

  1986

  White House officials supplied arms to Iran in exchange from Hostages

  Money from arms used to fund Contra rebels in Nicaragua

  Actions went against neutrality laws in Iran/Iraq War

  Reagan lied to Congress/public and denied it happened much like Nixon

  Reagan later claimed these were actions of officials beneath him which he was unaware of

  Presidency damaged but Reagan was popular with the public
• ‘New Right’ thinking suggest politics were revitalised?

  Created a conservative coalition of both democratic and republicans

  Against lazy/welfare dependency, lack of law and order

  Most Americans were concerned about social issues
• To what extent did politicians become revitalised?

  Reagan was able to persuade democrats to vote for his early policies

  Jesse Jackson and Bill Clinton new leaders championed new democratic ideology of low tax and low federal intervention
• Further changes occurred to the political environment during Reagan’s

  two terms in office?

  Business major role

  Big businesses helped to campaign and finance elections/politicians

  Christian Right became much more outspoken and powerful under Reagan

  He maintained that many of his feelings were personal views but

  still tried to make conservative appointments to pacify this

  group and keep their votes.
• US public show greater engagement in the political landscape?

  Televised political debates show a lack of engagement by the

  public

  1960 Debates had 60 million viewers

  1996 Debates had 36 million viewers

  Reagan was popular, changed the view of the media and

  political parties / role of the government but did not making

  sweeping legislative changes.

  Voter turnout did not support the view that political engagement

  increased.