Changes

In 1982, unemployment hit 10.8%, the worst since the Great Depression.  Reagan was blamed for this and things looked bleak.  But the criticism did not change Reagan.  "Stay the course" was his campaign slogan for Republicans up for reelection in 1982.  The Democrats, led by the clever Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill, countered with this sarcastic twist: "stay the curse."  After hitting rock bottom in 1982 (and losing many Republican seats in the mid-term election), the effects of Reagan's tax and spending cuts began to take hold in 1983.  A tremendous economic boom began in 1983 and lasted throughout the remainder of the 1980s.

In 1982, unemployment hit 10.8%, the worst since the Great Depression.  Reagan was blamed for this and things looked bleak.  But the criticism did not change Reagan.  "Stay the course" was his campaign slogan for Republicans up for reelection in 1982.  The Democrats, led by the clever Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill, countered with this sarcastic twist: "stay the curse."  After hitting rock bottom in 1982 (and losing many Republican seats in the mid-term election), the effects of Reagan's tax and spending cuts began to take hold in 1983.  A tremendous economic boom began in 1983 and lasted throughout the remainder of the 1980s.

[[File:Strategic Defense Initiative.jpg|300px|thumb|right|In "Star Wars" (Strategic Defense Initiative), an anti-missle defense system would shoot down intercontinental ballistic missiles with lasers or rockets]]

[[File:Strategic Defense Initiative.jpg|300px|thumb|right|In "Star Wars" (Strategic Defense Initiative), an anti-missile defense system would shoot down intercontinental ballistic missiles with lasers or rockets]]

In 1983, Reagan turned to foreign policy.  He called the communist Soviet Union the "evil empire."  Then Reagan advanced an idea original to the conservative movement in a speech to the nation:  he proposed a missile defense system called the "Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)."  This was probably the most original and powerful idea ever proposed by a president in our entire history, and its genesis was in conservative thinkers outside of government.  Reagan's enemies derisively called it "Star Wars," after the popular new movie that hit the theaters earlier with advanced new special effects.

In 1983, Reagan turned to foreign policy.  He called the communist Soviet Union the "evil empire."  Then Reagan advanced an idea original to the conservative movement in a speech to the nation:  he proposed a missile defense system called the "Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)."  This was probably the most original and powerful idea ever proposed by a president in our entire history, and its genesis was in conservative thinkers outside of government.  Reagan's enemies derisively called it "Star Wars," after the popular new movie that hit the theaters earlier with advanced new special effects.

Donald Trump became a cultural icon in the 1990s with his successful buildings and bombastic style.  Beginning in 2004, he starred in a popular reality television show called ''The Apprentice'', whereby at the end of each segment he would fire someone.  He developed a large cultural following by his no-nonsense style with colorful humor.  He ran for president in 2016 on a platform to "Make America Great Again" by protecting American workers against so-called free trade, by ending illegal immigration, by appointing federal judges who are pro-life, and by rejecting claims of man-made global warming.

Donald Trump became a cultural icon in the 1990s with his successful buildings and bombastic style.  Beginning in 2004, he starred in a popular reality television show called ''The Apprentice'', whereby at the end of each segment he would fire someone.  He developed a large cultural following by his no-nonsense style with colorful humor.  He ran for president in 2016 on a platform to "Make America Great Again" by protecting American workers against so-called free trade, by ending illegal immigration, by appointing federal judges who are pro-life, and by rejecting claims of man-made global warming.

Trump was elected as president in 2016 to the astonishment of the media and pollsters, who predicted the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton would win.  Newsweek magazine even preprinted a cover with Hillary Clinton as president on its cover.  After his election, the media stepped up their criticism of Trump and he became the first president to constantly criticize the media for its biased reporting.

Trump was elected as president in 2016 to the astonishment of the media and pollsters, who predicted the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton would win.  Newsweek magazine even preprinted a cover with Hillary Clinton as president on its cover.  After Trump's surprise election the media increased their negative reporting about him, and he became the first president to boldly and persistently criticize the media for its biased reporting.

 

== The Supreme Court ==

== The Supreme Court ==

From about 1975 to the end of 2008, the Supreme Court has grown increasingly conservative (as has the Nation, in your teacher's view).  The 7-2 vote by the Court in favor of unlimited legalized abortion in ''Roe v. Wade'' in 1972 had transformed, after the retirement and replacement of every Justice, into a roughly evenly split Suprem Court on the issue today.

From about 1975 to the end of 2008, the Supreme Court has grown increasingly conservative (as has the Nation, in your teacher's view).  The 7-2 vote by the Court in favor of unlimited legalized abortion in ''Roe v. Wade'' in 1972 had transformed, after the retirement and replacement of every Justice, into a roughly evenly split Supreme Court on the issue today.

President George W. Bush appointed two conservatives to the Supreme Court during his presidency:  Chief Justice John Roberts and Samuel Alito, who is from New Jersey.  The liberal Justices tend to be older, while the more conservative Justices are younger.  But after 2008, President Obama nominated two young liberals to the Supreme Court, ensuring that the Court would continue to be evenly divided between conservatives and liberals.  Perhaps because it is nearly equally divided, the Supreme Court is accepting fewer cases for its review (''i.e.'', the Court is "denying ''cert.''" more often).

President George W. Bush appointed two conservatives to the Supreme Court during his presidency:  Chief Justice John Roberts and Samuel Alito, who is from New Jersey.  The liberal Justices tend to be older, while the more conservative Justices are younger.  But after 2008, President Obama nominated two young liberals to the Supreme Court, ensuring that the Court would continue to be evenly divided between conservatives and liberals.  Perhaps because it is nearly equally divided, the Supreme Court is accepting fewer cases for its review (''i.e.'', the Court is "denying ''cert.''" more often).