Difference between revisions of "Republican Revolution (1994)"
m |
|||
| Line 4: | Line 4: | ||
Leftist [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Bill Clinton]] was elected [[President of the United States of America|U.S. president]] in 1992, defeating [[George H. W. Bush]]. After he took office, Democrats held a national trifecta. They passed or attempted to pass left-wing legislation, including [[Tax and spend|raising taxes]], passing [[NAFTA]], enacting [[gun control]], and unsuccessfully attempting to pass [[Socialized medicine|left-wing healthcare laws]].<ref name="LaurenFox">Fox, Lauren (January 17, 2013). [http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/01/17/gun-control-laws-werent-primary-reason-dems-lost-in-1994 Gun Control Laws Weren't Primary Reason Dems Lost in 1994]. ''U.S. News & World Report''. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref> Arguably, the most unpopular of these actions was the assault weapon ban.<ref name="LaurenFox"/> | Leftist [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Bill Clinton]] was elected [[President of the United States of America|U.S. president]] in 1992, defeating [[George H. W. Bush]]. After he took office, Democrats held a national trifecta. They passed or attempted to pass left-wing legislation, including [[Tax and spend|raising taxes]], passing [[NAFTA]], enacting [[gun control]], and unsuccessfully attempting to pass [[Socialized medicine|left-wing healthcare laws]].<ref name="LaurenFox">Fox, Lauren (January 17, 2013). [http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/01/17/gun-control-laws-werent-primary-reason-dems-lost-in-1994 Gun Control Laws Weren't Primary Reason Dems Lost in 1994]. ''U.S. News & World Report''. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref> Arguably, the most unpopular of these actions was the assault weapon ban.<ref name="LaurenFox"/> | ||
| − | U.S. Representative [[Newt Gingrich]], who was rising in the Republican Party, played a leading role in drafting the [[Contract with America]], a 10-point list of conservative policies that the GOP promised to pass if elected into power.<ref name="Biography">[http://www.biography.com/people/newt-gingrich-9311969#synopsis Newt Gingrich Biography]. ''Biography.com''. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref><ref name=History">[http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-republican-revolution The Republican Revolution - This Day in History]. ''History.com''. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref> | + | U.S. Representative [[Newt Gingrich]], who was rising in the Republican Party, played a leading role in drafting the [[Contract with America]], a 10-point list of conservative policies that the GOP promised to pass if elected into power.<ref name="Biography">[http://www.biography.com/people/newt-gingrich-9311969#synopsis Newt Gingrich Biography]. ''Biography.com''. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref><ref name="History">[http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-republican-revolution The Republican Revolution - This Day in History]. ''History.com''. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref> |
Numerous voters strongly disapproved of the leftist Democrat policies and Democrat corruption, and thus chose to vote Republican.<ref name="Politico"/> | Numerous voters strongly disapproved of the leftist Democrat policies and Democrat corruption, and thus chose to vote Republican.<ref name="Politico"/> | ||
| Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
==Aftermath== | ==Aftermath== | ||
| − | After the election, Gingrich became Speaker of the House.<ref name=History"/><ref name="Politico"/> In the first 100 days of the 104th Congress, House Republicans passed every bill promised in the Contract with America, with the exception of a [[Constitutional Amendment|constitutional amendment]] instituting [[term limits]] on Congress.<ref name=History"/><ref name="Politico"/> | + | After the election, Gingrich became Speaker of the House.<ref name="History"/><ref name="Politico"/> In the first 100 days of the 104th Congress, House Republicans passed every bill promised in the Contract with America, with the exception of a [[Constitutional Amendment|constitutional amendment]] instituting [[term limits]] on Congress.<ref name="History"/><ref name="Politico"/> |
Conservative Republicans also successfully enacted several pieces of legislation, including [[welfare reform]], a [[Balanced Budget|balanced budget]], and a [[capital gains tax]] cut.<ref name="Biography"/> | Conservative Republicans also successfully enacted several pieces of legislation, including [[welfare reform]], a [[Balanced Budget|balanced budget]], and a [[capital gains tax]] cut.<ref name="Biography"/> | ||
Revision as of 04:55, December 27, 2016
The Republican Revolution of 1994 refers to the massive gains the Republican Party experienced in the 1994 midterm elections. The party took the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate for the first time in 40 years.
Background
Leftist Democrat Bill Clinton was elected U.S. president in 1992, defeating George H. W. Bush. After he took office, Democrats held a national trifecta. They passed or attempted to pass left-wing legislation, including raising taxes, passing NAFTA, enacting gun control, and unsuccessfully attempting to pass left-wing healthcare laws.[1] Arguably, the most unpopular of these actions was the assault weapon ban.[1]
U.S. Representative Newt Gingrich, who was rising in the Republican Party, played a leading role in drafting the Contract with America, a 10-point list of conservative policies that the GOP promised to pass if elected into power.[2][3]
Numerous voters strongly disapproved of the leftist Democrat policies and Democrat corruption, and thus chose to vote Republican.[4]
The election
The Republican Party won the 1994 midterm elections in a landslide. The GOP retook the House and Senate for the first time in 40 years.[5] In the House, the GOP gained a massive 54 seats.[4] In addition to the House and Senate, the GOP gained a large amount of state governorships.[5]
34 Democrat incumbents were defeated in the election, including House Speaker Tom Foley.[4] Not a single Republican incumbent,[4] either in the House, Senate, or state governorships, was defeated.[5]
Evangelical Christians played an important part in the election. They greatly increased their share of the electorate—27 percent in 1994, according to one estimate, compared to just 18 percent in 1988.[4] Additionally, 76 percent of evangelical Christians voted for the Republican House candidate over the Democrat.[4]
Aftermath
After the election, Gingrich became Speaker of the House.[3][4] In the first 100 days of the 104th Congress, House Republicans passed every bill promised in the Contract with America, with the exception of a constitutional amendment instituting term limits on Congress.[3][4]
Conservative Republicans also successfully enacted several pieces of legislation, including welfare reform, a balanced budget, and a capital gains tax cut.[2]
Analysis
The 1994 Republican Revolution exposes the left-wing policies of Bill Clinton. While some people view Clinton as a moderate, the actions he took as president clearly show otherwise. He supported the leftist Democrat agenda prior to the midterm elections. Even after Republicans took the House and Senate, he strongly opposed most GOP legislation, and only signed welfare reform after two vetoes.[2] In fact, Clinton is likely only remembered as a moderate because of the fact that he had to deal with Republican congressional majorities, which prevented his left-wing agenda from being enacted, for six years.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Fox, Lauren (January 17, 2013). Gun Control Laws Weren't Primary Reason Dems Lost in 1994. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Newt Gingrich Biography. Biography.com. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Republican Revolution - This Day in History. History.com. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Glass, Andrew (November 8, 2007). Congress runs into 'Republican Revolution' Nov. 8, 1994. Politico. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Clymer, Adam (November 10, 1994). The 1994 Elections: Congress The Overview; G.O.P. Celebrates Its Sweek To Power; Clinton Vows To Find Common Ground. The New York Times. Retrieved December 26, 2016.
