Chapter 31

Theme: New World Order "Multiculturalism"

• In August 2001, Telmo Alvear became a waiter at the Windows on the World restaurant located in the North Tower of the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City.
  
• The restaurant was part of the transnational community created by the over 50,000 people who work at the World Trade Center.
  
• Many of the firms renting space in the Twin Towers were multinational operations from Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.
  
• The WTC symbolized American leadership and the belief that transnationalism would lay the foundation for a new world order based on democratic liberalism.
  

War in the Middle East

• When Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, President Bush formed a coalition:
  
  • to prevent Iraqi aggression against Saudi Arabia.
    
  • to enforce economic sanctions against Iraq.
    
• Bush shifted policies and prepared for an offensive war to drive out Iraq. <Movie: The Kingdom (Us relationship with Saudi Arabia>
  
• The U.S. relentlessly bombed Iraq, driving it from Kuwait. (1^st time seeing war live on TV)
  
• The war left Iraq devastated and, although Saddam Hussein remained in power, wreaked ecological havoc in the region. (setting the oil rigs on fire, some actually are still burning)
  
• Mideast tensions worsened due to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
  
• A Saudi millionaire built the Al-Qaeda terrorist network. (Osma bin Laden)
  

The Election of 1992

• (Bush: "No New Taxes")
  
• A harsh recession and soaring national debt had eroded public confidence in the Bush administration.
  
• Democrats turned to centrist governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas who stressed the need for fiscal responsibility, a middle class tax cut and new jobs.
  
• Billionaire H. Ross Perot won support for his independent bid with his folksy style and criticism of Washington insiders. (1^st time an independent made a dent in the electoral college)
  
• Clinton focused on the "forgotten middle class" in an effort to return Reagan Democrats to the fold.
  
• Clinton won 43 percent of the vote to Bush's 38 percent and Perot's 19 percent.
  

The Clinton Strategy

• Clinton broke political gridlock by positioning himself between warring Democrats and Republicans.
  
• Often backing ideas friendly to Republicans, he clashed with liberal democrats.
  
• Clinton unsuccessfully promoted a plan for national health insurance:
  
• Clinton pushed through a series of trade agreements (NAFTA and GATT) that raised fears that jobs were being sent abroad while environmental standards were being weakened at home.
  

Peacekeeping in the Balkans

• Human rights became factors in trade and diplomatic relations.
  
• International organizations were formed to work with the United Nations to aid victims of abuses.
  
• Clinton connected with human rights to the expansion of democracy.
  
• Heightened ethnic nationalism and religious fundamentalism created unrest across the globe, especially in the Balkans.
  
• The civil war in Kosovo between the Serbians and Albanians was the worst foreign crisis of Clinton's presidency.
  
• After negotiations failed, NATO bombed Serbian forces that eventually withdrew from Kosovo. Their president was indicted on war crimes.
  

Tech Boom & Silicon Valley

• The greatest stimulus to the economy was the soaring stock market, led by "tech" stocks. (Amazon.com)
  
• The resulting economic boom created huge profits.
  
• Critics noted the ill effects of downsizing and the pay disparity between white and blue collar workers plus the continuing decline of blue-collar jobs.
  
• Silicon Valley in northern California emerged as the capital of the American computer industry.
  
• Although Silicon Valley resembled a suburb, it was a sprawl of two dozen cities that expanded rapidly as the computer industry grew.
  
• Silicon Valley divided along class lines:
  
  • The white male managers and engineers lived in affluent communities.
    
  • non-unionized, Latino and Asian workers lived in poor communities.
    
• By the early 1990s the Silicon Valley had lost its boomtown atmosphere as competition increased.
  

*Quiz online. On Friday we will review Ch. 31, and for the final.

The Racial Divide

• In the spring of 1992, rioting broke out when a jury acquitted four Los Angeles police officers who had been videotaped beating a black motorist. (Rodney King)
  
• Rioters included Latino and African Americans.
  
• The rioting revealed the animosity between Korean storeowners and African American customers who targeted the stores for destruction.
  
• For many African Americans, the Los Angeles situation seemed more desperate than ever and whites seemed not to care at all.
  
• The widening racial divide was also shown by the trial of O. J. Simpson and the percentage of racial minorities in prisons, especially African American males.
  

Random Violence and Terrorism

• During the 1990s and early twenty-first century, random violence and terrorism escalated culminating with the catastrophic September 11, 2001 suicide attacks.
  
• The 1988 bombing of a Pan Am plane was followed by the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center (parking garage, North Tower) that brought terrorism home to the United States. (WTC is the center of US fiscal economy)
  
• In 1998, Middle East terrorists car-bombed U. S. embassies in Africa. (& bombed a military barracks)
  
• The 1995 bombing in Oklahoma City was different in that domestic terrorists were responsible. (All going on in with the media, seen in song lyrics posted online…Flipside, US History)
  
• One of the most tragic incidents of violence the murders at Columbine High school in Littleton, Colorado.
  
• (1 year anniversary of VT…. Brady Bill, Clinton….1^st major push to control guns)
  

Culture Wars

• Culture wars erupted over a struggle to define American values that pit conservative Republicans and Clinton Democrats. (Pat Robinson, Jerry Falwell, & Newt Gingrich) (growing since the end of Nixon's presidency, a lot seen before the 2000 election)
  
• Conservatives supported what they called universal, traditional values.
  
• Democrats supported multiculturalism.
  
• Conflicts also arose over affirmative action, gays, and women.
  
• A growing controversy arose over stem cell research. (when Bush 1^st took office, he discussed with the Pope…against stem cell research)
  

Contract With America

• Throughout his political career, Bill Clinton faced questions of morality. <Monica>
  
• Led by Newt Gingrich, a new breed of younger conservative Republicans swept the Congressional elections of 1994. (mend fences)
  
• Republicans promoted a "Contract with America" to cut welfare and eliminate affirmative action. (instead of working for compromise, just trying to get what they want…radio shows)
  
• Failure to compromise on a budget in 1995 shut the government down and proved a public relations disaster for the GOP. (no one could agree on the budget, so the government shut down)(huge nightmare for PR of the GOP)
  

High Crimes and Misdemeanors

• Bill Clinton proved adept at co-opting Republican issues such as ending big government and balancing the budget.
  
• In the 1996 presidential election, Clinton projected a reasonable, conservative image and portrayed Republicans as conservative radicals.
  
• Clinton easily beat GOP candidate Bob Dole and independent Ross Perot.
  
• In 1998, a sex scandal embroiled the White House, leading to impeachment inquiries. The midterm election resulted in Democratic gains, due in part to the economic prosperity.
  
• The Republican House voted to impeach Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice but failed to convict him.
  

  
  

The Election of 2000

• Florida, in spotlight.
  
• Campaigns realized they could make a difference by showing up on television shows and magazines. (Cover of Rolling Stone)
  

Your Final will be based exactly how you saw your income.

• Review all old quizzes, they will be in PDF format on WebCT.
  
  • Questions on Final will be similar to those on the quizzes.
    
• Review your notes & the blog.
  
• On the essay portion- choose the one you want to answer, based on readings from WWII on.
  
  • Get note cards, put the title of your reading on the front, on the back, put the author, and briefly what the writing is about.
    
• Bring a BLUEBOOK, Professor Anderson will provide the scantron.
  
• 10 pts. Extra credit.
  
• 47 Questions, 1 essay.
  
• Exam is Next Wednesday at 8:00 AM.
  

(Loosely Comprehensive)