Quiz 6
"President Clinton's offenses had a significant adverse impact on the community, substantially affecting the public's view of the integrity of our legal system." Yes, the impeachment affected his Policy making; twice during the Lewinsky scandal, Clinton had launched air strikes; once against Iraq and once against terrorist bases in Sudan and Afghanistan. Gerald Solomon, once said "Never underestimate a desperate president. What option is left for getting impeachment off the front page or maybe even postponed?" "There are unavoidable suggestions that Clinton's actions were influenced by his need for personal atonement and his political desire to do something big and bold so historians would concentrate less on his impeachment."
Did the impeachment affect Clinton's policy making?
COINTELPRO: Counter intelligence program, a 20-year-old FBI campaign of illegal and improper activities aimed at harassing political targets. The burglars sent stolen material to members of Congress and the media. It changed the FBI because it was being put to political use. The revelations led to the first Congressional investigation of U.S. intelligence agency in the country's history.
How did a successful break-in in Pennsylvania change the FBI? What was COINTELPRO?
"To be sure he will be remembered as the target of an unwise and unfair impeachment proceeding. But just as certainly, history will haunt Clinton for his own role in this political apocalypse, and for that, despite his best efforts, this president can blame only himself."
How did journalist Jeffrey Toobin sum up the Clinton impeachment?
The census showed a residential population of 281 million people, the largest ever recorded in U.S. history. There was also more diversity than ever before. The old fashioned stereotypical home of mom, dad, kids, and a dog, was out of the picture. People living alone was second most common living arrangement. The nation's biggest failure: child poverty rate fell to 16 percent. There was a growing number of black corporate leaders; America moved beyond tokenism in very meaningful ways. But, much of America was still in a world separated by white and black. Poverty and unemployment affected minorities much higher.
How does Davis portray the United States at 2000?
Gave states expanded authority to limit abortion rights. The court also announced that it would hear a series of cases that would give the opportunity to completely overturn the Roe decision.
What did Webster v. Reproductive Health Services (1989) establish?
Operation Desert Storm was spearheaded by the U.S. with the approval of the United Nations; a devastating air war, followed by a 100-hour ground offensive. It was George Bush's shining moment and was ordered to prevent Hussein from controlling 40% of the world's oil. The coalition's goal is to destroy Iraq's ability to defend itself and launch nuclear attacks. The Persian Gulf War devastated Iraq; as many as 100,000 soldiers died as well as civilians. Roads, bridges, factories and oil industries were demolished resulting in unclean water and the inability to operate sewage treatments. A continuing trade embargo caused them serious economic issues. In March 1991, Kurdish and Shiite Muslim uprisings broke out. The War ended in April when Iraq accepted the terms of a formal cease-fire agreement and the UN Security Council officially declared an end to the war.
What was Operation Desert Storm? What was its impact on Iraq? How did the Persian Gulf War end?
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, formed by the world's principal oil exporters, cut off oil shipments to the US, Japan, and Western Europe in an effort to compel the Israelis to return the lands captured in 1967. It precipitated the first great "energy crisis" of the 1970's. The boycott caused mayhem in America; gas stations closed on Sunday's, rationing system, speed limits lowered. American's grew increasingly angry. After the boycott was over, OPEC made sure oil prices stayed high; the following years of oil shortages and altered economic realities produced by OPEC created the highest rates of unemployment since the Great Depression and historically high inflation. Almost from the moment Israel was born in 1948 they occupied a singular, untouchable position in American foreign policy; based on a tight web of philosophical, religious, social, political, and strategic conditions.
How and why did OPEC cripple America during the 1970s? What was the place of Israel in U.S. foreign policy?
The immediate crisis began in early 2007 when a number of Wall Street investment firms whose risky bets in mortgage-backed securities came crashing down as a recession burst the bubble in American housing prices. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac held worthless shares. The Bush administration was going to make the government a major shareholder in the bank. They announced a $700 billion bank bailout plan known as the Troubles Asset Relief Program (TARP) would be used to stabilize and stimulate credit markets. Obama, once in place in January 2009, had to continue a jerry-rigged rescue plan begun by the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve under the outgoing Bush Admin. while also trying to battle a long, deep recession that was pushing unemployment higher. In Feb 2009, the American Recovery and Investment Act was passed, intended to boost the nation's struggling economy, with a combination of tax cuts and spending.
How and why did the economy crash in 2007-08? How did the Bush and Obama administrations respond to the Great Recession?
The war growing increasingly unpopular, Obama campaigned as the Democrat who opposed the war. As a senator, he voted against the war, Hillary Clinton voted in favor. His primary victory was fueled largely by that discontent, along with a desire for "change." The unpopular war in Iraq was a key issue during the campaign before the economic crisis; McCain saying that the U.S. could be in Iraq for the next 50-100 years proved costly. But the war took a backseat to the economic crisis--McCain suffered when he made costly misjudgments about the economy and declared "the fundamentals of our economy are strong."
How did America elect its first black president?
The outcome was in the hands of Florida, with its 25 electoral votes. Many voters were confused by the "butterfly ballot" and completed the ballot incorrectly, voiding their votes. They were worried they had mistakenly voted for Buchanan. On December 13, Al Gore conceded to Bush. Gore had received the majority popular vote but Bush won the electoral vote with 271 votes to Gore's 266. The Supreme Court ruled that the previous ruling stating the votes need to be recounted, needed to be overturned due to constitutional deadlines. This basically handed the presidency to Bush.
How did George W. Bush win the election of 2000? What role did the Supreme Court play?
Born Cassius Clay, he joined the Black Muslims in 1967 and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. During the next few years, he became one of the most controversial boxing champions of all time, said to be the world's most recognizable man. He was the living embodiment of the phrases: "black is beautiful" and "say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud." He refused induction into the US Army, stating "No Viet Cong ever called me a nig***" He was convicted on charges of refusing induction and sentenced to prison, but appealed the decision and stayed out of jail. While out of the ring, Ali remained on the world stage, and his views on the war and a racist America profoundly influenced a younger generation.
How did Muhammad Ali both reflect and actually change history?
5 men are arrested during an attempt to break-in at the offices of the Democratic National Committee; they are employed by the Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP). The purpose of the burglary is to obtain political documents regarding the Democrats' campaign strategy. It unraveled the corruption, conspiracy, and criminality of Nixon; it was a web of domestic spying, criminal acts, illegal campaign funds, enemies lists, and obstruction of justice. Nixon lost all support and eventually resigned once he knew he would be impeached.
How did a botched burglary become a crisis called Watergate and bring down a powerful president?
The question of same-sex unions and partners came to the forefront of American society in 1990s as some states were moving to permit some form of same-sex union. The controversy accelerated in 2000 when Vermont became the first state to permit civil unions, on April 26. In 2004 the issue became even greater during the presidential race between George Bush and his Democratic opponent, John Kerry. In 2003, the Massachusetts supreme judicial court extended the right to marry same-sex couples. Bush and Kerry both agreed marriage to be only accepted by a man and a woman.
How did gay marriage become a national issue in the 2000s?
Reaction was considered grossly disorganized and inefficient, from the mayor of New Orleans to the entire federal response. President Bush came in for the most criticism. He was criticized for failing to take the situation seriously and then for making what was considering only a cursory flyover of the area a few days after the hurricane struck. He then claimed that nobody had predicted the failure of the levees, contradicted by videotapes that show him being given specific warnings of the impending disaster at a briefing before Katrina struck.
How did the Bush administration respond to Hurricane Katrina?
Many Americans felt removed from AIDS until it claimed a very visible victim: actor Rock Hudson. He was a longtime symbol of American virility and "wholesome" entertainment; he costarred with big names such as Elizabeth Taylor. Before his death, AIDS was a stranger; America was shocked to see his image and it helped open up a national discussion of the subject.
How did the contraction of AIDS by celebrities change public attitudes toward AIDS?
The hostage crisis effectively ended Jimmy Carter's hopes for governing effectively and being reelected. His inability to free the hostages, leaving 8 dead, seemed to symbolize American powerlessness. Ronald Reagan represented old-style American ideals and strengths; he soundly defeated Carter in 1980 by promising to restore American prestige, power, and economic health.
How did the hostage situation in Iran help secure Ronald Reagan's election in 1980?
Financial budgets were ballooning, Wall Street was facing another scandal because of "junk bonds," a banking crisis, crack cocaine addiction skyrocketed and AIDS completely reshaped the American landscape. But, the Reagan years restored a semblance of confidence in the country. The beneficiary of that confidence was his VP, George Bush.
How does Davis introduce the chapter in the opening paragraph? How did the Reagan years affect the mood of the country?
1. Breaking & Entering 2. Illegal Contributions 3. Dirty Tricks 4. Cover-up/Obstruction of Justice 5. Miscellaneous Offenses and Revelations Watergate cost the Republicans the White House in 1976 when Jimmy Carter was elected; he pledged to rid Washington of its corruption. New campaign financing laws went into effect, in attempt to limit the impact of illegal campaign funds. It was assumed that such abuses were now in check and that nobody in the White House could manage such an illegal undertaking again.
What are the categories into which Davis separates the Watergate "rap sheet"? What effects did Watergate have on American politics and government?
On March 16, 1968, under the command of Lieutenant William L. Calley, Charlie Company of the Americal Division's Eleventh Infantry had nebulous orders from its company commander, Captain Ernest Medina, to "clean the village out." This resulted because My Lai was suspected to be a stronghold for the Vietcong. Once American troops entered My Lai, they found no sign of any Vietcong but had to follow Lieutenant Calley's direct orders; the villagers were forced into the center of the hamlet where they were mowed down by automatic weapons fire.
What happened at My Lai and why?
The Soviet Union was spiraling downward. A fatally inefficient industrial system, official corruption, political and social problems, competitive pressures from US, China and Japan, independence movements, and a long, costly war in Afghanistan all weakened the Kremlin's control of the empire. Reagan began a relationship with Mikhail Gorbachev, leader of the Soviet Union. At a 1987 summit meeting in Iceland, they agreed to the first treaty in history to reduce the nuclear arsenals of the two superpowers. Germany was unified in 1990 and the Soviet Union fell apart. On Christmas Day, 1991, Gorbachev stepped down. In an amazingly brief and peaceful revolution, the Cold War was over.
What happened to the Evil Empire? What role did Ronald Reagan play in ending the cold war?
The coordinated attacks came on the morning of 9/11/01 when 19 hijackers, all Arab men, seized 4 commercial airliners and crashed 2 of them into the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan, a third into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The fourth one was heading toward Washington, D.C. when the passengers and crew attempted to retake the plane and crashed it into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The Commission's 1st conclusion was that the attacks "were a shock but they should not have come as a surprise." It laid bare the failures of the CIA, FBI, the Pentagon, and the NSC, and every other government agency responsible for defending the nation. They stated, "Across the government, there were failures of imagination, policy capabilities and management... Terrorism was not the overriding national security concern for the U.S. Government under either the Clinton or the pre 9/11 Bush administrations." Conspiracy theorists suggested the U.S. government, in collusion with the owner of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, staged the 9/11 attacks. Popular Mechanics addressed and rebutted many of the controversies. They said that 9/11 "is supported by reams of evidence, from the cockpit recordings to forensics." They also debunked the conspiracy that explosives were set inside the building prior to the crashing by offering scientific evidence of how that is false.
What really happened on 9/11/01? What important conclusions were drawn by the 9/11 Commission? What conclusions about 9/11 were drawn by conspiracy theorists and how did Popular Mechanics address those conclusions?
On January 26, 1998, Clinton's famous words, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinksy." An Arkansas woman, Paula Corbin Jones, sued Clinton for sexually harassing her while he was governor in 1991. This was added on top of the Whitewater investigation. The essence of the case for impeachment of the president presented by Starr boiled down to a seamy affair about which the president had clearly lied while under oath and had possibly asked others to lie for him. .These were the charges the House took up on December 19, 1998, when they impeached the president for obstruction of justice and perjury.
What scandals dogged the Clinton presidency? Why was Clinton impeached?
Clinton shot down two potential choices for attorney general in Nanny-gate. Clinton also withdrew Lani Guinier from head of the civil rights division rather than stand up to Republican reform when she was attacked as a "quota queen." Whitewater; the investigation of the Clintons' Arkansas investments and real estate deals. The claims of Clinton being a sexual harasser were connected to this case. White House aid Vincent Foster, longtime Clinton friend from Arkansas, committed suicide; this was tied into Whitewater as well, and official Washington went into a full-blown scandal investigation mode. The defeat of Clinton's legislative keystone, the overhaul of the health-care system; ran by Hillary Clinton, she proposed a far reaching plan that would cover all Americans. Republicans swept control of the House of Representatives for the first time in 40 years. They were led by Georgia Rep. Newt Gingrich, who trumpeted a conservative list of promises known as the Contract with America. This "contract" promised a laundry list of favorite Republican right-wing positions, including a balanced budget amendment, increased defense spending, term limits for congressional seats, an amendment to end legal abortion, and a reform of the welfare system. Clinton regained the upper hand when he battled Gingrich and the Republican Congress over the budget, a stalemate that actually led to a shutdown of the United States government. He also co-opted one of the centerpieces of the Contract with America by championing a major overhaul of the welfare system despite opposition from tradition Democratic Party allies.
What setbacks did the Clinton administration experience in its first two years? What was the Contract with America? How did Clinton regain the upper hand in 1995?
Voodoo economics was what Republican George Bush called Reagan's ideas; the promise to cut taxes, reduce government deficits, reduce inflation, and rebuild America's defense. An economic policy perceived as being unrealistic and ill-advised, especially a policy of maintaining or increasing levels of public spending while reducing taxation. Supply side economics is the theoretical underpinning of Reagan's plans. The basic premise was that if taxes were cut, people would produce more goods and spend more money, creating more jobs and broader prosperity, which would lead to higher government revenues. Coupled with deep cuts in "wasteful" government spending, these revenues would provide a balanced budget.
What was "voodoo economics"? What was supply side economics?
The "gay plague" is the incorrect word the AIDS epidemic. It was a series of "special cases" dealing with male homosexuals and drug users. The initial response to AIDS was so slow due to: shrinking federal medical research budget, competition among doctors who wanted to be the first to publish, and miscommunication of basic facts to the public.
What was the "gay plague"? Why was the initial response to AIDS so slow?
Alan Greenspan was the chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, or Fed. He cost George Bush I his reelection, made everyone in America rich by making markets soar. By the mid-1990s, Greenspan's every pronouncement and television appearance was watched with deep respect. The function of the Federal Reserve Board was created as the central bank of the U.S. in 1913 with passage of the Federal Reserve Act. It's supposed to preserve and protect a flexible but stable economy. It has power over the nation's currency and conducts the nation's monetary policy, regulates the banks. It is also intended to seek stable prices, fight inflation--and maximum sustainable growth for the economy, while also seeking maximum employment. When he used the phrase "irrational exuberance" to describe a stock market that he feared might be too high in 1996, he sent tremors through the global economy. He caused a recession and crashed the market in 2001.
Who was Alan Greenspan and why does Davis argue that Greenspan was, for a time, "the most powerful man in the world" (pg. 557)? What is the function of the Federal Reserve Board? How did "irrational exuberance" cause the stock market meltdown of 2000?
Miranda was a criminal convicted of kidnapping and rape; he was arrested and tried. During the hearing, Miranda's court-appointed attorney argued that his client had not been told of his right to legal counsel. The case, Miranda v. Arizona, went all the way to the Supreme Court; they ruled in favor of Miranda saying a criminal suspect must be told his rights. This led to the Miranda warning.
Who was Ernesto Miranda and why was he historically significant?
Jane Roe brought suit against Dallas County District Attorney Henry Wade in an attempt to overturn the restrictive Texas abortion codes; she desired an abortion but was unable to obtain one legally so she gave her child up for adoption. Blackmun establishes abortion rights for women as a right of personal privacy, which is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy.
Why did "Jane Roe" sue Wade? On what grounds did the author of Roe v. Wade, Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun, establish abortion rights for women?
The Pentagon Papers revealed a history of deception, policy disagreements within several White House Administrations, and outright lies. Nixon and Kissinger realized that if something this highly classified could be leaked, so could other secrets; how could they carry on the business of national security if documents this sensitive could be photocopied and handed out so easily? There was also a second concern: the revelations in the Pentagon Papers had fueled the antiwar sentiment that was growing louder and angrier and moving off the campuses and into the halls of Congress. Important repercussions: set into motion some of the events that would lead to Watergate, American security credibility had been crippled, severely damaging intelligence operations around the world, for better or worse. The antiwar movement gained new strength and respectability, increasing Nixon's pressure to end U.S. involvement in Vietnam. The Supreme Court's ruling in favor of the newspapers further strengthened the 1st Amendment principles. It also reinforced a "bunker mentality" that already existed within the White House "palace guard." It made the Nixon White House far more aggressive in its defense of "national security."
Why did Nixon and Kissinger try to stop the New York Times from publishing the Pentagon Papers? What important repercussions did publication of the Pentagon Papers have?
Unemployment surged as the Federal Reserve's high interest rates, designed to wring out inflation, mired the economy in a recession. The corporate policy of "downsizing" was pushing unemployment higher. Bush was viewed as out of touch with average Americans, and publicity stunts such as shopping for socks at a local mall only made him seem more disconnected. Americans were also mad at Congress. Bush's gravest sin seemed to be his broken tax promise. Ross Perot drew disaffected voters from Bush and skewed the race, allowing the Clinton-Gore ticket to win with 43 percent to Bush's 37 percent. Perot was a big difference, tipping the balance in a very closely divided and unhappy America.
Why did President George H.W. Bush fail to win reelection in 1992? How did Ross Perot affect the election?
The US invaded Afghanistan because the Taliban had allowed Osama bin Laden to freely use Afghan territory to train Al Qaeda recruits. The United Nations imposed sanctions on the Taliban for their refusal to turn bin Laden over to the U.S. for prosecution. America invaded Iraq one year after the 9/11 attacks and demanded that Iraq eliminate its weapons of mass destruction, refrain from supporting terrorism, and end the repression of its people. Wanted to achieve "regime change" and eliminate Saddam Hussein as Iraq's leader. The U.S. went to war with Iraq, unprovoked in March 2003 due to raising fears of "mushroom cloud" and due to constantly connecting Iraq to Al Qaeda and the 9/11 attacks, despite evidence to the contrary. Thomas Ricks' assessed that Bush's decision to invade Iraq is one of the most wasteful actions in the history of American foreign policy; we went to war with little solid international support and on the basis of incorrect information about weapons of mass destruction and a supposed connection between Hussein and al Qaeda's terrorism. Thousands of people have died, hundreds of billions of dollars spent and could potentially lead to spiraling oil prices and a global economic shock. The Bush admin. hurried its diplomacy, short-circuited its war planning, and assembled an agonizingly incompetent occupation.
Why did the United States invade Afghanistan? Why did it invade Iraq and what was journalist Thomas Ricks' assessment of that decision?
He analyzes their failures because many FBI agents were on to the possibility of a terror strike but no action was taken. All of the failures he analyzes would be embarrassing to the agencies, disturbing to American taxpayers, and shocking if not for the terror attacks on 9/11/2001.
Why does Davis analyze the failures of the FBI and other intelligence agencies in the 1990s?
In a stunning reversal of American election tradition, the Democrats gained 5 seats in the House (the party controlling the White House historically loses seats in the 6th year of a presidency). Post-election analysis pointed to voters who were tired of the Republican obsession with the scandal.
Why does Davis argue that Republicans "apparently misread the American mood" in 1998 (pg. 552)?
The economy was impacted: enormous sums of money was devoted to keep up with the ill and the infected. It fundamentally altered the American landscape; condoms, safe sex, anal sex-- words never before said in society were common parlance. It brought homosexuality out of the closet; it was now openly discussed and the "gay rights" movement began. Women also began forcefully speaking about the lack of funds for breast cancer research; the walls of the entire medical research were falling down.
Why does Davis argue, "There was no aspect of American public and private life that the AIDS/HIV epidemic did not touch during the last two decades of the twentieth century"?
The year he published "Unsafe at Any Speed," Congress established a national Clearinghouse for Smoking and Health; it was the beginning of a long anti-cigarette campaign that would fundamentally transform American society as few other social movements ever have.
Why does Davis contend that "few politicians of the twentieth century have changed life in America as fundamentally as" Ralph Nader?
Before the surgeon general's 1964 report that linked cigarettes to lung cancer, cigarettes were part of the American way of life. By the end of the century, anti-smoking legislation had converted smokers into near pariahs (outcasts), changing eating patterns in restaurants and work routines as smokers were forced to grab a smoke during breaks while standing outside their office buildings.
Why does Davis contend that the anti-cigarette campaign "would fundamentally transform American society as few other social movements ever have"?
Reagan earned the nickname "Teflon president" because of his ability to keep the controversies and problems of his 8 years in office from sticking to him. Part of the "Teflon" image was due to his extraordinarily good luck; survived assassination, hostages were released during his inauguration, etc. Even major policy disasters seemed to roll off his back. The facts in Iran-Contra are still shrouded with mystery. In the summer of 1985, Reagan's national security adviser, McFarlane, was approached by Israelis with a plan for winning release of the hostages; the Teheran would use its influence to free the hostages in return for a few hundred U.S. antitank missiles. McFarlane claims Reagan gave him the okay, but Reagan claims he has no recollection of such a call. The first shipment of arms went through and one hostage was released; Iranian arms dealers withheld the news that CIA man Buckley was tortured and murdered. A second shipment went awry and no hostages were released. While this went on with Iran, the Reagan administration was in the thick of another foreign policy struggle-- support of a rebel army called the Contras. The Democratic-controlled Congress passed an amendment cutting off all U.S. funds for the rebel army; inside the White House, plans were made to make an end run around Congress and solicit foreign money for the Contras. Reagan was advised sending such money would be an impeachable offense and the job went to Oliver North, a man involved in the military strike on the Caribbean Island of Grenada to overthrow the Marxist government and rescue American medical students. Somebody had the idea to use profits being made from the sale of arms to Iran to fund the Contras, but nobody will take credit. Hence the title Iran-Contra.
Why was Ronald Reagan called the "Teflon president"? What was the Iran-Contra affair?