Social policy Political positions of Ronald Reagan

1 social policy

1.1 environment
1.2 abortion
1.3 crime , capital punishment
1.4 drugs
1.5 civil rights

1.5.1 women
1.5.2 minorities


1.6 education

1.6.1 school prayer
1.6.2 department of education


1.7 energy , oil

social policy
environment

reagan dismissed acid rain , proposals halt burdensome industry. in 1980s, pollution had become issue in canada; prime minister pierre trudeau objected pollution originating in u.s. factory smokestacks in midwest. environmental protection agency implored reagan make major budget commitment reduce acid rain; reagan rejected proposal , deemed wasteful government spending. questioned scientific evidence on causes of acid rain.

abortion

reagan opposed abortion, except in cases of rape, incest , life of mother. quoted saying, if there question whether there life or death, doubt should resolved in favor of life. in 1982, stated, simple morality dictates unless , until can prove unborn human not alive, must give benefit of doubt , assume (alive). and, thus, should entitled life, liberty , pursuit of happiness.

as governor of california, reagan signed law therapeutic abortion act, in effort reduce number of room abortions performed in california. result, approximately 1 million abortions performed; reagan blamed on doctors, arguing had deliberately misinterpreted law. when law signed, reagan stated had been more experienced governor not have signed it. declared himself pro-life. however, during presidency, reagan never introduced legislation congress regarding abortion.

crime , capital punishment

reagan supporter of capital punishment. california s governor, reagan beseeched grant executive clemency aaron mitchell, had been sentenced death murder of sacramento police officer, refused. mitchell executed following morning. execution during 8 years governor; had granted executive clemency 1 man on death row had history of brain damage.

he approved construction of 3 new prisons president in 1982, recommended attorney general william french smith.

drugs

reagan firmly sought opposition illegal drugs. , wife sought reduce use of illegal drugs through no drug awareness campaign, organization nancy reagan founded first lady. in 1986 address nation ronald , nancy reagan, president said, [w]hile drug , alcohol abuse cuts across generations, s damaging young people on whom our future depends... drugs menacing our society. re threatening our values , undercutting our institutions. re killing our children.

but reagan reacted illegal drugs outside of no; fbi added 5 hundred drug enforcement agents, began record drug crackdowns nationwide, , established thirteen regional anti-drug task forces under reagan. in address first lady, president reagan reported on progress of administration, saying,

thirty-seven federal agencies working in vigorous national effort, , next year our spending drug law enforcement have more tripled 1981 levels. have increased seizures of illegal drugs. shortages of marijuana being reported. last year alone on 10,000 drug criminals convicted , $250 million of assets seized dea, drug enforcement administration. , in important area, individual use, see progress. in 4 years number of high school seniors using marijuana on daily basis has dropped 1 in 14 1 in 20. u.s. military has cut use of illegal drugs among personnel 67 percent since 1980. these measure of our commitment , emerging signs can defeat enemy.

civil rights
women

while running president, reagan pledged if given chance, appoint woman u.s. supreme court. in 1981, appointed sandra day o connor first female justice of supreme court. president, ronald reagan opposed equal rights amendment because thought women protected 14th amendment, although had supported amendment , offered women s groups achieve ratification while serving governor of california. reagan pulled support era shortly before announcing 1976 candidacy president; 1976 republican national convention renewed party s support amendment, in 1980, party qualified 40-year support era. despite opposing era, reagan did not actively work against amendment, daughter maureen (who advised father on various issues including women s rights) , prominent republicans supported.

reagan established fifty states project , councils , commissions on women designed find existing statutes @ federal , state levels , eradicate them, latter through liaison various state governors. elizabeth dole, republican feminist , former federal trade commissioner , advisor presidents johnson, nixon, , ford (who go on become reagan s transportation secretary), headed women s rights project.

minorities

reagan did not support many civil rights bills throughout years. opposed civil rights act of 1964 , voting rights act of 1965 signed law president lyndon b. johnson. in 1982 signed bill extending voting rights act 25 years after grass-roots lobbying , legislative campaign forced him abandon plan ease law s restrictions. in 1988 vetoed civil rights restoration act, veto overridden congress. reagan had argued legislation infringed on states rights , rights of churches , business owners.

reagan did not consider himself racist, , dismissed attacks aimed @ him relating racism attacks on personal character , integrity.

there critics claim reagan gave 1980 presidential campaign speech, states rights, in philadelphia, mississippi. happens place 3 civil rights workers killed in 1964. however, despite critics claims, reagan had given @ neshoba county fair, in unincorporated community of neshoba, mississippi, 7 miles away. popular campaigning spot, presidential candidates john glenn , michael dukakis both campaigned there well.

he said (while campaigning in georgia) confederate president jefferson davis hero of mine. however, reagan offended accused him of racism. in 1980, reagan said voting rights act humiliating south , although later supported extending act. opposed fair housing legislation in california (the rumford fair housing act), in 1988 signed law expanding fair housing act of 1968. reagan engaged in policy of constructive engagement south africa in spite of apartheid due nation being valuable anti-communist ally, opposing pressure congress , own party tougher sanctions until veto overridden. reagan opposed martin luther king holiday @ first, , signed after overwhelming veto-proof majority (338 90 in house of representatives , 78 22 in senate) voted in favor of it.

education
school prayer

reagan supporter of prayer in u.s. schools. on 25 february 1984, in weekly radio address, said: can t feel first amendment being turned on head. because ask yourselves: can true first amendment can permit nazis , ku klux klansmen march on public property, advocate extermination of people of jewish faith , subjugation of blacks, while same amendment forbids our children saying prayer in school? however, president reagan did not pursue constitutional amendment requiring school prayer in public schools. reagan mischaracterized supreme court decisions on school prayer, no decision of court has ever held child prohibited praying on own. effect of school prayer decisions prohibit public school authorities requiring children participate in prayer.

department of education

reagan particularly opposed establishment of department of education, had occurred under predecessor, jimmy carter. view stemmed less-government intervention views. had pledged abolish department, did not pursue goal president.

energy , oil

as president, reagan removed controls on oil prices, resulting in lower prices , oil glut. did not reduce u.s. dependency on oil imposing oil-importing fee because of opposition taxation. trusted free marketplace. lower global oil prices had effect of reducing income soviet union earn oil exports.