Although there perhaps was a departure from the conservative consensus in terms of the opinions of the public, the Obama administration did not represent a departure from the consensus. This is mainly because the Obama administration, instead of developing a new way for the American economy to work, mainly put forth changes to reinstate theContinue reading “The Obama Administration’s Response to the Great Recession”
Author Archives: prmcmahon23
Hesitance Towards Climate Change Agreements
The Bush Sr. administration, although eventually signing the UNFCCC at the Earth Summit in Rio, was initially very hesitant to sign any environmental agreements, let alone even attend the summit in the first place. There were very good reasons for Bush and his administration to feel this way. For one, the U.S. was undergoing aContinue reading “Hesitance Towards Climate Change Agreements”
The Domestic Origin of Foreign Conflicts
The U.S. is seemingly involved in never ending conflict abroad. Although initially explained as a necessary war that was entered in order to combat terrorism, some people, including Andrew Bacevich, don’t find this explanation satisfactory considering how long the conflicts have lasted. Some alternative explanations include individuals such as President Bush himself, oil executives, andContinue reading “The Domestic Origin of Foreign Conflicts”
The Opposition to the Environmental Movement
In 1964, the Wilderness Act was passed, allowing the federal government to set aside certain lands and designate them as protected wilderness. This and the wilderness movement initially received fairly bipartisan support from both Democrats and Republicans, in large part due to its moderate approach (Turner 126). Many compromises were made, such as mainly onlyContinue reading “The Opposition to the Environmental Movement”
Jerry Falwell and his Contribution to the Christian Right
In 1956, Jerry Falwell, an evangelical pastor, founded a new congregation in his Southern hometown of Lynchburg. He slowly grew very influential not only in American Christianity but also in politics, helping usher in the formation of the Christian Right. He was already fairly influential in his hometown, being the only pastor there with aContinue reading “Jerry Falwell and his Contribution to the Christian Right”
Results of Deindustrialization in America
As global competition increased in the manufacturing industry and reduction in employees was required to keep up, around 150,000 manufacturing jobs were lost between the late 1970s and early 1980s (Winant 180-181). Since the number of jobs in the manufacturing industry was greatly reduced and many people had been laid off, the people who previouslyContinue reading “Results of Deindustrialization in America”
Misrepresentation of the Silent Majority
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, a so-called “silent majority” was gaining a lot of attention in media and politics. These were people who were perhaps against the war but also were against the anti-war protests (Lewis 164). Despite being more varied and more diverse in terms of class makeup, political views, etc., theContinue reading “Misrepresentation of the Silent Majority”
The Vietnam War and the Military Class Divide
To some, including Christin Appy, the Vietnam War could be seen as a “working-class war.” This is mainly because of the class make-up of those serving in the Vietnam War. Of the American troops serving in the war, about 80 percent were from working-class and lower income backgrounds with only 20 percent coming from white-collarContinue reading “The Vietnam War and the Military Class Divide”
The North and its Covert Segregation
Despite much of the civil rights movement’s history being centered around the South, there were still many struggles seen in the North, in cities such as New York City and Boston. In the North, racial discrimination was much less direct and explicit, but no less institutional. For example, the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC), aContinue reading “The North and its Covert Segregation”
The Cold War Economy of South Dakota
The installation of the Minutemen Silos in South Dakota was a smaller part of the larger Cold War economy. The economy at this time consisted of a large increase in government spending towards the military in order to increase its chances if nuclear war broke out between the U.S. and Russia. Another part of thisContinue reading “The Cold War Economy of South Dakota”
Will Wright 