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U.S. History 1877-Present 13: Intro: The Rise of Conservatism and the 1980's 24 Views


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Description:

Let's talk about Ronald Reagan. He was as big a star as you could be in the '80s, if you didn't sport big hair or wear sequined gloves.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:00

we didn't as great as the music was in many ways it was a relief when the 60s [Do not disturb on sign on a door]

00:07

and 70s were over the hippies packed up their beads and gelled their hair as [Suitcase full of beads]

00:12

America packed away crooked politician race riot and a crippling war when we

00:17

look at the 1970s and 80s back to back it's almost like comparing apples and [Uncle Sam talking]

00:20

kumquats both juicy both delicious yet so it's totally different [Guy eating apples and kumquats on a plane]

00:25

they'll know about the wild ride that was the 1970s including the major crisis

00:29

of faith America underwent so it's hard to believe that by the middle of the [US flag changes stars for hippy logo]

00:32

1980s America was positively bursting with national pride but that's exactly [Guy driving a car with the US flag on the front]

00:37

what was happening it was July 4th every day barbecues were going all night and

00:41

fireworks continually exploded in the sky festive yes but if you cause trouble [Woman at a BBQ with people waiting]

00:45

for air traffic control okay well the barbecue and fireworks [Helicopter falls out the sky]

00:49

thing is an exaggeration it's no exaggeration that the majority of

00:51

Americans were head over heels for the new President Ronald Reagan [Someone trick or treating as Ronald Reagan]

00:55

this was helped both by an economy on the rise and by the fact that he didn't

00:59

have one gray hair despite being the oldest person on earth so it kind of [Reagan combing his hair]

01:03

sounds like the 1980s was America's best decade yet however and yeah there's

01:07

always a however things were not all they appeared to be on the surface like [Someone watching a TV program]

01:11

a funhouse that secretly run by a killer clown the 1980s weren't quite as jolly [Kid running out of a funhouse]

01:15

as they may have seen under that shiny surface America still had plenty of [Clown holding a knife]

01:19

growing problems despite the seemingly good economy the poverty rate was

01:23

growing as the gap between rich and poor expanded and was getting harder for many [People begging holding signs as a man drives past in a Ferrari]

01:27

Americans to dig themselves out of their cycle of poverty there's also an uptick

01:32

in drug abuse as shown by the massive amount of white stuff snorted in every [Guy falls into a hole]

01:36

1980s movie add to that the issues with immigration the AIDS epidemic and a

01:41

couple environmental disasters and the 1980s were definitely heading into

01:44

killer Klown territory as if all that weren't enough there was also a scandal [Killer clown in an office]

01:48

involving Iran and American hostages I'm not the same as the 70s one this was an [A hand wipes away a 70s newspaper]

01:54

all-new scandal 80s style IAT style we meant that it had a throaty singer and a

01:59

synth beat and Ronald Reagan an actor turned politician was the guy presiding [Reagan riding a horse]

02:03

over all of it the good and the not-so-good now there are two types of [Reagan riding an elephant]

02:07

people in this world those who love Reagan and those who

02:09

well it's probably a third time who don't have any idea who is way to make [Reagan is knocked off the elephant]

02:14

us feel whole anyway we tend to stay neutral on the

02:16

stuff but no one can deny that Reagan left his mark on the US he carved a big [R being carved into a love heart on a map]

02:20

Double R right into the heart of America but the consensus has been adopted by

02:24

everyone on the planet most right-wingers think Reagan was the top [Killer clown holding his knife]

02:28

they'll have Reagan shrine to their bedroom left wingers on the other hand

02:31

regularly pass out reagan fades artboards they're left this meeting so [Picture of Reagan with a moustache and horns drawn on]

02:34

what was the beef well in this unit all shall be revealed and bonus there are

02:39

free Reagan dart board or Reagan's runs for all those who gain an informed ['The Reagan Files' folder is opened]

02:43

opinion in ticket side so those of us who remain neutral there are free copies

02:47

of bedtime for Bonzo a classic film in which Reagan co-stars with a chimp sorry [Someone watching the film on their TV]

02:51

yes isn't it real for thoughtful like that

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