This summary is in-depth and explores the issues and important points about recent presidents. Thus providing a solid foundation for revision.
Note* this does not include the recent President Joe Biden. This summary begins with George. W. Bush Jr and ends with President Donald Trump.
George.W.Bush Jr
Dates of Term George Bush Jr served as the 43rd president of the United States
from 2001 to 2009.
Successor; Barack Obama
Character - Controversial
- Family man
- Pro-life
- Seen as caring e.g terrorist attacks – refused to take
shelter and instead stayed in the white house.
-
Aims/Promises Bush’s campaign promised "A Plan for A Safer World & More
Hopeful America".
Main Domestic - The No Child Left Behind Act, 2002 (NCLB) reauthorized
policies during the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; it included
term(s) provisions applying to disadvantaged students which
supported standards-based education reform. The Act
required states to develop assessments in basic skills. To
receive federal school funding, states had to give these
assessments to all students at select grade levels.
- Medicare Modernization Act, 2003 produced the largest
overhaul of Medicare in the public health program's 38-
year history.
- Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 is a law prohibiting
a form of late termination of pregnancy called "partial-
birth abortion”.
- Broad Tax cuts -
Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001
(EGTRRA)
Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 (JGTRRA)
- Hurricane Katrina - declared a state of emergency in
selected regions of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi on
August 27. Katrina was a Category 5 hurricane that made
landfall on Florida and Louisiana in August 2005, causing
catastrophic damage, particularly in the city of New
Orleans and the surrounding areas, and over 1,200
deaths.
- Patriot Act - gave the government vast new powers in the
effort to combat future acts of terror.
- Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) - a $700-billion
initiative to rescue the nation’s major banks by lending
enough money to keep them solvent.
Main foreign Policies September 11 terrorist attacks, Bush launched a "War on
during term(s) Terror";
- The War in Afghanistan in 2001 - President Bush
announces the commencement of military action in
, Afghanistan, an operation code-named “Enduring
Freedom.”.
- The Iraq War in 2003 - In October 2002, Congress
authorized President Bush to use military force against
Iraq should he choose to. The Iraq War began on 20
March 2003 which eventually overthrew the government
of Saddam Hussein.
- Withdrawal from Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, December
2001 - Bush notified Russia of his intention to withdraw
from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. In June 2002,
the United States officially withdraws from the Treaty,
allowing it to conduct anti-missile defence tests.
Successes e.g. - No Child Left Behind Act (2002), was the most impactful
examples of power change in education policy in a generation.
- September 11 terrorist attacks – Bush’s crisis leadership,
gave the American people confidence that someone was
in charge e.g. insisting on returning to the White House
the night of the attacks instead of holing up in a safe
bunker elsewhere. This made him the most popular
President in the history of polling, reaching an astounding
90 percent approval rating in the wake of the attacks.
- 2001 tax cuts - President Bush signs a $1.35 trillion tax cut
into law. Although the amount falls short of the $1.60
trillion the administration has been seeking, the bill does
slash income tax rates across the board and provides for
the gradual elimination of the estate tax.
- Medicare Modernization Act, 2003 produced the largest
overhaul of Medicare in the public health program's 38-
year history.
- Bush wins a second term, 2004 - Bush wins a second
term with a close 51 percent of the popular vote and 274
electoral votes to John Kerry’s 252
Failures e.g. - The Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives,
examples of January 2001 - further alienated some who thought
limitations to power government money should not go to organizations
affiliated with churches.
- The Patriot Act - sparked strong divisions within the
American people throughout the Bush presidency.
- ‘War on Terror’ - The initial attacks and invasion were
extremely successful and popular but in the end no
weapons of mass destruction were found anywhere in the
country and a strong insurgency arose that resulted in the
deaths of more than 4,000 Americans therefore, the war
grew increasingly unpopular.
- Impeachment – Bush became 1 of 3 US presidents to
have an impeachment called on them. The House of
representatives voted 251 to 166 to impeach bush.
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