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During the mid-1990s, the United States experienced strong economic growth, low employment and rising consumer confidence. In the section "The Roaring 1990s," Kruse and Zelizer explain how this boom benefited people but was not shared. Insecurity and temporary jobs grew within the middle-class. This event matters because the apparent success of the decade delayed much-needed attention to the social and political divisions that got worse later on. -
President Bill Clinton's impeachment grew from a relationship with White House staff intern Monica Lewinsky. Multiple investigations failed to find serious offenses related to previous accusations, and the attention would shift to Clinton's private behavior. Fox News, a conservative media outlet, would play the story for months. Both parties would find themselves accusing or defending. This shows how political rivalry and media coverage make it hard to find a resolution. (Kruse Zelizer 226) -
The 2000 presidential race between Al Gore and George W. Bush came down to Florida's electoral votes. Confusion would swirl as to who won the state, with problems with ballots and recount disputes leading both parties to look toward the courts. The Supreme Court would step in and award the votes and presidency to Bush, leaving many citizens displeased. This event showed weakness in the political system and reduced trust from the public in our voting institutions. (Kruse Zelizer, 240-242) -
The 9/11 attacks shocked Americans as almost 3,000 people were killed in coordinated terrorist strikes. Senator Majority Leader Tom Daschle describes it as "an assault on our people and on our freedom." These attacks would lead the nation into a sense of unity, then an urgent debate of how the United States should respond. (Kruse Zelizer 251) -
After 9/11, the Bush administration treated the attacks as acts of war rather than crimes. Congress authorized broad military force, organized operations in Afghanistan, expanded counterterror programs, and increased executive power. Bush declared, "We have just seen the war of the 21st century." (Kruse Zelizer 250-253) -
After months of preparation, the United States invaded Iraq in March 2003. The Bush administration justified the war by saying Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, which raised eyebrows in the United States and overseas. The invasion saw a change toward preemptive war and more division in the states. "We do not want this war, this violence..." said lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, Natalie Maines. (Kruse Zelizer 262-265) -
Hurricane Katrina exposed major failures in government response. FEMA and other federal agencies were unprepared and slow to act as New Orleans flooded. Pictures of mass suffering in the Superdome showed the nation deep racial and economic inequalities, which raised questions about President Bush's leadership. "The Bush administration was essentially doing nothing." (Kruse and Zelizer 282-283) -
In 2008, with Iraq still unstable and the economy collapsing, voters were happy to hear an antiwar message. Obama, who had opposed the war in Iraq from the start, defeated John McCain. This event was important because it marked a major political shift and made Obama the first African American president. (The American Yawp, The Obama Years) -
The Affordable Care Act expanded health insurance coverage to millions and protected people with pre-existing conditions. It would redefine the federal government's role in healthcare, sparking intense political debates and becoming one of the most contested laws in modern American politics. (NPR, Breaking down the Affordable Care Act: How it works and why it's so costly." -
On June 26, 2015, the U.S Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges ruled that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry and that all states must recognize this. This was an extremely important moment because it secured civil rights and legal protections for LGBTQ+ couples. (State Court Report- Jordan Thompson Long)