Ch+34+Age+of+Globalization

Shifts in technology and increased media coverage have led to the irrevocable change in the way political systems and politicians function in the United States. The end of the Cold War triggered upheaval in political systems. Questions about the necessity of massive military spending came up, and partisanship increased massively. Lines were drawn and politics heated up. ** The Election of 1988 ** The 1988 election was not terribly exciting. The Republican nominee for the presidency was [|George H.W. Bush], who was the incumbent vice-president of the Reagan administration. Picking Dan Quayle as his V.P., the native Texan came up against Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis. Dukakis was the governor of Massachusetts and chose as his running-mate Lloyd Bentsen, a Democratic Senator. Bush won the presidency by capitalizing on [|Reagan’s immense popularity] and through his own promises of a ‘kinder, gentler’ nation and his (now infamous) ‘No New Taxes’ speech. The use of globalization technologies in this election cannot be ignored. Massive campaign spending of newspapers, billboards, and above all, television ads, all played leading roles in the expression of ideas concerning the candidates’ political viewpoints. More ads went beyond simple expression and began mudslinging. Constant attempts to change the views of voters on a large scale were becoming commonplace. During his presidency, Bush was confronted with the [|Persian Gulf War]. His performance there was outstanding, with the utter destruction of the armed forces of the opposition. This contributed to his massive boost of popularity in polls, which climbed to a ridiculous 89% approval rating. However, after raising taxes and overseeing a recession, Bush had a far lower popularity leading up to the Election of 1992. Following a recession, raised taxes and the [|fall of the Soviet Union], the incumbent president George H.W. Bush was highly unpopular. His key strength, foreign policy, seemed unnecessary in the face of a world without the Soviet Union. Democratic nominee, Bill Clinton consequently won the presidency. However, the Republican Congress opposed him at every turn. The increased partisanship even led to a temporary closing of government offices when the president and Congress refused to compromise on the national budget. The paralysis of the nation pointed to the growth of party loyalties becoming more important than the business of keeping the government running. This effect calmed somewhat but the spirit of compromise has yet to return to the government of the United States. Politics in the times after the 1990’s were [|defined by partisanship]. Individual opinions mattered less and less due to increased party loyalty. Foreign policy was defined by a smaller military buildup and occasional overseas intervention actions to protect allies and oil sources. Technological advances continued to change the world radically and policy and politicians shifted to accommodate such changes. As the world became smaller and smaller, communications among people across the world started to become a reality. Western Bloc powers grew in economic prosperity, including the United States, whose military power became such that no nation could go toe to toe with it. This gave rise to guerilla warfare techniques such as those seen in Vietnam earlier and later in the [|Iraq war]. Terrorism also grew, as extremist groups targeted the United States due to previous intervention actions in their homelands. Overall, politics has been defined further and further by partisanship and a feeling of disconnection between the American people and elected officials.
 * Politics in the Age of Globalization **
 * The Election of 1992 **
 * Moving Forward **