George Herbert Walker Bush

Birth-Death: (1924 -     ) Term: (1989-1993 )

President Bush placed stricter restrictions on air pollution during his term. The Environmental Protection Agency gained significant power and numerous anti-polltion laws were passed. Bush also started a significant war on drugs, especially in the inner cities.

Domestic Events of George Bush

    During his presidential term George Bush fought pollution. There were many natural signs that pollution was becoming a problem: In March 1988 a hole in the Ozone layer was discovered, the greenhouse effect had sparked debates about global warming and acid rain was destroying forests and lakes in the Northeastern United States. In response, Bush appointed William K. Reilly as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Reilly soon used the power of the EPA to decrease the amount of acid rain chemicals in the atmosphere, reduce pollution, and fight urban smog.

    George Bush announced his war on drugs shortly after he was elected. His drug-law coordinator, William Bennett, soon published a report stating that inner city crack-cocaine was the nation's biggest and most important narcotics problem. President Bush declared that in addition to drug-law enforcement, drug cartels and drug trafficking would need to be stopped.

    The 1990s showed how big of a role race still played in the American life. In March 1991, Los Angeles police officers arrested Rodney G. King after a high speed chase. A videotape showed King being beaten by the officers after the arrest. In April 1992 the four police officers were acquitted of assaulting King. The verdict set off numerous riots, especially in Los Angeles, causing a billion dollars worth of damage. A second Federal trial found two of the four officers guilty, however they only received two and a half year terms instead of the usual ten.