H.W Bush/Dole 1980 (Collaborative Thread)

September 25th 1982:Led Zeppelin reunites for a surprise concert for to remember John Bonham for his 2 year death anniversary.

Jimmy Page doesn't rule out more conserts at the end.
 
November 6th, 1982: To make up for the high costs of the ART, President Bush cuts down federal spending by 30%, and raises taxes to a flat 20% rate across the board. He hopes this increase in revenue will turn the economy around.
 
April 8th, 1983: The New York Times publishes an article about an increased trend of African Americans (primarily former Black Panthers and members of Black Nationalist groups like the Nation of Islam) going to South Africa to fight with the MK against the South African government. This is compared to the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War, and the term "African Brigades" is coined by those reading to describe these individuals. They note that if they return to the US, they will likely be persecuted for supporting an organization classified as a terrorist group in the United States. Still, they manage to travel to South Africa, by discreetly heading to Cuba, and hitching a ride with Cuban soldiers. The US government begins to both investigate individuals sympathetic to the ANC.
 
July 17, 1982: A narrow majority of Britons vote against dropping nuclear arms. Angry protests by left-wing groups escalate into a minor riot in Glasgow (which mostly voted against) and Prime Minister Foot is criticised by his own allies for not forcing disarmament like he'd pledged.

November 4th, 1982:
Construction begins on the Southern Line.

November 7th, 1982: Dissident Republicans led by Bob Dole condemn the tax increase. Donald Rumsfeld, speaking as CEO of G.D. Searle & Company, gets particularly high coverage when he not just condemns it, he uses his former Defence Secretary role to question why Bush "allowed" the Soviets to "make Iraq even more of a vassal"

December 12-16, 1982: Foreign Secretary Shirley Williams is sent to negotiate with the SA goverment and the ANC, but makes little headway over the four days.

February 6th, 1983: Britain ends diplomatic relations with South Africa. Williams states "we'll talk again when the government will allow its people to talk."
 
March 31st, 1983: With the continued stream of revenue, unemployment now has dropped to 7.7%.

April 1st, 1983: President Bush makes a speech on Capitol Hill which calls for more private sector donations for large infrastructure projects. He emphasizes that the large private donations given for the ART helped significantly reduce costs and turned what was once an "economical nightmare" into a "potentially powerful business that'll change the world."
 
May 6th, 1983: Scarface, a remake of the 1932 film of the same name, is released into theaters. Starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana, it concerns the story of a Cuban immigrant who exploits the massive underground cocaine market, while working his way up to the top in the criminal underworld. The film receives generally favorable reviews from most critics, though a select few criticize the high level of violence and see the film as a warning that the Bush administration needs to come down harder on heavy drugs.

May 11th, 1983: Unemployment now drops to 7.3%.

May 14th, 1983: Construction on the Northern line is halfway complete, with a tentative opening in September 1983.
 
November 2nd 1982: Tom Bradley is elected Governor of California over Republican George Deukmejian. Bradley is the first African-American Governor of California, and the first African-American Governor of a state since Reconstruction.
 
November 2nd 1982: Senate elections see small gains by Republicans, cementing a majority, and House gains slice away the Democrat majority to two seats - Bush is riding high and, as the Democrats rarely vote as a full block, he has de facto support of both chambers
 
June 1st, 1983: Unemployment now drops to 6.9%, the lowest in years. Bush's decision to establish a flat, but increased, tax rate is widely hailed as another show of the prowess of bi-partisanship.
 
June 27th, 1983: President Bush visits a steel plant in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he gives his now-famous "American Lazarus" speech, praising the resilience of the American people in times of economic hardship and that reward is on its way. Bush's speech is widely applauded by liberals and conservatives alike.

July 8th, 1983:
A bomb explodes at the U.S. Embassy in South Africa. 16 are killed instantly, dozens are injured.
 
July 9th, 1983: The Pretoria Emmbassy bombing is linked to South African communists. In a prime time address, President Bush calls the acts "Heinous, and morally wrong." He confirms that there is a Civil War in South Africa, and requests all Americans leave that country. He also calls for Congress to ban economic investment there. (But not military aid.)
 
July 15, 1983 - After weeks of intense flooding and strain, the Glen Canyon Dam topples from the flood swollen Colorado River at 4:43 AM. A wall of water rapidly descends southwards, encountering and likewise destroying the Hoover Dam. In the following hours, numerous towns and cities are destroyed by the incoming water, most notably Yuma and Lake Havasu. By the end of the day, an estimated 100,000 people are dead, missing or injured.
 
July 16th, 1983: President Bush calls for a state of emergency, regarding the Glen Canyon Dam disaster. He calls for better infrastructure, to prevent such an attack from occurring again. The address receives a mixed response. While some believe that Bush could not feasibly have done anything, many Conservatives believe he spent more time "Working on his fantasy railway, rather then paying attention to reality!". Bush's approval ratings drop to 51%.
 
July 20th, 1983: After five days, order is restored in Las Vegas, after the significant power outage following the Glen Canyon Dam burst, and some parts of the city have their power restored. Still, the city suffers a devastating economic blow.
 
July 22nd, 1983: Due to the dam disaster, unemployment climbs up to 7.2%. Bush's approval ratings drop to 46%.

July 24th, 1983: Enraged citizens of Las Vegas start rioting, feeling that their needs were neglected "An unnecessary fantasy railroad was built instead of securing the dams! We won't stand for this negligence anymore!"
 
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