This one-stop resource for debating the central issues that shaped the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton presidencies provides the text of pro and con primary documents from the presidents and their opponents, plus helpful analysis to put the issues in context. With this work, students will be able to debate the issues and apply critical thinking skills to their understanding of contemporary American politics and government. The work examines a set of issues and initiatives central to each president's time in office and presents issue-specific introductions that place the issues in political context.

Domestic and economic policy, as well as military and foreign policy, of each president are covered. The entry on each issue contains an overview of the issue and discussion of opposing viewpoints, followed by a statement from the president and the text of an opponent's dissenting point of view. Coverage of the Reagan presidency includes the first Reagan economic program, the 1986 tax reform, peacekeeping in Lebanon, the Strategic Defense Initiative, and the Iran Contra scandal. Issues from the Bush presidency include drug control, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Clarence Thomas' nomination to the Supreme Court, and the Persian Gulf War. The Clinton presidency topics include homosexuals in the military, health care reform, the Starr investigation and Clinton's impeachment, peacekeeping in Bosnia, and the bombing of Kosovo. The section on each president concludes with recommended reading for further study. An introductory overview to the period and a timeline put all the issues in chronological context.