The election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 began a period that has seen Republicans hold the U.S presidency for 17 of the subsequent 25 years. The situation in the U.S. today, where there is a Republican majority in both houses of Congress, and a conservative majority on the Supreme Court, could be seen as the culmination of the process that began with that election. This is a whistle-stop survey of American politics from Ronald Reagan to George W. Bush, with visits to poll results, biennial elections, political crises, and policy questions of the past twenty-five years. It touches on numerous aspects of American political life, as well as economics, art, literature, science, society, fads, and customs that changed with the culture of the country. The story is told in terms of the presidents who shaped and led the nation, the elections that brought and kept them in power, and the dozens of people who collectively played a part in helping mold the American national experience from 1980 to 2005.