[MUNUC 36] United States Senate, 1985 SENATE

In this committee, delegates will enter the heart of US democracy during the Ronald Reagan administration by simulating the day to day financial concerns that underlie US governmental policy. 1985 was a pivotal time in American international relations: specifically, this period saw the decline of the Soviet Union, large-scale competition in the international markets, and much more. As senators with a diverse range of backgrounds and political ideologies, delegates will act to dictate American fiscal and trade policy.

Topic A: Future Technological Investment for National Security

In this topic, delegates will debate investments for potential futuristic technologies. Reagan’s economic strategy was to outspend the Soviets on every front with the hope that the Soviets would bankrupt themselves trying to keep up. A couple examples of this policy in action was the Star Wars program and the Superconducting Super Collider. The goal of the Star Wars program was to send a laser defense system into orbit that would shoot down any intercontinental ballistic missiles that threatened the US or our allies. The Superconducting Super Collider had the potential to become the largest and most powerful particle collider ever built until it was canceled after it went over budget. Through this topic, delegates will be challenged to compromise with one another as they seek to fund exciting new technologies that would revolutionize the future.

Topic B: Trade Policy and Protectionism

This topic will allow delegates to dive into the economic policies and political landscape of the 1980s. During the Reagan administration, the US shifted significantly towards free-market friendly policies, which had ramifications on domestic and international trade regulations. With these new trade regulations in mind, delegates will work together to shape trade policies that balance the interests of domestic producers and consumers, as well as the US’s interests abroad. Additionally, delegates will explore the long-term effects of Reagan economics (“Reaganomics”) and trade agreements, such as NAFTA, on the US economy. Finally, delegates will have to balance the other events happening during this era, including the rise of Japan’s economy and multiple oil crises.

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