Conservatives successfully passed a massive tax cut in 1981 under the administration of Ronald Reagan. 

In a sense the classic conservative economic principles of Laissez-faire were back with a 1980s look. Gov't should keep its" hands off " the economy as much as possible. De-regulation of rules and laws that hampered business growth was a priority. The business of business was the business of business-not Uncle Sam according to the Reagan economists.

In 1982, because of conservative agitation, the United States failed to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, which would have banned discrimination based on gender.

Because of pressure from conservatives, the Clinton administration adopted the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy for gays in the military rather than allowing gays to serve openly.