NIXON ADMINISTRATION

NIXON ADMINISTRATION

DOMESTIC POLICY

Believed Federal Government was too large

Increased Social Security payments Evironmental issues Against school busing Took stand against drug crime New Federalism: Local govts could

regulate spending

Domestic Policies

Sought to put conservative judges on court Pushed forward Affirmative Action

Commitment to Environment

All federal programs condensed into E.P.A. Clean Air Act Water Quality Improvement Act (oil

spills) OSHA- safe employment

26th amendment- lowered voting age Apollo 10- moon Landing- Armstrong

Gains in Feminist Movement

Betty Friedan- Feminine Mystique Society conned women into thinking their only

roles were traditional ERA amendment NOW-1966

ERA Amendment

Passed senate and sent to the states Stop ERA Movement

Time running out to ratify Eventually died out

Roe v. Wade Ruled state-anti-abortion laws were unconstitutional Abortion rose to 900,000 300,000 illegal abortions

Congress deflects issue by stopping federal funds

Arab Oil Embargo- 1973

OPEC = Oil Producing Exporting Countries Arab states place oil embargo on anyone

who supports Israel Created US oil shortage

Foreign Policy (other than Vietnam)

Détente: relaxation of tensions between West/ East

Disarmament measures SALT Treaty: strategic arms limitation treaty

Main events in the presidential election of 1972

Nixon was concerned about winning the 1972 presidential election and was not above using illegal actions to help ensure his re-election.

During his first term, Nixon advisors created a group that came to be known as the “Plumbers.”

Their job was to respond to “leaks” of secret information

Watergate

In 1971 the Plumbers tried to damage the reputation of Daniel Ellsberg—the man who had leaked the Pentagon Papers—by breaking into Ellsberg’s psychiatrist’s office and looking for information on Ellsberg.

Watergate

In early 1972 the Plumbers decided to break into the offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate hotel to collect information about the Democratic strategy for the 1972 election.

WATERGATE BurglarsJune 17 1972

Bernard L. Barker - Former Central Intelligence Agency operative. Barker was said to have been involved in the Bay of Pigs incident in 1962.

Virgilio R. Gonzales - a locksmith from Cuba

WATERGATE

Watergate On June 17, 1972, police arrested five men who had broken into the offices of the Democratic National Committee.

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of the Washington Post refused to let the story die and continued to investigate the break-in.

Watergate Becomes Public

Two Washington Post reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, begin to follow the story, despite having difficulty getting information.

The reporters are assisted by an anonymous FBI official known as “Deepthroat.”

Deepthroat did not disclose, but confirmed information that White House aides controlled the actions of the Plumbers, the burglars that had broken into the DNC. They were revealed to be the White House’s fix-it group.

Despite mounting evidence, Nixon will continue to claim his innocence.

Watergate

The Post reported that the break-in was part of a widespread spying effort by the Nixon campaign, but this did not seem to affect voters.

On election day Nixon won one of the most overwhelming victories in U.S. history.

The Watergate Scandal

Nixon continued to deny his involvement in the break-in or a cover-up.

Public confidence in Nixon was very low. The White House revealed that an 18-minute

portion of the tape had been erased. There were calls for impeachment.Nixon released some transcripts of the tapes

in the spring of 1974.

The Saturday Night Massacre Nixon argued that executive privilege gave him the right to

withhold the tapes. Investigators rejected Nixon’s claim of executive privilege and

Special Prosecutor Cox and the Senate Watergate committee issued subpoenas demanding the tapes.

In response, Nixon executed the so-called Saturday night massacre. Nixon directed attorney general Elliot Richardson to fire

Cox. He refused and quit. Nixon then ordered Richardson’s assistant to fire Cox. He

refused and resigned. Finally, the third-ranking official in the Justice Department

fired Cox. The president’s actions shocked the public.

Nixon Resigns

The Supreme Court ruled that Nixon must hand over the tapes.

At the same time, the House Judiciary Committee voted to recommend impeachment.

On August 8, 1974, Nixon resigned the presidency.

He must have known that the tapes would reveal clear evidence of his wrongdoings.

President Nixon Resigns

The White House tapes reveal that Nixon ordered the cover-up of the Watergate break-ins.

Before he is impeached, President Nixon will become the first and only President to resign his position.

Americans will continue to down the road of mistrust, not only of the President, but the entire government body.

Nixon will later reveal that he felt that as President, he was allowed to do anything as President.

Trial- John Sirca

7 men on trial 5 pled guilty, 2 convicted by jury Claimed they were pressured into guilty plee

White House aides: Haldeman and Erlichman resigned

Nixon denied any personal knowledge

More Drama

V.P. Agnew resigns- income tax evasion Gerald Ford takes position Nixon tries compromise on tapes

Removal of Nixon 16 impeachment resolutions Nixon refused to hand over tapes

Released 1,200 pages of edited transcripts Judge Sirica releases report naming Nixon

as Conspirator in Watergate Cover-up 3 tapes released publicly (smoking gun) Announces resignation -1974

POST NIXON YEARS

GERALD FORD-

WILLIAM CLINTON

GERAL FORD BACKGROUND TOOK V.P. WHEN SPIRO AGNEW

RESIGNED BECOMES 1ST PRES. NOT ELECTED AS

V.P. OR PRES. PARDONS NIXON FOR WATERGATE LIMITED AMNESTY FOR VIETNAM

DODGERS 2 years public services

WIN Program- emergency surcharge on corporate profits

What’s going on now?

Democrats have control of Congress Most governorships are Democrat Patty Hearst kidnapping Hank Aaron breaks homerun record Frank Robinson becomes first Black

manager Hyde Amendment- cut off funding for

abortions

FOREIGN POLICY Cambodia

Mayaguez seized by Cambodians Military operation ( 15 deaths)

George Bush became CIA director OPEC oil prices increase

Energy crisis Trying to prevent future shortages Intensified debate over nuclear energy

Brown’s Ferry, Alabama

James Carter- 39th President ELECTION OF 1976

D= CARTER (MONDALE) R= FORD (DOLE )

1st debate between V.P. candidates Nuclear physicist Gov. of GA Cold, could not inspire Wants to cut spending

DOMESTIC ISSUES

EXPANSION OF FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY Dept. of Energy Dept. of Education

Congressional loans to bail out Chrysler National Women’s Conference

Houston, asking for ERA amendment 38 needed

Military Actions 77- Neutron Bomb developed Reimposed draft registration Min. wage increased from $2.30- $3.35 Bakke v. U of CA- racial quotas Shift to the Right in Am. Culture

Moral Majority- Jerry Falwell Conservative Christians

OTHER EVENTS… THREE MILE ISLAND

PENN., 1979

PANAMA CANAL TREATY CAMP DAVID PEACE

CONFERENCE Carter meets with

Egyptian Pres. Anwar-El Sadat

Israeli Prime Minister Menachim Begin

PROBLEMS IN IRAN SHAH OF IRAN-

LEFT IRAN U.S. SUPPORTED

IRAN REVOLUTIONARIES SEIZE THE U.S. EMBASSY

TAKE 90 HOSTAGES (65 AMERICANS) HELD FOR 444 DAYS HURTS CARTERS REPUTATION

DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS SEVERED DESERT ONE –military rescue, aborted Released on next inauguration day

Ronald Reagan-40th President

Blamed falling prestige of US on Carter “Discomfort context” (unemployment and

inflation) Reagan promises: Voodoo Economics

Tax reductions to businesses Balanced budget Supply side economics Cut income taxes Boost defense budget

Reagan Opposes legalized abortions Stalls ERA Democrats make Reagan’s age a factor-69

Reagan-Democrats New Federalism

Census and elderly, 25% Those who retired rose 50%

Shift of population to the South=conservatism

REAGANOMICS

ECONOMIC RECOVERY TAX ACT Designed to boost economy Unemployment rose High interest rate

1.Congress cuts $ from domestic programs 2. 1 million food stamp recipients cut 3. trickle down profits 4. largest tax cut in history- $750 billion David Stockman- budget director Increased military spending-$1.7 trillion

REAGAN HIGEST EMPLOYMENT AND

INFLATION SANDRA DAY O’ CONNER SALLY RIDE ABORTION AMENDMENT FAILS Professional Air Traffic Controllers

Organization (PATCO) AIDS 1ST OBSERVED IN us IN 1981

Surgeon General- Everet Koop

MORE REAGAN

Assassination attempt JOHN HINCKLEY Shot Jim Brady also

School Prayer amendment fails Sends forces into Lebanon, Nicaragua Invasion of Grenada A New American Emancipation

Too much liberalism Challenger explodes-86

Economic Issues Gramm-Rudman Bill- called for a

balanced budget Debt grew $954 billion in 5 years

Tax Reform Act-1986 Lowered personal income taxes Alan Greenspan- Federal Reserve Board

Stock Market Crash –87

REAGAN SCANDALS

Rita Lavelle and the EPA- perjury Administrators of CIA and Dept. of Defenese Iran- Contra affair ruined his image

North and Poindexter

Libyian Airstrike Latin America

Manuel Noriega-drug trafficking Troops sent in

Persian Gulf hostilities

Reagan Policies Continued

Election of 1988 R=Bush D=Dukakis

Solid South votes Republican Bush Administration

Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill Tougher Clean Air Act-1990 Americans with Disabilities Act

Bush Congress agreement- raise taxes

MILITARY INTERVENTIONS IRAQ INVADES KUWAIT

BUSH SENDS FORCES German Reunification- wall torn down Election of 1992

R= Bush, Quayle D=Clinton, Gore I= Perot

WILLIAM CLINTON DOMESTIC ISSUES

HILLARY HEADS HEALTH CARE PROGRAM

PROPOSAL TO LIFT BAN ON HOMOSEXUALS IN MILITARY

LIFTS RESTRICTIONS ON ABORTIONS RUTH BADER GINSBURG