CHAPTER 24: AN AGE OF LIMITS 1
Dec 21, 2015
New Federalism
Nixon’s plan to give more financial freedom to state and local govts.
Decrease the size of the federal govt. Revenue sharing = state and local govts.
could decide how to spend federal money
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Welfare Reform
Family Assistance Plan (FAP) – every family of four receives $1,600 a year and have to accept any reasonable work
Senate does not approve it
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Social Programs
Social Security Medicare Food stamps
Impounded (withheld) $15 billion for housing, health, education
Ended the Office of Economic Opportunity
Nixon Increases Fed. $ Nixon Decreases Fed. $
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Law and Order Politics
Peace negotiations with N. Vietnam
FBI, CIA, Internal Revenue Service target antiwar and civil rights activists
Vietnam End Urban Riots and Protests
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Nixon’s Southern Strategy
Since Reconstruction the South had been mainly Democratic
White Southern Democrats are losing faith in their “liberal” party (anti-Great Society and Civil Rights)
Nixon tries to reverse civil rights policies by delaying desegregation plans for schools
Supreme Court orders Nixon to change policies Opposes the extension of the Voting Rights Act Opposes integration of schools through busing Appoints 3 conservative judges to the Supreme
Court
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Questions
1. What was the goal of Nixon’s New Federalism?
2. In what ways did Nixon both strengthen and weaken federal programs?
3. Why had many Democratic voters in the South become potential Republican supporters by 1968?
4. Why did Pres. Nixon oppose the extension of the Voting Rights Act?
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Section 4: Environmental Activism 1962 – Rachel Carson – publishes Silent
Spring Pesticides – chemicals used to kill insects
and rodents – were dangerous Americans realize human behavior and our
nation’s industrial growth have a damaging effect
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Environmental Concerns – 1970s April 22,1970 – first Earth
Day – almost every community in the country hosts an environmental – awareness activity
1970 – Nixon brings 15 existing fed. pollution programs into the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and signs the Clean Air Act
1971 – Nixon signs Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act and Carter furthers it in 1978
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Environmental Concerns – 1970s Nuclear power plants
seem like a good alternative to foreign oil but scientists warn about health risks
1979 – nuclear reactor at a plant on Three Mile Island (Penn) malfunctions and low level radiation escapes 100,000 residents are
evacuated but no one dies
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