Nioxon to bush presidents

Nixon

• Had an appeal to middle America

• Created revenue sharing, which was intended to give the states more power

• However it ended up giving the federal government more power

Nixon

• Established détente, or relaxing of Cold War Tensions

• Most remembered for Watergate Scandal

• Nixon claimed executive privilege- that White House conversations should be private

• In an effort to quiet the outrage over his actions, Nixon resigns as president

Nixon• He avoids

impeachment, or charging him with presidential misconduct

• Watergate led to Federal Campaign Amendments, limiting campaign contributions

• Ethics in Government Act required the finicial disclosure of officials

• Overall the American public was left with a deep distrust

Ford• Most Americans

considered Ford to be decent and honest

• Bland, not an exciting or dynamic president

• Ford pardons Nixon “for the good of the nation”

• Approval Ratings drop from 71% to 50%

Ford• Ford had to inherit the

inflation, rising cost of goods from the Nixon era

• Then a new issue of “stagflation” costs go up and economy goes no where

• He attempts to revive the economy by keeping taxes low, cut government spending, and balancing a budget

Ford• Foreign policy, his only

major event: signing the Helsinki Accords

• These were agreements made with the Soviets about Europe

• With the economy failing, rising inflation and unemployment political turmoil around the world, Americans would turn to a new president in 1976

Carter

• Carter image as being upstanding and moral helped him win election

• Carter would devote most of his agenda to fixing the economy

Carter• He tried to increasing

government spending to end recession

• He then tried reducing taxes

• Then reducing money supply and raising interest rates

• Created the Department of Energy to reduce energy consumption…

• None of this fixed the economy

Carter

• His foreign policy was marked by trouble in the Middle East

• When a group of Islamic terrorist took 52 Americans hostage and Carter failed to gain their release it would forever mark his foreign policy and cost him reelection

Reagan• Out of the mess in

the 1970’s came two groups

• Liberals: government should be very active

• Conservatives: government should cautious about its use of power

• Reagan was a conservative

• Also an actor and former governor of Ca

Reagan

• Reagan appealed to Americans who were frustrated with the economy and worried America was too weak internally

• “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” asked Reagan…no they weren’t

Reagan

• Reaganomics: belief that his policies would corperate and wealthy Americans, not the average “Joe”

• Cut Civil spending, increased military spending, and government regulations

• Result: economy began to recover

Reagan

• “Star Wars” Reagan's nuclear deterrent

• “Tear down this wall!”-so he did

• As Regan’s second term came to end, the economy was booming, military was strong, and Soviet relations were good

George Bush

• As Regan left, many Americans wanted more focus on domestic policies rather than foreign

• “Read my lips…no new taxes”

• Under Papa Bush the Cold War would end, but a Gulf War would begin

George Bush

• Perhaps the most serous crisis was the Persian Gulf War

• The economy would slow towards the early 1990’s

• Bush would have to break his campaign promises

Clinton• Clinton promised to

reform health care• Tried to develop a

plan to cover all Americans

• People feared it would cost too much, put too much pressure on small business and relied on government control

• His plan died before ever coming to a vote

Clinton• Worked to help

American families• Provided increased

funding for educational programs

• Created a gun control law, requiring a waiting period

• Anti-crime bill to provide more money for prisons and put more officers on the street

Clinton

• Clinton’s second term saw a booming economy, high approval, and scandal

• Never fully impeached• Legacy uncertain: left

the economy with balanced budget and presided over the greatest period of economic growth in American history

Bush jr.• Little Bush

gets a turn as president

• Wins the closest election in American history

• He cut taxes to try and boost the economy

Bush jr.• Promised to

improve nations schools, No Child Left Behind

• Cut taxes• And build

nations defenses• 9-11 would

change his entire president

Come on terror… ‘merica is ready

Bush jr.• Began a war on

terror• Increased

government control• Brought the U.S.

back into Iraq• Bush won a second

term, “don’t change horses mid stream”