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Nixon, Ford & Carter

Nixon, Ford & Carter. The 1970s. The Nixon Administration. Nixon sought to turn US on conservative path with New Conservatism New Federalism Nixon felt federal govt. became too strong under LBJ, wanted to return some power back to the states

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Nixon, Ford & Carter

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  1. Nixon, Ford & Carter The 1970s

  2. The Nixon Administration • Nixon sought to turn US on conservative path with New Conservatism • New Federalism • Nixon felt federal govt. became too strong under LBJ, wanted to return some power back to the states • To accomplish this, Nixon advocated Revenue Sharing • State govt’swould be allowed to spend federal tax dollars as they wished

  3. The Nixon Administration • Nixon expanded funding for some social programs, such as Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid • However, Nixon attempted to cut the Job Corps & Office of Economic Opportunity, both social assistance to impoverished Americans • Nixon also tried to reform welfare with the Family Assistance Plan, but was attacked by both conservatives & liberals for being too tough/weak • Nixon used impoundment to withhold funding for programs didn’t like

  4. The Nixon Administration • Nixon also sought to return law & order to American society for the great, Silent Majority • Abused presidential powers to watch political enemies • Plumbers placed wiretaps on liberals & Democratic Nat’l HQ at the Watergate Building • CIA compiled information on political dissidents • IRS investigated civil rights leaders • VP Spiro Agnew went after political rivals & media

  5. The Nixon Administration • The ‘68 election was close & Nixon was always worried about losing • Nixon wanted to make inroads with the conservative South • Their dissatisfaction with Democratic Party was illustrated by George Wallace in ‘68 election • Launched Southern Strategy • Dept. of HEW told to delay integration in Southern schools • Opposed extending Voting Rights Act of 1965 • Promised to nominate Southerner to Supreme Court

  6. The Nixon Administration • Nixon also appointed conservative, Southern justices to Supreme Court • Warren Burger, MN (Chief Justice) • Harry Blackman, MN (vote Roe v. Wade) • Lewis Powell, Jr. , VA • William Rehnquist, VA • However, Nixon would be quickly disappointed by his Supreme Court • Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education 1971 • Districts may bus students to prevent all-white or all-black schools

  7. US Economy • US economy tanked at end of 1960s & beginning of 1970s becauseof Stagflation • High unemployment • Boomers entered workforce, flood US job market • High inflation • LBJ used significant deficit spending to pay for Great Society & Vietnam War • Fiat currency, the dollar no longer affixed to gold, but affixed to economy’s success instead • Since economy is decreasing, the dollar is devaluing

  8. US Economy • Driving force behind struggling US economy was dependence on foreign oil • US received most of its petroleum from OPEC • During 1960s, OPEC gradually raised oil prices—makes cost of US goods inflate • 1973, US backed Israel when attacked by Syria & Egypt during Yom Kippur War • Arab OPEC nations cut supply to US, when they resumed supply in 1974, prices were 4x higher

  9. The Nixon Administration • Nixon was a foreign policy president that dealt with more than the Vietnam War • Henry Kissinger encouraged Nixon to take a new approach to foreign affairs • Persuaded Nixon to abandon containment, massive retaliation & flexible response for a policy of Realpolitik • Illogical to ignore powerful countries based on ideology • Need to acknowledge powerful countries, even Communist ones, and build relationships withthem

  10. The Nixon Administration • Nixon used Détente policy to build relationships w/ Communist China & USSR • US prepared to negotiate & be flexible w/ Communist countries • Nixon visits China, winter 1972 • Won’t compete to control Pacific, will settle disputes cooperatively, including situation w/ Taiwan • Nixon visits USSR, spring 1972 • SALT I Treaty, limits number of ICBMs for 5 yrs

  11. Watergate • 1971 Nixon sought to stop leaks after Pentagon Papers released • H.R. Haldeman, Nixon’s chief of staff, formed the Plumbers to harass Dan Ellsberg • Charles Colson (Nixon counsel) • G. Gordon Liddy (FBI) • E. Howard Hunt (CIA) • 1972 CREEP, headed by Nixon’s former Attorney General John Mitchell and Jeb Magruder, formed to reelect Nixon • Mitchell approved plan to break-in to DNC HQ

  12. Watergate • June 17, 1972, James McCord, security head for CREEP, Liddy & Hunt arrested for breaking-in to DNC HQ (twice) • CREEP sought Democrat’s election strategy & if they had dirt on Nixon • Nixon ordered cover-up • Burglars bribed for silence ($500k) • Incriminating documents shredded • CIA ordered to halt FBI’s investigation—J. Edgar Hoover, dead • Sept. 1972, McCord, Liddy & Hunt scheduled for trial in federal court withJudge John Sirica following the election

  13. Watergate • Before trial of burglars, Watergate is overshadowed by Vietnam • However, Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein of Washington Post kept on case • Published secret info from upset FBI informant W. Mark Felt • January 1973, Sirica found McCord, Hunt, & Liddy guilty • Judge threatened tough sentences because he thinks there is more than just a “petty burglary”

  14. Watergate • April 1973, Nixon “accepted resignations” of John Dean III (pres. lawyer), H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman (dom. adv.), new AG Richard Kleindienst • Went on TV, announced new AG Elliot Richardson who will appoint special investigator, Archibald Cox • McCord accused Dean, Mitchell, and Magruder of knowing about/ordering the break-in • June 1973, Senate began grilling “all the president’s men”

  15. Watergate • Senator Howard Baker asked, “What did the president know & when did he know it?” • John Dean informed that Nixon abused FBI & CIA, placed wiretaps, ordered the cover-up & offered hush money • July 1973, pres. aid. Alexander Butterfield revealed Nixon recorded ALL of his presidential conversations • Nixon wanted to be able to write memoirs after presidency (idiot)

  16. Watergate • Fall of 1973, things are ugly for Nixon • Nixon refused to turn over Nixon Tapes to Cox, Sirica & Senate Irvin Committee citing executive privilege • Saturday Night Massacre • Nixon wants Cox fired, but AG Richardson & Deputy AG William Ruckelshaus resign instead • Finally, Solicitor General, Robert Bork, fires Cox & hires replacement Leon Jaworski • VP Agnew forced to resign due to bribery, Speaker of the House Gerald Ford appointed VP • Nixon also in trouble for mistakes on taxes

  17. Watergate • Remainder of Watergate centered around Nixon’s tapes • October 1973-July 1974, Leon Jaworski pressed Nixon to release the tapes • Spring of 1974, Nixon released edited tapes for “profanity”, edited parts sometimes spanned 18 minutes • March 1974, president’s aids indicted on charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury • July 1974, Jaworski took Nixon to Supreme Court, upon appeal of Sirica’s ruling, to release the tapes

  18. Watergate • US v. Nixon 1974 • Nixon argued he has Executive Privilege to keep tapes secret due to threat of national security • And, executive branch has right to determine privileged info, not judiciary • Supreme Court ruled Nixon must surrender tapes • President has right to executive privilege, but judiciary has right to review info to determine threats of national security • Marbury v. Madison 1803 • Established judicial review

  19. Watergate • Nixon released the tapes on August 5, 1974, but US House Judiciary Committee voted to impeach • Nixon resigned August 8, 1974, just before the full House of Representatives voted on impeaching president • Nixon was never impeached, but is only president to resign office • Andrew Johnson & Bill Clinton impeached on partisan grounds • Johnson, Republicans thought he wasn’t doing enough after Civil War • Clinton perjured himself about a sex scandal

  20. Gerald Ford • Started out rough from beginning, pardoned Richard Nixon • Americans quickly realized he’s a Ford, not a Lincoln • Ford because the butt of many jokes, partly because he’s a klutz, mostly because Watergate cost the presidency its prestige • Plan to beat inflation, Whip Inflation Now, didn’t have incentives to work • Americans, as it turns out, became lazy & selfish by the 1970s

  21. Gerald Ford • Ford continued on with Nixon’s foreign policy • Helsinki Accords • East & West agreed to diplomacy in Europe, but didn’t stop Mutual Assured Destruction • Vietnam fell in 1975 after fighting reignited in 1973, but Congress denied more funding • Cambodian pirates seized Mayaguez in Gulf of Siam, Ford used great show of military force to rescue 39 sailors • Lost 41 American soldiers

  22. Jimmy Carter • 1976 Presidential Election • Ford held off Ronald Reagan for GOP nomination, Jimmy Carter won Democratic nomination • Jimmy Carter, peanut farmer & governor of GA, was Washington outsider • Honest & plain-spoken, won a narrow victory • US ready for down-to-earth president • Carter elected due to being an “outsider”, but refusing to play political games cost him

  23. Jimmy Carter • Refused to pass out spoils to congressional Democrats & relied heavily upon himself & political advisors from GA • Beyond secluding himself politically, he was overwhelmed by trying to do everything himself • Nothing of substance accomplished • Became butt of SNL, too • Often addressed nation by fireside in a sweater, discussed energy & economy • Called it a moral equivalent to war, Americans must work with one another to achieve goals • Energy being Carter’s biggest issue, sent 100s of proposals for energy conservation & development to Congress

  24. Jimmy Carter • Beaten back by auto & oil lobbies • National Energy Act, placed tax on gas-guzzlers, de-regulated US oil & natural gas industries, and gave tax credits for development of alternative energies • Jimmy Carter wasn’t very popular with Americans as inflation hit double digits & economy worsens during his presidency • US no longer a major producer, goods manufactured cheaper overseas

  25. Jimmy Carter • Many excluded from job market due to lack of education/training • US standard of living falls from #1 to #5 • “Malaise” or “Crisis of Confidence” speech caused many to believe he gave up, especially amongst self-centered Americans • Regents of University of California v. Bakke 1978 • Allan Bakke sued UC-Davis because he wasn’t admitted to medical school • 16 spots out of 100 reserved for minorities, UC-Davis’ Affirmative Action plan • Bakke’s scores & grades were quite competitive • Ruling: Quotas were prohibited

  26. Jimmy Carter • Carter was focused on human rights—similar to Woodrow Wilson—Carter abandoned détente • No longer dealing with countries based on power, deals with countries based on protection of human rights • SALT II not signed because USSR invaded Afghanistan in 1979 • Carter releases “Carter Doctrine” • US returns Panama Canal because it’s right thing to do

  27. Jimmy Carter • US heavily focused on Middle East during ’70s, mostly because of oil prices • Constant conflict between Muslims & Palestinians with Israel devastating US economy • Camp David Accords, 1978 • Carter met withEgypt’s Anwar Sadat & Israel’s Menachem Begin • Egypt gets Sinai Peninsula, lost in Six Day War in 1967, returned • Egypt recognizes Israel’s right to exist as a country

  28. Jimmy Carter • US became hyper-focused on Iran beginning in 1979 • 1953, US CIA orchestrated plan to put Reza Shah Pahlavi in control of Iran, agreed to provide US with favorable oil prices • January 1979, Iranians upset with his tyranny, overthrew him under leadership of religious leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini • Overthrow is known as Iranian Revolution, many wanted to rid country of western ways • Iranian Hostage Crisis, November 1979-Janaury 1981

  29. Jimmy Carter • Revolutionaries disliked Carter letting Pahlavi into US for cancer treatment when mortally ill • Jimmy Carter • Iranian college students overrun US embassy in Tehran, take 52 US citizens—after releasing Blacks & women—hostage for 444 day • Iranians demanded: • Shah be returned to Iran • Return the money he “stashed” in US • Apologize to Iran

  30. Jimmy Carter • April 1980, Carter launched rescue plan that failed miserably • Elaborate plan: helicopters, refueling cargo planes, & secretly secured trucks to meet up in deserted Iranian desert • Sandstorm & failed hydraulics crippled three helicopters, one crashed into cargo plane w/ fuel & exploded • In all, 8 soldiers killed • Hostages wouldn’t be released until Reagan sworn in & Iraq invaded Iran

  31. The Middle East • Cradle of Civilization • Earliest of civilizations began around Nile, Euphrates & Tigris rivers • Fertile Crescent • Mesopotamia • Region between & immediately surrounding Euphrates & Tigris rivers • Area constantly subject to tribal conflict

  32. The Middle East • Ottoman Empire • One of the most influential Muslim civilizations in history, began in 13th century • Ended Byzantium Empire by conquering Constantinople (15th century) renaming itIstanbul • Continued to expand into Europe • Empire begins to decline at end of 19th century withcolonization of Africa

  33. The Middle East • Following Battle of Gallipoli, spring 1915, British & French secretly agree to carve up Ottoman Empire after WWI • Sykes-Picot Agreement, 1916 • Palestine to be made international zone due to its importance to many major religions • Temple on the Mount (Jews) • Site of King Solomon’s Temple • Location of the Ark of the Covenant

  34. The Middle East • Wailing Wall (Jews) • Last remnants of Second Temple, Jesus preached here • Dome of the Rock (Jews & Muslims) • Mohammad ascended to Heaven • Abraham attempted to sacrifice Isaac/Ishmael • Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Christians) • Built by Constantine, place where Jesus was crucified, buried & resurrected

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