Richard Nixon 1969 1974 Richard Nixon Administration Domestic

Richard Nixon 1969 -1974

Richard Nixon Administration • Domestic Agenda – Revenue Sharing – Environmental Protection Agency • Water Quality Improvement Act • Clean Air Act – Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Foreign Policy • Henry Kissinger – “Grand Design” • Multipolar approach – Various centers of world power • Normalization – China – February 1972

Foreign Policy (2) • Détente – “Thawing out” or resting the tensions between the Soviet Union and the US. • Soviet Union – May 1972 – Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty ( – Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) • Planned to limit nuclear arms the two nations (SU and US) had been working on for years.

Election of 1972 • Republicans – Richard Nixon / Spiro Agnew • Democrats – George Mc. Govern / Thomas Eagleton • Shock Therapy • Sargent Shriver

Watergate Begins • Burglary at DNC Headquarters – Organized by the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP) • Howard Hunt, G. Gordon Liddy WATERGATE (caused rapid and deep decline in public trust in gov. ) • Cover-up – H. R. Haldeman • Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein • Special Prosecutor – Archibald Cox

More Problems • VP Agnew – Resigns, October 1973 • Bribery • Gerald Ford • Saturday Night Massacre – Elliot Richardson – Attorney General – William Ruckelshaus – deputy AG – Cox

End of Nixon • W. Mark Felt • White House Tapes – 18½ minutes – Executive Privilege (principle that White House conversations should remain confidential to protect national security, ) • US v. Nixon • “Smoking Gun” • August 8, 1974 – NIXON RESIGNS

Ford and Carter Presidents of the late 70 s

Gerald Ford • Pardoned Nixon – Claimed sympathy to Nixon, however caused Ford fierce criticism. • Congressional Investigations – CIA – assassinations – FBI – illegal wiretaps • May 1975 – Mayaguez incident • Cambodia

Economic Problems • Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) – Embargo • 1973 • Stagflation – Inflation + rising unemployment • Whip Inflation Now

Election of 1976 • Republicans – Gerald Ford – Ronald Reagan • Democrats – Jimmy Carter • “Are you better off now than you were four years ago? ” • Big on “Energy” saving

Carter Administration • Created: – Department of Energy – Department of Education • Conflict with Congress • Stagflation continues

Foreign Affairs • Camp David Accords – 1978 – Egypt and Israel • Anwar el-Sadat, Menachim Begin – “Framework for Peace in the Middle East” • Panama Canal Treaty – 1979 – Return of Canal Zone – Finalized 1999

Collapse of Detente • SALT II – Ratification delayed • Invasion of Afghanistan – December 1979 • Carter’s Response: – Halt in grain and technology sales – Boycott of 1980 Summer Olympics (Moscow)

Iran • 1979 Revolution – July – overthrow of the Shah – November – Takeover of US Embassy • Iran Hostage Crisis – Immediate economic sanctions – A failed military rescue – Negotiations for the release of the hostages -Nov. 4, 1979 -Jan. 20, 1981

Ronald Reagan “Peace Through Strength”

Election of 1980 • Democrats – Jimmy Carter / Walter Mondale • Republicans – Ronald Reagan / George H. W. Bush • Issues: – Continued Stagflation – Cold War – Iran Hostage Crisis

• Nancy Reagan headed a national campaign in the 1980 s to address the social concern of ILLEGAL DRUG USE (think 1970’s)

Conservative v. Liberal • Political philosophies – Government role in: • Economy • Social Concerns – Power of Federal government vs. states – Idea of “what is fair” • Equality of opportunity vs. outcome

Reaganomics • Reduce Government spending • Reduce income taxes and capital gains taxes • Reduce government regulations • Reduce Inflation by controlling the money supply

Economic Results • Interest rates – 21. 5% in 1981 – 10. 5% in 1983 • Unemployment – 10% in 1983 – 7% in 1984 • Inflation – 7% in 1982 – 4%in 1984

Other Events • Sandra Day O’Connor – First Woman on Supreme Court • 1981 Air Traffic Controllers Strike – Fired • Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) – Emerged in 1980 s led to a worldwide epidemic and one of the largest health concern in regard to investigating its prevention. • Space Shuttle Challenger EXPLODES ON LAUNCH – January 1986

Foreign Policy • Standing up to Communism – Increase in Defense Spending • Strategic Defense Initiative –“Star Wars” • Lebanon – Civil War – Marines – Terrorism

Election of 1984 • Republicans – Reagan / Bush • Democrats – Walter Mondale / Geraldine Ferraro • “Ronald Reagan will raise your taxes. And so will I. ”

Iran-Contra Scandal • American Hostages held in Lebanon • US sells weapons to Iran – (illegal after 1979 Iranian Revolution) – They influence terrorists to release hostages

Iran-Contra Scandal (2) • Contras in Nicaragua – Fighting a communist government (Sandinistas) • Profits from weapon sales to Iran – Sent to the Contras • (illegal also) • Discovered in 1986

Relations with the USSR • Spending to end the Cold War • Defense – Force them to keep up – They can’t

Relations with the USSR (2) • 1985 – Mikhail Gorbachev • Glasnost • Perestroika • American-Soviet Summits – Geneva, Iceland • July 1987, Berlin – “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

Impact of Cold War Defense Spending • Expanded • Foreign Policy to businesses and Israel: employment Strong political • Growth of high tech support and industries billions of dollars in economic aid. • New Research and Development

1970 s-1990 s • 70 s and 80 s political characteristics of the US are BEST described as a RESURGENCE OF CONSERVATISM (especially after Vietnam and Cold War tensions around the world) • U. S foreign policy approach

Technology of the 70 s, 80 s, 90 s Additional Available energy affected the American way of life (through Carter a lot and the Space exploration of Cold War) Lead to many new innovations and new technology. • • • GPS Cell Phones Plastics Satellites Genetic engineering Alternative Fuels Personal computers Memory Foam Internet Digital TV

• People in the Scene Jerry Falwell – Advocator for social policies that reflected the point of view of evangelical Christians, group called “Moral Majority” Bill Gates Philanthropist, small entrepreneurs. founded Microsoft Sam Walton Founder of Wal-Mart. Small entrepreneurs. Started working in JC Penny then Ben Franklin stores in Arkansas Estee Lauder American businesswoman cofounder with her husband with the cosmetic company Estee Lauder • Billy Graham Widely-respected Christian evangelical preacher has served often as a religious counselor to American Presidents since the Truman administration. Dolores Huerta Co-founder of the United Farm Workers Association and fought for discrimination with Cesar Chavez. Lionel Sosa independent marketing consultant, and nationally recognized portrait artist. (TIME magazine 25 most influential Hispanics in America)