Nixon-Ford-Carter Ch 39 -40 Richard Nixon

Nixon-Ford-Carter Ch 39 -40

Richard Nixon

Nixon as President (other than Vietnam) Enters office in 1969 one of main goals was to decrease the size of the federal government. Ø Great Society gave government too much power Ø Domestic Plan: New Federalism Ø l l Give more financial freedoms to local governments, normally federal gov’t tells state and local govts how to spend their money but with revenue sharing state and local spend federal $$ their way (within certain limits) Passed in 1972 State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act

New Federalism Wanted to overhaul welfare, not so successful. Ø 1969 advocates Family Assistance Plan (FAP) Ø l l Every family of 4 w/no outside income receive basic federal payment of $1600/yr, could earn up to $4000/yr in supplements Unemployed (excluding moms of preschool age or below) HAVE to take jobs training and any job offered to them Approved by House 1970 Ø Senate rejects (both liberal and conservative) Ø Bill dies in defeat Ø

Two Faces of New Federalism Ø Ø Ø Does expand some Great Society programs: Money for medicare, medicaid, and aid to families with dependent children Creates Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for old, blind, and disabled Philadelphia Plan: set goals and timetable for hiring African Americans (force equality) Policy extends to all federal contracts, forces businesses to hire a quota of minorities Griggs vs Duke Power Co. (1971) gets rid of “discriminatory” hiring practices (intelligence tests), suggest hiring proportions should be ratio to population

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) Allan Bakke applied twice for admission to the University of California Medical School and was rejected both times. Ø The school reserved 16 places in each entering class of 100 for "qualified" minorities, as part of the university's affirmative action program. Ø Bakke's qualifications exceeded those of any of the minority students admitted. Ø Bakke contended that he was excluded from admission solely on the basis of race. Ø 6

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) Did the University of California violate the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, by practicing an affirmative action policy that resulted in the repeated rejection of Bakke's application for admission to its medical school? Ø The Supreme Court upheld the use of race as one factor in choosing among qualified applicants for admission. It also ruled unlawful the University Medical School's practice of reserving seats in each entering class for disadvantaged minority students. Ø 7

Two Faces of New Federalism Ø Nixon does try to stop many Social based programs Ø Tries (unsuccessfully) to end Job Corps, program that provided job training for the unemployed Ø 1970 vetoes a bill to provide more $$ for HUD

Impoundment? ? Confronted with laws he opposed Nixon uses presidential practice called impoundment (RARELY USED BY PRES) Ø Impoundment is when a president withholds $$ for programs, thus stopping them from being implemented Ø By 1973, he had impounded $15 BILLION, affecting more than 100 programs, including those for health, housing, and education Ø

The critics say…. The Federal Courts eventually order the release of the funds (checks and balances) Ø Courts rule that impoundment was unconstitutional and that only Congress had the authority to decide how federal funds should be spent Ø Nixon was able to end the Office of Economic Opportunity (key piece to LBJ’s war on poverty Ø

Nixon’s “Law and Order” Ø Enters office and promises to restore “law and order” on behalf of the silent majority Ø Battle Liberalism Ø To do this uses the “full power” of his office, including wiretapping of the FBI on “dangerous” people, CIA lists and investigations, IRS audits of known activists, Nixon’s enemies list

Nixon and the South Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Won 1968 election by slim amount, wants to build up support, focuses on the South “Southern Strategy”: Nixon’s attempt to attract Southern conservative Democrats by appealing to their dislike of desegregation policies and the liberal Supreme court Promises to slow the desegregation process and reverse some civil rights legislation 1969 orders Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) to delay deseg. Plans for school districts in SC and Miss, direct violation of Brown vs Board NAACP files suit, Supreme Court says Nixon must abide by Brown v Board Nixon opposes extension of Voting Rights Act of 1965, but Congress extends it anyway 1971 Swann v Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education , Supreme Court says busing is legal Nixon tries to stop busing Busing hotly debated and leads to riots in Boston and Detroit, among other places

The Economy 1967 -1974 US faces high inflation and high unemployment (STAGFLATION) Ø Causes: Ø High inflation (result of LBJ’s policy to fund the war and great society programs via deficit spending) Ø Increased competition in international trade Ø Flood of new workers (women, baby boomers) all fighting for jobs Ø US dependence of foreign oil from Middle East Ø

An Aside about Oil Ø Ø Ø During 1960’s OPEC (group of middle eastern oil producing countries) gradually raise oil prices 1973 Yom Kippur War occurs (Israel vs Egypt and Syria) US sends massive aid to Israel makes Arab OPEC nations mad, so cut off supply of oil to US (Oil Embargo) US tries to conserve fuel during this period, select gas getting days, lower speed limits, smaller cars, etc. When start selling again to US in 1974 price of oil had quadrupled, make inflation problem worse

Nixon tries to fix economy--stop Nixon tries to reduce deficit spending by raising taxes and cutting the budget Ø Congress refuses to go along with his plan Ø Nixon then tries to reduce amount of money in circulation by asking for interest rates to be raised, happens but does little except cause a mild recession Ø Aug 1971, uses price and wage controls to fix problem. Froze workers’ wages and business prices for 90 days, eases inflation for a bit but recession continues Ø

Nixon and Foreign Policy Ø Ø Ø Greatest success for Nixon are seen in his foreign policy Vietnam ends Kissinger becomes Sec of State, promotes realpolitik ( political realism). Foreign policy should be based solely on consideration of power, not ideals or morals. Evaluate a nation’s powers not its beliefs It is easier to ignore a weak democratic country than a strong Communist one BIG departure from containment Confrontation (if needed) should be based on negotiations and military (not just military as in past)

Dealing with Communism Ø Practices Detente, policy aimed at easing Cold War tensions Ø Flexible approach to communism Ø Leads to visits with China and USSR (both fighting over what it means to be a communist)

Nixon and China and USSR Ø 1972 Nixon visits China, symbolic visit both agree to get along better Ø 3 months later (May 1972), Nixon visits USSR (first president to do so), feels that USSR would be willing to talk since US and China talking (he is right) Ø USSR running low on food, US agrees to sell $750 million of grain to USSR Ø Big news is talk of disarmament

SALT Ø US and USSR agree to an anti-ballistic missile (ABM) reduction and the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT) Ø Limit quantity of arms and submarines, 5 year agreement Ø Doesn’t really change that much, symbolic

Watergate Ø Ø Ø During election of 1972 5 men caught breaking into Democratic party headquarters (Watergate Building) They were going through files and planting bugs Later discovered they were part of CREEP (Committee to Re-elect the President) Question is Who order this and who knew what? ** At same time VP Spiro Agnew gets caught taking bribes, resigns and Gerald Ford chosen as new VP** 25 th amendment allows Nixon to do this, Ford was House Minority leader

Watergate Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Senate investigate Watergate scandal John Dean (former White House lawyer) accused of cover up Then discovered that Nixon had tapes of Oval Office Conversations, tapes are ordered to be released Nixon doesn’t want to, claims executive privledge Saturday Night Massacre (Nixon fires Watergate investigators and attorney general) 1974 Supreme court ruling says Nixon has to hand over tapes, he does but tapes have been tampered with Nixon then faces impeachment hiring (obstruction of justice) Nixon resigns Aug 8, 1974 Gerald Ford is now President

Detailed Version Ø Ø Ø Nixon’s Advisors: HR Haldeman “chief of Staff”, John Ehrlichman “chief domestic advisor”, John N. Mitchell “Attorney General”, John W. Dean III, “Presidential Counsel” Keep the secrecy, Nixon very afraid of “enemies” and losing power 2: 30 am, June 17, 1972, security guard at Watergate catches the 5 burglars (tape over the door) Soon reported that one of the men was James Mc. Cord (former CIA agent) and leader of CRP John Mitchell was head of CRP (no longer atty gen) Questions begin to get asked…. how far up the chain does this go?

Detailed Version Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Cover begins almost immediately, workers in Haldeman’s office start shredding documents White House ask the CIA to have FBI stop investigation CRP gives $450, 000 to Watergate burglars to buy their silence During campaign of 1972, brings little notice among public Washington Post has two reporters covering story, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein Series of articles the reporters uncover information that links numerous White House officials to burglary Getting information from source Woodward and Bernstein name “Deep Throat”, tells them to “follow the money” 2005 Deep Throat is reveled to be Mark Felt (former Deputy Director of the FBI) At trial of Watergate Burglars (Jan 1973) Mc. Cord tells the Judge John Sirica that he was pressured to lie under oath and hinted that Nixon administration may be involved in breakin

Detailed Version Nixon gets worried, April 30, 1973 dismisses John Dean and announces resignation of Haldeman and Ehrlichman Ø Nixon goes on tv and denies any knowledge of Watergate break in or a cover up Ø Appoints new Attny Gen, Elliot Richardson and has him appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Watergate Ø May 1973 Senate begins its own investigations Ø Chaired by Sam Ervin of NC, during the summer of 1973 the “presidents men” testify, on TV Ø

Detailed Version Ø Ø Ø Ø June 30 John Dean, says Nixon deeply involved in cover up (What did the president know and when did he know it) Dean refers to meetings in Oval Office where cover up and burglary discussed White House says Dean is a liar Now Senate committee is stalled has to find out who is telling the truth, in July presidential aide Alexander Butterfield, says that Nixon taped almost all conversations in the oval office A year long battle for the “Nixon Tapes” follows Archibald Cox (special prosecutor appointed by Richardson) takes Nixon to Supreme court to get tapes, Nixon refuses and orders Richardson to fire Cox (Saturday Night Massacre), Richardson refuses and resigns, dept attny general also refuses and he is fired Finally solicitor general, robert bork, fires Cox This will lead to impeachment proceedings

Detailed Version Spring of 1974, Nixon tells American public he is releasing 1, 254 pages of edited transcripts from tapes Ø Not good enough, forced to give over full tapes July 24, 1974 Ø Tapes contain gaps, 18. 5 minute gap during conversation between Nixon and Haldeman (supposedly secretary “accidentally” erased it) Ø Tape dated June 23, 1973 ( 6 days after break in) contained conversation between Nixon and Haldeman, disclosed evidence needed, Nixon knew and participated in cover up Ø

Nixon and the Environment Ø Silent Spring (1962): Rachel Carson, talks about ill effects of DDT (pesticide) Ø Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): formed in 1970 Ø Occupational Health and Safety Admin (OSHA) Ø Clean Air Act (1970) Ø Endangered Species Act (1973) Ø Earth Day (April 22, 1970)

Nuclear Energy Debate Ø Because of oil energy crisis Americans became aware of our dependence on foreign oil and problems it might cause Ø Begin to search for other type of energy sources Ø Some suggest exploring and using more Nuclear Energy

What is Nuclear Energy? Nuclear power is the controlled use of nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is energy in uranium that can be released by nuclear reactions in a machine called a nuclear reactor This energy is made into electricity, which then can be used to power machines and heat homes Ø Nuclear power plants also make radioactive waste that could be harmful if it is not stored properly. Nuclear power plants produce less radioactive material than a coal fired power station Ø

Nuclear Power Plant

Three Mile Island Ø Ø Ø Ø March 28, 1979—Harrisburg, PA One of the nuclear reactors at a Three Mile Island (nuclear power plant) malfunctions Reactor overheated and its cooling system failed, fear was that dangerous radiation might escape and spread Two days later some does escape Some residents are evacuated MASS PANIC For some confirms, danger of using nuclear power April 9, 1979, danger is said to be over and residents can return home

Summary Ø It was the worst accident in U. S. commercial nuclear power plant history. Ø The incident was rated a five on the sevenpoint International Nuclear Event Scale Accident With Wider Consequences

Three Mile Island

Accident at 3 Mile Island

Chernobyl A nuclear disaster which occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Pripyat, Ukraine. At that time, Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. Ø The event was the worst accident in the history of nuclear power Because there was no containment building to trap the radiation, radioactive fallout drifted over parts of the western Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, the UK, and the eastern United States. Large areas of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia were badly contaminated. About 60% of the radioactive fallout landed in Belarus. About 350, 000 people needed to be evacuated (moved away) and moved to other places where they could live after the accident. [ Ø

Chernobyl Prior to the accident, there was a planned power reduction. By the beginning of the day shift, the power level had reached 50%. Following this, randomly, one of the regional power stations went offline. It was then requested that the further power reduction would be postponed. Despite this request, the reduction and preparations for a test that was to happen continued. Ø The accident occurred when the fourth reactor suffered a huge power increase. This led to the core of the reactor exploding. Due to this explosion, large amounts of radioactive materials and fuel were released into the atmosphere. This lit the combustable graphite moderator on fire. This fire greatened the release of radioactive material, which was carried by the smoke of the fire, into the environment and atmosphere. Ø

Chernobyl Ø Most of the people affected have not died yet. When and if the people involved die of cancer, or related diseases, it will be hard to tell if this was because of the accident. A 2005 IAEA report tells of 56 direct deaths; of those, 47 were accident workers and 9 were children who died of thyroid cancer. The report estimates that up to 4, 000 people may die from long term diseases related to the accident.

Abandon building near site

Ford as President Ø Ø Ø Gerald Ford became president without ever being voted for (either VP or P) Pardons Nixon for any illegal actions he may have committed Perception was the this was engineered from the beginning and was why Nixon choose Ford to replace Agnew (but never proven) Hurts Ford in 1976 election Give amnesty to all “draft dodgers” hurts him again politically https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=O 5 yig. Fw 8 Mo. I

Ford and Foreign Policy Ø Helsinki Accords: signed with the USSR l l l Boundaries of eastern Europe agreed upon Agreements made regarding travel between US and USSR Guarantees of human rights Ø ** Many Americans see policy of détente only benefitting the USSR and not the US**

Election of 1976 Republicans nominate Ford Ø Democrats nominate Jimmy Carter, former peanut farmer and Gov of GA, plays on the Washington “outsider” card Ø Close election but Republicans were hurt by Watergate and Carter wins Ø Congress also goes heavily Democrat, which will at first allow Carter to get a lot of legislation passed Ø https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=jxi. F-C 1_t. ME Ø

Carter as President Ø Establishes Dept of Energy Ø Passes major tax cut Ø Ends up getting hurt by being a Washington outsider, same thing that made him popular with the people Ø Has major foreign policy issues…. .

Carter and Foreign policy, highlights Ø Focus on human rights around the world l l Cut off aid to Argentina and Brazil (countries US had good relations with but had poor human rights records) Establishes Bureau of Human Rights in the State Dept Critics (usually supporters of Containment) say that this policy undercut potential non-communist allies. Also not in accordance with realpolitik either Also accused of being inconsistent because supports dictators in South Korea and Philippines 1977 announces plans to give up ownership of Panama Canal (not a popular move) Ø US had owned Panama Canal since 1914, Panamanians didn’t like this. Two nations agree to two treaties, one of which has Panama Canal go back to Panama Dec 31, 1999 Ø Treaty passes by one vote in the Senate Ø

Carter and Foreign Policy Ø Ø Ø Ø Camp David Accords: 1977 Egyptian President Anwar El-Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister, Menachem Begin met in Jerusalem to discuss peace between two nations Talks stall and in 1978 Carter invites Sadat and Begin to Camp David (presidential retreat in MD) to talk it out 12 days of serious negotiations, end up with CAMP DAVID ACCORDS. First signed peace agreement with Israel and an Arab country. Israel agrees to withdraw from Sinai Peninsula (seized from Egypt in the Six-Day War 1967) and Egypt will formally recognize Israel’s right to exist. Many issues left unsolved but recognized as a major step and MAJOR success of Carter’s presidency https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=j. YASj. RMEWe. A

SALT II Agreements Ø Ø Ø Before Carter tensions with USSR were easing but Carter’s belief in human rights made things difficult again Delays second SALT meeting, Carter and Leonid Brezhnev finally meet in June 1979 in Vienna and sign the SALT II agreement (limiting of weapons) Senate dislike treaty says it puts US at military disadvantage, before treaty if passed USSR invades Afghanistan (Dec 1979). Not good because this is an expansion of Communism, threat to oil fields and production, and their next-door neighbor is Iran US places embargo on USSR and boycotts 1980 summer olympics in Moscow SALT II dies and is never signed because of the above actions

Iran Hostage Crisis Ø By 1979, Shah of Iran (leader of Iran and ally of US put in power by US CIA and US controlled was in trouble, resentment over his regime’s corruption and dictatorial tactics was spreading Jan 1979, revolution breaks out in Iran, led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (Muslim religious leader) goal was to overthrow the Shah and set up a religious state based on strict obedience to the Koran. Carter and US support the Shah, Oct 1979 Shah is allowed to enter US for cancer treatment (had actually fled Iran in Jan when revolution starts) This really makes revolutionaries in Iran mad! Nov 4, 1979 armed students seize the US embassy in Tehran and took 52 Americans hostage, demand US send Shah back to Iran IF we want the hostages released Carter refuses and year long standoff ensues US works to get hostages released on our own terms, economic sanctions, secret rescue mission, none successful Jan 20, 1981 (shortly after Reagan takes office) hostages are released after 444 days in captivity This really hurts Carter’s presidency…Iran becomes the symbol of a wealth of problems Americans believe that Carter can not solve https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=_6 RGeq. NFa. QM Ø https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Q_AHJQi. Mx. Iw Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø

Economic Problems of Carter Ø Ø Ø Much worse than the foreign policy issues Inflation was rising, 13% in 1979 (4% considered normal) Cost of importing oil rising, and public refuses any mention of energy conservation laws l l Does manage to get National Energy Act passed which places a tax on high gas cars, removes price controls on oil and natural gas produced in US, and gives tax credits for the development of alternative energy Results in a slight decrease in dependence on foreign oil Interest rates are high to control inflation (less people able to borrow money) Oil problems get worse in 1979 when Shah is ousted, new Iranian government anti-US, feeling spreads thru Middle East, OPEC cuts oil production and raises prices, makes problem worse and Carter is blamed for it Ø By 1980 inflation is at 14%, US slipped from #1 standard of living to #5, big factor in getting Reagan into White House Ø Ø