NIXON’S AND WATERGATE Sec. 31-2 Pages 901-908

1. NIXON’S AND WATERGATESec. 31-2 Pages 901-908 • Define: Revenue sharing – affirmative action – stagflation – deficit – impeachment – amnesty – underemployment • Identify: Spiro Agnew – Gerald Ford- Watergate Scandal – Helsinki Accords 25th Amendment – 26th Amendment

2. Nixon’s Domestic Programs • Pledged bring law and order back to US Crack down on crime – give federal funds to help state and city police Federal courts should be tougher on criminals Appointed Warren Burger (Chief Justice), Harry Blackmun, Lewis Powell and William Rehnquist to Supreme Court 26th Amendment (1971)- Voting rights given to 18 year olds – unfair to ask them to fight without being allowed to vote.

3. New Federalism • Vowed to reduce government’s role in people’s lives – cut federal spending • Revenue sharing –money raised from federal taxes and given to the states for use at the state and local level. (1972 Law) • Abolished LBJ’s Great Society programs that failed

4. Civil Rights • Civil rights – opposed busing to integrate, yet promoted affirmative action (an active effort to improve educational and employment opportunities for minority groups and women) • Started new agencies: • OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Admin) – ensure workers’ safety • EPA ( Environmental Protection Agency) – protect the environment

5. Economic Problems • Industry –manufacturing declined due to foreign competition • Businesses and consumers struggled with inflation – rise in prices of goods/services • High unemployment and slow economic growth • Nixon tried to reduce inflation • Cut federal spending • Interest rates rose • Stagflation- a combination of rising prices and a sluggish economy with relatively high unemployment

6. Economic Problems • Nixon froze wages – economy remained in recession • Increased federal spending to stimulate economy • Created a budget deficit –shortage that occurs when spending is greater than income.

7. Energy Crisis • 1973- OPEC (Org. of Petroleum Exporting Countries) placed embargo on all oil shipments to US – raised prices • Companies had to lay off workers – others raised prices • Consumers angry at long lines at gas stations • Asked people to conserve energy – reduced speed limits – began domestic oil development - Alaska

8. Campaign for president • Loyal aides - John Ehrlichman(chief domestic adviser) and H.R. Haldeman (chief of staff) and John Mitchell (CRP director) helped Nixon get reelected • Produced “enemies list”- people unfriendly to administration – Ordered FBI and IRS to investigate some • Campaign committee collected millions to create “the plumbers”- secret group to stop leaks of information that would hurt Nixon.

9. Election of 1972 • Republican - Richard Nixon – Pres. Spiro Agnew – V.P. • Dem. – George McGovern ( Sen. S. Car.) • Nixon won 61% of popular vote – • 520 – 17 electoral votes

10. WATERGATE CRISIS • June 17,1972- “Plumbers” led by James McCord (former CIA agent) broke into Democratic National Committee headquarters to install phone listening devices – bugs. • After break in discovered, shredded documents – CIA asked FBI to stop investigation on grounds of nat’l security • June 17th – Police called – arrested Gordon Hunt – E. Howard Hunt – paid by White House funds – White House denied any involvement.

11. Watergate Investigation • Washington Post reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, published series on linking burglary to Nixon’s campaign. • Jan. 1973, Fed. Dist. Court Judge, John Sirica, presided over trial – Burglar, James McCord, admitted White House lied- Nixon involved. • Senate held hearings to investigate . • Apr. 1973, Nixon fires John Dean, W.H. counsel - aides Haldeman and Ehrlichman resigned. Nixon went on TV- “I am not a crook” and appointed Atty Gen. Elliot Richardson to investigate.

12. Watergate Investigation • Special prosecutor, Archibald Cox appointed to investigate Watergate scandal. • May 1973, Senate hearings, chaired by Sam Ervin (N.Car.Sen), learned there was a cover-up –John Dean told Nixon directed it. • July 1973- secret taping system revealed – all conversations in president’s offices were recorded. Ervin and Cox demanded tapes. • Pres. Nixon refused – claimed executive privilege – insisting release of tapes would endanger national security.Nixon orders Atty Gen Richardson to fire Cox. He refused and resigned.

13. Saturday Night Massacre • Nixon eventually fires special prosecutor Archibald Cox ( along with others who refused to do it when Nixon ordered it)- replaced by Leon Jaworski. • Meanwhile, V.P. Spiro Agnew had taken bribes from engineering firms while governor of Maryland ). • Oct. 1973- Agnew resigned – Nixon appointed Gerald Ford ( Mich. Repub. Leader of the House of Rep.) as new VP. • 1965- 25th Amendment – President now can designate who will be V. Pres. when there is a vacancy (confirmed by majority of both houses)

14. Impeachment • March 1974- Grand jury indicted 7 aides on conspiracy, obstruction of justice and perjury. • House of Rep. began process of impeachment ( constitutional provision to remove a president from office) • Senate would hold trial – 2/3 needed to remove • April 1974 – Nixon released printed copies of some tapes – edited – missing info – still refused to hand over unedited tapes

15. Impeachment • Sup. Court ruled Nixon had to turn over tapes. • End of July – House Judiciary Committee charged president with obstruction of justice – abuse of power – contempt of Congress • Aug. 5 – Nixon released tapes – president had ordered cover up of break in – linked Nixon to Watergate – agreed to obstruct FBI’s investigation.

16. Resignation • Aug. 8, 1974 Nixon resigned on TV – admitted no guilt – merely said his judgments “were wrong”. • VP Gerald Ford became 1st president never elected to office of President or VP • Pres. Ford selected Nelson Rockefeller(NY) as VP • Sept. 8,1974- Ford pardons Pres. Nixon – could not be prosecuted. Eventually, 25 members of Nixon’s administration were convicted- served prison terms. • Americans angry that Nixon not punished

17. Ford’s Term Starts • Dec. 1974 – Americans learned CIA spying on some citizens – FBI had secret files. • Pres. Ford ordered special commissions to investigate FBI and CIA • Congress will create new laws to regulate these two agencies. • Ford’s offered amnesty ( protection from prosecution) to men who illegally avoided military service in Vietnam – had to perform national service

18. Foreign Policy • Relied on Sec. of State, Henry Kissinger • Late 1974- Ford and Brezhnev agreed to limit nuclear weapons • July 1975 – Helsinki Accords ( Finland) – US, Soviet Union and Western nations pledged to respect human rights and civil liberties of their citizens. • Mao Zedong died in 1976 – new leadership wanted to expand economic and political ties to US

19. Economy in US • American products had to compete with cheaper Japanese and European goods • US suffered from underemployment –condition when people work at jobs for which they are overqualified or that do not utilize their skills • OPEC kept oil prices high – helped contribute to inflation.

20. Ford’s Response • Whip Inflation Now (WIN) – voluntary program of wage and price controls Americans to save money – plant gardens US headed into recession 2. Cut government spending Democratic controlled Congress wanted to spend on social programs – Ford vetoed. Ford asked Congress to pass tax cut – did not help nation overall.

21. SUMMARIZE