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The Nixon Years

The Nixon Years. 1968 to 1974. I.) The Election of 1968. Republican candidate= Richard Nixon Democrat candidate= Hubert Humphrey Independent candidate= George Wallace. D. Outcome: 1. Nixon elected 37 th president of U.S. II.) New Direction.

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The Nixon Years

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  1. The Nixon Years 1968 to 1974

  2. I.) The Election of 1968 • Republican candidate= Richard Nixon • Democrat candidate= Hubert Humphrey • Independent candidate= George Wallace D. Outcome: 1. Nixon elected 37th president of U.S.

  3. II.) New Direction • Transform American into “Conservative” direction to decrease the size and influence of federal government B. Nixon’s Plan: 1. New Federalism: distribute portion of federal power to state and local governments

  4. Nixon’s New Federalism Actions: 1. State & Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972: enacts Revenue Sharing 2. Family Assistance Plan of 1969: welfare reform; defeated in the Senate 3. Worked to dismantle some of the nations social programs enacted by Johnson’s Great Society a. used impoundment(withholding funds for programs)

  5. Law and Order Policy 1. supported by: “Silent Majority” (middle class Americans who wanted to restore law and order) 2. illegal enforcement: - wiretaps - CIA investigations - IRS audits - enemies list

  6. Southern Strategy: 1. Goal: attract southern Democrats who felt Democrats had become too liberal 2. How: try to slow desegregation 3. Outcome: Congress resists G. Supreme Court: 1. Four justices retire (including Chief Justice Earl Warren) 2. Nominates conservative judges - Nominates conservative Warren Burger for Chief Justice Outcome: Conservative Supreme Court

  7. Economic Problems: 1. Stagflation: high inflation and high unemployment (1967-1973) 2. Caused by: - deficit spending - competition - foreign oil dependency 3. Fixes: - raise interest rates - price & wage controls - wants tax hike & budget cuts

  8. G. Nixon’s Foreign Policy: 1. Realpolitik: based on nations power not on moral principles (ignore less powerful focus on powerful) Henry Kissinger- national security advisor & secretary of state 2. Détente: U.S. policy to ease Cold War tensions - Nixon visits communist China (Feb. 1972) - Nixon visits Soviet Union (May 1972) - SALT I Treaty (reduce/limit nuclear arms) - End war in Vietnam

  9. III.) The Imperial Presidency • Executive Branch had become most powerful govt. branch • Nixon expands the power of the presidency with disregard for constitutional checks The Inner Circle 1. H.R Haldeman (Chief of Staff) 2. John Ehrichman (Domestic Advisor) 3. John Mitchell (Attorney General) 4. John Dean (Presidential Counsel)

  10. IV.) The Watergate Scandal A. Definition: Nixon administration’s attempt to cover up a burglary of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington D.C. B. Outcome: House will vote to impeach(remove) Nixon from office and Nixon will resign the presidency (Aug. 8, 1974)

  11. “The Events of Watergate” June 17, 1972: 5 men are caught breaking into DNC HQ at Watergate complex John McCord former CIA agent is groups leader and has ties to John Mitchell Cover-up begins: shred evidence, pay-off burglars not to speak, ask CIA/FBI to stop investigation Washington Post (Bob Woodward & Carl Bernstein) begin investigation that links administration to burglary little public interest in Watergate November 1972: Nixon is re-elected by a landslide

  12. January 1973: trial of Watergate burglars begins; John Sirica judge James McCord hints to judge he lied under oath and Powerful members of Nixon’s administration involved Public interest grows due to possible White House involvement April 30, 1973: John Dean dismissed, Hardeman, Ehrlichman, and Kleindienst (Mitchell’s replacement) resign May 1973: Senate begins a Watergate investigation with “President’s Men” testifying one after another John Dean testifies Nixon involved in cover-up Presidential aide Alexander Butterfield testifies Nixon had taped all Oval Office conversations; Nixon refuses to give up tapes citing “Executive Privilege”

  13. October 1973: Saturday Night Massacre: Nixon wants Archibald Cox fired; Richardson refuses & resigns; Solicitor General fires him Days before VP Spiro Agnew resigns; Gerald Ford nominated as replacement March 1974: seven presidential aides indicted by grand jury July 24, 1974: Supreme Court votes Nixon must give up Oval Office tapes; Nixon argues goes against National Security July 27, 1974: House Judiciary Committee approves 3 articles of impeachment August 5, 1974: Nixon release tapes; 18 min gap missing (“The Smoking Gun”)

  14. Tapes prove Nixon knew about break-in and agreed To cover them up August 8, 1974: House of Representatives about to vote on impeachment when Nixon resigns from office of the presidency August 8, 1974: Gerald Ford sworn in as 38th president

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