The Nixon Years
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Transcript of The Nixon Years
The Nixon Years
1968 to 1974
I.) The Election of 1968A. Republican candidate=
Richard NixonB. Democrat candidate=
Hubert HumphreyC. Independent candidate=
George Wallace
D. Outcome: 1. Nixon elected 37th
president of U.S.
II.) New DirectionA. 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
C. Nixon’s New Federalism Actions:1. State & Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972:
enacts Revenue Sharing2. Family Assistance Plan of 1969: welfare reform;
defeated in the Senate3. Worked to dismantle some of the nations social
programs enacted by Johnson’s Great Societya. used impoundment (withholding funds
for programs)
D. Law and Order Policy1. supported by: “Silent Majority”
(middle class Americans who wanted to restore law and order)
2. illegal enforcement:- wiretaps- CIA investigations- IRS audits- enemies list
F. Southern Strategy:1. Goal: attract southern Democrats who
felt Democrats had become too liberal2. 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
H. 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
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
III.) The Imperial PresidencyA. Executive Branch had become
most powerful govt. branchB. 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)
IV.) The Watergate ScandalA. 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)
“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 andhas 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
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”
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”)
Tapes prove Nixon knew about break-in and agreedTo 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