NIXON’S AND WATERGATENIXON’S AND WATERGATESec. 31-2 Pages 901-908Sec. 31-2 Pages 901-908Define: Revenue sharing –

affirmative action – stagflation – deficit – impeachment – amnesty – underemployment

Identify: Spiro Agnew – Gerald Ford-

Watergate Scandal – Helsinki Accords

25th Amendment – 26th Amendment

Nixon’s Domestic ProgramsNixon’s Domestic ProgramsPledged 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.

New FederalismNew FederalismVowed 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

Civil RightsCivil RightsCivil 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’ safetyEPA ( Environmental Protection

Agency) – protect the environment

Economic ProblemsEconomic ProblemsIndustry –manufacturing declined due to

foreign competitionBusinesses and consumers struggled with

inflation – rise in prices of goods/servicesHigh unemployment and slow economic

growthNixon tried to reduce inflationCut federal spendingInterest rates rose Stagflation- a combination of rising prices

and a sluggish economy with relatively high unemployment

Economic ProblemsEconomic ProblemsNixon froze wages – economy

remained in recessionIncreased federal spending to

stimulate economy Created a budget deficit –shortage

that occurs when spending is greater than income.

Energy CrisisEnergy Crisis1973- 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

Campaign for presidentCampaign for presidentLoyal 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.

Election of 1972Election of 1972Republican -

Richard Nixon – Pres.

Spiro Agnew – V.P.

Dem. – George McGovern ( Sen. S. Car.)

Nixon won 61% of popular vote –

520 – 17 electoral votes

WATERGATE CRISISWATERGATE CRISISJune 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.

Watergate InvestigationWatergate InvestigationWashington 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.

Watergate InvestigationWatergate InvestigationSpecial 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.

Saturday Night MassacreSaturday Night MassacreNixon 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)

Impeachment 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

removeApril 1974 – Nixon released printed copies

of some tapes – edited – missing info – still refused to hand over unedited tapes

ImpeachmentImpeachmentSup. 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.

Resignation 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

Ford’s Term StartsFord’s Term StartsDec. 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

Foreign PolicyForeign PolicyRelied on Sec. of State, Henry KissingerLate 1974- Ford and Brezhnev agreed to

limit nuclear weaponsJuly 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

Economy in USEconomy in USAmerican products had to compete with

cheaper Japanese and European goodsUS 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.

Ford’s ResponseFord’s Response1. Whip Inflation Now (WIN) – voluntary

program of wage and price controls Americans to save money – plant

gardens US headed into recession2. 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.

SUMMARIZESUMMARIZE