Download REG Ch19 Politics/Econ

Politics and Economics
1968 - 1980
Chapter 19
Appealing to Middle America
By 1971 nearly two-thirds of Americans
wanted us OUT of Vietnam.
Appealed to the “Silent Majority”
A month before the 1972 presidential
election, Kissinger announced that
peace was near.
Nixon won re-election in a landslide.
Nixon’s Foreign Policy
 Détente: relaxing of tensions between U.S. and Communist China and
Soviet Union
 ”Ping-pong diplomacy”: sharing culture and arts among US and China
 In 1971 American ping pong players entered China. It was the first time
Americans had entered China since the Communist takeover in 1949.
Nixon recognizes Peoples Republic of
China (Communist China) as
representatives of China instead of Taiwan

American-Soviet Moscow Summit
May 1972
 Nixon meets with Leonid Brezhnev
 The two leaders sign the SALT I plan-Strategic Arms
Limitation Treaty which limits nuclear arms.
Salt II Talks 1979
Salt I Talks 1972
Roots of Watergate
Nixon established a secret group known as the “plumbers” to
plug leaks (such as “Pentagon Papers”
Started campaign of dirty tricks that included IRS harassment
and derailing of Democratic frontrunner Edmund Muskie.
In March 1972, a group within the Committee to Reelect the
President (CREEP) made plans to wiretap the phones at the
Democratic National Committee Headquarters at the Watergate
apartment complex in Washington, D.C.
The break-in and the cover-up which resulted became known as the
Watergate scandal
Nixon had taped his sessions of meetings with staff showing that he knew
of the cover-up. In addition, he had asked the CIA to talk to the FBI to
stop the investigation.
Nixon Resigns
RESIGNATION
 A delegation of the most senior members
of Congress, led by Barry Goldwater,
informed the President that no more than
15 Senators still supported him
 On August 9, 1974, Nixon resigned
Gerald Ford (R)
• VP Agnew’s resignation in
October of 1973-taking bribes
as Governor of Maryland
• Gerald Ford appointed by
Nixon to replace Agnew
• Ford succeeds Nixon as
president (first president not
elected by population)
The Nixon Pardon
September 8, 1974
 One of Ford’s first
actions, and his most
controversial, was to
issue a full pardon to
Richard Nixon for any
crimes he might have
committed.
 I, Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States, pursuant to the
pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the
Constitution…do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard
Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard
Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during
the period from July (January) 20, 1969 through August 9, 1974.
Economic Crisis of the 1970s
The Yom Kippur War, also known as the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, was a war fought
by the coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria against Israel from October
6 to 25, 1973
Egyptian and Syrian forces crossed ceasefire lines to enter
the Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights respectively, which had
been captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. Both the
United States and the Soviet Union initiated massive resupply
efforts to their respective allies during the war, and this led to
a near-confrontation between the two nuclear superpowers
The 1978 Camp David Accords that followed led to the return
of the Sinai to Egypt and normalized relations—the first
peaceful recognition of Israel by an Arab country. Egypt
continued its drift away from the Soviet Union and left the
Soviet sphere of influence entirely.
OPEC OIL EMBARGO
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members
of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the
OAPEC (consisting of the Arab members of OPEC,
plus Egypt, Syria and Tunisia) proclaimed an oil embargo.
Due to U.S. support for Israel in Yom Kippur War, OAPEC
decided to retaliate, announcing an oil embargo
against Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom,
and the United States. It lasted until March 1974.
A Stagnant Economy
 Declining manufacturing and loss of jobs.
1970s, first time US imported more goods
than exported. High levels of inflation and a
stagnant economy with high employment:
stagflation
 Nixon took US off “gold standard” and put
US on “fiat” currency (money that has value
because the government says it has value
and requires people to accept if for payment
of goods and services.
 President Ford: Whip Inflation Now (WIN)
tried to reduce inflation, keep taxes low but
little effect on economy
The Election of 1976
 Pres. Ford (R) ran against Democrat James Carter, the former
Governor of Georgia; “Call me Jimmy”
 Carter was a born-again Christian who vowed that he would
never lie to the American people: elected President!
 Carter “deregulated” oil industry to fix oil crisis.
 Carter believed Americans had lost their national will. “Crisis of
Confidence” speech. Many Americans felt that
Pres. Carter was blaming them for his failures.
 Economy continued to falter.
The Community Reinvestment Act
The Community Reinvestment Act.
Law designed to encourage commercial
banks and savings associations to help meet
the needs of borrowers in all segments of
their communities, including low- and
moderate-income neighborhoods. Congress
passed the Act in 1977 to reduce
discriminatory credit practices against lowincome neighborhoods, a practice known as
redlining.
Redlining is the practice of denying, or charging
more for services to residents in particular, often
racially determined areas. Refers to the practice of
marking a red line
on a map to delineate the area where banks would
not invest;
The CRA was passed to
discourage redlining, a practice originally
based on Home Owners Loan Corporation
"residential security maps," like this 1937
security map of Philadelphia.
Carter’s Foreign Policy
In inaugural address, spoke of US foreign policy to be honest and truthful.
1978: Gave control of Panama Canal back to Panamanian government as of 1999.
1979 – Soviets invade Afghanistan. US sent aid to rebels in
1980. U.S. boycotts Moscow Summer Olympics
in protest. Beat the Soviet Union hockey team in Winter
Olympics. “Miracle on Ice”
Triumph and Failure in the Middle East
Camp David Accords
1978--Israel and Egypt to agree to end 30
years of intermittent warfare. This put the
leadership of the anti-Israel alliance into the
hands of Iraq and Iran. Carter’s failure to
solve a crisis with Iran, holding US
hostages, cost him the 1980 election.
Iran Hostage Crisis
1979--The Iranian Revolution overthrow Mohammad Reza
Shah Pahlavi (Shah of Iran), who was supported by
the United States, and its eventual replacement with an Islamic
republic under the Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Operation Eagle Claw : US Forces ordered
by Pres. Carter to attempt to end the Iran
hostage crisis by rescuing diplomats held
captive at the embassy of the United States.
Total failure.
Iran Hostage Crisis--Shiite Muslims in Iran
seized 52 US hostages and held them in Tehran
for 444 days.
New Approaches to Civil Rights
•Early 1970s - a push for improved education for African
Americans.
•Schools in white neighborhoods had better supplies, facilities,
and teachers.
•To desegregate schools, local governments implemented a
policy known as busing, where children were transported to
schools outside their neighborhoods to gain racial
balance.
New Approaches to Civil Rights
•1960s and 1970s - minority groups organized to improve their
positions in society. Affirmative action is intended to promote
the opportunities of defined minority groups within a society to
give them equal access to that of the privileged majority
population
•African American leaders looked to affirmative action to gain
good jobs and adequate housing.
•Required companies and institutions doing business with the
federal government to actively recruit African American
employees.
•Later included other minorities groups & women.
The Bakke Case
•In 1974 Allan Bakke, a white
applicant, was turned down for
admission to the University of
California Medical School.
•Slots had been set aside for
minorities.
•1978 - in University of California
Regents v. Bakke, the Supreme
Court ruled that the university had
violated Bakke’s rights and had used
reverse discrimination against him.
•Schools could no longer set quotas
Native Americans Raise Their Voices
•Native Americans began to organize in the late
1960s and early 1970s as a result of grievances:
* Low income
* High unemployment
* Discrimination
* Limited education
* Short life expectancy
Formed militant groups such as the American Indian Movement (AIM).
Since Native Americans began to organize, many reservations have improved their
economic conditions. Businesses such as electric plants, resorts, cattle ranches
and oil and gas reserves. Due to sovereignty of Native Indian lands, some Native
Americans operate casinos even though state laws prevent others.
Disability Rights Movement
• 1968 Architectural Barriers Act: required that new
buildings constructed with federal funds be accessible
to persons with disabilities.
•The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (often just called the
“Rehab Act”) prohibits discrimination on the basis of
disability in programs run by federal agencies;
programs that receive federal financial assistance; in
federal employment; and in the employment practices
of federal contractors.
1990 Congress enacted the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Banned discrimination against persons with disabilities in
employment, transportation, public education and telecommunications
Environmentalism
During the 1960s and 1970s,
environmental issues became
a significant concern for many
Americans.
Some argued that the use of pesticides had
damaged wildlife and that pollution had fouled
air and water
•Marine biologist Rachel Carson
wrote about pesticides in her book
Silent Spring. She argued that
pesticides were also killing birds and fish.
Environmental Issues
• Environmental concerns:
* Cutting down trees in the Northwest
* Smog from factories, power plants,
and cars in the cities
* Oil spills
* Pollution and garbage in Lake Erie.
April 1970 - first Earth Day to focus on the
country’s environmental concerns
•Citizens formed local environmental
groups:
* Sierra Club
* Audubon Society
* Wilderness Society
Environmental Issues
•1970 - Pres. Nixon signed a law creating the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
•EPA’s purpose:
* Sets pollution standards
* Promotes research
* Coordinates anti-pollution activities
with state and local governments.
•1973 - Pres. Nixon signed a law creating
the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
•ESA’s purpose: An Act to provide for the conservation of
endangered and threatened species of fish, wildlife, and plants,
and for other purposes.
•The Act is administered by two federal agencies, the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Environmental Issues
March 1979 - reactors at the Three Mile
Island nuclear facility overheated, causing
low levels of radiation to escape
Although the plant was eventually declared
safe, the incident left the public in doubt
about the safety of nuclear energy
1960s and 1970s - Americans demanded
product safety
•Leader in the consumer protection
movement - Ralph Nader. Wrote Unsafe
at Any Speed.
•Results: seat belts, safer cars, toys,
clothes, etc.
Reviewing Key Terms
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
__
D 1. section of the 1972 Educational
Amendments prohibiting
federally funded schools from
discriminating against girls and
young women in nearly all
aspects of their operations
__
B 2. a group living arrangement in
which members share
everything and work together
__
H 3. fog made heavier and darker
by smoke and chemical fumes
__
I 4. a fuel formed in the earth from
decayed plant or animal
remains
A.
counterculture
B.
commune
C.
feminism
D.
Title IX
E.
affirmative
action
F.
busing
G.
bilingualism
H.
smog
I.
fossil fuel
Reviewing Key Terms (cont.)
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
__
A 5. a culture with values and
beliefs different than the
mainstream
__
E 6. an active effort to improve
employment or educational
opportunities for minorities
__
C 7. the belief that men and
women should be equal
politically, economically,
and socially
__
F 8. a policy of transporting
children to schools outside
their neighborhoods to
achieve greater racial balance
A.
counterculture
B.
commune
C.
feminism
D.
Title IX
E.
affirmative
action
F.
busing
G.
bilingualism
H.
smog
I.
fossil fuel
Reviewing Key Terms (cont.)
Define Match the terms on the right with their definitions on
the left.
__
G 9. the practice of teaching
immigrant students in their
own language
A.
counterculture
B.
commune
C.
feminism
D.
Title IX
E.
affirmative
action
F.
busing
G.
bilingualism
H.
smog
I.
fossil fuel