Ch 24 Sec 1 -The Nixon
Administration
1969-1974
LIBERAL vs CONSERVATIVE
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What is the difference between a LIBERAL
and a CONSERVATIVE?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_k_k
-bHigM
How would the actions of a LIBERAL
President differ from those of a
CONSERVATIVE President?
Nixon’s New Conservatism
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Nixon was determined to turn the US into a
more conservative direction with a sense of
order
The US was intensely divided over Vietnam
Nixon felt LBJ’s Great Society programs gave
the federal gov. too much respons.
Q#1 - Nixon’s plan was New Federalism which
was to distribute a portion of federal power to
state and local government
Under the Revenue Sharing Plan state and local
gov. could spend Fed. $ how they saw fit
Welfare Reform Q#2
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Nixon wanted to overhaul welfare which
he felt had grown inefficient
In 1969 Nixon introduced the Federal
Assistance Plan (FAP) which a family of
four would receive a basic family income
of $1,500 to $4,000, job training would
be given and any job would have to be
accepted by the participant
It passed the House, but was attacked by both
parties in the Senate and the bill was defeated;
Nixon then took steps to both strengthen AND
weaken federal programs…
Two Sides to New Federalism Q#3
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The Nixon administration increased Social
Security, Medicare, Medicare and made food
stamps more accessible
Yet Nixon tried to eliminate the Job Corps, and
in 1970 he denied funding for (HUD)
By 1973 Nixon had impounded (withheld) more
than $15 billion in funds for housing, health,
and education (Courts overturned the
impounding)
Nixon abolished the Office of Economic
Opportunity – which had been an important
part of Johnson’s antipoverty program.
Law and Order Politics Q#4
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Nixon pledged to end the war in Vietnam
He pledged to mend American divisions
He played to the “silent majority”
Nixon used the FBI and CIA to investigate
American dissidents and political enemies
The IRS was used to audit anti-war and
civil rights activists returns
Nixon had a “enemies list” of who to
harass
VP Agnew attacked liberals, the media,
and anti-war protestors ( Pit-bull)
Law & Order policies Q5
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These were policies promised to the
“silent majority” by Nixon; he used “the
full resources of his office – sometimes
illegally” to end the riots & demonstrators
who persisted from the 1960’s. Examples:
illegally wiretapped “left wing” liberals;
investigated & started files on
“dissidents”; IRS audited anti-war & civil
rights activists. LEGAL OR ILLEGAL??
Nixon’s Southern Strategy - Q7
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Nixon tried to get support from white
southern democrats who were unhappy
with federal desegregation policies and a
liberal supreme court
Nixon favored slow desegregation, in
1969 he ordered the Dept. of Health, Ed,
and Welfare to delay segregation in Miss.
and SC ( Overturned by the Supreme
Court)
Desegregation though school busing
became a civil rights issue ( Whites in
Detroit and Boston opposed it) Nixon was
opposed to it
Nixon & Civil Rights Q9
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Nixon followed a policy of slowing
desegregation in order to attract white
voters. He wanted to follow a policy of
desegregation that was more middle road
– not too fast or too slow.
Examples? P. 797
Causes of Stagflation Q10
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Between 1967-1973 the US faced high
unemployment and high inflation
(Stagflation) Explanation
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High Inflation was caused by LBJ funding
the war and the Great Society through
deficit spending
Increased International Competition in
trade
Floods of new workers (Domestic Baby
Boomers and Foreign)
Heavy dependence of foreign oil
OPEC and War
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During the 1960’s the Organization of
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
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raised the price of oil
The Six Days War in 1967 impacted prices
The 1973 Yom Kippur War between Israel
and Egypt and Syria rose prices
The US sent massive military aid to Israel,
Arab OPEC nations cut oil sales to the US
(Oil Embargo) By 1974 price increased 4x
Major gas lines and shortages in the US
early, mid 1970’s
“Shuttle Diplomacy” Q12
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Secretary of State
Henry Kissinger
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traveled back and
forth between Middle
Eastern countries
Kissinger’s efforts
paid off
In January 1974
Egypt and Israel
signed a peace accord
In May Israel signed a
cease fire with Syria
Nixon Battles Stagflation Q10
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To reverse deficit spending Nixon raised
taxes and cut the budget (Congress
opposed)
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Nixon tried to reduce the amount of $ in
circulation by pushing for higher interest
rates
Nixon took the US off the gold standard
In 1971 Nixon froze wages, rents, fees
and prices for 90 days it helped
temporality but the recession continued
Nixon’s Foreign Policy Q13/14
Kissinger promoted the idea of the
“realpolitik” which was political
realism (Foreign policy is based on
consolidation of power)
 US should confront and deal with the
powerful nations
(Negotiations/Militarily)
 Nixon and Kissinger had a flexible
approach in dealing with Comm.
 They pushed for “détente” or a
relaxing of Cold War tensions
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Nixon Visits China
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Since 1949 the US had not recognized the
Communist Chinese Government
“Ping-pong” diplomacy began in 1971
Nixon wanted to play the “China Card”
and take advantage of the rift between
the China and the USSR
Nixon’s visit to China was symbolic and it
opened up diplomatic and economic
relations
Both would cooperate and participate in
scientific and cultural exchanges
Nixon Visits the USSR
In May 1972, three months after
visiting China, Nixon became the first
President to visit Moscow
 Nixon met with Soviet leader Leonid
Brezhnev
 They signed the Strategic Arms
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Limitation Treaty (SALT I) Q17
It limited ICBM’s and sub missiles to
1972 levels
 Nixon offered to sell $ 1 billion in
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