CHAPTER 24
THE AGE OF LIMITS
GENERAL INFORMATION
-
THE NIXON PRESIDENCY BEGAN IN TRIUMPH AND ENDED IN
DISGRACE
o THE NIXON
PRESIDENCY MARKS THE CULMINATION OF AND THE END OF THE IMPERIAL PRESIDENCY
§ INCLUDES
· DÉTENTE WITH
COMMUNISTS
·
WATERGATE
-
CHARACTERISTICS OF A CONSERVATIVE
o
DEFENDS THE STATUS QUO
o
OPPOSES RAPID CHANGE
o
DISLIKES GOVERNMENT REGULATION OF THE ECONOMY
o
FAVORS STATE AND LOCAL ACTION AS OPPOSED TO FEDERAL ACTION
-
NIXON’S NEW CONSERVATISM
o
APPEALED TO THE SILENT MAJORITY, OR THE MIDDLE CLASS
§ THE UNBLACK,
UNPOOR, AND THE UNYOUNG
o
NEW FEDERALISM – PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO REVERSE THE FLOW OF POWER FROM THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT TO THE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
§ EXAMPLE – REVENUE SHARING, WORKFARE
o
LAW AND ORDER POLITICS
§ NIXON UTILIZED THE FBI, THE CIA,
AND THE IRS TO HARASS AND INTIMIDATE ANYONE WHO OPPOSED NIXON OR WHO APPEARED
TO BE A THREAT TO HIS POWER
24/2
o SOUTHERN STRATEGY
§ APPEAL TO CONSERVATIVE
DEMOCRATS WHO ARE UNHAPPY WITH
· DESEGREGATION
o
OPPOSED MANDATORY BUSING
o
OPPOSED EXTENSION OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT
· LIBERAL SUPREME COURT
o
ATTEMPTED TO SWAY THE SUPREME COURT TO A MORE CONSERVATIVE BENT BY
APPOINTING CONSERVATIVES TO THE COURT
-
NIXON ATTACKS STAGFLATION
o
Def – AN ECONOMY THAT SUFFERS FROM BOTH INFLATION AND RECESSION
SIMULTANEOUSLY
§ CAUSES
·
DEFICIT SPENDING
o
GOVERNMENT SPENDING RAISES THE OVERALL PRICE LEVEL
o
OIL SHORTAGES
§ OPEC INSTITUTES AN OIL EMBARGO
BECAUSE OF US SUPPORT OF ISRAEL IN THE YON KIPPUR WAR
· UNEMPLOYMENT RISES BECAUSE
OF LOST JOBS DUE TO A DECREASE IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE
§ NIXON’S REACTION
· TRIED TO RAISE TAXES, RAISE
INTEREST RATES AND CUT THE FEDERAL BUDGET
o
OPPOSED BY CONGRESS
· INSTITUTED WAGE AND PRICE
CONTROLS
o
ONLY A TEMPORARY SOLUTION
24/3
-
HE AND HENRY KISSINGER PURSUED A POLICY OF REALPOLITIK OR “REAL
POLITICS”
o
A PRACTICAL AND FLEXIBLE FOREIGN POLICY
§ EVALUATE A NATION’S POWER
NOT ITS POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
§ A DEPARTURE FROM THE POLICY
OF CONTAINMENT
§ DÉTENTE – def – A POLICY OF
CO-OPERATION AND ACCOMMODATION
-
NIXON RECOGNIZES THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
-
NIXON AND BREZHNEV SIGN S.A.L.T. I
TREATY
o
LIMITS ICBM’S AND SUBMARINE LAUNCHED MISSILES
WATERGATE
-
THE DEFINING MOMENT OF THE NIXON PRESIDENCY
-
A SCANDAL THAT CENTERED AROUND THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION’S ATTEMPT TO
COVER UP A BURGLARY OF DNC HEADQUARTERS
-
THE CHRONOLOGY OF WATERGATE
o
THE “PLUMBERS” HEADED BY
JAMES McCORD WERE CAUGHT BREAKING INTO DNC TO PHOTOGRAPH DOCUMENTS AND TO BUG OFFICE TELEPHONES
§ INITIALLY INSTITUTED TO STOP
UNAUTHORIZED LEAKS
o
McCORD WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF “CREEP” WHICH WAS
HEADED BY FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL JOHN MITCHELL
24/4
o
THE “PRESIDENT’S MEN DECIDED TO COVER UP NIXON’S KNOWLEDGE OF THE BREAKIN
§ JOHN EHRLICHMAN
– CHIEF DOMESTIC ADVISOR
§ JOHN HALDEMAN
– CHIEF OF STAFF
§ JOHN DEAN – CHIEF COUNCIL
§ JOHN MITCHELL – ATTORNEY
GENERAL
o
BOB WOODWARD AND CARL BERNSTEIN
§ 2 WASHINGTON POST REPORTERS
WHO UNCOVERED INFORMATION THAT LINKED NIXON’S CLOSEST ADVISORS TO THE BURGLARY
AND THE COVERUP
· BASED ARTICLES UPON
INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM “DEEP THROAT”
o
A SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE UNDER THE CONTROL OF SENATOR SAM IRVIN
BEGINS ITS INVESTIGATION OF THE WATERGATE AFFAIR
§ ARCHIBALD COX IS APPOINTED
AS SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR BY ATTORNEY GENERAL ELLIOTT RICHARDSON
§ JOHN DEAN TESTIFIES TO
NIXON’S KNOWLEDGE OF THE COVER UP
§ ALEXANDER BUTTERFIELD
TESTIFIES TO THE EXISTENCE OF A SECRET TAPING SYSTEM INSTALLED IN THE OVAL
OFFICE
§ NIXON REFUSES TO GIVE UP THE
TAPES ON GROUNDS OF PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY
o SATURDAY NIGHT MASSACRE
§ NIXON FIRES HIS ATTORNEY
GENERAL AND DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO FIRE SPECIAL
PROSECUTOR COX
§ LEON JAWORSKI
IS APPOINTED AS NEW SPECIAL PROSECUTOR – HE IS EQUALLY DETERMINED
24/5
o U.S. V. NIXON
§ NIXON IS ORDERED TO GIVE UP
TAPES
§ THE TAPES THAT WERE PROVIDED
HAD SIGNIFICANT GAPS
· IMPLICATION OF TAMPERING
§ NIXON RESIGNS UNDER THREAT
OF IMPEACHMENT
-
PRODUCED A DEEP DISILLUSIONMENT WITH THE IMPERIAL PRESIDENCY
-
FORCES A PRESIDENT TO RESIGN
-
THE SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES DOES WORK
-
SUCCEEDS TO THE PRESIDENCY AFTER NIXON RESIGNS
-
HE IS THE ONLY NON-ELECTED PRESIDENT
-
HE IS BEST REMEMBERED FOR HIS “PARDON” OF RICHARD NIXON
o
HE FELT THAT THE HEALING PROCESS MUST BEGIN
-
BECAUSE OF A WEAKENED PRESIDENCY HE IS UNSUCCESSFUL IN ACCOMPLISHING
MUCH EITHER DOMESTICALLY OR IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS
o
HE IS CHALLENGED BY A DEMOCRATICALLY CONTROLLED CONGRESS
o
FAILED IN HIS ATTEMPTS TO CURB INFLATION
o
W.I.N. – A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM
ASKING CITIZENS TO CUT BACK ON THE CONSUMPTION OF OIL AND GAS
o
HE PURSUED A TIGHT MONEY POLICY AND CUT FEDERAL SPENDING CAUSING THE
WORST RECESSION IN 40 YEARS
24/6
-
HE ALLOWS HENRY KISSINGER TO CONDUCT FOREIGN
AFFAIRS
o
WHY – LITTLE OR NO EXPERIENCE
o
HELSINKI ACCORDS – PROMISED GREATER CO-OPERATION BETWEEN EASTERN AND WESTERN EUROPE
- HIS VICTORY IN THE ELECTION OF 1972 REFLECTS VOTER CYNICISM WITH NATIONAL POLITICS
o HE PROMISES TO RESTORE INTEGRITY TO THE PRESIDENCY
-
HE RUNS AND IS VICTORIOUS BECAUSE HE PAINTS HIMSELF AS AN OUTSIDER
o
THIS HURTS HIM BECAUSE HE ALIENATES CONGRESS
-
HE IS THE ONLY CANDIDATE TO LOCK UP A CONVENTION
o
THIS PUTS INCREASED EMPHASIS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PRIMARIES
-
CARTER’S DOMESTIC AGENDA
o
DOMINATED BY STAGFLATION
§ Def – AN ECONOMIC SITUATION
THAT EXPERIENCES BOTH INFLATION AND RECESSION SIMULTANEOUSLY
§ HIGH ENERGY PRICES
EXACERBATE INFLATION
· INFLATION REACHES A HIGH OF
14%
· OPEC CONTINUES TO RAISE PRICES
§ UNEMPLOYMENT RISES DUE TO
LOSS OF MANUFACTURING JOBS
· GROWING OVERSEAS COMPETITION
o
CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATES BECOME DISENCHANTED
§ HE IS INCAPABLE OF GETTING
SIGNIFICANT LEGISLATION PASSED
24/7
§ THE BAKKE
CASE ENDANGERS AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
· Def – SHOWING PREFERENCE TO
MINORITIES TO MAKE UP FOR PAST INSTANCES OF DISCRIMINATION
· REVERSE DISCRIMINATION IS SUCCESSFULLY ARGUED
o
Def – DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE MAJORITY
-
CARTER’S FOREIGN POLICY
o
DOMINATED BY AN EMPHASIS ON HUMAN RIGHTS
§ FOREIGN POLICY SHOULD BE
INFLUENCED BY MORAL PRINCIPLES
· IN THIS SENSE HE IS LIKE
WILSON
§ REPLACES REALPOLITIK
OF THE NIXON ERA
§ FOREIGN POLICY INFLUENCED BY
LINKAGE
· Def – U.S. SUPPORT AND AID
WOULD BE LINKED TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD OF NATIONS
§ MANY ARGUED THAT THIS POLICY
UNDERCUT OUR ALLIES
o
COLLAPSE OF DÉTENTE
§ SALT II DIES
· CARTER CHASTISES THE SOVIETS
WHEN THEY INVADE AFGHANISTAN
o
THE U.S. CEDES ITS RIGHTS TO THE PANAMA CANAL
24/8
o
THE U.S. AND THE MIDDLE EAST
§
CAMP DAVID ACCORDS
· CARTER MEDIATES AN AGREEMENT
TO BRING PEACE TO THE MIDDLE EAST
· MENACHEM BEGIN, ANWAR
SADAT, AND JAMES CARTER
o
ISRAEL RETURNS THE SINAI TO EGYPT
§ LOST IN THE OCTOBER WAR
o
AGREES TO SET ASIDE TERRITORY FOR THE CREATION OF A PALESTINIAN STATE
§ THE WEST BANK AND THE GAZA
STRIP
o
EGYPT IS THE FIRST ARAB NATION TO RECOGNIZE ISRAEL
§ GIVES DIPLOMATIC LEGITIMACY
TO ISRAEL
§ IRAN HOSTAGE CRISIS
· CONSERVATIVES HEADED BY
AYATOLLAH KHOMENI STAGE A COUP D’ETAT AND OVERTHROW
THE GOVERNMENT OF SHAH PALAVI
· A THEOCRACY IS ESTABLISHED BASED
UPON FUNDAMENTALIST ISLAMIC DOCTRINE
· 52 AMERICANS ARE TAKEN
HOSTAGE AS REPRISAL FOR THE U.S. ALLOWING THE SHAH TO UNDERGO MEDICAL TREATMENT
IN THE U.S.
o
THEY ARE HELD 444 DAYS
o
CARTER FAILS BOTH DIPLOMATICALLY AND MILITARILY IN SECURING THE RELEASE
OF THE HOSTAGES
§ THE HOSTAGES ARE FINALLY
RELEASED DURING THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION