Nixon’s Domestic Policy

Nixon in Person Unlike most politicians, Richard Nixon was a reserved and remote man Many respected him for his experience and political strategies He had few close friends, and often people thought he was cold and even had a mean side with his enemies Nixon avoided his Cabinet and used his White House staff to help develop policies

Domestic Policy Restoring law and order was one of them most important aspects of Nixon’s domestic policy Inflation –Inflation had doubled between 1965 and 1968 –Nixon began deficit spending or spending more money in a year than the government receives in revenues –He also proposed a 90-day freeze on wage, prices, and rents

Domestic Policy Oil Crisis –The nation’s growing population and economy used more energy every year –Coal had environmental concerns –Americans depended on cheap oil for about 1/3 of energy needs –After the U.S. backed Israel, Arab members of OPEC imposed an embargo or ban on shipping oil to the U.S. –Oil prices skyrocketed –The result was a recession

Domestic Policy Social Programs –Nixon hoped to cut spending by shutting down some of the Great Society programs –Nixon called for a new partnership between the federal government and the state governments know as the New Federalism –States would assume greater responsibility for the well-being of their own citizens

The “Southern Strategy” Nixon believed he had little to gain by supporting advances in civil rights “There are those who want instant integration and those who want segregation forever, I believe that we need to have a middle course between those two extremes.” Southern strategy was to win over white southern Democrats Nixon repeatedly opposed acts to help African Americans

The First Moon Landing On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong descended from the Eagle lunar landing craft and set foot on the moon’s surface Television viewers around the world witnessed this triumph of the Apollo program The astronauts of Apollo 11 were welcomed back as heroes