The Nixon Administration

Nixon’s First Term in Office With his election win in 1968, Richard Nixon looked to set a new domestic tone in Washington. His first administration was marked by: –New Federalism: A policy aimed at down-sizing the federal government. –Welfare Reform: A defeated policy aimed at making welfare recipients responsible for their own futures. –Law & Order Politics: A sometimes corrupt policy of using the FBI - CIA & IRS to restore order among the Anti- War protesters who were the cause of violent uprisings in American cities.

Effect of New Federalism Nixon’s “New Federalism” helped some social programs – while at the same time hurting others. Help: Increased funding for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, & Food Stamps. Hurt: Pulled funding for the Job Corps, Dept. of Housing & Urban Development, and cancelled LBJ’s Economic Opportunity Act.

Nixon’s Failed Welfare Plan Known as the Family Assistance Plan (FAP) – Nixon’s plan for welfare called for: –Families with no source of outside income to receive $1600 a year – with the provision that they work for a supplemental $4000 through the plan. –Workers would have to take job training and accept any reasonable work offered to them.

Law & Order Politics To keep his campaign promise to mend the divided American public – Nixon used the powers of his office to silence the “trouble makers.” – which he equated with the Anti-War movement. He ordered personal investigations by the CIA, wire-tapping by the FBI, and auditing by the IRS, of suspected left wing instigators that he put on his “enemies list.” Operation Northwood

Nixon’s Right Hand Man To help execute his foreign policy – Nixon looked to Henry Kissinger - his Secretary of State. Kissinger ushered in a philosophy called realpolitik. Realpolitik is a strategy of dealing with countries based on power alone – not morals or philosophical beliefs. Example: If a country is weak – ignore that country even if it differs with U.S. ideals - i.e.. (Communism) This strategy broke the long held – confrontational - U.S. policy of “Containment.” Nixon & Kissinger’s flexible policy toward communism was called détente (a policy aimed at easing Cold War tensions.)

Henry Kissinger

Nixon the Statesman To prove his new foreign policy could work – Nixon startled the world by traveling to Communist China to open diplomatic relations with that country. In visiting China, Nixon hoped to exploit a “rift” between the Chinese & the Soviets. Nixon commented “We want to have the Chinese with us when we sit down and negotiate with the Russians.”

Nixon in China

Nixon & Zhou En-lai

Nixon the Statesman Next – Nixon visited Moscow – the first President ever to visit the Soviet capital. Nixon & Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev had a series of meetings called the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT). Before leaving, the leaders signed the SALT I Treaty – limiting the number of long range missiles to 1972 levels.

1972 SALT I Treaty Richard Nixon & Leonid Brezhnev

Election of 1972 Nixon’s success in Moscow & China fueled his campaign for the1972 election. In addition to his foreign success – Nixon also worked out a “Southern Strategy” at home to gain votes that he did not have in Nixon wanted the former voters of George Wallace. The strategy called for ordering a delay in school integration, opposing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and opposing school integration by bussing.

1972 Election

1972: Nixon Wins