1. Nixon's Domestic Policy and Fall

2. Terms and People
silent majority − voters Nixon sought to reach, who did not demonstrate but rather worked and served quietly in “Middle America”
stagflation − the dual conditions of a stagnating economy and inflation
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) − group of countries which sell oil to other nations and cooperate to regulate the price and supply of oil
southern strategy − a plan to make the Republican Party a powerful force in the South by attracting the votes of blue-collar workers and southern whites

3. Terms and People (continued)
affirmative action − a policy that gives special consideration to women and minorities in order to make up for past discrimination
Watergate − the scandal that began with a burglary of Democratic Party headquarters and led to Nixon’s resignation
executive privilege − the principle that the President has the right to keep certain information confidential; used by Nixon which he felt justified his refusal to turn over his taped conversations. 3

4. What events led to Richard Nixon’s resignation as President in 1974?
President Nixon won reelection in a landslide in 1972.
Due to the Watergate scandal, however, he left office in disgrace two years later. The event changed Americans’ attitudes toward government in a way that is still felt today.

5. Nixon made a dramatic political comeback in 1968 when he won the presidency.
He did it by working to appeal to the silent majority, or those he called Middle Americans.

6. Nixon’s “new federalism” tried to give power back to the state governments by giving federal money to fund social programs
But…. Nixon actually expanded the federal government while he was in office.
To decrease the power of the federal government, he began to dismantle the Office of Economic Opportunity, cornerstone of Johnson’s “war on poverty”
Proposed creating guaranteed minimum income to every family but didn’t get approved
Instead he increased federal spending on Medicare and public housing.
He sponsored many programs that increased the size and role of the federal government.
OSHA – regulate workplaces to make them safer
DEA
EPA
Clean Air Act

7. The economy was unstable during Nixon’s presidency.
Stagflation was the combination of a recession and inflation caused by expanding federal budget deficits by the Vietnam War. Another cause was foreign competition
Oil prices went up due to an embargo issued by OPEC. Oil prices went up 400% in a year.
Nixon fought it in a variety of ways – placed a 90 day freeze on all wages and prices

8. In the election of 1972, Nixon used a new southern strategy.
Nixon’s strategy succeeded and he was reelected in a landslide. 8

9. Part of the southern strategy was when Nixon criticized the court-ordered busing of children to schools outside their neighborhoods.
Nevertheless, Nixon’s civil rights initiatives included affirmative action.

10. Despite Nixon’s strong victory, the seeds of his downfall were planted during a break-in of the Democratic Party headquarters in 1972.
The Watergate scandal, as it came to be called, changed everything.

11. Nixon denied any wrongdoing.
It was revealed that Nixon had been secretly taping conversations in the Oval Office where it was found that he was aware of the break-ins
Two Washington Post reporters investigated.

12. Nixon refused to turn over the tapes, citing executive privilege.
The Supreme Court ordered him to turn them over. 12

13. The tapes proved Nixon’s involvement, so a House committee voted to impeach him.
As a result, Nixon decided to resign in August of 1974, the first and only President ever to do so.

14. Watergate had a lasting impact on the country.
It shook the public’s confidence in its government.
It showed that the system of checks and balances worked. Not even the President was above the law.

15. Post-Watergate Government Reforms:
Federal Election Campaign Act Amendments (1974) – set limit on campaign contributions
Freedom of Information Act Amendments (1974)- penalized government officials who withheld documents illegally.
Government in the Sunshine Act (1976) – opened meetings of many government agencies to the public.