1. The Nixon Administration
Chapter 24, Section 1 Notes

3. Ch 24 Objectives #5 & #6
Summarize Nixon’s plans to lead the nation on a more conservative course
Analyze Nixon’s efforts to win the support of Southern Democrats
Describe the steps Nixon took to battle stagflation
Examine the importance of Nixon’s visits to China and the Soviet Union

4. Main Idea and Terms/Names
Richard Nixon
New Federalism
Revenue Sharing
Family Assistance Plan
Southern Strategy
Stagflation
OPEC
Realpolitik
Détente
SALT I Treaty
President Richard Nixon tried to steer the country in a conservative direction and away from federal control

5. Nixon’s Goals #1 Size & Power of Federal Gov.
Limit the federal government
Reduce its power
Reverse Johnson’s liberal policies
Restore America’s prestige and influence in the world
Fix “Vietnam”

6. Nixon’s New Conservatism #1 Size & Power of Federal Gov.
Decrease the size and influence of the federal government
New Federalism
Distribute some federal power to state/local levels
Revenue Sharing
More financial freedom for local govts.
State/local govts could spend their federal money how they saw fit

7. Nixon’s New Conservatism #2 Inefficiency of the welfare system
Welfare Reform
Family Assistance Plan (FAP)
Family of Four receives $1600/yr.
Could also earn supplemental income
Unemployed participants would have to take job training or any reasonable job
Nixon’s bill was defeated
Both liberals and conservatives attacked it.

8. Nixon’s New Conservatism #2 Inefficiency of the welfare system
New Federalism – two faces
Nixon needed support of Democrats
Wanted to reduce liberal programs
Nixon couldn’t defeat some liberal programs
Used Impoundment – withheld the necessary funds
Federal courts ordered the end of impounding

9. Law and Order #3 Vietnam & Domestic Disorder
Election of 1968 – Nixon promised to get out of Vietnam and restore law and order
Law and Order –
FBI wiretapped liberals
IRS audited anti-war and civil rights activists
Nixon compiled “enemies list”
VP – Spiro Agnew confronted the liberal media

10. Southern Strategy #4 Nixon’s reelection

11. Southern Strategy #4 Nixon’s reelection
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

13. Nixon and the Supreme Court #5 Liberalism of SC Justices
Nixon criticized Warren Court for being too liberal
Four justices retired and Nixon chose replacements (conservatives)
Nominated Warren Burger as Chief Justice

14. Nixon and the Economy #6 Stagflation & Recession
Stagflation – high inflation and high unemployment
Johnson’s Great Society and the Vietnam war were funded with deficit spending
Competition in world trade
Flood of new workers
Dependency on foreign oil – OPEC was formed and increased the price of oil

15. Nixon and the Economy #6 Stagflation & Recession
Nixon tries to reverse deficit spending
Raised taxes and cut the budget
Congress rejected plan
Nixon tries to confront inflation
Reduce amount of money in circulation
Raise interest rates
Nixon controlled wages and prices
Recession continued

16. OPEC and War
During the 1960’s the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) 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

18. Nixon’s Foreign Policy
Nixon’s top priority was peace in Vietnam
Significant advances in US relationships with China and Soviet Union

19. Nixon’s Foreign Policy
Kissinger – Secretary of State
Realpolitik – “political realism”
Foreign policy should be based on power NOT ideology
If weak country falls to communism – ignore it!
Departure from containment
US should confront powerful nations
Negotiations or military engagement

20. Nixon’s Foreign Policy #7. U.S. - China
Kissinger – Secretary of State
Détente – more flexible approach to Communist nations
Ease Cold War tensions
Nixon visits China in 1972
Opened up diplomatic and economic ties
Agreements – neither will dominate Pacific and Taiwan would eventually reunite with China

21. Nixon Visits China
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

23. Nixon’s Foreign Policy #8 U.S. Soviet Relations
Nixon visits Moscow, Soviet Union
Nixon and Brezhnev sign SALT I
Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
Limited number of intercontinental missiles
1972 “peace was at hand” in Vietnam
Peace was still elusive