Journal- United States HistoryJune 8, 2010

Problem Government

President Ronal Reagan once remarked,

“Government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem.”

What do you think Reagan meant by this statement?

What are your own thoughts on this matter?

The Nixon Administration

June 8, 2010Mr. Levinson

Election of 1968

• Nixon appealed to “middle America”• Ran against Democrat Hubert Humphrey and

third party candidate George Wallace• Nixon got 43.4% of popular vote• Wanted the South’s support…took steps to

slow desegregration,

Nixon in Office

• Dismantled several federal programs- gave control to state and local gov

• New Federalism- Congress passed a series of revenue-sharing bills that provided federal funds to state and local agencies

Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)

• Give needy families guaranteed yearly grant of $1600– Won House

approval, defeated in Senate

Foreign Policy

• Henry Kissinger is national security adviser• Attempted to become friendly with Soviet

Union and China• Nixon is anti-Communist– However rejected idea of a bipolar world– Tried to ease tensions

American-Soviet Summit

• High-level diplomatic meeting• First president to visit Soviet Union• Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) to

limit nuclear arms– Countries agreed to increase trade and exchange

of scientific information

Roots of Watergate

• Watergate scandal began as Nixon admin attempted to cover up its involvement in the break-in at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters as well as other illegal actions committed during Nixon’s re-election campaign

Election of 1972

• 5 Nixon supporters broke into Dem party headquarters– Attempted to locate campaign info and install wiretaps

on phones• Discovered by security and arrested

• James McCord was ex-CIA and worked on committee for reelection of Nixon

• Nixon claims no involvement and wins re-election

Cover-up Unravels

• James McCord agrees to cooperate with grand jury– Caused floodgate of confessions, and officials and

White House staff exposed illegalities • Allegations Nixon was involved in Cover-up

immerge

The Plot Thickens..

• VP Spiro Agnew forced to resign after it was discovered he had taken bribes from state contractors while gov of Maryland– Leader of HoR Gerald Ford becomes new VP

• Nixon had a taping system installed to record for memoirs– Supreme Court ruled he had to turn over unedited

tapes

• House Judiciary Committee voted to impeach, or officially charge Nixon of presidential misconduct– One of the tapes evidence was found that Nixon

ordered CIA to stop FBI’s investigation of beak-in• Aug 9, 1974 Nixon resigned…Ford became 38th

President

Impact of Watergate

• Prompted implementation of several new laws limiting power of executive branch and establishing a greater balance of power.

• Stricter limits on campaign contributions• Ethics in Government Act required financial

disclosure by high government officials in all 3 branches

• Watergate left Americans:– Distrustful of public officials

• Proved that no one is above the law

Video Footage

• http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4542105312378644460&ei=ZOUiSqiQHIGYrQKC7NHLDA&q=nixon+scandal&hl=en&emb=1