Doubt and Uncertainty
Nixon and Ford
“Boo-yeah!” “Nah, that’s cool. I’m not really doing anything important…”
Break in at Democratic National Committee headquarters
June 7, 1972
Virgilio González, Bernard Barker, James W. McCord, Jr.,
Eugenio Martínez, and Frank Sturgis were arrested and
connected to the Committee to Re-Elect the President
(CReeP)
Investigation shows they received pay directly from the
Nixon administration
Watergate
Why did Nixon hire these men?
Payments totaling $89,000 directly from re-
election campaign fund
Several very high ranking Republican
politicians involved
Despite allegations Nixon won landslide
vote November 7, 1972
Investigation
July 1973, White House aide Alexander Butterfield testifies about Nixon’s secret taping system
Tapes were subpoenaed Nixon resisted and released transcripts
◦ 18 ½ minutes of white noise◦ Omissions on transcripts
Further implicate president and politicians ◦ Obstruction of Justice◦ Conspiracy◦ Misappropriation of funds
Tapes
“Smoking Gun” tape◦ Implicated Nixon fully of illegal activities◦ Irreparably damaged Nixon politically
“Watergate Seven”◦ Parkinson, Mardian, Stratchan, Colson, Mitchell,
Ehrlichman, Haldeman◦ Indict Nixon as coconspirator
Resigns before they remove him from office to help soften blow
August 9, 1974
Resignation
How reliable are the transcripts?
How reliable are the tapes?
What must we consider when looking at either of these?
What advantages and disadvantages are there?
Ford
Proclamation 4311 granted Nixon a full pardon September 8, 1974.
Many members of Ford’s staff resigned in protest◦ Controversial ◦ Implications
Pardon Me?
What benefits were there to this?
Whip Inflation Now (WIN) October 8, 1974 Speech◦ Believed that inflation was primary threat to
economy◦ Increase corporate and wealthy taxes by 5%
Education for All Handicapped Children Act 1975 Established programs for Special needs children But contributes to deficit
Whip It Good
Whip Inflation Now
September 1974 Ford granted conditional amnesty to Draft Dodgers◦ 2 years of voluntary non-combat service◦ Who would this offer appeal too or offend?
Democratic South Vietnam falls to Communist North 1974◦ Public perception?◦ Implications?
Vietnam
SALT I (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) Nov. 1969 – May 1972◦ Froze stockpiles of ICBM’s◦ Ford and Brezhnev (Soviet PM)◦ Opened Asia to Ford
"We live in an interdependent world and, therefore, must work together to resolve common economic problems,"
~Ford,1974 speech
Thawing the Cold War
Reagan 1981-1989About Face
“Nah, Nah poo poo heads!”
Nixon era price and wage controls had led to stagflation ◦ Rising Unemployment and inflation
The Plan ◦ Reduce government spending◦ Reduce income tax rates◦ Reduce government regulation◦ Control the money supply to reduce inflation
“Reaganomics”
Eventually reduced taxes on highest bracket from 70% to 28%
Increased debt from $997 Billion to $2.85 Trillion
Americans below the poverty level increased from 29 million in 1980 to over 30 million in 1988
The Result
Taft Hartley Act 1947◦ Made it illegal for government workers to strike
August 3, 1981 Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization officially goes on strike
Reagan had taken a hard line against Unions
When strikers refused to work◦ Reagan fired over 11,000 people
Strike
Reagan Doctrine◦ Oppose global influence of Soviet Union◦ Covert and Overt Operation ◦ Rollback rather than containment
Reagan’s Administration Came under fire for how it handled foreign policy at times. ◦ Afghanistan◦ Lebanon◦ Nicaragua ◦ Honduras◦ Angola
Igniting the Cold War
Intention is to cost indirectly fight Soviets Carter began funding the Mujahideen (One
involved with jihad) freedom fighters against Soviet Union
Heritage Foundation◦ Fund those opposing Soviet forces
Afghanistan and Rollback
Drug enforcement Bill1987 granted $1.7 billion
Redefined drug charges◦ Criticized for Racial Bias
War on Drugs
By the Numbers
Vocal about injustices against Blacks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay9BWM8lwOA
Tupac Shakur
Bush Sr. 89’-93’
“ABSOLUTE POWER!”
Spending on Healthcare and Childcare Had to increase taxes in order to deal with
Reagan’s debt ($220 Billion)◦ Alienated President from both Political Camps
Americans With Disabilities Act 1990◦ Ended Discrimination of disabled persons
Domestic Policy
North American Free Trade Agreement◦ Negotiations start 1986 but Bush made biggest
push for ratification Canada, United States and Mexico were
members Eliminated majority of Tariffs. Restricted patents, copyrights, trademarks
and removed investment restrictions
NAFTA
August 1 1990 Saddam Hussein invades oil rich neighbor Kuwait
Promised a “New World Order” January 17th 1991started bombing Iraqi
forces Coalition forces take Kuwait City and push
Iraqis out of country Stopped at the border without removing
Hussein
Persian Gulf
Manuel Noriega a former ally of the United States was accused of smuggling drugs into the United States through the Canal ◦ Still During Reagan
Country held elections and Guillermo Endara was elected May 1989
Noriega annulled results and maintained power.
Panama
US 2000 more troops Panama citizens attempt coup American killed by Noriega’s forces Bush sends 24,000 troop in response Jan.
1989 Remove Noriega from power
Response
Reagan held tough anti-Communist sentiments
Bush under advice from European leaders like Margaret Thatcher (British) met with Gorbachev (Soviet) ◦ December1989 in Malta
Opened dialogue for treaties and agreements
Breaking the Ice