a nation adrift (1973-1980)

A NATION ADRIFT (1973-1980)

Chapter 25

What’s a Good Name Worth? Proverbs 22:1 A good name is more

desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

1 Samuel 9:6 But the servant replied, “Look, in this town there is a man of God; he is highly respected, and everything he says comes true. Let’s go there now. Perhaps he will tell us what way to take.”

What’s a Good Name Worth? 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 Therefore, since

through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

Who are some Americans from U.S. History whom you consider to have a “good name?”

Watergate

Election of 1972 5 burglars are

arrested for breaking into the DNC headquarters at the Watergate office complex.

White House denies involvement.

Nixon wins election in November 1972.

More of the story starts to come out.

Woodward & Bernstein

Higher-ups alleged to be behind the break-in.

Cover up? C.Re.E.P

Libelous letters Broke into Daniel

Ellsberg’s psychiatrist’s office

The Big Question….

Did Nixon know what his supporters were up to?

The Vice President Resigns.

Spiro T. Agnew, former Gov. of Maryland

Bribery scandal involving building contractors

Resigned October 1973 (less than 1 year in office)

Contributed to the corrupt image of the Nixon administration

Gerald Ford, V.P. Nixon nominates

and Congress confirms Gerald Ford to replace Agnew as V.P.

25th Amendment to the Constitution (ratified 1967)

Investigation Continues… No evidence that Nixon was involved

until… A White House staffer revealed that the

president had installed a recording device to record all conversations in the Oval office.

Courts and Congress subpoena the tapes.

Nixon tries to avoid turning over the tapes, but the Supreme Court orders him to.

The tapes reveal dirty tricks and deception in the administration.

Nixon was probably involved in the cover up of the Watergate break-in.

Nixon Resigns. President Nixon faced almost certain

impeachment by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives

And removal from office by the Democrat-controlled Senate.

Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974.

“My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.” – President Gerald Ford

President Gerald R. Ford of Michigan becomes the first UNELECTED president of the United States.

Pardon me? After one month in

office, President Ford granted former President Nixon a full pardon.

As a result, he became very unpopular.

Trivia: President Ford suffered two

assassination attempts as president. Both the would-be assassins were

women.“Squeaky” Fromme – follower of Charles

Manson (pointed a gun at him)Sara Jane Moore – mentally disturbed

bookkeeper (fired a shot but missed)

Ford’s Unpopularity The Nixon Pardon Critical Perception Hostile Congress 1975: South

Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia fall to the Communists.

A paralyzed presidency.

What’s a Good Name Worth? After the experiences of the Bay of Pigs

invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassinations of JFK, MLK, and RFK, the struggles and revelations of the Vietnam War, the hippie generation, the Agnew scandal and the Watergate scandal, Americans are very traumatized and wonder what has become of the great United States of America.

Happy 200th Birthday, America! 1976 marked the

200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Large celebrations everywhere.

Domestic Difficulties

Economic WoesEnergy Crisis

OPEC Oil Embargo – 1973 Yom Kippur War

Nixon’s Wage & Price Controls Shortages See Gasoline Prices chart

p. 603.

Economic Woes Overall Energy

Crisis Petroleum is a finite

natural resource. OPEC just

complicated the situation.

Prices of all petroleum products rose.

Economic Woes Environmental

Movement: Clean up pollution.

EPA 1970 Clean Air Act, 1970 Clean Water Act,

1977 Government

regulations to control air & water pollution

The new laws helped reduce pollution and clean the environment, but some measures further strained the fuel supply.

Emission controls on cars caused them to use more fuel.

Some industries switched to petroleum power instead of coal to prevent polluting the air.

Economic Woes: Stagflation High Unemployment + High Inflation Stagnant Economy + Inflation =

“Stagflation”

3 Causes of Stagflation 1. The Energy Crisis- scarcity, prices up 2. Budget Deficit – Great Society,

Vietnam War, printing money -> inflation 3. Abandonment of the Gold Standard

○ Trade Deficit – buying more from other countries than we sell to them.

○ Dollar loses value against foreign currencies○ Products from other countries cost more $$$

Dilemma Reduce inflation by

cutting government spending may result in higher unemployment because of government layoffs.

Reduce unemployment by increasing government spending adds to the deficit and increases inflation.

Rights Movements American Indians Unemployment 10X

the American average

Protests and lawsuits over numerous treaty violations

Rights Movements Women Equal pay for equal

work Property ownership

Women’s Rights Radicals Women’s Liberation

Movement Marriage is a form of

slavery. Free love Easy divorce Abortion on demand

Roe vs. Wade, 1973 Supreme Court

struck down state laws on abortion.

Over 1 million abortions a year.

Women’s Rights Not all women were

radical. Most just wanted

economic equality. Inflation and divorce

placed women in a position of needing to earn a living.

Equal Rights Amendment

Passed by Congress in 1972

Fear that certain protections would be lost

2/3 of states failed to ratify it by the deadline in 1982

Phyllis Schlafly Opposed the ERA Opposed abortion Mother of 6 Master’s degree Law degree Achieved without special

laws The wise woman “spends

her time, ingenuity, and efforts seizing her opportunities-not whining about past injustices.

The Ineffectual Presidency

Rise of Jimmy Carter

Election 1976 President Gerald Ford – Republican

Incumbent (UNELECTED) High unemployment rate Pardon of Nixon Public perception as a “bumbler” Challenged by Ronald Reagan,

Republican governor of California

Election 1976 Jimmy Carter – Georgia state senate,

governor of Georgia, farmer Played to the political center “Outsider” “Born again” Christian Carter wins narrowly (50.1% popular

vote; 297-240 electoral college vote)

Carter Style People’s President –

jeans Appointed women &

minorities Amnesty to draft

dodgers (Vietnam) Congressional

resentment Subdued, low-key

speaking style

Carter & Foreign Affairs Pressure friendly

nations to improve human rights.

Panama Canal Treaty – return control of the Canal Zone to Panama by 2000

Carter & Foreign Affairs Camp David

Accords – Israel and Egypt

Begin & Sadat One of the greatest

advances for peace in the Middle East

Carter & Foreign Affairs Soviet Union

SALT II (Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty)

Not ratifiedSoviets invaded

Afghanistan 1979Grain embargoOlympics boycottDraft Registration

beginsAfghan Resistance Fighters

Carter & Foreign Affairs Iran

Shah oppressive, U.S. supported

Ayatollah Khomeini seizes power Jan. 1979

Iranian Hostage Crisis begins 11/4/1979

Lasts 444 days

Carter’s Domestic Disaster Economy

Unemployment 8%High inflation 12-13% per yearHome mortgage interest neared 20% per

yearMiddle East woes led to gas price increases.

The Rising Conservative Tide

Kendall Mosley

Conservative Ideology Limited power

for national government

Strong opposition to growth of communism

Barry Goldwater & Ronald Reagan

The New Right Opposed

communism Supported limited

government Opposed to abortion Support reducing

taxes

Religious Right Social issues Pat Robertson’s

“700 Club” Jerry Falwell’s

“Moral Majority” Catholics Evangelicals enter

the political arena.

Cultural History: Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynryd Skynyrd: The

Peak Years 1973-1977

Southern Rock & Roll

Free Bird, 1973 Sweet Home

Alabama, 1974

Cultural History: Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane from

Greenville, SC to LSU

Out of gas Crashed in

Mississippi 3 members killed

including Ronnie Van Zandt

Cultural History: Disco Late 1970s Disco Dancing Disco Music: Bee

Gees Disco Fashion Iconic Movie

Cultural History: Other Movies Jaws 1975 Star Wars 1977

Election of 1980 Republican

Challenge: Governor Ronald Reagan of CaliforniaPolished speakerRadio broadcasterMovie actorSolid conservative

Election 1980 Carter’s Problems

Democrat Challenger – Edward Kennedy

Election 1980 Iran hostages Poor economy Failings 3rd party candidate:

John Anderson Reagan 50.7% Carter 41% Anderson 6% Republicans also

win the U.S. Senate.