From Nixon to Obama

The 70s, 80s, 90s, and Today…

Mr. PagliaroSeymour High School@PagsAPUSH

Nixon & VietnamHawks, Doves, the Silent Majority, and the End of the War

Doves demand peace

Doves preferred withdrawal from Vietnam Massive protest Immediate withdrawal

Sen. William Fulbright (Dem.- Ark.) The Arrogance of Power (1966) –

critique of war▪ Stated war wasn’t necessary for

containment▪ Promoted neutrality; isolationism

Hawks & the Silent Majority

Hawks: Supported war in Vietnam Believed withdrawal = surrender

Silent Majority: Named by Nixon America that quietly supported war

policies Justified support of So. Vietnam

Invasion of Cambodia - 1970

The Kent State (OH) Protest

The Kent State (OH) Massacre

Student Strike of 1970

Ending the Vietnam War Easter Offensive – No. Vietnam failure Operation Linebacker 1 & 2: Heavy

bombings of No. Vietnam, 1972 Paris Accords, 1973

Emerged after secret negotiations btw. Security Advisor, Henry Kissinger & No. Vietnamese

Withdrawal of troops Freeing of American 500+ P.O.W.s

Final Americans left Saigon, April 30, 1975 – Operation Frequent Wind The fall of Saigon

Consequences of Vietnam

Economic effects: US couldn’t afford Great Society & Vietnam

War War costs + Social Programs = high inflation

60s-70s▪ Nixon Shock attempted to fight inflation

Foreign Policy effects: Public skepticism of American international

involvement War Powers Act (1973) –▪ President must inform Congress within 48 hours

IF…▪ Military sent to hostile area w/o declaring war

Nixon and Détente China, the Soviet Union, SALT talks

Background of Détente

Existence of the Cold War Tension among US & USSR

Berlin airlift, Cuban Missile Crisis, Berlin Wall US had no diplomatic relationship w/

China Kissinger convinced Nixon to create

flexible foreign policy Détente called for relaxed Cold War

tensions

Détente & China

1971-Nixon announced visit to China “…to normalize relations between the

countries.” Visited Beijing, Feb. 1972

Nixon in China

Formalized relations w/ PRC US maintained relationship w/ RoC

until 1979

Détente and USSR

Nixon = 1st President in Moscow Visit led to reduced tensions Agreements included SALT talks,

economic initiatives

SALT Talks

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks SALT I treaty between USSR and USA:▪ Signed by President Gerald Ford▪ Limited # of ICBMs▪ Limited # of nuclear armed subs

Nixon and the New FederalismConnecting Federal, State, & Local governments, CReeP, Watergate

Background

Great Society increased federal influence & spending

Nixon wanted to REDUCE size of federal gov’t

The New Federalism

Distribute federal power to state/local governments

Revenue sharing State/municipalities chose how to spend

federal funding Certain limitations Increased state autonomy lost in New Deal

Examples Legacy of Parks, 1971 Education $

Election of 1972

NIXON - REPUBLICANS

Good economy Foreign relations Desegregation of all

schools w/o busing

MCGOVERN - DEMOCRATS Antiwar policies Guaranteed minimum

income

Watergate Scandal

Nixon kept tabs on rivals & enemies Taped conversations Committee to Re-Elect the President (CRP or creep)

June 17, 1972 5 men arrested breaking into HQ of DNC @ Watergate Hotel▪ Phone tapping, breaking-and-entering

Convicted January 1973

Election of 1972 (Cont’d.)

Nixon won 520-17 w/ 60.7% of vote

Watergate, (Cont’d.)

Watergate tapes Turned over during impeachment trials Forced resignation of Nixon-8/8/74

Sept. 8, 1974

Jimmy CarterBicentennial, Election of ‘76, Frostbelt to Sunbelt, the 70s economy, Camp David Accords, Iran, Election of 1980

The Bicentennial

OpSail – Tall Ship “parades” Opening of Nat’l Air & Space Museum School House Rock – History Rock specials TV Specials –

In Celebration of US (CBS), 14 hour coverage hosted by Walter Cronkite

The Glorious Fourth (NBC), 10 hour coverage The Great American Birthday Party (ABC), hosted by Harry

Reasoner Happy Birthday, America (NBC), hosted by Paul Anka Bob Hope's Bicentennial Star-Spangled Spectacular (NBC)

Special commemorative coins

Election of 1976

Gerald Ford – RepublicanElectoral Votes – 240States Carried – 27Popular Vote – 48%

Jimmy Carter - DemocratElectoral Votes – 297States Carried – 23Popular Vote – 50.1

Frostbelt to Sunbelt

Mid-70s to 90s– fastest growing States = south of 37°N

Movement of jobs Tax incentives

Latino & Asian Immigration

Past 25 years – large increase in both Latinos = 78% since 2000 Latinos=33% TX, CA, AZ, 40% NM

La Raza/Chicano Movement

Latino efforts for educational/economic access Cesar Chavez Reies Lopez Tijerina Rodolfo Gonzalez ¡Si, se puede!

Carter & the Economy

Biggest domestic concern – INFLATION US – increasing inflation over 70s▪ Slow economic growth▪ Led to unemployment

Rising inflation + Rising unemployment=STAGFLATION Caused by Nixon price/

wage controls, OPECembargo of US (due toYom Kippur war)

Major issues of Economy during Carter administration

Increased inflation Increased unemployment Increased government spending Increased gas prices due to:

Arab oil embargo (1973) Iranian Revolution (1979)

Increased interest rates

Historic Oil Prices/Production 1861-2008 1973 Arab

Oil Embargo

1979 Iranian Oil

Crisis

Effects of Energy Crisis

Carter’s “Crisis of Confidence Speech” White House solar panels

Detroit improved fuel economy Smaller engines Electronic fuel injection

Causes of Inflation in the 70s

Vietnam spending Rising energy costs Federal budget deficits Healthcare costs

Carter Foreign Policy

Foreign policy based on human rights Made it an international issue

Camp David Accords Leaders of Israel & Egypt met @ Camp

David, MD 12 day negotiations▪ Peace agreement over Sinai region

SALT II

Signed 1979 – Reduction in #s and use of MIRVs Never ratified Soviets invaded Afghanistan,

1979

Iran Hostages

Jan. 78-Feb. 79-Shah overthrown Religious leaders take

controlAyatollah US provided healthcare to

Shah US ally = Israel Iranian revolutionaries

overthrow US embassy Take 52 hostages▪ Nov. 4, 1979 to Jan. 20, 1981

The 1980 Election

Carter vs. Ronald Reagan Issues –▪ Iranian Hostages▪ Weak economy/high inflation (double digits)▪ Hostility towards big government▪ Call for conservative Supreme Court

NeoConservativism

Republicans successfully defeated the Democrat Coalition on… Social issues such as –▪ Affirmative action▪ Women’s rights▪ Sexual freedom▪ Blue collar workers moved towards Republicans

The New Right – religious right, military, blue collar

Reagan promised to increase military; cut taxes

The Reagan Revolution

Reagan – 489Carter – 44

Reagan – 50.7%Carter – 41%

Republicans controlled Senate after 1980

ReaganIran, Reaganomics, USSR Summits, Grenada, Iran-Contras

The end of the Iran Hostage Situation

Reaganomics

Supply-side economic policy goals Reduce tax rates for businesses/wealthy Reduce corporate tax rates Encourage private investment Limit Federal regulation of business “Trickle down” Theory

The 4 Pillars of Reaganomics

1. Reduce Government spending.2. Reduce Income Tax and Capital Gains

Tax.3. Reduce Government regulation.4. Control the money supply to reduce

inflation.

Deregulation

Airlines Railroads Trucking Telephones Natural gas Oil/Energy Banking

Reduced funding of Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA)

1981 – Reagan fires 11,500, striking FAA air

traffic controllers

Supply-Side Economics in Action 1981 – Federal Taxes cut 5%

Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981 (Kemp-Roth Tax Cut)

1982 – cut 10%  Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of

1982 1983 – cut 10% Government social spending reduced:

Education aid Urban housing programs Arts

Arguments against Reaganomics

Social Spending Down – Defense Up

Reagan’s defense budget increased $13 billion 1981-83

Proposed Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) “Star Wars”

Grenada ‘83

Fighting communism or American Imperialism?

Arms Control Summits w/ USSR

Date SitePresident of the United

States

General Secretary or Premier of the Soviet

Union

November 19–21, 1985

Geneva, Switzerland Ronald Reagan

Mikhail Gorbachev

October 10–12, 1986

Reykjavík,Iceland Ronald ReaganMikhail Gorbachev

December 7–10, 1987

Washington, D.C., United States Ronald Reagan

Mikhail Gorbachev

May 29–June 1, 1988

Moscow, Soviet Union Ronald Reagan

Mikhail Gorbachev

December 7, 1988

New York City, United States Ronald Reagan

Mikhail Gorbachev

Iran-Contra Affair: August 20, 1985 – March 4, 1987

Shipment of weapons to anti-Ayatollah Iranian Group

Payments siphoned to Nicaraguan “Contras” Attempt to overthrow communist

government▪ Once public: Nicaragua sued US at “World

Court” Scapegoat: Lt. Oliver North

Acquitted because plea deal testimony wrongly used in Congressional hearings

The Teflon President

How do we deal w/ Iran?

Bush, Clinton, and the 90sEnd of the Cold War, Desert Storm, LA Riots, Free Trade, The E-Boom & Bust

Fall of the Berlin Wall- Nov. 9, 1989-Oct. 10, 1990

Dissolution of Soviet Union: Jan. 1990-Dec. 1991

Desert Storm

1990 – Iraq invaded Kuwait UN Security council voted economic

sanctions US & Coalition forces to Kuwait – Desert

Shield US Military to Saudi Arabia

1991-Jan. 15-Feb. 28-Active War Iraq = 40,000 casualties USA = 150 lives lost

Gulf War Syndrome

Images of Desert Storm

LA Riots - 1992

1991 – 4 white LAPD taped beating motorist, Rodney King

April 1992 – Acquittal of officers Riots, looting, arson Cost $1 Billion – 53 dead – 3600 fires

Social/Health Issues

War on Drugs HIV/Aids

Election of 1992

Bush – 37.5%

Perot – 18.9%

Clinton – 43%

Globalization NAFTA – North American Free Trade Agreement

North American economic bloc US Joined Dec. 8, 1993

Impact: Mexican Factories: increased 15.5% since

1994 US Jobs Lost: 879k by 2008 – 78% =

manufacturing No tariffs between members

World Trade Organization

Provided frameworks for international trade agreements Replaced Post-WWII General Agreement

on Tariffs and Trade US joined in 1995

InternationalMergers

The Internet

The Dot-Com Bubble

Dot-Com Trades 0n NASDAQ

More Current Issues & Trends

The W. Era

Obama Election

Nov. 2008 –Election of President Obama Largest Voter turnout ever -

>120,000,000 votes

Demographic Trends

1970s – Present –Migration to Sunbelt South & West largest growing areas of

nation▪ Growing in Latino & Asian population

regionally & nationally Social Security

Larger aging population = threat to system