1. America: Past and Present Chapter 31
TO A NEW CONSERVATISM,
America: Past and Present
Chapter 31

2. Nixon in Power Apparent success in first term
Triumphs in foreign affairs
Nixon cuts himself off from Congress, his own cabinet, and the nation

3. Reshaping the Great Society
Nixon and the Great Society
more efficient administration
shift responsibility to the states
shift school desegregation to the courts
Shift to conservative Supreme Court
appointment of conservatives and moderates
Burger Court similar to Warren Court
Pace of change slows but continues

4. Nixonomics Nixon and inflation 1970--Nixon-induced recession
inflation spurred by Vietnam
federal spending cuts
interest rates forced up
1970--Nixon-induced recession
1971--wage and price controls
Economy revives

5. Building a Republican Majority
Nixon obsessed about reelection
Inactive on desegregation to win South
Attack cultural revolution to win “middle America”
Democrats retain majority by joining crusade against drugs, crime

6. In Search of Détente Foreign-policy assumptions
Cold War to be managed, not won
America must make a strategic retreat
improve relations with China to neutralize Russia
February Nixon visits China

7. In Search of Détente: Outcome of China Visit
February U.S. recognition of Communist China set in motion
May Russians sign SALT I
Apparent mutual desire to reduce Cold War tensions

8. Ending the Vietnam War Nixon’s plan 1970--invasion of Cambodia
gradual reduction of American troops
intensify American bombing
hard line at the peace talks
1970--invasion of Cambodia
January, peace talks conclude with disguised American surrender

9. The Crisis of Democracy
June, Nixon agents arrested for attempted Watergate break-in
Nixon stonewalled the press about White House involvement
even instructed aides to lie under oath

10. The Election of 1972 Nixon’s opponents
American Independent George Wallace--shot and disabled, followers vote for Nixon
Democrat George McGovern--nomination alienates middle class
Nixon landslide suggests new alignment
middle class shifting to Republicans
African Americans, Jews, the poor remain strongly Democratic

12. The Watergate Scandal Summer 1973--Senate investigation Summer 1974
damaging Senate hearings on cover-up
White House tapes discovered
Summer 1974
Nixon must relinquish tapes
House Judiciary committee recommends impeachment
August 9, Nixon resigns

13. The Watergate Scandal: Consequences
Demonstrates growing power of the executive branch
Illustrates vitality of institutions
the press
the federal judiciary
Congress

14. Energy and the Economy U.S. way of life based on cheap energy
1970s energy crisis sparks inflation

15. The October War
October, Yom Kippur War pits Egypt, Syria against Israel
U.S. supplies weapons to Israel
Arab oil nations retaliate with boycott
prices of gasoline and home heating fuel rose sharply

16. The Oil Shocks Effects of soaring oil prices Tax cut aids recovery
consumer spending plunges
recession by 1974
inflation persists through 1970s
Tax cut aids recovery
1979--Iranian Revolution causes second surge in oil prices

17. The Oil Shocks: Price Increases of Crude Oil and Gasoline, 1973-1985

18. The Search for an Energy Policy
Ford tries to encourage production
Carter tries to encourage conservation
Congressional legislation to
encourage production, e.g. Alaska pipeline
encourage conservation, e.g. gas rationing
Energy problem persists

19. The Great Inflation Oil prices drive inflation
price of goods soars
real income declines
Attempted government controls result in record high interest rates

20. The Shifting American Economy
U.S. share of world markets declines
U.S. heavy industry declines
High technology prospers
Businesses tend to diversify

21. Private Lives—Public Issues
Traditional American family gives way to more diverse living arrangements
Number of working women increases sharply
Gay rights movement emerges

22. The Changing American Family: Family Life by 1990
21% of women solely in childrearing
30% of married coupes without children
25% of households consist of one adult
Birthrate begins to climb after 15-year fall
Divorce rate levels and drops slightly

23. The Changing American Family: New Family Structure
Many never marry or postpone marriage
Most mothers work outside the home
Proportion of single-parent households doubled
Women without partners head 1/3 of impoverished families
Children comprise 40% of the poor

24. Types of Households in the United States, 2000

25. Gains and Setbacks for Women
Rapid movement of women into work force
Breakthroughs for women
leaders in industry, higher education
Roe v. Wade strengthens reproductive rights
women appointed to Supreme Court
Resistance
most women remain in female-dominated jobs
wages only 77.5% of men’s earnings
Equal Rights Amendment fails
abortion widely stigmatized

26. Voting on the Equal Rights Amendment

27. The Gay Liberation Movement
1969--Stonewall Riot sparks gay rights movement
1980--Democrats include gay rights plank
1980s--AIDS activism
,000 march on Washington
1993--“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy a setback
1996--Defense of Marriage Act prohibits state recognition of same-sex unions
2000--Vermont legalizes same-sex “civil unions”

29. Politics After Watergate
Watergate erodes public trust
Confrontation leaves nation leaderless

30. The Ford Administration
Pardon of Nixon unpopular
Democratic Congress alienated
disclosure of illegal CIA activities under Kennedy and Johnson
opposes Democratic bills protecting the environment and civil rights

31. The 1976 Campaign Ford damaged by Watergate
Democrat Jimmy Carter wins close vote
former governor of Georgia
campaigns as outsider
calls for decency, morality in government

33. Disenchantment with Carter
Carter displays lack of political vision
Outsider status hampers effectiveness
1979--Carter blames American people for "national malaise"

34. From Détente to Renewed Cold War
U.S. international dominance declined sharply in the 1970s
Internal and external events weakened foreign policy

35. Retreat in Asia April 1975--North Vietnam captures Saigon
U.S. response--evacuation, no aid
Subsequent incidents met with caution, restraint

36. Accommodation in Latin America
1977--treaty returns Panama Canal to Panama
1979--U.S. refuses aid to Nicaraguan government against Sandinistas
Carter assists El Salvador against Marxist rebels

37. The Quest for Peace in the Middle East
Carter’s success
1978--Camp David Accords
1979--Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty
Carter’s failure
1979--Iranian Revolution
November--U.S. embassy in Teheran invaded, 58 Americans taken hostage
Carter fails to secure hostages’ release

38. The Cold War Resumes Carter, Brzezinski shift from Détente
condemn Soviet human rights abuses
new missile systems deployed
increased aid to China
December, Russians invade Afghanistan

39. A Failed Presidency
Carter lost public confidence during the Iranian hostage crisis
Double-digit inflation also contributed to voter disappointment

40. Reagan in Power Roosevelt coalition continues to splinter
Republican party picks up pieces

41. The Reagan Victory Carter’s negatives
Iranian hostage crisis
economic ills
Reagan’s positives win the election
warm telegenic personality
optimistic message
draws Jewish, working class vote
Republicans win majority in the Senate

43. Cutting Spending and Taxes
Reagan’s premise: cut spending to encourage private investment
Reagan cuts over three years
federal spending by more than $40 billion
social services included in cuts
taxes cut by 25%

44. Limiting the Role of Government
Environmental regulations relaxed
Attempted cuts in Social Security
Neglect of interest-group opponents
labor hurt in air traffic control firings
lack of support for civil rights legislation
women ignored in judicial appointments

45. Reaganomics
Reagan’s reductions in spending and taxes prompt conflicting expectations
Supply-side economists expect economic growth
Reagan’s critics expect massive deficits, economic stagnation

46. Recession and Recovery
unemployment hits 10%
1983--economic recovery
rise in consumer spending
prices remain level
worldwide decline in energy prices

47. The Growing Deficit Basis for the Reagan prosperity includes
massive deficit spending
massive inflows of foreign investment
1983--federal budget deficit $200 billion
Spending caps on defense, services
1985--U.S. becomes a debtor nation

48. U.S. Budget Deficits,

49. The Rich Grow Richer Gains of Reaganomics Losses of Reaganomics
inflation reduced to 4%
employment grows after 1982
growth in service sector jobs
Losses of Reaganomics
high-paying manufacturing jobs decline
increasing social inequality
wealthy benefit
poor left in poverty
middle class hurt

50. Share of Aggregate Household Income by Quintiles, 1975-1995

51. Reagan Affirmed Perception of improving economy 1984 election
Reagan trounces Walter Mondale
Republicans lose seats in Congress

53. Reagan and the World
Reagan determined to restore America's international position
Steep increase in military spending
Aggressive foreign policy

54. Challenging the "Evil Empire"
Reagan: Soviet Union the "focus of evil in the modern world"
Unfavorable deals on arms reductions
U.S. response to Russian refusal
deployment of cruise missiles in Europe
development of anti-missile system
Russians build up nuclear arsenal

55. Turmoil in the Middle East
1982--Israeli invasion of Lebanon
International response
U.S., France send troops to maintain order
PLO evacuates Beirut
U.S. Marines killed in terrorist bombing
U.S. evacuation of Lebanon

56. Trouble Spots in the Middle East

57. Confrontation in Central America
Intervention against Latin American leftist insurgents
Covert subversion of Sandinistas
October, invasion of Grenada

58. Trouble Spots in Central America and the Caribbean

59. Trading Arms for Hostages
Advanced weapons sold to Iran for influence in freeing American hostages
November, Iran-Contra scandal
profit from Iran arms sales to Contras
funding violates Congressional prohibition
Reagan escapes impeachment

60. Reagan the Peacemaker 1985--Mikhail Gorbachev assumes power in Russia
Reagan-Gorbachev summits
1987--destroy intermediate range missiles
1988--Afghanistan evacuated
Foreign policy triumphs restore Reagan’s popularity

61. Social Dilemmas
AIDS epidemic
Drug abuse

62. The AIDS Epidemic 1981--AIDS first detected
apparent confinement to homosexual men results in early public inaction
spread to drug users, recipients of blood transfusions prompts panic
Reagan Administration’s response
fund research
little funding for education, prevention
1987--appointment of AIDS commissioner

63. The AIDS Epidemic (2) 1996--500,000 infected
majority homosexuals, drug users
15% heterosexual, non-drug abusers
1996--AIDS death rate begins dropping
new drugs
safer sexual practices

64. The War on Drugs Mid-1980's--crack cocaine introduced
addiction spread through all classes
exploding crime rate
Reagan attempts interdiction of supply
Bush, Clinton continue Reagan policy
At the end of the century there seemed to be no end to the war on drugs

65. Passing the Torch to Bush
Republicans hope for major political realignment
Factors reinforcing trend
1980s economic boom
promise of the end of the Cold War

66. The Changing Palace Guard
1985--Donald Regan chief of staff
Second-term victories
tax reform package
appointment of conservatives
Changes in the Supreme Court
Senate blocks Bork appointment to Court
Bush appointments help turn the Court more to the right