A Nation adrift (1973-1980)

1. Chapter 25 A Nation adrift (1973-1980)

2. 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.”

3. 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.

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

5. Watergate

6. Election of 1972 • 5 burglars are arrested for breaking into the DNC headquarters at the Watergate office complex.

7. White House denies involvement. • Nixon wins election in November 1972. • More of the story starts to come out. • Woodward & Bernstein

8. 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

9. The Big Question…. • Did Nixon know what his supporters were up to?

10. 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

11. Gerald Ford, V.P. • Nixon nominates and Congress confirms Gerald Ford to replace Agnew as V.P. • 25th Amendment to the Constitution (ratified 1967)

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

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

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

17. Pardon me? • After one month in office, President Ford granted former President Nixon a full pardon. • As a result, he became very unpopular.

18. 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)

19. Ford’s Unpopularity • The Nixon Pardon • Critical Perception • Hostile Congress • 1975: South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia fall to the Communists. • A paralyzed presidency.

20. 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.

21. Happy 200th Birthday, America! • 1976 marked the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. • Large celebrations everywhere.

22. Domestic Difficulties

23. Energy Crisis Economic Woes • OPEC Oil Embargo – 1973 Yom Kippur War • Nixon’s Wage & Price Controls • Shortages • See Gasoline Prices chart • p. 603.

24. Economic Woes • Overall Energy Crisis • Petroleum is a finite natural resource. • OPEC just complicated the situation. • Prices of all petroleum products rose.

25. Economic Woes • Environmental Movement: Clean up pollution. • EPA 1970 • CleanAir Act, 1970 • Clean Water Act, 1977 • Government regulations to control air & water pollution

26. 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.

27. Economic Woes: Stagflation • High Unemployment + High Inflation • Stagnant Economy + Inflation = “Stagflation”

28. 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 $$$

29. 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.

30. Rights Movements • American Indians • Unemployment 10X the American average • Protests and lawsuits over numerous treaty violations

31. Rights Movements • Women • Equal pay for equal work • Property ownership

32. Women’s Rights • Radicals • Women’s Liberation Movement • Marriage is a form of slavery. • Free love • Easy divorce • Abortion on demand

33. Roe vs. Wade, 1973 • Supreme Court struck down state laws on abortion. • Over 1 million abortions a year.

34. 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.

35. 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

36. 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.

37. Rise of Jimmy Carter The Ineffectual Presidency

38. 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

39. 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)

40. Carter Style • People’s President – jeans • Appointed women & minorities • Amnesty to draft dodgers (Vietnam) • Congressional resentment • Subdued, low-key speaking style

41. Carter & Foreign Affairs • Pressure friendly nations to improve human rights. • Panama Canal Treaty – return control of the Canal Zone to Panama by 2000

42. Carter & Foreign Affairs • Camp David Accords – Israel and Egypt • Begin & Sadat • One of the greatest advances for peace in the Middle East

43. Carter & Foreign Affairs • Soviet Union • SALT II (Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty) • Not ratified • Soviets invaded Afghanistan 1979 • Grain embargo • Olympics boycott • Draft Registration begins Afghan Resistance Fighters

44. 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

46. Carter’s Domestic Disaster • Economy • Unemployment 8% • High inflation 12-13% per year • Home mortgage interest neared 20% per year • Middle East woes led to gas price increases.

47. Kendall Mosley The Rising Conservative Tide

48. Conservative Ideology • Limited power for national government • Strong opposition to growth of communism Barry Goldwater & Ronald Reagan

49. The New Right • Opposed communism • Supported limited government • Opposed to abortion • Support reducing taxes

50. Religious Right • Social issues • Pat Robertson’s “700 Club” • Jerry Falwell’s “Moral Majority” • Catholics • Evangelicals enter the political arena.