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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.