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Nixon: 1969-74

     

Nixon's Domestic Programme

a. Economic growth

    • Struggled with Stagflation

    • Went off Gold Standard (1971) → dollar ‘’ → value ↓ → inflation worsened.

    • Imposed 90-day freeze on wages, prices, rents (1971) to combat inflation.

    • State & Local Act redirected federal funds to stimulate local economies.

b. Space race

    • Scaled back space spending but continued missions (incl. Apollo 11 (1969): moon landing).

    • Approved program (1972).

c. Civil Rights and Women's Rights

    • Lukewarm on Civil Rights: urged Congress not to extend to Voting Rights & Fair Housing Enforcement.

    • (1969): 1st federal affirmative action policy (contractors hiring minorities).

    • Yet, Indian Education Act (1972), Indian Financing Act (1974); ended Termination programme (1953).

    • Equal Educational Opportunity Act (1974): Latino pupils taught in their language.

    • Opposed Women's Rights: vetoed Act (1971) for ‘family values.’

    • Yet, required federal agencies to hire more women (1971); women joined FBI, Secret Services.

    • (1972): banned gender discrimination in federally funded education.

    • Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) passed Congress but ≠ ratified by enough states.

d. Alleviate Poverty/ Housing

    • Opposed Great Society, called it a “”; abolished Model Cities Program, Office of Economic Opportunity.

    • Act (1972): better welfare for elderly, blind, disabled; ↑ housing funding.

    • Federal spending on welfare ↑from $182 billion in 1969 to $215 billion in 1973 = welfare spending > defence spending for 1st time since WWII.

    • (proposed guaranteed minimum income) failed in Congress.

e. Public Health/ Medical/ Environment

    • Proposed National Health Insurance Partnership to replace Medicare/Medicaid; failed in Congress.

    • Created Agency (1970); Endangered Species Act (1973).

    • Attempted (failed) to veto Clean Water Act (1972).

    • Created Occupational Safety and Health Administration (1971) for workplace safety.

f. Education

    • ↑ federal funding for disadvantaged schools (Title I).

    • Proposed School Voucher Plan (failed in Congress).

    • Anti- amendments (1974) appeased Southern politicians.

    • % Black students in integrated Southern schools ↑ from 5% (1968) → >90% (1974) (largely due to Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg case).