7020 - Major Domestic Issues (Lesson)

Major Domestic Issues

 

Richard Nixon: War Powers Act

Congress had given President Johnson nearly unlimited and indefinite powers for military action in Vietnam with the Tonkin Gulf Resolution. In fact, the Vietnam War never had a formal declaration of war from Congress. Many people today still refer to it as the Vietnam Conflict. Without the declaration, but with the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Congress had little control over Vietnam. In response in 1973 Congress passed the War Powers Act which required Congress to approve troop allocations and timeframes in a combat zone.

Richard Nixon: Watergate

Following his re-election in 1972, Richard Nixon and his administration embroiled themselves in significant scandals. Richard Nixon’s Vice President, Spiro Agnew, resigned amid charges of illegal campaign contributions and mishandling government contracts. Nixon himself was convicted of tax evasion. But the greatest scandal in the history of the United States’ executive office is the Watergate Scandal.

Nixon had long feared his rivals and the possibility that they may gain information on his past lies and secrets. He was aware of or instigated numerous burglaries and fraudulent surveillance to keep his secrets and lies safe or to expose his adversaries. The offices of the Democratic Party National Headquarters were located at the Watergate Hotel’s office complex in Washington, D.C. On June 17^th, 1972, five burglars were arrested for attempting to steal information and documents from the Democratic National Headquarters offices. One of the burglars was connected to the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP). Washington Post investigative journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein made connections to officials within the Nixon Administration. Members of the administration subsequently acted to cover up their involvement in the Watergate break-in to prevent any investigation. President Nixon unsuccessfully tried to use his executive privilege to prevent the public release of tape recordings from inside the Oval Office. The Supreme Court ordered Nixon to release the tapes and other evidence. The United States Congress issued articles of impeachment because of overwhelming suspicions and evidence. When it was clear that President Nixon would be impeached from office, he resigned on August 9, 1974, to avoid impeachment proceedings. Vice President Gerald Ford (previously the Speaker of the House of Representatives,) who replaced Vice President Spiro Agnew who had resigned from office, was sworn in as president upon Nixon’s resignation.

The Watergate Scandal had caught the United States’ citizens’ attention and they rebuked Richard Nixon. The American public had grown weary of politicians and government because of their distrust of the American government’s handling of the Vietnam War and the Watergate Scandal. President Gerald Ford hoped to move the nation past the troubles and pardoned Richard Nixon of any wrong-doing. Ford was heavily criticized for pardoning Nixon as a continuation of corrupt politics. The results of the Watergate Scandal included a new standard of distrust of American political leaders, a reliance on the press to uncover corruption and realization that no one would be immune from the law-- including the president of the United States.

Ronald Reagan: Reaganomics

Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter was elected president in 1976 as a trusted outsider following the Watergate Scandal, President Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon and an overall distrust of Washington politics. Carter’s presidency, however, was seen as a failure and his leadership was viewed as weak and ineffective. Facing re-election in 1980, Carter lost to Ronald Reagan whose campaign exposed Carter’s weaknesses. President Reagan was well-liked, charismatic and respected. One of his campaign pledges was to strengthen the nation’s lackluster economy. President Reagan believed when the United States’ citizens had more money, they ultimately would spend more money. He believed this cycle would grow and strengthen the nation’s economy. President Reagan’s economic policy came to be called “Reaganomics.”

“Reaganomics” centered on four key points.

1. The government would reduce its spending.
2. The government would reduce taxes.
3. The government would cut government regulations on business.
4. The government would have more oversight on the money supply to help reduce inflation.

The economy under Reagan experienced growth because of these policies, cooled tensions with the Soviet Union and the new economic opportunities for trade with communist nations.

George W. Bush: September 11th, 2001

On Tuesday September 11^th, 2001, the United States suffered the most deadly attack on American soil since the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Four passenger jets were hijacked and used as weapons to kill innocent Americans. Two planes crashed into the World Trade Center Twin Towers in New York City. The towers were 110 story office buildings where thousands worked. A third plane crashed into the United States Military headquarters at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Upon receiving word of other planes being used as weapons, passengers aboard the fourth plane took a vote and decided to intervene. While their actions likely saved the lives of others on the ground, unfortunately their plane, United 93, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

In response, President George W. Bush worked to issue immediate legislation to protect the American people. The PATRIOT Act was passed by Congress. This act allowed for the United States government to detain suspected terrorists for longer days without charges. Furthermore, it allowed for more invasive, and secretive, surveillance on suspected terrorists including citizens of the United States. While this act was largely supported after the attacks, years later it would be scrutinized for the contradiction of its invasiveness on American civil rights. Also in response to the attacks, President Bush created the Department of Homeland Security. This agency would be responsible for border security, immigration issues, and responding to domestic attacks or disasters.

George W. Bush: War on Terror

Operation Enduring Freedom was a military action launched in response to the September 11^th attacks. This was an invasion of the country of Afghanistan. The terrorist group responsible for the September 11^th attacks, al-Qaeda, was led by Osama Bin Laden. Bin Laden and his followers were based out of Afghanistan and were harbored by the Taliban government.

The invasion of Afghanistan and targeting of al-Qaeda is part of President Bush’s War on Terrorism. In 2003, suspecting Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein, had access to weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), the United States launched Operation Iraqi Freedom. This action was to find, and control, WMDs in Iraq as it was believed Hussein would work with terrorist groups against the United States. Hussein, who, among other crimes, had used chemical weapons on his own people, was captured by the United States military, tried for his crimes, and executed in 2006. While both Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom were largely supported by the United States people, their interest and approval would wane as no WMDs were found in Iraq, Osama Bin Laden had escaped in Afghanistan, and the War on Terrorism raged on.

Barack Obama: 2008 Election

The 2008 Presidential election included the 72-year-old Republican nominee John McCain. McCain was a decorated war veteran, a Navy aviator who was shot down over Vietnam, and was permanently disabled as a result of the torture his captors put him in for over five years. After serving for over 25 years in the United States Congress, McCain was view by many as a hero and capable leader.

McCain’s opponent was a 47-year-old state senator from Illinois; Barack Obama. Obama had little experience in politics but was a gifted speaker whose platform against the ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq won him allegiance with many Americans. While the 2008 campaign was divisive along political party lines, Barack Obama had seemed to unite many Americans in following his platform of “Hope” and “Change.” Barack Obama won the election in 2008 making him the first African American to hold the office of president of the United States. 

 

Review 

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