Embedded Files
Richard Nixon appealed to the "silent majority," the citizens in the country that did not express their opinions publicly. These were mostly middle class working Americans. Nixon was a Conservative president but acted rather liberally passing the Clean Air Act and opening relations with Communist China. Nixon would have been a good President if it was not Watergate that forced his resignation in 1974, the first and only person to resign the presidency.
Nixon and New Federalism
Federalism is the political belief that government authority should be shared between state and local governments and the federal government in Washington, D.C.
Richard Nixon believed that social programs, like Medicare and unemployment, should be handled by the state governments.
He proposed providing federal money to states to be used for these programs. Each year, the states would apply for funding from the federal government.
If the funding is not enough, then the states should make up the difference.
This approach is called New Federalism
Nixon's Foreign Policy
Nixon's Foreign Policy
Nixon opened diplomatic relations with China.
He ended the Vietnam War in 1973 (Treaty of Paris).
Nixon began to ease relations with the Soviet Union called "detente."
In general, Nixon wanted the US to have a lower profile in world affairs, especially after the Vietnam War
Watergate
Watergate
The Watergate Scandal is complicated. Here are some facts:
Nixon was running for President in 1972. Men working for the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREP), put listening devices in the Democratic Party headquarters in the Watergate Hotel.
They were paid by donations to the committee - this is illegal.
Nixon did not know of these actions but when he was told of the events, he used his authority as President to stop the FBI and Washington Post's investigation. This is also illegal = obstruction of justice.
Rather than face impeachment - Nixon resigned the Presidency in 1974.
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