The Reshuffling Of America

1968-1980

The Reshuffling of America

I. New Politics of Identity (Cultural Nationalism)  Protest movements embrace emphasis on  

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group Stress differences between racial/ethnic cultures Some blacks reject integration; focus on preserving distinct Afro-American culture Mexican-Americans (Southwest) also suffer continued poverty/discrimination Chavez’s UFW protest exploitation of migrant farm workers

I. New Politics of Identity (cont.)  Others protest “Gringo” invasion & embrace

separatism of Chicano “Brown Power”  Some Native Americans activists accept panIndian Red Power; reject assimilation  Radical American Indian Movement (1973) seize hostages at Wounded Knee, SD  Moderates get US Gov’t to grant more control on reservations (‘74), but poverty remain

II. Affirmative Action  Shift from emphasis on individual opportunity to 

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group outcomes Reflect results of continuing protest & limits of earlier legislation (case-by-case problem) Nixon start requiring US Gov’t contractors to meet specific goals of female/minority workers Proponents see remedy for past discrimination White males see it as limiting their job/education prospects at time of economic decline

III. Women’s Movement  Diverse “second wave” start in 1960s  The Feminine Mystique (Friedan, 1963) voice frustration of many with limits on their lives  Women form NOW (1966) because little US

Gov’t action  Liberal wing: work with men to achieve equal rights through laws & court decisions  Lobby EEOC to enforce ’64 Civil Rights Act

IV. Radical Feminism  Move beyond legal issues to challenge

cultural assumptions & traditions  Protest Miss America Pageant (1968) as demeaning sexism (sex-role stereotypes)  Civil rights & antiwar activities motivate these young women to act  Use consciousness-raising discussion groups

V. Accomplishments of the Women’s Movement  Challenge traditional view of rape  Roe v. Wade (1973) = right to end pregnancy* (2005: the estimated total number of abortions is over 46 million)

 More women attend professional schools  Colleges do more with women’s studies & sports  Some minority/poorer women see organized

feminism as white, middle-class movement

VI. Opposition to the Women’s Movement  Conservative groups oppose feminism  Advocate patriarchal families (biblical base)  Schlafly, others, see feminism as attack on

traditional family/gender roles  Antifeminists stop ERA (late1970s/early ’80s)  Join growing conservative movement

VII. Gay Liberation  Suffer extensive discrimination/harassment  After Stonewall (1969), organized protest emerge  Push for legal equality & Gay Pride

 Some adopt identity politics (reject

integration with straight society)  Cities & colleges = base for movement

VIII. Nixon (1969–74) & Vietnamization  An ardent Cold Warrior, Nixon promise to end the war & win the peace  Reject full withdrawal & loss of S. Vietnam  Replace US troops with S.Vietnamese forces  Increase US bombing to force concessions  Nixon expect quick end to war  VC/ N.Vietnam not give in to US demands  After secret bombing (‘69) Nixon try invasion

IX. Invasion of Cambodia (1970)  Many protest war’s expansion (Kent & Jackson 

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St.) Pentagon Papers (1971) show US lies on Vietnam More division over war within USA My Lai (’68) reflect problems within US military Nixon increase bombing in 1972 Both sides make concessions for cease-fire (1973) USA then withdraw troops Both sides then violate cease-fire

X. End of War & Its Costs  N.Vietnam/VC defeat S.Vietnam by 1975  Deaths: > 58,000 Americans; 1.5 to 3 million Vietnamese; plus Laos & Cambodia  Initial cost to USA = $170 billion  War anger allies & 3rd World; delay détente  War hurt US economy & politics  Devastate SE Asia (esp. agriculture with

Agent Orange & bombing)

XI. Debate over Lessons of Vietnam  Hawks claim USA could have won war  Doves blame war on imperial presidency  War Powers Act (1973) seek to restrain

executive  Veterans suffer PTSD & Agent Orange

XII. Nixon, Kissinger, & Détente  Limits to US power in new multipolar world  Rely more on allies with Nixon Doctrine (1969)  In Cold War, try some cooperation with USSR  Expand USA-USSR trade  To slow arms race, sign SALT treaties (‘72) to

limit ABM systems & # of ICBMs  Both USA & USSR need to limit spending

XIII. Nixon & the World  Go to PRC (1972); agree to resist Soviet    

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expansion USA want stability among great powers Middle East unstable Israel gain land in Six-Day War (1967) Settlements escalate conflict with Palestinians/PLO In ‘73 war, Arabs in OPEC embargo oil to USA because they see USA as pro-Israel

XIII. Nixon & the World (cont.)  Also want to curb radicalism in 3rd World  CIA replace Allende with Pinochet (Chile, ’73)  Chile then suffer brutal dictatorship (20 years)  Nixon initially back racist governments in

Africa  Slowly accept some pro-US black governments

XIV. Nixon’s Domestic Agenda  Complex: seem to mix liberal with conservative  Support ERA; pioneer affirmative action  Revenue sharing (state control of US Gov’t

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funds) Overall seek to undercut liberal programs Use divisive rhetoric (call Democrats “radicals”) Southern strategy: appeal to southern whites by nominating conservatives to Supreme Court Oppose Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenberg (1971)

XV. Enemies and Dirty Tricks    

Nixon: intelligent, but paranoid Win easy re-election in 1972 (60% of vote) McGovern offend many Little-noticed during campaign, break-in occur at Democratic HQ (Watergate)  Spying part of larger illegal program (Plumbers) to get Nixon’s “enemies”  Also use FBI, CIA, IRS against critics

XVI. Cover-up; Nixon’s Resignation (1974)  Slowly reporters, prosecutors, judges, & Congress unravel cover-up  Supreme Court order Nixon to turn over tapes  Tapes prove Nixon knew about break-in &

order efforts to hamper investigations  House Judiciary Comm vote for impeachment  Nixon then resign to avoid impeachment  Congress pass laws to restrain exec abuses

XVII. Ford’s Presidency (1974–77)  1st unelected president in US history  Face cynicism & economic decline  Congress assert itself in wake of Vietnam &

Watergate (override Ford’s vetoes)  Comedy show less respect for presidency  Carter defeat Ford in 1976 election

XVIII. Carter as “Outsider” President (1977–81)  Promise honesty & stress “outsider” status (tap     

public suspicion of US Gov’t) Face assertive Congress (outsider status hurt him) Carter, like Ford, unable to fix economy Encourage Americans to accept limits & conserve energy Able to create Energy & Education Departments Support deregulation; protect environment/ labor

XIX. Economic Crisis  Stagflation: high unemployment with high 

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inflation US Gov’t deficits contribute to inflation US productivity & quality decline just as USA face more foreign competition (Europe, Japan) 1971: USA begin to run trade deficits Oil embargo (1973) & repeated OPEC price increases cause inflation to skyrocket US manufacturers (autos) lay off workers

XIX. Economic Crisis (cont.)  Traditional remedies not work  Nixon devalue dollar (1971)  Ford: neither voluntary Whip Inflation Now

(WIN), nor higher interest rates help  Carter alienate Democratic liberals by efforts to curb inflation via spending cuts  Frequent recessions (no economic growth) occur

XX. Impacts of the Economic Crisis  Deindustrialization start  Heavy industries decline/move abroad  Wages & benefits much lower in emerging

service sector  Blue-color workers slip from middle-class  Shifts to Sunbelt & suburbs accelerate (Map 31.1)  Fiscal disaster for urban North & Midwest

XXI. Tax Revolts; Credit & Investment  Combine cynicism with growing conservative

critique of “big government” (i.e., liberalism)  Proposition 13 (CA, 1978) cut property taxes to limit government spending; others copy it  Growing personal debt with more credit card use  Americans move money from saving accounts into mutual funds, stocks, & other investments

XXII. Environmentalism  Key developments occur in US culture  Disasters (oil spills, Three Mile Island) increase public awareness of problems  Public uproar push Nixon to accept EPA (‘70)  Earth Day celebrations begin (1970)  Ecology argue earth’s resources finite  Call for conservation to avoid overuse  New questions about technology/science

XXIII. Religion; Sexuality; Diversity  Evangelical/ fundamentalist Protestantism      

grow Therapeutic culture focus on “feelings” Broader public acceptance of premarital sex Couples delay marriage; have fewer children More divorces & births to unmarried women Most new immigrants = people of color Court outlaw rigid quotas (Bakke, 1978), but allow consideration of race/ethnicity

XXIV. Carter’s Divided Administration  Vow to reduce Cold War & pay attention to  

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3rd World concerns while curbing radicalism His administration divide on foreign policy Vance push use of diplomacy, but Brzezinski win overtime with rigid Cold War perspective Panama Canal Treaties (1977) reduce tension Camp David (1978): Israeli-Egyptian peace Détente deteriorate; Cold War deepen

XXV. Carter & Renewed Cold War  USSR invade Afghanistan (1979) to protect communist gov’t from Muslim rebels  Stall arms control & produce Carter Doctrine  USA will intervene to protect Persian Gulf  Begin CIA funding of Mujahidin  Because of US ties with shah, anger at USA

central to Iranian Revolution, 1979  Hostage crisis (‘79–81) = humiliation for USA

XXVI. US Foreign Relations  Afghanistan & Iran reflect rise of Islamic 

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fundamentalism = reject western ways Resent history of western domination in Middle East & Central Asia Iraq remain secular under Hussein (1979) USA favor Iraq in war with Iran (start, 1980) Carter inconsistent on human rights Increase military spending & troops abroad