The Reshuffling of America

8/14/2019 The Reshuffling of America

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1968-1980

The Reshuffling

of America


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I. New Politics of Identity

(Cultural Nationalism) Protest movements embrace emphasis on

group

Stress differences between racial/ethniccultures

Some blacks reject integration; focus onpreserving distinct Afro-American culture

Mexican-Americans (Southwest) also suffercontinued poverty/discrimination

Chavezs UFW protest exploitation of migrantfarm workers


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I. New Politics of Identity

(cont.) Others protest Gringo invasion & embrace

separatism of Chicano Brown Power

Some Native Americans activists accept pan-Indian Red Power; reject assimilation

Radical American Indian Movement (1973)seize hostages at Wounded Knee, SD

Moderates get US Govt to grant morecontrol on reservations (74), but povertyremain


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II. Affirmative Action

Shift from emphasis on individual opportunity togroup outcomes

Reflect results of continuing protest & limits ofearlier legislation (case-by-case problem)

Nixon start requiring US Govt contractors tomeet specific goals of female/minority workers

Proponents see remedy for past discrimination

White males see it as limiting their job/educationprospects at time of economic decline


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III. Womens 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

Govt action

Liberal wing: work with men to achieve equalrights through laws & court decisions

Lobby EEOC to enforce 64 Civil Rights Act


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IV. Radical Feminism

Move beyond legal issues to challengecultural assumptions & traditions

Protest Miss America Pageant (1968) asdemeaning sexism (sex-role stereotypes)

Civil rights & antiwar activities motivate theseyoung women to act

Use consciousness-raising discussion groups


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V. Accomplishments of the

Womens 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 womens studies &sports

Some minority/poorer women see organizedfeminism as white, middle-class movement


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VI. Opposition to the

Womens Movement Conservative groups oppose feminism

Advocate patriarchal families (biblical base)

Schlafly, others, see feminism as attack ontraditional family/gender roles

Antifeminists stop ERA (late1970s/early 80s)

Join growing conservative movement


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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


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VIII. Nixon (196974) &

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


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IX. Invasion of Cambodia

(1970) Many protest wars expansion (Kent & Jackson

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


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X. End of War & Its Costs

N.Vietnam/VC defeat S.Vietnam by 1975

Deaths: > 58,000 Americans; 1.5 to 3 millionVietnamese; plus Laos & Cambodia

Initial cost to USA = $170 billion

War anger allies & 3rd World; delay dtente

War hurt US economy & politics

Devastate SE Asia (esp. agriculture withAgent Orange & bombing)


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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 restrainexecutive

Veterans suffer PTSD & Agent Orange


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XII. Nixon, Kissinger, &

Dtente 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


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XIII. Nixon & the World

Go to PRC (1972); agree to resist Sovietexpansion

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


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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 blackgovernments


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XIV. Nixons Domestic Agenda

Complex: seem to mix liberal with conservative

Support ERA; pioneer affirmative action

Revenue sharing (state control of US Govtfunds)

Overall seek to undercut liberal programs

Use divisive rhetoric (call Democrats radicals)

Southern strategy: appeal to southern whites bynominating conservatives to Supreme Court

Oppose Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenberg (1971)


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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-inoccur at Democratic HQ (Watergate)

Spying part of larger illegal program

(Plumbers) to get Nixons enemies Also use FBI, CIA, IRS against critics


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XVI. Cover-up; Nixons

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


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XVII. Fords Presidency

(197477) 1st unelected president in US history

Face cynicism & economic decline

Congress assert itself in wake of Vietnam &Watergate (override Fords vetoes)

Comedy show less respect for presidency

Carter defeat Ford in 1976 election


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XVIII. Carter as Outsider

President (197781) Promise honesty & stress outsider status (tap

public suspicion of US Govt)

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


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XIX. Economic Crisis

Stagflation: high unemployment with highinflation

US Govt deficits contribute to inflation

US productivity & quality decline just as USAface more foreign competition (Europe, Japan)

1971: USA begin to run trade deficits

Oil embargo (1973) & repeated OPEC priceincreases cause inflation to skyrocket

US manufacturers (autos) lay off workers


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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 effortsto curb inflation via spending cuts

Frequent recessions (no economic growth)occur


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XX. Impacts of the Economic

Crisis Deindustrialization start

Heavy industries decline/move abroad

Wages & benefits much lower in emergingservice sector

Blue-color workers slip from middle-class

Shifts to Sunbelt & suburbs accelerate (Map

31.1) Fiscal disaster for urban North & Midwest


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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 savingaccounts into mutual funds, stocks, & otherinvestments


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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 earths resources finite

Call for conservation to avoid overuse New questions about technology/science


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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


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XXIV. Carters Divided

Administration Vow to reduce Cold War & pay attention to

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

Dtente deteriorate; Cold War deepen


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XXV. Carter & Renewed Cold

War USSR invade Afghanistan (1979) to protect

communist govt 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 (7981) = humiliation for USA


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XXVI. US Foreign Relations

Afghanistan & Iran reflect rise of Islamicfundamentalism = reject western ways

Resent history of western domination inMiddle 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

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The Reshuffling of America