Quiz 6

Glass Steagall Act

According to Foner most stock fraud resulted from the repeal in 1999 of this Act, a New Deal measure that had separated commercial banks, which accept deposits and make loans, from investment banks, which invest in stocks and real estate and take larger risks.

CREEP

Acronym for the inner circle of Nixon's campaign committee officials who engaged in a host of "dirty tricks".

Taft Hartley Act

Act passed by Congress in 1947 which severely modified the Wagner Act. Union leaders denounced it as a "slave labor law."

George McGovern

Democratic candidate for the Presidency in 1972; that was beaten by Nixon in a landslide (hint: Nixon's cronies helped insure that he would win the nomination by sabotaging Muskie's campaign).

Strom Thurmond

Dixiecrat candidate for the Presidency in the election of 1948. He had led a walkout of the Democratic Convention over the civil rights plank supported by Truman.

John Anderson

Major third party candidate in the 1980 Presidential election who bolted from the Republican Party because he believed Reagan to be too conservative.

"The Great Society"

Name given to LBJ's economic and domestic policies.

"The New Frontier"

Name given to President Kennedy's domestic legislative proposals that were mostly defeated by a coalition of Southern Democrats and Republicans.

"Fair Deal"

Name of Truman's proposed domestic and economic legislation that he tried unsuccessfully to get passed by Congress during his administration.

James Watt

One of the most controversial members of Reagan's Cabinet, who as Secretary of the Interior, infuriated environmentalist by proposing to increase off-shore drilling, to open wilderness areas to oil and gas exploration and to relax federal air and water pollution standards. In 1989 he was indicted for improper use of appropriations.

Bill Clinton

Only other US President besides Andrew Johnson to be impeached.

Great Recession

The most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression. This was started by the collapsing housing market bubble, but would accelerate when the stock market again crashed in 2008.

supply-side economics

Theory which purports that cuts in income taxes and corporate taxes will stimulate new investments to business, which leads to expanded production and this will revive the economy.

Moral Majority

Political organization created in the late 1970s by Jerry Falwell, which sought to replace liberal Congressmen with conservative Congressmen. In 1980 this organization was successful in defeating five of the six Senators it targeted.

Spiro Agnew

President Nixon's Vice-president who had to resign because of scandals that occurred while he was the governor of Maryland (Hint: watches were made in his honor).

Bill Clinton

President who abolished AFDC (Aid to Families to Dependent Children), the US's welfare program created in part by the Social Security Act.

Ronald Reagan

President who proposed to cut taxes, raise defense spending and balance the budget. His economic plan was labeled "voodoo economic" by George Bush (the Elder).

Election of 2000

Presidential Election where Florida votes were disputed and Supreme Court decided the outcome of the election.

Nixon vs US

Supreme Court Case where the President refused to turn over Oval Office tapes to a Congressional Committee, because he claimed Executive Privilege. The Court was not convinced and the President was forced to turn over the tapes.

OEO

The cornerstone of Johnson's War on Poverty. This agency established many programs to wipe out illiteracy, unemployment and disease.

impeachment

Charges brought against a President, Vice-President, or Civil officers of the United States in the House of Representatives for crimes of "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors".

Congressional elections of 1946

Congressional elections (the year) where Republicans would win control of both houses of Congress for the first time since the Great Depression.

Twenty-second Amendment

Constitutional amendment that limits a President to running for only two elections and limits the time in the Presidency to ten years.

Geraldine Ferraro

1984 Democratic Party Vice-President who shared the ticket with Walter Mondale.

Sandra Day O'Connor

First woman on the Supreme Court, who would be nominated by President Reagan