Domestic Policy Initiatives of the Nixon Years:
Bringing Innovation and Progress to the American People
Nixon Legacy Forum
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum
Yorba Linda, CA
January 9, 2010

Four members of the Nixon White House Domestic Council convened at the Nixon Library to discuss the President’s innovations and progress in the realm of domestic policy.

Panelists included Hon. James Cavanaugh on early efforts at health care reform, Hon. John C. Whitaker on environmental protection, and Amb. Richard Fairbanks on energy conservation. The forum was moderated by Hon. Geoff Shepard, who discussed the origins and organization of the Domestic Council and the Office of Management and Budget.

Legacy Forum Transcript: (Link to be added)

Photo: President Nixon with John Ehrlichman and Moynihan (President Nixon with Ehrlichman and Moynihan_Oval_05_06_69_37-whpo-0972-05a-i-2020-ec)

Background

Upon winning the presidential election of 1968 President-elect Richard Nixon began the process of preparing to assume the presidency in January of 1969. Given his experience in government and his vision for a more modern presidency Richard Nixon knew the work that had been assigned to his pre-presidential task was not a small one. To make the most efficient use of the time as possible President-elect Nixon set up seventeen task forces to study the Executive Branch. These task forces were to determine how to modernize and make the presidency more effective. Arthur F. Burns (Counselor to the President) was to oversee these task forces and submit their reports prior to President Nixon’s inauguration.

After the inauguration President Nixon sought to act upon the recommendations of the task force and reorganize the operations of the Executive Office of the President to make it more responsive to the president’s desires in part based on the recommendations of the pre-presidential task forces. President Nixon sought to transform the Executive Office of the President from one where the heads of the various cabinets directed operations of that department, largely independently, to one where the president had direct input into the various activities of the departments and the Cabinet officers carried out the president’s policies.

To make these changes President Nixon authorized the creation of the President’s Advisory Council on Executive Organization, also known as the Ash Council. The Council made three major recommendations which took effect in what is known as Reorganization Plan #2 of 1970. This resulted in the creation of the Domestic Council, revitalization of the National Security Council, and conversion of the Bureau of the Budget into the Office of Management and Budget. The Office of Management and Budget gave the executive office the ability to better help the departments and agencies follow through on the president’s policies.

The Domestic Council was modeled as the counterpart to the recently-revived National Security Council; staff members would study policy issues and draft policy recommendations. They would then debate and discuss the issues, and narrow the options down to a few viable ones and present them to the president. The president would then make the decision as to what the policy would be.

Like the National Security Council the Domestic Council would be directed by one person who reported to the president. It was determined that the best person for this position was John Ehrlichman. This modern and redesigned methodology for the creation of domestic policy fit the vision of an effective and efficient Executive Office that President Nixon sought. Importantly, the president –not a member of the unelected bureaucracy- made the decisions regarding policy.

The Domestic Council engaged in the following major initiatives during the Nixon administration:

  1. Tax Reform
  2. Postal Reform
  3. Draft Reform
  4. Unemployment Insurance Reform
  5. Welfare Reform
  6. Employment Training Reform
  7. Office of Economic Opportunity Reform
  8. Revenue Sharing Reform
  9. Environmental Preservation
  10. Occupational and Consumer Safety

PHOTO: President Nixon meeting with the Domestic Council (President Nixon Meeting with the Domestic Council_7_22_70_37-whpo-3967-22a-i-2020-js)

 

Presidential Messages related to Domestic Programs

April 30, 1969 Special Message to Congress on Consolidation of Federal Assistance Programs
American Presidency Project
(https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/special-message-the-congress-consolidation-federal-assistance-programs

May 27, 1969 Special Message to Congress on Postal Reform
American Presidency Project
(https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/special-message-the-congress-postal-reform )

August 8, 1969 Address to the Nation on Domestic Programs 
American Presidency Project
(https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/address-the-nation-domestic-programs )

February 2, 1970 Annual Budget Message to the Congress, Fiscal Year 1971
American Presidency Project
(
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/annual-budget-message-the-congress-fiscal-year-1971 )

March 3, 1970 Special Message to Congress on Education Reform
American Presidency Project
(
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/special-message-the-congress-education-reform)

March 12, 1970 Message to Congress Transmitting Reorganization Plan 2 of 1970 
American Presidency Project
(
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/message-the-congress-transmitting-reorganization-plan-2-1970 )

July 1, 1970 Executive Order 11541 – Prescribing the Duties of the Office of Management and Budget and the Domestic Council in the Executive Office of the President
American Presidency Project
(https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-11541-prescribing-the-duties-the-office-management-and-budget-and-the )

January 22, 1971 Annual Message to Congress on the State of the Union 
American Presidency Project
(
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/advanced-search?field-keywords=&field-keywords2=&field-keywords3=&from%5Bdate%5D=01-21-1971&to%5Bdate%5D=01-25-1971&person2=&items_per_page=25 )

June 4, 1971 Remarks About a Special Message to the Congress on Energy Resources 
American Presidency Project (https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-about-special-message-the-congress-energy-resources )

March 2, 1972 Special Message to Congress on Health Care
American Presidency Project
(
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/special-message-the-congress-health-care )

March 27, 1972 Special Message to Congress on Welfare Reform
American Presidency Project
(
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/special-message-the-congress-welfare-reform )