The Plot That Failed: Nixon and the Administrative Presidency

By definition, a plot is "a secret project or scheme, often harmful. "THE PLOT THAT FAILED" refers to President Richard M. Nixon's attempt in 1972 and 1973 to achieve his major aims in domestic policy by controlling the management of domestic government. This strategy-referred to in this book as the "Administrative Presidency"--raises basic and intriguing questions for the American government. Under the plan, a cadre of newly appointed Cabinet and sub-Cabinet officials was to take over entrenched bureaucracies-and thus seek to attain Nixon's goals through administrative action. Watergate, however, was the downfall of the "Administrative Presidency." "THE PLOT THAT FAILED" is an account of an abortive attempt to control the machinery of domestic government. Richard P. Nathan, an official in the first term of the Nixon Administration, presents an interesting and balanced treatment of Nixon's domestic program. He underscores the fact that people across the political spectrum supported many of the aims of the "New Federalism." Was there merit in Nixon's concept of adopting an administrative strategy for putting these objective into effect? Would his strategy have worked if there had been no Watergate? What are its implications? These are some of the questions examined in this book.