JANUARY 20, 1970

Full News Archive

• Headline: Nixon's Budget Plan: No New Taxes. Impact: If only Nixon had actually needed those excise taxes, we might have seen a renaissance of budgeting creativity. Instead, this decision led to a cascading series of fiscal cliff dives and a desperate search for money in the couch cushions of America.. Fact: Fun fact: 'No new taxes' is basically the political equivalent of saying 'I promise I'll start working out next week.' Spoiler: it rarely happens..
• Headline: Ottinger's Senate Race Announcement. Impact: Ottinger's leap into the Senate race set off a chain reaction of political ambition that would eventually lead to more candidates than voters in some districts. Thanks, democracy!. Fact: Did you know that running for Senate is like a game of musical chairs, except everyone thinks they deserve a seat, and the music is just politicians arguing?.
• Headline: Kleindienst and Mexico's Marijuana Burn. Impact: Kleindienst's marijuana bonfire ignited not just tons of weed, but also a decades-long debate about drug policy that would make even the most hardened pothead scratch their head in confusion.. Fact: It’s ironic that they burned the marijuana, considering it would later become a key ingredient in the 'let's chill and talk about our feelings' movement..
• Headline: JUSTICES TO RULE ON FINES FOR POOR. Impact: This case turned into a landmark decision that would ripple through the justice system, ensuring that being poor is a crime punishable by extended jail time. Who knew poverty was such a serious offense?. Fact: Did you know that jailing people for being unable to pay fines is like punishing someone for having a flat tire by taking away their car? Makes total sense, right?.
• Headline: Southerner Named to Supreme Court; Carswell, 50, Viewed as Conservative. Impact: Carswell's appointment marked a significant pivot towards conservative ideologies in the Supreme Court, setting the stage for decades of contentious rulings that polarized the nation like a hot knife through butter.. Fact: Did you know that ‘conservative’ and ‘illustrious’ don’t always go hand in hand? Just ask any history book..
• Headline: McGovern Accuses Nixon Of Polarizing U.S. Politics. Impact: McGovern's accusations of political polarization were the first shots fired in a war of words that would lead to the modern-day divide, where agreeing on anything is akin to finding a unicorn in your backyard.. Fact: Fun fact: Politics is just like high school drama, except instead of prom dates, we're fighting over healthcare and climate change..
• Headline: SOUTHERN LAYS ON JURIES UPHELD. Impact: This ruling ensured that discriminatory practices could continue under the guise of legality, setting a precedent that would haunt the judicial system and civil rights movements for years to come, like a bad sequel to a horror movie.. Fact: Did you know that the Supreme Court is the only place where it’s perfectly legal to uphold discrimination? Sounds like a plot twist in a real-life soap opera..
• Headline: STATE REMAPPING OF CONGRESS LINES HELPFUL TO G.O.P.. Impact: The readiness for talks between the two Germanys was like the first awkward step in a dance that would eventually lead to reunification, a moment that would inspire a million awkward reunions across the globe.. Fact: Did you know that the last time two countries were ready to negotiate, it ended with a dramatic handshake and a lot of awkward small talk? History loves a good cliffhanger..
• Headline: The 2 Germanys Indicate Readiness to Start Talks.