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In this chapter, Chisholm recounts her decision to oppose military funding during her early months in Congress, beginning in January 1968. Initially, she and other members of Congress, including fellow newcomer Allard Loewenstein, maintained cautious optimism about the Nixon administration’s potential to address domestic issues while ending the Vietnam War. Loewenstein, who had previously led anti-war efforts, deliberately remained silent on the conflict for seven months, believing the new president deserved an opportunity to demonstrate different priorities than his predecessor.
Chisholm’s optimism quickly faded by March 1968 when several of the administration’s actions revealed misplaced priorities. Secretary of Commerce Maurice Stans indicated that social programs would be postponed to combat inflation, while Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare Robert Finch testified that increased education spending was impossible until the Vietnam conflict ended. Most significantly, President Nixon simultaneously announced plans to build an expensive anti-ballistic missile system while cutting funding for Head Start programs in Washington, D.C.
This juxtaposition prompted Chisholm to deliver her first major House speech, arguing that spending billions on unnecessary weapons while denying resources to disadvantaged children was morally wrong. She contrasted the government’s treatment of military versus social programs, using specific examples to illustrate her point.