put a stop to prosecutions, or even overthrow a government in exchange for financial favours. When these traditional agencies of justice" proved to be unwilling or unable to serve Nixon's purposes, he set about creating his own set of super-agencies," totally under his personal control and entirely above the law, Thoy were free to bribe and be bribed, to plant informers, spread talse information, defame political enemies, all for the private political aims of the President and his fol Jowers. The 1972 elections and the Watergate caper are only the tip of the icoberg. The 1950's and 60's saw a sizeable shift in population, and industrial and political power, to the southern and south-western regions of the Uniled States. Nixon's backers, or the *cowboys' as they have been branded, are the new-money people who have made their wealch out of ail, defence contracts, real estate and the like. Some of the leading members of Nixon's inner circle are from the southwest, as are his closest friends, his main financial supporters, and a large proportion of those he has appointed to government and judicial offices.
The "cowboys' ure anti-black, anti-trade union and pay very little attention lu the civilised niceties of 'normal' business ethics. Their policital methods are cut from similar cloth, The Vietnam War and President Lyndon Johnson's zegime did much to assist their rise into the centres of power. The war gave Johnson the excuse he needed to extend the power of the President and carry out all kinds skullduggery — all in the name of "national security." Significantly Johnson's closest associates were Texas oil men, and ochers frown the ranks of the "cow boys, But the Democralic Party was not the best