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This message has been edited. Last edited by: James in Denver,

I always thought that Nixon was a pretty good President

he had a great Secretary of State in Kissinger (even though the two viscerally hated each other) and some other staffers I thought were very competent

I've been to his library twice, and I've read most of his books

in my opinion he did great things for the country with regard to China and Viet Nam

Old Vulcan proverb: "Only Nixon could go to China".

I recall reading something a long time ago that Nixon was a Civil War buff and had the largest private collection of Civil War memorabilia anywhere

apparently he could describe battlefields, tactics and outcomes, including specific people - he could paint the picture

Funny thing about Nixon, he should be a liberal, or at least an enviros icon. During Nixon’s time in office ALL of the following legislation was passed; much of it with his lead:

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA);
The Endangered Species Act (ESA);
Clean Air Act;
Clean Water Act;
Creation of NOAA;
Creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA);
Halted construction of the Cross-Florida Barge Canal because of environmental concerns.

Now an argument can be made that much of this legislation has proven to be detrimental to our country, but the fact remains that Nixon did more as an environmental President than anyone since Theodore Roosevelt and more than any President since.

The enviros should light candles to the guy.

Nixon was a progressive, much more liberal than Goldwater. Interestingly, he (with Kissinger) was a foreign policy genius, and that is proven by the fact that every president after him, sought his counsel in matters of foreign policy.

His downfall was he was an "old school" politician and got caught. He was also a tad paranoid......

But this also goes back to the definition of a "Republican" by today's standard, we never had one, by today's standard, all would have been WAY too progressive.

I live through those times in my mid teens, so a few recollections.
He had a flawed personality and did both good and bad things.
Foreign policy and the Vietnam War can be debated for a long time. They are complex issues and still debated today with the benefit of time and much more information available to critique his actions.
A few things many people overlook:
He created the 55 MPH speed limit to address the fuel shortage.
He introduced wage and price controls to attempt to deal with inflation and the economy.
He liked to use (and misuse) government power as a first resort.
He lied like many before and after, about our military situation and conditions on the ground.
His handling of Watergate led directly to many changes in government, the disastrous election of Jimmy Carter, hearings that exposed use and misuse of the CIA and FBI.
Started the official "War on Drugs".
And on and on.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
I live through those times in my mid teens, so a few recollections.
He had a flawed personality and did both good and bad things.
Foreign policy and the Vietnam War can be debated for a long time. They are complex issues and still debated today with the benefit of time and much more information available to critique his actions.
A few things many people overlook:
He created the 55 MPH speed limit to address the fuel shortage.
He introduced wage and price controls to attempt to deal with inflation and the economy.
He liked to use (and misuse) government power as a first resort.
He lied like many before and after, about our military situation and conditions on the ground.
His handling of Watergate led directly to many changes in government, the disastrous election of Jimmy Carter, hearings that exposed use and misuse of the CIA and FBI.
Started the official "War on Drugs".
And on and on.

As is often the case, many people want to simplify too much and encapsulate a president with one label. Thanks for reminding us that doesn't make sense.

quote:

A few things many people overlook:
He created the 55 MPH speed limit to address the fuel shortage.

Actually Nixon wanted a 50 MPH limit on cars and 55 on trucks, he signed the bill into law in 1974 however they didn't set the speed limits in states, they restricted funds to states with higher limits than allowed, forcing states to comply or loose federal funding...

The Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act was a bill in the U.S. Congress that enacted the National Maximum Speed Law.[14] States had to agree to the limit if they desired to receive federal funding for highway repair. The uniform speed limit was signed into law by Nixon on January 2, 1974, and became effective 60 days later,[15] by requiring the limit as a condition of each state receiving highway funds, a use of the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution.

In 75 The 55 mph (90 km/h) National Maximum Speed Limit was made permanent when Congress enacted and President Gerald Ford signed into law the Federal-Aid Highway Amendments of 1974 on January 4, 1975.

Add the DEA to the list of useless agencies created by Nixon. They pretty much guarantee that we will never win a war against drugs.

I see Tricky Dick as a flawed individual. Thumbs down. Because of him we ended up with Jimmy Carter, in my opinion. I think Ford would have had a good second term but the country wanted nothing to do with an appointed president.

Kissinger only cared about himself. It is my understanding that for years no one in this country did business in China unless they went through him. I also believe Vietnam was a winnable war had the politicians not interfered with the generals. Kissinger the foreign policy genius negotiated our first surrender in a war. Fuck him, too.

Oddly enough, my father was appointed to his career-highest post by Nixon, yet my father was mostly a left-leaning Democrat.

In his defense, Democrats weren't as openly evil and crazy as they are today. One could actually have a beer and conversation with a Democrat once upon a time.

I found this to be interesting read

https://web.archive.org/web/20...gy/lewis/LEWIHEN.htm

"Why switch Dicks in the middle of a screw?
Vote for NIXON in'72!"

A campaign slogan that compelling sticks with ya for nearly half a century.

Bad as he was, we’ve managed to have several worse ones since him.

Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yHTpGog0IY

quote:

Originally posted by RichardC:
"Why switch Dicks in the middle of a screw?
Vote for NIXON in'72!"

A campaign slogan that compelling sticks with ya for nearly half a century.

Let's not forget the signs in San Francisco: "Lick Dick in '72".