Samantha+-+RN+-+F08

Spiro Agnew (1969–1973) Gerald Ford (1973–1974) Richard M. Nixon appeared to be a good future president. He certainly had the experience from eight years in vice president and a seat in both house and senate during his lifetime. Also being in the navy, he was said to have good foreign affair policies. Then he got into scandals where he was actually charged for withholding evidence. He soon after became the only president to resign in office. I would give President Nixon a D+ for his good boosting of great society programs, but the good was out weighted by the Watergate scandal and the secret bombing of Cambodia. From the very beginning, Nixon as were the other candidates at that time, were committed to not ending the Cold War until honorable peace was discussed. He half successfully completed this by bombing North Vietnam to the peace table. Another goal was to try and shift involvement in the war into South Vietnams so more American troops could come home. His plan to do this was called “Vietnamizing” the war, it took 540,000 American troops out of the war. He also wanted to give the Great Society programs a boost. Americans were astounded by what he did to help out the programs. He even lowered the poverty rate to 11% (lowest ever). Most of the goals he set as president, he did achieve. Nixon’s relationship with congress was pitiful. Critics say he was the worst with congress since Herbert Hoover. Since his congress had a democratic majority in both houses, he found it hard to work together and agree. It has been agreed, Nixon would have gotten a lot more accomplished if he had just served with a congress, that he could work together with. As a result of the impending issue with congress, America was severely lacking what could have come about in Nixon’s presidency, domestic- wise. (He didn’t get along with the Warren Court either) The most positive thing Nixon achieved during presidency would have to be the additions and “new coat of paint” to the Great Society program. After all the unsuccessful things Nixon had done during his regime, America could not even believe the wonders he worked on the home front. He gave more money towards food stamps and Medicaid and to other welfare groups. He signed new legislation to protect elderly from the awful woes of inflation. All that he did with the Great Society lowered the poverty level to 11%, this was a great feat for Nixon. He devised the Philadelphia Plan to support the hiring of black and minority workers. This took affirmative action to a whole new level. Unlike the original version that aimed to protect individuals from racist employers, the Philadelphia plan protected groups from discrimination. Lastly the Environmental Protection Agency was created, starting the age of conserving natural resources. The worst thing Nixon ever did was the Watergate Scandal. Five men working for an association called CREEP, for the republican reelection, tried to bug the democrat wing of the Washington complex. They were caught and identified as part of the association. Nixon denied involvement but it was later found evidence of whether he was guilty or not was on tapes. Nixon refused to give up the tapes, and when he finally was forced to give them up, valuable parts were missing. He then was in danger of being impeached. He finally resigned a little later. The Nixon administration was an example of what not to do in essence. The American people had reasons to distrust him after he lied to them, and kept important secrets from them. He went against and didn’t get along with both congress, and the Supreme Court. During his presidency the country went into a huge recession because Nixon took money out of the government to put into people’s hands, through welfare, rather than putting the same money into the economy. America was definitely better off without Richard Nixon. He caused more problems than he did to help. (Arab Oil Embargo, Watergate and Cambodia are just a few) I gave Richard Nixon a D+ because his foreign policy and domestic policy were not all that bad, he got into some nasty scandals and deceptive lies, hence bringing down his support from the American people. __President Nixon Biography__. Enotes. 8 Jan. 2009 . __Richard Nixon__. Wikipedia. 8 Jan. 2009 . __The American Pageant__. 12th ed. New York/ Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002.
 * Richard Nixon ** (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994)
 * Party:** Republican
 * In office:** January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974
 * Vice Presidents:**
 * Outline:**
 * Works Cited:**