Linda+N.+-+RN+-+FA12

 Richard Milhous Nixon January 9, 1913, in Yorba Linda, California - April 22, 1994, in New York City, New York Political Party: Republican Terms: January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974 (resigned during beginning of second term) Vice Presidents: Spiro T. Agnew (1969–1973) and Gerald Ford (1973–1974)   **Thematic Context (American Identity) ** The restless seventies under the Nixon administration was touched by a wave of domestic reforms and commotions with affairs abroad, though many of them were overpowered by the scandal that encircled his term near the end of his career. In truth many events during this time did not get enough limelights that they deserve, especially those that dealt with the morality of human nature at home and abroad. Affliction approaching the Vietnam War sparked violence in the tiny tropical coast in the East and even at home, in this case at Kent State University, Idaho on that left four people dead and nine wounded. On May 4, 1970 students stormed out of the Kent State campus along with other protestors that totaled up to around two thousand protested the bombing of Cambodia-- a decision of President Nixon that appeared to expand the Vietnam War. The demonstrators were ordered to break up and disperse. National Guards that were sent to the scene fired tear gas then bullets amidst the scores of students. To this day the shooting was never righteously justified for none of the guards had been injured worse than a minor bruise and no demonstrators were armed, therefore there were no threats to provoke such murderous violence. Most Guards later justified that they opened fire because everyone else was. More horrifying is that none were later punished, civilly, administratively, or criminally, and some admitted shooting at a specific unarmed target. This tragic event revealed the eagerness from the young generations who were eager to voice their opinions, though the ending was not expected to turn out to be so revolting. A landmark case judged during the Nixon presidency was Roe vs Wade that set up a framework in which the woman's right to abortion and the state's right to protect potential life shift. Abortion was a topic heavily challenged amid the sexual revolution and feminist movements of the 1960s. The plaintiff was Norma McCorvey, using "Jane Roe" as an alias and representing all pregnant women in a class-action suit. She claimed that the Texas abortion laws (where she lived) violated her constitutional rights and other women’s. The defendant was county District Attorney Henry B. Wade. In a 7-2 decision, the Court ruled that the Texas statute violated Jane Roe's constitutional right to privacy that was protected by the Constitution's First, Fourth, Ninth, Fourteenth Amendments. The framework to the right of abortion was set up as followed: during the first trimester of pregnancy, a woman's privacy right is strongest and the state may not regulate abortion for any reason; during the second trimester, the state may regulate abortion only to protect the health of the woman; during the third trimester, the state may regulate or prohibit abortion to promote its interest in the potential life of the fetus, except where abortion is necessary to preserve the woman's life or health. Through this radical reformation, a reformation that still faces opposition, Americans had fought to obtain greater personal rights with the ancient Constitution and paved a path for more radicalism as they step into a new era with rapid transformations.

To many, President Richard Nixon was quite a famous president, not because of official prestige but because of egotistical fraudulency that eventually made him sign his own resignation letter. What is not generally viewed about Nixon was an advocating progressivist that had passed many liberal bills during his administration. Though from California, he was a pure commoner, being raised in “a house [his] father built” in Yorba Linda, a place that he described in his memoir “...a farming community of 200 people about thirty miles from Los Angeles..”. President Nixon grew liberal with society through the law enforcement bills, environmental protection, a commision of its own on consumerism, and many others. For an anti-communist campaigner, he took unexpected maneuvers like a visit to China and nuclear ban treaties between the States and the Soviet. Though many of his accomplishments could have brought many to acknowledge him as one of the greatest presidents during the 20th century, the unpopularity in Vietnam and the break-in then cover-up of the Watergate scandal overshadowed the many good deeds he had achieved, therefore I think President Nixon deserves a C- for his presidency.
 * Thesis **

During his administration, President Nixon had been more passionate toward foreign policies rather than domestic affairs, though he did carry necessary outputs for both national aspects. Most prominent, and disappointing, was his campaign promise of speedily ending the unpopular war in Vietnam complied with “Peace with honor”. Though the goal was to get US troops out of the country in six months, it ended up taking him more than four years and the withdrawal was far from honorable. Aside from the Vietnam issue, Nixon had exerted valuable efforts in relieving tensions with the communistic powers. Staying true to his October 1967 article in Foreign Affairs, he had initiated a good start in “pulling China back into the world community—but as a great and progressing nation, not as the epicenter of world revolution” with an 8-day travel to the country. Nixon’s pursuit, and also previous presidents’ pursuit, of detente with the Soviet Union was actualized in the SALT nuclear arms control agreement of 1972. In dealing with domestic affairs, Nixon had consistently stayed with the Republican platform of a conservative government. upon entering the White House in 1969, Nixon fixed his focus on a more responsive, more efficient system of government, and developed “New Federalism” - a program that transferred billions of dollars back to states and local powers and away from federal government. All in all, Nixon had legislatively tried to create a more liberal America and was in synch with his promises.
 * Goals **

President Nixon began to face disagreements among the White House as he entered office through a narrow election with Democratic majorities in both Houses of Congress. Though many reform bills were able to pass through, congressional support was merely; Nixon had to rally support for the programs through public communications. The support eventually worsened as his the expansion of the Vietnam War was revealed that contradicted his campaign promises. By the end of his presidency, he virtually lost support by the nation, including the Congress.
 * Relationship with Congress **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On July 15, 1971, President Richard Nixon had announced a will, one that is fundamentally completely unexpected for those who were ruled under the Nixon presidency. One who built his political career as a ruthless Communist fighter also a supporter of Taiwan, Nixon broadcasted on national television that he will pay a visit to the People’s Republic of China - the first president in American history to do so. The decision left many to ponder why a devoted anti-communist would want to visit an Eastern nation ruled by Communism that were isolated from the West since the Communist revolution in 1949. However, distinctive analysis of the current environment of the United States at the time undeniably brought out the true ethics of leader of society from Nixon - America was bogged down amid the intensely heated Cold War progression in Vietnam, while China and the Soviet Union were the main supplier for the North Vietnamese. In order to link diplomatic relations, Nixon casted aside selfish judgments and and made admirable efforts to depolarize the Eastern and Western World. Indeed the 8-day getaway enforced some powerful reconsiderations throughout the American society particularly dealing with Communist affliction, as the trip was aired on national television at home, but the establishment of full U.S. diplomatic relations with China was not revealed, as it was interrupted by the Watergate Scandal, until 1979. However vital events were taken place, like the Paris Peace Accords in 1973 that called an end to the American involvement in the Vietnam War, and precedingly China’s, then the Soviet’s, reduction of arms shipments to North Vietnam.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Positive Action **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The most atrocious scandal in US history was ripped wide open during Nixon presidency that had forced the president to resign to avoid definite impeachment. The massive campaign of political sabotage started to unravel on June 17, 1972, two months after Nixon’s renomination, when five agents of the Committee to Reelect the President (CREEP) - Bernard L. Barker, James McCord, Eugenio Martinez, Frank Sturgis, and Virgilio Gonzales - were arrested for burglary in the Democratic National Headquarters located in the Watergate complex in Washington DC with “bugging” equipments in their possession. Two other men -G. Gordon Liddy, former FBI agent and E. Howard Hunt, retiree from the CIA- who stayed in the hotel room with two-way radio contact with the others quickly vacated the premises but further investigations found out about their staying. On September 15, 1972, Hunt, Liddy, and the 5 Watergate burglars were indicted by a federal grand jury. These men had been hired by the representatives of President Nixon's administration to illegally gather information that could be useful for Nixon in the presidential election of 1972. On October 10, 1972, the FBI began to develop revelations that the Watergate scandal was part of a devious plot by the officials and heads of the Nixon re-election campaign to conduct unfair misdemeanors against the Democratic party. Despite the disturbing charges, Nixon’s re-election was never jeopardized, but he actually won with one of the biggest landslides ever in American political history on November 7. More offensive news came in circling around the scandal. In April 9, 1973, The New York Times reported that the convicted James McCord told the Senate Watergate Committee that the payments for the burglar came directly from the Republican organization CREEP. Nixon hotly denied any prior knowledge regarding to the Watergate operation and also affirmed that he “would not use executive privilege to impede testimony or the presentation of evidence", but as the Watergate affair became more established, Nixon suspiciously overturned his promise. A tie-breaker to the dispute was the testimony of former White House Counsel John Dean from June 25-29, 1973, a move that annulled the innocence of the President and virtually dug a deeper grave for him. Dean’s claims laid out his knowledge of the entire campaign White House espionage and insinuated the presence of the recorded tapes of the conversations in the oval office, including those regarding the Watergate incident. As examinations were asked to perform, President Nixon announced that he would not testify before the Senate Watergate Committee, and he would not provide access to White House documents, justified this decision as "executive privilege". Looking for ample evidences, The Senate Committee and special prosecutor Archibald Cox, Jr. issued subpoenas for the White House tapes. Desperate to resolve the tape dispute, Nixon offered the Stennis Compromise on October 19, 1973, asking that U.S. Senator John C. Stennis to review the tapes independently and summarize them for the special prosecutor's office. When Cox turned down the compromise, Nixon worked on removing him from office the next night, a Saturday. The removal, special prosecutor's office, was reluctantly complied by Solicitor General Robert Bork and introduced Leon Jaworski as the new special prosecutor. This gross abuse of power was later remarked as the Saturday Night Massacre and evoked several bills of impeachments the following days. Feeling heavy atmosphere, Nixon agreed to turn in some of the tapes to District Judge Sirica. To this point crookedness still continuously poured into the already shameful scandal, when two of the subpoenaed tapes were announced missing and one tape that was recorded three days of the Watergate burglary was purposely erased for 18 and 1/2 minutes between the President and H.R. Haldeman. Confirmed that the subject of the discussion was the Watergate break-in by Haldeman’s personal note, suspicions of destruction of evidences by Nixon ghastly aroused. On July 24, 1974, the Supreme Court unanimously decided United States v. Nixon. Between July 27 and 30, the Judiciary House Committee adopted three articles of impeachment against the president: Obstructing the Watergate investigation, Misuse of power and violating his oath of office, Failure to comply with House subpoenas. Knowing that his term will not be fulfilled, Richard Nixon addressed the nation from the Oval Office on <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">August 9, 1974 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">about his departure that came from the interest of the American people because they needed a full-time president. The outrageous misconduct from the highest position of the nation, in fact, had contributed to moralize the democratic nation. It sure upheld its constitutional principles that no person is above the law and self-discipline was undertaken to hold the president accountable for his acts.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Negative Action **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One of President Nixon’s action that left a lasting impact into the American society is the signing of the 26th Amendment that effectively lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. The agitating issue had been lingering around since World War II, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt lowered the minimum drafting age to 18 while the voting age, determined by individual states, still remained the historical notch at 21. Young advocates chanted that if they were old enough to be drafted to fight in combat, then they are old enough to offer their say in the government through voting. This line of argument had been heard through the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, but action was not undertaken until March 23, 1971 when the proposal for the new voting age was passed through Congress and ratified on July 1, 1971. The ratification period of 107 days was the shortest in US history - the bill was quickly passed to avert possible conflicts in the 1972 election. As a result, 11 million new voters were introduced (according to Nixon) to their first presidential combat between current Republican president of the time Nixon and Democrat rival Senator George McGovern; the outcome turned out to be in favor of Nixon who carried 49 states, all except Massachusetts and non-state Washington District of Columbia. But the fact that 18,19, and 20 year olds are now able to vote substantially gushed the democratic feelings into American society, especially to the young generations always with crops of idealism and vitality.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Influential Decision **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By the end of Nixon’s terms, the country was in a worse mood than in the beginning. For what is now almost repetitive, Nixon’s major flaws were the determined fight in Vietnam and the political sabotage in Watergate, things that outsiders only consider. Foreign affairs became a bit more neutralized with the nuclear-ban treaties in place and the developing diplomatic relations with China, but the South Vietnamese defeat in Southeast Asia was imminent, while not much could be done to revert the deceiving outcome. However, involvement in Vietnam continued to plague America, even when it was drawing to an end. Many were angered that American tax dollars were lavishly spent in Vietnam without bearing any fruits. With all the achievements that he had earned throughout his presidential career, President Nixon is often looked down by many critics for the Watergate affair had undeniably sprang skepticisms about Washington officials. Charges upon him greatly reduced his credentials. In conclusion President Nixon earns a C- for his presidency. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 24px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Works Cited <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"1972: Nixon Takes Second Term by Landslide." BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2013. < [|__http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/7/newsid_3697000/3697098.stm__] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>. "26th Amendment legal definition of 26th Amendment. 26th Amendment synonyms by the Free Online Law Dictionary.." Legal Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Jan. 2013. < [|__http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/26th+Amendment__] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>. Answers.com. Answers, n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2013. < [|__http://www.answers.com/topic/saturday-night-massacre__] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>. DeGregorio, William A.. The complete book of U.S. presidents. 4th ed. New York: Barricade Books, 2005. Print. Hess, Stephen. "CHINA US Focus - Perspectives Shaping the World's Most Important Bilateral Relationship." CHINA US Focus Nixon in China Comments. N.p., 20 Feb. 2012. Web. 06 Jan. 2013. < [|__http://www.chinausfocus.com/foreign-policy/nixon-in-china/__] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>. "Kent State, May 4, 1970: America Kills Its Children." Kent State, May 4, 1970: America Kills Its Children. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2013. < [|__http://www.spectacle.org/595/kent.html__] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>. "Kent State University." Kent State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2013. < [|__http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/kent_state_university.htm__] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>. "Miller Center." American President: Richard Milhous Nixon. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan. 2013. < [|__http://millercenter.org/president/nixon__] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>. "Richard M. Nixon (January 9, 1913 - April 22, 1994)." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2013. < [|__http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/china/peopleevents/pande01.html__] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>. "Roe v. Wade â Case Brief Summary." Lawnix Free Case Briefs RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2013. < [|__http://www.lawnix.com/cases/roe-wade.html__] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>. "Voting Amendments in the U.S." Voting Amendments in the U.S. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2013. < [|__http://www.in.gov/judiciary/citc/museum/voting/index.html__] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>. "Watergate Scandal Timeline." Watergate Scandal Timeline. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Jan. 2013. < [|__http://www.authentichistory.com/1961-1974/6-nixon/3-watergate/timeline/index.html__] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Women's Rights on Trial, 1st Ed., Gale, 1997, p.312. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Why Were Richard Nixon's Relations with Congress Strained Even before the Watergate Scandal?" Answers.com. Answers, n.d. Web. 06 Jan. 2013. < [|__http://www.answers.com/topic/why-were-richard-nixon-s-relations-with-congress-strained-even-before-the-watergate-scandal__] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">>.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Conclusion **