Opinion Richard Nixon: Most Pro-Environment POTUS of All-Time?

[Deorum]

Republican presidents are trash. Shoutout to fucking Nixon though for creating the EPA that Trump is destroying lmao.

He deserves the shout-out, if not a total re-evaluation.



The Nixon Presidency (1969-1974) is predominantly remembered for foreign policy, with his overall legacy defined by the watergate scandal, his subsequent resignation, and pardon by Gerald Ford. In-between all of that was one of the most accomplished domestic policy agendas in American history. One of the most incredible things about this aside from the fact that he was a Republican is that Nixon himself was privately ambivalent on the environment.

But as one of the most pragmatic operators to ever occupy the oval office, he recognized 1) the issue was not a passing fad and 2) tangible action had to be taken. He delivered, like nobody else before or since. Whereas Theodore Roosevelt remains unparalleled as the greatest champion of wilderness conservation and creation of public lands (230 million acres in the form of 150 national forests, 55 national wildlife refuges, and 18 national monuments), Nixon's achievements are based on generalized environmental protections and regulations.

 

[The Diplomat]

Yeah yeah. Created EPA, Chinese relations, advanced women's rights through appointments and ended the Vietnam war. Arguably the smartest/highest IQ pres of all time. Without the scandal, he would've been a liberal icon. Also, he lost to JFK because of TV.

Tell me more that I don't know about Tricky Dick, and I'll show you the best gay porn ever.

 

[HereticBD]

Unfortunately for Nixon, he'll always be remembered for Watergate. He did a lot of good. The man wasn't popular for no reason.

 

[joy2day]

And that's not all Nixon did. He's the best modern-age Republican by far.

• Proposed a universal healthcare plan: Nixon’s 1974 health insurance plan would have required employers to provide insurance and created subsidies for low-income people — resembling the ACA (Obamacare) in some ways.
• Expanded Social Security: Nixon signed into law a major expansion of Social Security benefits in 1972.
• Established Supplemental Security Income (SSI): This program still supports elderly, blind, and disabled individuals with limited income.
• Created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): In 1970, Nixon established the EPA, now a cornerstone of environmental regulation.
• Signed the Clean Air Act of 1970: A landmark law to combat air pollution.
• Signed the Endangered Species Act (1973) and Safe Drinking Water Act (1974): Critical environmental protections.
• Increased federal funding for education: Nixon backed more spending on public education and supported desegregation in Southern schools, albeit reluctantly at times.
• Revenue Sharing with States: While seen as a conservative approach to decentralization, it resulted in increased federal funds flowing into local governments for social programs.
• Supported Title IX (1972): Nixon signed Title IX into law, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education — foundational for gender equity in sports and education.
• Affirmative Action: Nixon’s administration implemented the Philadelphia Plan, the first significant federal affirmative action program requiring contractors to hire minority workers.
• Ended the Vietnam War: Though he escalated it early on, Nixon negotiated the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam.
• Opened diplomatic relations with China: Nixon’s 1972 visit to China paved the way for trade and diplomacy with a major communist nation.
• Détente with the Soviet Union: Eased Cold War tensions and led to arms control agreements (SALT I).
• Imposed wage and price controls: In 1971, Nixon temporarily froze wages and prices to combat inflation — a direct federal intervention in the economy that would be viewed as big-government today.
• Took the U.S. off the gold standard: His move toward a fiat currency system gave the government more monetary flexibility.

 

[Siver!]

Make listening to scientists cool again!

 

[The Diplomat]

And that's not all Nixon did. He's the best modern-age Republican by far.

• Proposed a universal healthcare plan: Nixon’s 1974 health insurance plan would have required employers to provide insurance and created subsidies for low-income people — resembling the ACA (Obamacare) in some ways.
• Expanded Social Security: Nixon signed into law a major expansion of Social Security benefits in 1972.
• Established Supplemental Security Income (SSI): This program still supports elderly, blind, and disabled individuals with limited income.
• Created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): In 1970, Nixon established the EPA, now a cornerstone of environmental regulation.
• Signed the Clean Air Act of 1970: A landmark law to combat air pollution.
• Signed the Endangered Species Act (1973) and Safe Drinking Water Act (1974): Critical environmental protections.
• Increased federal funding for education: Nixon backed more spending on public education and supported desegregation in Southern schools, albeit reluctantly at times.
• Revenue Sharing with States: While seen as a conservative approach to decentralization, it resulted in increased federal funds flowing into local governments for social programs.
• Supported Title IX (1972): Nixon signed Title IX into law, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education — foundational for gender equity in sports and education.
• Affirmative Action: Nixon’s administration implemented the Philadelphia Plan, the first significant federal affirmative action program requiring contractors to hire minority workers.
• Ended the Vietnam War: Though he escalated it early on, Nixon negotiated the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam.
• Opened diplomatic relations with China: Nixon’s 1972 visit to China paved the way for trade and diplomacy with a major communist nation.
• Détente with the Soviet Union: Eased Cold War tensions and led to arms control agreements (SALT I).
• Imposed wage and price controls: In 1971, Nixon temporarily froze wages and prices to combat inflation — a direct federal intervention in the economy that would be viewed as big-government today.
• Took the U.S. off the gold standard: His move toward a fiat currency system gave the government more monetary flexibility.

The interesting thing about Nixon, is that while he actively passed major progressive bills, he was one of the most racist and authoritarian types behind closed doors. Even moreso than LBJ.

The duality and contradiction is what makes Nixon one of the most fascinating presidents of all time, imo.

 

[deviake]

He deserves the shout-out, if not a total re-evaluation.



The Nixon Presidency (1969-1974) is predominantly remembered for foreign policy, with his overall legacy defined by the watergate scandal, his subsequent resignation, and pardon by Gerald Ford. In-between all of that was one of the most accomplished domestic policy agendas in American history. One of the most incredible things about this aside from the fact that he was a Republican is that Nixon himself was privately ambivalent on the environment.

But as one of the most pragmatic operators to ever occupy the oval office, he recognized 1) the issue was not a passing fad and 2) tangible action had to be taken. He delivered, like nobody else before or since. Whereas Theodore Roosevelt remains unparalleled as the greatest champion of wilderness conservation and creation of public lands (230 million acres in the form of 150 national forests, 55 national wildlife refuges, and 18 national monuments), Nixon's achievements are based on generalized environmental protections and regulations.

Remarkable. For all my other issues with him and US presidents in general, that's amazing. I've never looked deeply into him but I remember Noam fucking Chomsky of all people calling him that last progressive president or something like that. I looked up a couple articles to check just meow and found this from a Huffpost 2014 article:

During a discussion on HuffPost Live, Chomsky weighed in on the minimum wage debate, blaming neo-liberals for keeping talk of wage increases off the table until now.

"It's a shame that it's taken so long to even be a discussion," Chomsky said. "As for support, we may recall the last major program for helping families at the level of survival was under Richard Nixon. In many respects Nixon was the last liberal president."

This excerpt from a Time article also gave me a sensible chuckle:

In 2008, as Obama and McCain vied for the presidency, political commentator Samuel Smith itemized Nixon’s agenda in an AlterNet story under this headline: “If Nixon Were Alive Today, He Would Be Far Too Liberal to Get Even the Democratic Nomination.”

 

[joy2day]

The interesting thing about Nixon, is that while he actively passed major progressive bills, he was one of the most racist and authoritarian types behind closed doors. Even moreso than LBJ.

The duality and contradiction is what makes Nixon one of the most fascinating presidents of all time, imo.

Yep. He made some predictions that aged incredibly well also.

 

[deviake]

And that's not all Nixon did. He's the best modern-age Republican by far.

• Proposed a universal healthcare plan: Nixon’s 1974 health insurance plan would have required employers to provide insurance and created subsidies for low-income people — resembling the ACA (Obamacare) in some ways.
• Expanded Social Security: Nixon signed into law a major expansion of Social Security benefits in 1972.
• Established Supplemental Security Income (SSI): This program still supports elderly, blind, and disabled individuals with limited income.
• Created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): In 1970, Nixon established the EPA, now a cornerstone of environmental regulation.
• Signed the Clean Air Act of 1970: A landmark law to combat air pollution.
• Signed the Endangered Species Act (1973) and Safe Drinking Water Act (1974): Critical environmental protections.
• Increased federal funding for education: Nixon backed more spending on public education and supported desegregation in Southern schools, albeit reluctantly at times.
• Revenue Sharing with States: While seen as a conservative approach to decentralization, it resulted in increased federal funds flowing into local governments for social programs.
• Supported Title IX (1972): Nixon signed Title IX into law, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education — foundational for gender equity in sports and education.
• Affirmative Action: Nixon’s administration implemented the Philadelphia Plan, the first significant federal affirmative action program requiring contractors to hire minority workers.
• Ended the Vietnam War: Though he escalated it early on, Nixon negotiated the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam.
• Opened diplomatic relations with China: Nixon’s 1972 visit to China paved the way for trade and diplomacy with a major communist nation.
• Détente with the Soviet Union: Eased Cold War tensions and led to arms control agreements (SALT I).
• Imposed wage and price controls: In 1971, Nixon temporarily froze wages and prices to combat inflation — a direct federal intervention in the economy that would be viewed as big-government today.
• Took the U.S. off the gold standard: His move toward a fiat currency system gave the government more monetary flexibility.

The interesting thing about Nixon, is that while he actively passed major progressive bills, he was one of the most racist and authoritarian types behind closed doors. Even moreso than LBJ.

The duality and contradiction is what makes Nixon one of the most fascinating presidents of all time, imo.

Yeah. He was such a POS but also did and tried to do great things domestically. We need someone with real vision and boldness again in the US.

 

[Daverisimo]

Nixon was absolute swine carrying water for Kissenger, but yeah, he was still better than every subsequent GOP president.

 

[The Diplomat]

Yeah. He was such a POS but also did and tried to do great things domestically. We need someone with real vision and boldness again in the US.

He knew what he was doing. He just never got to see it through, because he was caught. And back then, doing illegal things was a presidential ending situation.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Every now and then I revisit HST's writings on Nixon and it always cracks me up.

 

[joy2day]

Yeah. He was such a POS but also did and tried to do great things. We need someone with real vision and boldness again in the US.

I don't care all that much about the things he said behind closed doors that got recorded. That's really the source of him being a POS- not his actions. Personally, I don't weigh people's private banter nearly as loudly as I do their actions; that was the way a lot of people talked then; they were different times. Watergate wasn't anywhere near the ballpark of the shit Trump has gotten away with.

I would be happy just to get someone that isn't a total fuckup. I don't see anyone with real vision making it to the top in politics these days. With primaries and swings states (which didn't use to exist because Reps and Dems were mixed in all states), what you get is radicals from both parties that are generally unpopular as presidents. The last 8 years have seen presidents sub-majority approval throughout their terms, and that will certainly continue for the next 4 years. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

 

[The Diplomat]

Every now and then I revisit HST's writings on Nixon and it always cracks me up.

Eh. Not all bad. Nearly 8 years later, Reagen's dementia ridden corpse was running things.

 

[joy2day]

That last one actually fits Trump a lot better than Nixon.

 

[Cole train]

Every now and then I revisit HST's writings on Nixon and it always cracks me up.

One of gods own prototypes, never meant for mass production

 

[deviake]

Nixon was absolute swine carrying water for Kissenger, but yeah, he was still better than every subsequent GOP president.

“Once you’ve been to Cambodia, you’ll never stop wanting to beat Henry Kissinger to death with your bare hands. You will never again be able to open a newspaper and read about that treacherous, prevaricating, murderous scumbag sitting down for a nice chat with Charlie Rose or attending some black-tie affair for a new glossy magazine without choking. Witness what Henry did in Cambodia – the fruits of his genius for statesmanship – and you will never understand why he’s not sitting in the dock at The Hague next to Milošević.”​

-Anthony Bourdain

 

[Deorum]

Remarkable. For all my other issues with him and US presidents in general, that's amazing. I've never looked deeply into him but I remember Noam fucking Chomsky of all people calling him that last progressive president or something like that. I looked up a couple articles to check just meow and found this from a Huffpost 2014 article:

During a discussion on HuffPost Live, Chomsky weighed in on the minimum wage debate, blaming neo-liberals for keeping talk of wage increases off the table until now.

"It's a shame that it's taken so long to even be a discussion," Chomsky said. "As for support, we may recall the last major program for helping families at the level of survival was under Richard Nixon. In many respects Nixon was the last liberal president."

This excerpt from a Time article also gave me a sensible chuckle:

In 2008, as Obama and McCain vied for the presidency, political commentator Samuel Smith itemized Nixon’s agenda in an AlterNet story under this headline: “If Nixon Were Alive Today, He Would Be Far Too Liberal to Get Even the Democratic Nomination.”

Of the 10 most historically significant conservation and environmental protection laws ever enacted, at least half of them came during Nixon's presidency alone. In regards to the EPA, he literally created it. The agency wasn't proposed or formed by Congress but through executive action and reorganization, which Congress then ratified to make official.

“Once you’ve been to Cambodia, you’ll never stop wanting to beat Henry Kissinger to death with your bare hands. You will never again be able to open a newspaper and read about that treacherous, prevaricating, murderous scumbag sitting down for a nice chat with Charlie Rose or attending some black-tie affair for a new glossy magazine without choking. Witness what Henry did in Cambodia – the fruits of his genius for statesmanship – and you will never understand why he’s not sitting in the dock at The Hague next to Milošević.”​

-Anthony Bourdain

Unrelated, but one of my favorite Bourdain quotes.

"The utter contempt with which privileged liberals such as myself discuss red-state, gun-country, working-class America as ridiculous and morons and rubes is largely responsible for the upswell of rage and contempt and desire to pull down the temple that we're seeing now.

I've spent a lot of time in gun-country, God-fearing America. There are a hell of a lot of nice people out there, who are doing what everyone else in this world is trying to do: the best they can to get by, and take care of themselves and the people they love. When we deny them their basic humanity and legitimacy of their views, however different they may be than ours, when we mock them at every turn, and treat them with contempt, we do no one any good.

Nothing nauseates me more than preaching to the converted. The self-congratulatory tone of the privileged left—just repeating and repeating and repeating the outrages of the opposition—this does not win hearts and minds. It doesn't change anyone's opinions. It only solidifies them and makes things worse for all of us. We should be breaking bread with each other, and finding common ground whenever possible. I fear that is not at all what we've done."

 

[Deorum]

• Signed the Endangered Species Act (1973)

This one has been among the most massively successful laws ever enacted and codified in American history, if not the world. There aren't a lot of people aware of it today, but the bald eagle was damn near driven to extinction within the contiguous United States. By the mid-1960s, there were fewer than 500 breeding pairs left. A half century since the ESA was passed, there are now over 70,000 today. The citizen suit and habitat provisions are what give it serious teeth because they are the tools that provide recourse against an administration that is hostile towards or threatens its mandate. It's how and why the ESA still matters if and when corporate stooges and wildly unqualified political loyalists are appointed to lead various federal departments and agencies.

The Endangered Species Act at 50

No law has done more to save wildlife from extinction than the Endangered Species Act.

www.biologicaldiversity.org

No law has done more to save wildlife from extinction than the Endangered Species Act. It’s the reason bald eagles soar from coast to coast, grizzlies and wolves roam the Rockies, blue whales migrate along the West Coast, and American alligators stomp through the Southeast. The year 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of this extraordinary law, which has saved 99% of animals and plants under its care. Since its inception, the Endangered Species Act has protected millions of acres of forests, mountains, rivers, deserts, beaches, oceans and other habitat — as well as the fragile and fascinating network of life we know as biodiversity. It has also become an inspiration for other countries in their pursuit to protect what’s wild.

 

[Deorum]

Unfortunately for Nixon, he'll always be remembered for Watergate. He did a lot of good. The man wasn't popular for no reason.