If you think Nixon was more progressive than Obama, then you really don’t understand American politics.
Nixon did for the environment what Bush did for Homeland Security. He took a bunch of agencies that already existed and were already issuing regulations, and put them all under control of one person who took orders directly from the President. Thus making it much easier for future Republicans, like Trump, to interfere with environmental rule-making.
And Nixon didn’t raise tax rates. He signed a tax bill sent by an overwhelmingly Democratic Congress. It didn’t raise tax rates either, but it instituted the Alternative Minimum Tax which everyone ignored until decades later when they realized it had unintended effects on the middle class.
If you think Nixon was more progressive than Obama, then you really don’t understand American politics.
Nixon did for the environment what Bush did for Homeland Security. He took a bunch of agencies that already existed and were already issuing regulations, and put them all under control of one person who took orders directly from the President. Thus making it much easier for future Republicans, like Trump, to interfere with environmental rule-making.
And Nixon didn’t raise tax rates. He signed a tax bill sent by an overwhelmingly Democratic Congress. It didn’t raise tax rates either, but it instituted the Alternative Minimum Tax which everyone ignored until decades later when they realized it had unintended effects on the middle class.
So you just sweep Nixon’s accomplishments under the rug because they dont help your point, got it. EZ block. You arent worth either of our breaths.
There are plenty of reasons to not like Richard Nixon, but some of this policy is not the reason.
Nixon’s first choice for EPA administrator was William Ruckelshaus.
Years later, William Ruckelshaus was again appointed as EPA administrator. By Ronald Reagan.
So if Nixon is “progressive” because of his EPA, then so is Reagan. They put the same guy in charge.