Richard Nixon American President: Domestic Policy and the EPA

Richard Nixon American President: Domestic Policy and the EPA

Richard Milhous Nixon (in 9, 1913 to AB 22, and 1994) was 37th President of United States from 1969 to 1974, having formerly been 36th Vice President of United States from 1953 to 1961. THE member of Republican Party was only president to resign office, and only person to be elected twice to both Chair and Vice Chair.

Nixon refused to follow pattern of Eisenhower in consolidation of democratic programs and try to work more efficiently. He was willing to make major exits, in part, to conciliate South in race, partly to build the new coalition with policies on aid to parochial schools, opposition to abortion and support for prayer school, all of which appeal to Roman Catholics, and partly to attract the traditional Republican voters with attacks on policies of President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society welfare.

Race was most important national issue. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) stalled in implementation of segregation of school districts in south until pushed by federal court orders. In 1970 administration had bowed to inevitable, with Nixon tone by declaring that legal segregation was unacceptable, almost all of southern black schools, were merged into unified school districts in 1970, and less than 10 percent black teachers, children attend schools in black, at that time, significant progress from previous administration.

Nixon proposed amendments to Voting Rights Act of 1965, for renewal in 1970, leans toward South. Chairman suggested that its provisions extend to all States to not "discriminate" against the region and demands of voting rights; it was first time in state court, the change that has reduced prospects for effective implementation of law. THE group of Republicans in House Judiciary Committee sunken Nixon proposed and the bipartisan coalition substituted its own extension of bill, which also included possibility of granting vote to eighteen years of age.

Government, especially Department of Labor and HEW officials began using racial classifications and numerical goals in implementing their programs to combat segregation, first example of affirmative action.

Law and order was another priority of administration. Anti-war demonstrations and civil rights and civil unrest on campuses and streets created the backlash among groups Nixon was courting. With boom children after World War II baby come of age, crime rates soared. Government responded with vigorous use of four measures: Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act (1968), Law on Control of Organised Crime, Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act (1970), and District of Columbia Criminal Procedure Act. Said provisions wiretapping preventive detention and other measures aroused opposition of civil libertarians. There was significant dent in crime rate, which was province of local police, and the war against illegal drugs also had little success.

Other Nixon initiatives for attacks in several of most visible of Great Society programs that Republicans had strongly opposed. In January 1975, Nixon abolished Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO), lead agency in War against Poverty, which began in ...