History and Criminal Justice

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History
1. Nixon is often described as the "accidental liberal." Provide some examples you would use to support this label or to defend Nixon's conservative record. Do you think this is an accurate assessment of Nixon? Is that a good or bad label for Nixon during his time? What about now?

Although some may find it puzzling to label Richard Nixon as an accidental liberal, the facts seem to allude to the very real possibility that he indeed had an extreme liberal streak by today's conservative standards. His policies during his presidency would be construed as creating big government, which is a common accusation against liberals. The New Deal programm, his aggressive interventionist foreign policy, and an activist judicial bench that was birthed from his presidency are all construed today as liberal policies.

Some of the biggest and most lasting achievements of the Nixon presidency such as appeasement, regulatory improvements, and judicial activism would be shunned by conservatives today and considered extremely liberal. He imposed Wage and Price Controls that annihilated the Gold Standard Act shocking conservatives in the business world. The use of his presidency to engage in such measures would be classified as a federalists attempt to inhibit free trade. In addition, Nixon also supported cost of living adjustments for Social Security recipients and spent heavily on human services while passing radical health care reform. These programs are all staples of liberal policymaking, which lends credence to the notion that Nixon was an accidental liberal. I believe that there is truth to this assertion.
http://www.rockthecapital.com/06/15/richard-nixon-liberal-president/

2. Why do you think neither Jimmy Carter nor Gerald Ford was able to win a second term in office? Do you think it the same reason for both? Explain.
(Note: Your answers should examine the policies and decisions of these presidents against to context of domestic and foreign affairs during their respective administrations. Provide supporting evidence to your positions. Also, your initial response only has to address one or the other.)

The reasons for why Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford were one-term presidents differ. Ford inherited a wounded presidency and a humbled party that witnessed the only president in the history of the United States resign while in office because of an almost certain impeachment had he remained. Therefore, the Democratic congress that held a slight majority on Capitol Hill had the recognition to understand that the country was in turmoil because of Nixon's policies. Much of this turmoil revolved around energy and unemployment, which reached a peak 9.2 percentage rate during the first year of Ford's presidency. Inflation and layoffs were the most bleak figures in the economy during Fords' presidency since WW2 brought forth ...