Nixon founded the EPA.
Nixon founded the DEA.
Nixon’s Ag Secretary, Earl Butz, began the rush to overproduction that ruined American farming ( and made America fat? see http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/12/magazine/12WWLN.html).
Nixon proved you could do the most illegal things, as president, and not get caught unless you are dense enough to tape record yourself discussing said illegal acts.
He proved you could have a foreign policy for a foreign war that consisted of just one asinine idea (his “madman” theory).
Nixon’s divisive and inflammatory attacks on his critics set the tone for the future of politics.
The man was a genius, but not the good kind.
I’m not looking for Nixon-bashing here. I think we can all agree he was, er, suspect. It seems that everwhere I look in American political life (and I don’t just mean Don Rumsfeld), I see 'ol “Iron Butt.”
Comments? Rebuttals? Someone go wake Sam Stone up.