The Legacy of 37

On August 8,1974, I, along with many other Americans, sat in front of my TV and listened as Richard Nixon said "therefore, I shall resign the presidency at noon tomorrow. Vice President Ford will be sworn in at that time." Of all the words spoken by President Nixon in his 5 1/2 years as president, those were the most difficult to hear, as I am sure, the most difficult for him to say.

It doesn't matter whether you were a fan of Mr Nixon or hated him (as many on the left did, and still do); we all need to recognize that he accomplished many things that are still part of our personal lives and our political practices.

Yes, I know he presided over probably the most heinous scandal in American history to this point (the jury is still out on the current potential scandals). Yes, he abused power, but all presidents do at one level or another. They become drunk on the enormous power the office affords mere mortals. It doesn't make it right, but it explains how the office changes the man.

But the accomplishments are many that President Nixon achieved.

First, and foremost, he opened the bamboo curtain that was locked so tight that since 1949, China, who was our ally during WWII, had been our adversary since then. We fought proxy wars in Korea and Vietnam with China. And Mr Nixon was a deeply committed anti-communist.

In the words of Captain Spock said to Captain Kirk in Star Trek VI, "there's an old Vulcan proverb, 'only Nixon could go to China'." And he did in February, 1972. With that visit, he opened the doors to an important participant in geo-political transactions.

In May, 1972, he was the first president since FDR in 1945 to travel to the USSR, and did so to help reduce tensions between the two countries. That resulted in a "detente" that in one form or another has existed to this day.

He ended the Vietnam War, fulfilling a promise he made in 1968 when he campaigned for president. By April of 1973, almost all military and all known POWs were home.

Domestically, he virtually ended the draft and put in place the seeds for an all-volunteer military that exists today. He also created the EPA, which was established to protect our air, water and  natural resources.

The last major piece of legislation that was proposed and passed when he was president, and signed into law by President Ford, was the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) which created the IRA, SEP, 403b and 401k plans we enjoy today to help us save for our retirements.

So, when you think about Richard Nixon, while you will immediately think "Watergate" and all the negatives that word implies, think also about all the good things we enjoy because of his vision for a better America. In the end, history will look favorably on President  Nixon's time in office.

As Monica Crowley and Bill Krystol said  today, Barack Obama is no Richard Nixon. They are right.