“Nixon was liberal??? What the heck???”
EPA started in 1970 along with half a dozen economy-killers in that time frame...all signed into law by Nixon.
His domestic agenda was not the greatest, but his foreign policy was great.
After all, the Vulcans have a saying: “Ony Nixon could have gone to China.”
Nixon was one of the last of the successful “Me Too” Republican politicians”! What do I mean by “Me Too”. The public wanted “FDR Socialism” and still does to some extent. “FDR Socialism” means the “wise government” intervenes into the economy & if necessary private lives to bring about utopia - i.e. “good socialism” like social security. “Me Too” Republicans argue they can do it cheaper, better, etc. foolish argument but it keeps them in the political game. No Republican was going to be successful running on a ticket that “FDR Socialism” needed to be dismantled. Even if in the long run, it needed to be! Ask Barry Goldwater how that worked out when he just hinted, he was against some aspects of “FDR socialism”! There are plenty of supporters of “good socialism” on this site. The public wanted the EPA, latter the public wanted “federalized” education. The public wanted Bad consequences of such decisions come much later, by then almost all the people who thought it was a good idea are gone!
So, let’s not fault Nixon for being a product of the political times. He did the best he could given the forces against him.