EFAN 2011: Richard Nixon's- 1968 GOP Presidential Acceptance Speech: The Silent Majority

Source:EFAN- Richard Nixon, accepting the Republican Party's 1968 nomination for President.

"Here is Nixon's Acceptance Speech from the 68 RNC. He was the man to beat in 68...

I also have radio coverage of the roll call that I will upload here in a bit."

From EFAN

The 1960s was actually a pretty good time for America even though we were very divided as a country over Vietnam, civil rights and the Great Society. 

The Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964 which outlawed racial discrimination under law in the United States. 

The Voting Rights Act was passed in 1965. Which meant no longer would be people be denied their right to vote based on their race. 

The Fair Housing Law was passed in 1968. Which meant no longer would people be allowed to deny other people housing based on race. 

Medicare was passed in 1965, which meant seniors would always have guaranteed health insurance in America.

The economy boomed in the 1960s. The Federal Government was actually able to balanced its budget during this decade. 

But the 1960s was also one of the most turbulent and divisive decades we've ever had in America. Four political leaders were assassinated in this decade: President Kennedy, Malcolm X, Rev. Dr. Martin L. King and of course Senator Robert Kennedy in 1968. King and Kennedy in 68, within two months, April and June. Hundreds of thousands of Americans dying or injured in the Vietnam War, the South moving from solidly Democratic to solidly Republican in 1968.

Richard Nixon understood the mood of America about as well as any politician we've ever produced. And understood where the country was and where they were going and how he could fit in that into his politics as far as what he believed and what he wanted to accomplish. And he could make that work politically for him and the Republican Party. This whole speech is a perfect example of that, where he says: "That a country thats run by the rule of law, has lawlessness throughout the country." He's talking about the riots in our big cities like Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles, and others.

Richard Nixon also said in 1968: "When the a country with the greatest military in the world gets bogged down in a civil war in a third world country (he's talking about the Vietnam War) when these things happen its time for a change in leadership in the greatest country in the world." Meaning the United States. 

Dick Nixon laid out where the country was, all the divisiveness that the country was going through. And what wasn't working in the country and saying it's time for a change in leadership in America. And saying he's the one meaning who will bring that new leadership that will move America forward.

CBS News: 1976 Republican Party Convention

Source:CBS News- covering the 1976 Republican Party convention, at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.

"1976 GOP Convention. Lot of drama."

From Mike Gardner

I think what this was about is that President Gerald Ford (Republican, Michigan) had a slight lead on delegates, but enough to win the nomination for President, if the Republican Convention just voted. But what Ronald Reagan's campaign was trying to do was to get more delegates and try to switch votes from Ford to Reagan and win the nomination that way. 

President Ford got off to a great start in 1976 as far as winning Republican delegates, putting him in strong shape to win the nomination. And then Governor Reagan came on late to make this nomination fight not just close, but close enough to essentially split the Republican Party between establishment Conservatives and Progressives Republicans for Ford and populist Republicans for Reagan.

Reagan Foundation: Ronald Reagan- ‘A Time For a Choosing (1964)’

Source:Reagan Foundation- private citizen Ronald W. Reagan speaking in favor of Senator Barry Goldwater, in 1964.

“The Speech” is what Ronald Reagan called it. Today we call it, “A Time for Choosing,” and it was a pivotal turning point in Ronald Reagan’s life.

Ronald Reagan began a long side-career of public speaking as his acting career closed out. He traveled across the country meeting Lions Clubs, Rotary Clubs, Chambers of Commerce and any other civic-minded local groups. This continued and intensified during his service as the General Electric spokesperson while hosting their sponsored television series. “The Speech” was delivered in various forms and to different audiences as each word was honed, measured and memorized.

During the 1964 Presidential campaign, Republican party officials in California, who knew Reagan’s powerful message and delivery, asked him to film a speech on behalf of the Republican candidate, Barry Goldwater. The speech was aired on October 27, 1964 and it was electrifying. Donations to the Republican party and candidates increased dramatically.

The Republican Party took note and they targeted Reagan as a candidate from that point forward. He agreed in 1966 to run for Governor of California. He won two terms, and eventually won the Presidency.”

From the Reagan Foundation 

The so-called Reagan Revolution of 1980, that brought Ronald Reagan to the presidency and thirty or so new House Republicans and the Senate Republicans winning control of the Senate for the first time since 1952, actually started in 1964 under Barry Goldwater. Ron Reagan just had the personality to sell American conservatism to the country and show Americans that it wasn’t scary. It took really sixteen years for the Republican Party to control both the White House and at least one chamber of Congress.

But all of these steps were put in place starting in 1964, when the message was put together. When Republicans started winning in the South consistently in 1966, a big reason Richard Nixon was elected President in 1968, won a landslide in 1972, because Southerners were becoming Republicans. The Democratic Party was losing its grasp on the South and hasn’t gotten it back since. Congressional Republicans lost overwhelmingly in Congress in 1974, but a lot of that had to do with Watergate.

Republicans lost again in at least partially due to Watergate 1976 and Ron Reagan ran for President in 1976. And came damn close to winning the Republican nomination from President Gerry Ford and kept this message of individual freedom and personal responsibility alive. The tax revolt of the late 1970s, especially in California, all of these things were part of the Goldwater/Reagan Revolution. Thanks to Barry Goldwater, the Republican Party was changing from a yes fiscally conservative, socially moderate party.

The GOP was mostly in the Northeast and Midwest and became a party that was able to communicate this message across the country and take this message to the South. The only thing with the South, is they brought in the Religious-Right to go along with Republicans who are more libertarian than statist when it comes to social issues. But the GOP understood that they were simply too small and had to grow their base to compete with Democrats in the future. 

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CNBC: 'Paul Ryan Talks Health Care With Howard Dean & John Sheils'

Source:CNBC- Governor Howard Dean (Democrat, Vermont) John Sheils and U.S. Representative Paul Ryan (Republican, Wisconsin) debating health care reform on CNBC.

"Paul Ryan: Governor, the Congressional Budget Office [CBO] is telling us that the House bill doesn't address health inflation. Youve been very outspoken on that, and I want to compliment you on that, but the House bill doesnt address health inflation. According to the CBO, the expenses of the public plan go up 8% a year - thats more than even Medicare and Medicaid grow.

So what the CBO is telling us is were creating a huge new unfunded liability that even if this thing is paid for in the first ten years [which it wont be], after that youre going to a massive new unpaid-for entitlement on top of all the other ones weve already got. It wont address health inflation.

I worry that were not actually addressing the root cause of our problem, which is health inflation, which you and I really want to tackle." 

From Speaker Paul Ryan

I think the key points here are choice, competition, and a level playing field when it comes to health care and health insurance reform in America. And you could do that with allowing non-seniors to pay into Medicare and use it as their main health insurer, as well as letting the states, instead of the Feds, manage this expansion of Medicare for their non-seniors, including young working adults, unemployed workers, as well as juveniles. But that this Medicare expansion or public option has to compete fairly and play by the same rules as every non-profit health insurer in America.

Richard Nixon Foundation: 'President Richard Nixon's 1974 State of The Union Speech'

Source:Richard Nixon Foundation- President Richard M. Nixon (Republican, California) addressing a joint session of Congress in 1974. Vice President Gerald R. Ford (Republican, Michigan) and Speaker of the House (Democrat, Oklahoma) in the background.

"January 30, 1974: President Nixon gives the State of the Union address." 

From the Richard Nixon Foundation

I'll give President Nixon credit for one thing here. Similar to his White House farewell address, it must have taken a lot of personal strength and courage to give this speech, with all the pressure that he was under at this point where he knew that this could be the very last time he addressed Congress about anything, even though he still had 3 years left on his 2nd term.

President Nixon's 1974 State of The Union sounds to me more like a closing argument that he was trying to make to the American people in why he should remain President and not be impeached by the House and convicted by the Senate, essentially fired by Congress. 

What President Nixon is telling Americans is where the country was when he gave his first State of The Union address in 1969 and where the country was five years later. And what he would wanted to do as President if he were allowed to remain as President. It was the old don't give up or surrender until you've thrown all of your punches and have shot all of your bullets approach.

But I think as smart as a politician as Richard Nixon was, he probably knew that his days as President were numbered, even though he still had things on his agenda that he wanted to accomplish, At this point he still had three years to go on his 2nd term and still had health care reform, what later became known as Welfare to Work, energy independence and negotiating a peace deal between Israel and Egypt that actually started under the Nixon Administration in the early 1970s. But with all of the evidence that was about to come out as it related to the Watergate scandal, that was not going to happen.

President Nixon was trying to make the case that now it's not the time to remove the President, with all of that he's accomplished. And everything that he still wanted to accomplish for the country. That instead we should come together as a country and get together to finish the work of the country, instead of firing the current President and once again starting over and trying again. But that was not going to happen. 

By early 74, the President was fighting not just Congress, but now the U.S. Supreme Court, that ordered him to give up tapes that proved his involvement in the Watergate coverup. So his days as President were certainly numbered at this point.

Uncommon Knowledge: Peter Robinson- Interviewing Milton Friedman: President Bill Clinton (1999)

Source:Uncommon Knowledge With Peter Robinson- with Professor Milton Friedman in 1999.

“Milton Friedman vs Bill Clinton (1999) Debunking Climate Policy, The FDA & More!” 

From Basic Economics 

I disagree with Professor Friedman’s comments about the Reagan economy versus the Clinton economy. The reason for the economic boom of the mid and late 1990s wasn’t because Ronald Reagan. Reaganomics gave us the high inflation, high interest rates, the deficits, and recession of the early 1990s. The Reagan boom was from 1983-89 and then the economy slowed down dramatically starting in 1990 and then we’re in recession by 1991.

The economic boom of the 1990s happened because of the new tech boom, the free trade agreements that were passed and negotiated by President George H.W. Bush and President Clinton of the early 1990s, as well as the deficit reduction acts of that period from both President’s and two Congress’s in 1990 and 93. Not because President Reagan and Congress cut taxes and regulations in the early 80s. 

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You can also see this post at The New Democrat, on WordPress.

You can also see this post at The Daily Post, on WordPress. (No pun intended) 

You can also see this post at The Daily Post, on Blogger. (No pun intended)

Thom Aschi: 'The Army-McCarthy Hearings Documentary'

Source:Thom Aschi- U.S. Senate Oversight Committee Arm/McCarthy Hearing in 1953.

Source:The Daily Post

“Joseph McCarthy Congressional Hearings” 

From Thom Aschi 

The West with the help of Russia wins World War II and agrees to give Europe the resources that it needs to rebuild themselves after Nazism and what Italian Fascists did to the continent. The West, America and Europe was now somewhat at peace. But in America and Europe you had this huge liberal democracy in America and all of these mid-size developing social democracies in Europe, against this gigantic, totalitarian, Communist State in the Soviet Union in Russia. And the two dominant visions of the world being the Liberal Democratic America, versus Communist Russia.

And because of the emergence of the Cold War, Americans especially those who perhaps very well-educated about communism became afraid if it. And were worried about communism taking over America and Communists running America. And that is where Senator Joe McCarthy and his allies and colleagues in Congress starting in the House in 1947 with the Un-American Activities Committee and then in the Senate with Army-McCarthy hearings, emerge to look like they were stamping out Communists in the U.S. Government.

Senator Joe McCarthy becomes a political star very early on, especially as a junior Senator. He becomes Chairman of the Government Oversight Committee in the Senate in 1953 after Republicans win back Congress again, after only being in the Senate for five years. But his political skills at least early on and his power as a speaker gave him a following to move up quickly and a platform to investigate supposed Communists in the U.S. Government. And to look like the strongest anti-Communist around and to advance his political career. 

The Daily Caller: Nicholas Ballasy- 'Kathleen Sebelius: Paul Ryan’s Medicare Reform Plan ‘a Serious Proposal'

Source:The Daily Caller- White House correspondent Nicholas Ballasy.

"Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told The Daily Caller that the Medicare reform plan put forth by Republican vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan is a “serious proposal” but President Obama has “made it clear” that it is not the right direction for the program.

In 2010, however, President Obama spoke highly of Ryan’s plan.

“I think Paul [Ryan], for example, the head of the Budget Committee, has looked at the budget and has made a serious proposal. I’ve read it. I can tell you what’s in it and there’s some ideas in there that I would agree with but there’s some ideas we should have a healthy debate about because I don’t agree with them. The major driver of our long-term liabilities, everybody here knows, is Medicare and Medicaid and our health care spending. Nothing comes close,” said President Obama at the GOP retreat on January 29, 2010." 

From The Daily Caller

I'm willing to give Representative Paul Ryan (Republican, Wisconsin: Chairman of the Budget Committee) credit for offering a serious plan when it comes to Medicare as well. I just don't think that's saying much. 

Giving Representative Ryan credit for offering a serious plan, is sort of like giving credit to a parking attendant who parks your car in the right spot and then remembers where he parked it and brings your car back when you are ready to leave and you reward him for that with a big tip.

Paul Ryan is Chairman of the House Budget Committee. If he's not offering serious plan when it comes to the government's finances, what the hell is he doing there at taxpayer expense. 

Representative Ryan would cut costs in Medicare by turning it into a voucher system and forcing seniors to get private health insurance. You could argue that would save Medicare a lot of money. But the problem you are saving money at the expense of quality health care and insurance and cutting back on choice for how seniors get their health insurance.

CSPAN: Barry Goldwater Speaks Out (1964)

Source:CSPAN- U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater (Republican, Arizona) campaigning for President in 1964.

Source:The Daily Post

“Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater was shown in New Hampshire, campaigning for the 1964 Republican presidential nomination. Clips from speeches about foreign policy, the United Nations, Social Security, and economics were included. Also shown were video clips of New Hampshire residents being interviewed.

This film is titled Barry Goldwater Speaks Out and was produced by the Goldwater for President Committee.” 

From CSPAN 

The Goldwater Presidential Campaign movies might of not have been the most professionally made movies. But they were somewhat ahead of their time, because they were made by the Goldwater Campaign and gave Senator Goldwater the opportunity, 15-20 minutes on network television to layout exactly where he was on the issues and what he wanted to do as President. And to show Americans that he wasn’t crazy. That he wasn’t the person that President Johnson and his campaign were trying to make him look like. As well as other Democrats that were trying to make Senator Goldwater look crazy.

Senator Goldwater believed in things like individual freedom and personal responsibility. If I was alive and old enough to vote in 1964, instead of being born eleven years later, I would’ve voted for President Johnson, because of Civil Rights. That he believed individual rights over states rights.

Southern Democrats as well as some Republicans in Congress like Barry Goldwater, believed in the opposite. And when President Johnson was against getting American Armed Forces involved in the Vietnam War, of course that changed later in 1965, but in 1964 President Johnson was the peace candidate, but Senator Goldwater wasn’t crazy. But a Classical Conservative who believed in individual freedom.

This film of course is a propaganda film by the Goldwater Campaign. An opportunity for them to layout where he is. Get out the message of what they want Americans to think about Barry Goldwater and not hear the other side. But this film does give people an idea of where Barry Goldwater was politically. That he believed in individual freedom and personal responsibility, peace through strength, that his foreign policy of course would’ve been different from President Johnson.

Senator Goldwater would’ve taken a much harder approach to the Vietnam War and would’ve not only had sent American troops there, but we would’ve been there to win the war, even for Vietnam itself. Which I believe would’ve been a very bad mistake, because that would’ve left us there to occupy that country, similar to Iraq. But with a President Goldwater we wouldn’t have seen the Great Society and perhaps more of a free market approach to solve those problems.

I would’ve love to of seen a presidential debate between President Johnson and Senator Goldwater. It wouldn’t have been an interesting as a presidential debate between Barry and President Kennedy. But it still would’ve been a very good debate, because we would’ve seen both men as they are. Rather than how the media portrays them and Americans would’ve had a clear choice in who to vote for.

US News & World Report: Simon Owens & Lauren Fox- 'The Differences Between Paul Ryan & Ayn Rand'

Source:The Washington Post- Objectivist author Ayn Rand.

"Much has been said about Paul Ryan's fondness for Ayn Rand, but the two actually have several ideological differences. Simon Owens discusses with Lauren Fox how the two differ on religion and abortion rights.

Read more about Ryan and Rand's differences over here:US News." 

From US News

I'm not going to say that Representative Paul Ryan is a culture warrior, big government Republican. At least not in the mold of a Rick Santorum. I don't believe he is and I don't know enough about him to say that anyway.

But Paul Ryan's respect for Ayn Rand has to do with her beliefs as it relates to economics. Ayn Rand was a Objectivist/Libertarian. Didn't want government involved in the economy at all and didn't believe that government had the right to force people to do anything with their money. Which is kinda where Paul Ryan is on economics, but not quite that libertarian, but they both believe that government shouldn't be regulating the economy, but they probably differ on every key social issue.

You can imagine and if Ayn Rand were alive today and looking to run for office or was an elected official, she probably wouldn't be a Republican. She wouldn't fit into today's GOP. She would be seen like an outcast like how they now treat Barry Goldwater, or Ron Paul. Maybe she would be a Republican just to hold office. And live in an area, or state with a large libertarian population, where she didn't need the support of Christian-Conservatives in order to get elected and reelected.

Representative Ryan, fits in very well with today's GOP, except that he doesn't push social issues very much if at all. Neither does Mitt Romney, which could hurt this ticket with Christian-Conservatives in the fall, in states like Virginia, Ohio and Florida. But Mitt, pretty much votes the party line.

Republicans like talking about Ayn Rand and telling people how much they respect her. But it's only economics they talk about when it comes to Ayn Rand. They don't believe in her philosophy of freedom of choice essentially. That people have the right to live their own lives as they see fit. That government shouldn't interfere with how people live their own lives. Instead they believe that government should establish some type of moral code in how Americans should live. And live up to their ideals of what Americans should be and all of that. And thats just not Ayn Rand and hopefully not Paul Ryan either.

I wish even as a Liberal Democrat that people like Barry Goldwater and Ayn Rand had more influence on today's Republican Party. Then they would be a real party of ideas, that didn't believe it needed to prevent people from voting, just because they believe they wouldn't vote Republican. Which is what Voter ID is all about. But this is still Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson's GOP, a Christian-Conservative, big government party. 

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Richard Nixon Foundation: President Richard Nixon's 1972 State of The Union Address

Source:Richard Nixon Foundation- President Richard M. Nixon (Republican, California) addressing a joint session of Congress in 1972. Vice President Spiro Agnew (Republican, Maryland) and Speaker of the House Carl Albert (Democrat, Oklahoma) in the background.

"January 20, 1972: President Nixon gives the State of the Union Address." 

From the Richard Nixon Foundation

President Richard Nixon was probably at the height of his power and popularity when he gave this speech in 1972. Election Night 1972 when he was overwhelmingly reelected with 60% of the voter and winning 499 states that year over Senator George McGovern, would be the only moment that could compete with his 1972 State of the Union. 

1971 was a very difficult year for President Richard Nixon politically. The Vietnam War was out of control, the New-Left antiwar-movement was on the march and the Nixon White House didn't seem to know how to handle that and President Nixon was paranoid about that and thinking that the Communist Party was the reason for the antiwar-movement in the country. And that's probably why The White House put together the so-called plumbers unit in The White House, as well as the release of the Pentagon Papers in 1971. 

But in early 1972, President Nixon was able to open up relationships with both the Soviet Union of Russia, as well as the People's Republic of China. The two Communist superpowers in the world. The economy was still strong at home and it looked like President Nixon was on his way to a strong reelection, early in 1972. 

Bill McCune: Barry Goldwater- 'An American Life'

Source:Bill McCune- U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater (Republican, Arizona) Mr. Conservative. 

Source:The Daily Post 

“Barry Goldwater – An American Life – The quintessential biography of Barry Goldwater. The life of a 20th century renaissance man: Explorer, world renown photographer, cinematographer, pilot, businessman, Air Force General, U.S. Senator, Presidential candidate. Includes forty years of Goldwater home movies. This 96 minute film features Barry Goldwater, brother Bob Goldwater; lifelong friend Harry Rosenzweig, and historian/friend Lester Budge Ruffner.” 

From Bill McCune

Anyone whose not as familiar with American conservatism as much as they would like to be and would like to learn more about American conservatism, I have some suggestions on how to do that. Stop watching Fox News or using it as a main source of info, because it’s really mostly neoconservative and Tea Party populist commentary.

And don’t read publications that claim to be Conservative but are really Tea Party Nationalist, Big Government Republicanism, like Human Events. Unless you are interested in neoconservatism and Tea Party Nationalism.

But if you are really interested in learning about American conservatism, research Barry Goldwater because that’s what it’s about. Read the book Conscience of a Conservative that was written by Senator Goldwater in 1960. That book lays out the conservative vision for America.

American conservatism is about freedom and Americans being able to live independently of the state, especially the Federal Government, as far as being able to pay our own bills, our living expense and so-forth. And that Americans should be able to live their own lives as they see fit as long as we are not hurting innocent people with what we are doing.

Senator Goldwater even believed in the right to collectively bargain, just as long as workers weren’t forced to join labor unions. Barry Goldwater’s politics didn’t change as some Republicans and others have charged today. The Republican Party has changed to the point that Senator Goldwater couldn’t win the Republican nomination for President today. Thats how far to the Right the party has moved.

When Senator Goldwater left Congress in 1987, the Republican Party was still the Conservative Party in America. Now it’s probably the farthest right party that we have in America and that’s different. Barry probably could win the Libertarian Party presidential nomination. Even though they probably wouldn’t of liked his foreign policy views. Senator Goldwater wasn’t an isolationist, but other than that he would’ve fit in very well with the LP. And they would’ve taken him. But the Religious-Right would’ve tried to kick Senator Goldwater, Mr. Conservative out of the GOP.

Barry was a real Conservative. Senator Goldwater wasn’t interested in things like homosexuality and pornography, he had a gay grandson. And his famous line about gays in the military, was that he didn’t care if soldiers were gay or straight, but could they shoot straight. He also said that the religion doesn’t belong in politics as it relates to policy and that abortion isn’t a political issue. But freedom of choice issue. And that he didn’t want Big Government in his wallet or bedroom. All reasons why he wouldn’t fit into the Republican Party today.

Fox News: Art Laffer- '100 Million Now On Federal Welfare'

Source:Fox News- right-wing economist Art Laffer, talking to Fox News about Federal Welfare.

"Not counting social security, medicaid and many more. This is Obama's Utopian dream for America coming to fruition. The Cloward-Piven strategy in full bloom. Create a dependent class of slaves who will perpetuate their own enslavement by continually electing those who promise more handouts until we are all equally poor and miserable.

The Marxist redistribution of wealth sounds good until you run out of other people's money to redistribute. Then it all collapses as we saw with the Soviet Union. C.S.Lewis said  "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive."

From USA Action News

I agree with Art Laffer I guess on one point and that's work requirements for Welfare. No where in America should Americans be getting more in income from our taxpayer funded government, then from working on their own. Even for people working minimum wage jobs and even working those jobs full-time, should be getting more in income, them people who don't work at all and are completely dependent on public assistance. Even if they had kids. I guess my approach to addressing this issue would be different from Mr. Laffer. 

I like the idea of subsidized employment where people on Welfare would go to work, even at minimum wage jobs, while they're in school or training to get themselves the skills that they need to get a good job and get off of public assistance all together and still be able to collect their public assistance payments, including their Welfare checks, while they're working. 

So under my system, if you are now on Welfare but then go to work even at let's say as fast food joint or a grocery store, you would get the income from working at your new job, but still keep your Welfare checks, as well as receive financial assistance to go back to school and get the training that you need to get yourself a good job and get off of public assistance all together. This is actually something that the Obama Administration was looking at in 2009-10 with the American Recovery Act to deal with the Great Recession. 

Under my system, people who are working regardless of the job and income, would get more money working, than not working. And anyone on Welfare would be required to not just go to work and look for work, but then take one of the first available jobs that they're qualified for, even if they have kids. While people who don't work and perhaps even don't want to work, would get less in income and eventually be kicked off of Welfare for failure to go to work, even if they have kids and could even lose their kids for failure to adequately support their kids.

Chuck Phillips: 'Gerald R. Ford Speech On Assuming The Presidency'

Source:Chuck Phillips- Gerald R. Ford (Republican, Michigan) becoming the 38th President of the United States, in 1974.

"Gerald Ford begins to heal the nation of Watergate." 

From Chuck Phillips 

"Nixon's resignation was tendered to United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger at 11:35 a.m. At that moment, Ford became the 38th president of the United States, although he took the official oath of office at 12:05 p.m. Once the former president (and now private citizen) Nixon left the building, the White House staff began preparations for Ford's swearing-in. More chairs were added for the much larger crowd of invited guests than was at the farewell. The oath was administered to Ford by Chief Justice Warren E. Burger in the White House East Room. Chief Justice Burger was traveling in the Netherlands at the time, and was flown back to Washington, D.C., on an Air Force plane.[6] The first phone call that President Ford, a former center on the University of Michigan football team, made after his inauguration was on Saturday, August 10, 1974, to Ohio State University football coach Woody Hayes, who had just recently suffered a heart attack." 

Source:Wikipedia- Gerard R. Ford (Republican, Michigan) becoming the 38th President of the United States, in August, 1974.

From Wikipedia

On August, 9th 1974 Gerald R. Ford who was Vice President of the United States up until assuming the Presidency, assumed the Presidency of the United States. A job he never wanted or campaigned for prior to becoming president. 

Gerry Ford's big goal in politics was to be Speaker of the House of Representatives. A job as Minority Leader of the House of Representatives from 1965-73, came within twenty seats or so, after running for Speaker five times. He didn't want to be Vice President either, he got that job after Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned in 1973 due to a corruption scandal of his own.

Then Minority Leader Ford, was appointed Vice President in 1973 to replace Spiro Agnew, because House Speaker Carl Albert and Senate Leader Mike Mansfield, both Democrats both told President Nixon that Ford had the most votes and trust of any Republican in Congress. And would be someone that both Democrats and Republicans would vote to confirm in both the House and Senate. 

As Ford was confirmed by both the House and Senate overwhelmingly for Vice President in December 1973. And as it turns out Gerry Ford was the right choice if not best choice to be Vice President, because of his credibility with Congress and the country.

When Gerry Ford became Vice President in 1973, both Democrats knew that he was going to be the next President of the United States. As well as the media, because they all knew that Richard Nixon's days as President were numbered, that he wouldn't finish out his term as President. And what was about to come down and came down in 1974 in the Watergate scandal points that out perfectly. So appointing Ford as Vice President, President Nixon also probably knew or believed that he was appointing the next President of the United States as well.

John Birch Society: Arthur Thompson- 'Gov't Healthcare Always Leads to More Gov't Control and Rationing'

Source:John Birch Society- CEO Arthur Thompson.

"In this weekly news update for August 6-12, 2012, JBS CEO Art Thompson discusses how Healthcare always leads to more government control and rationing. Preliminary steps for a Communist crackdown beginning in Brazil and South Africa. In spite of the War on Terror, al Qaeda now in Spain." 

From the John Birch Society

This spokesman for the John Birch Society has one thing correct, is that what's called ObamaCare (otherwise known as the Affordable Care Act) is basically the same thing. As what's called RomneyCare, same ideas in both health care reform laws. More access to health insurance for people who can't afford it. Patient protections so people don't lose their health insurance without just cause, like they actually get sick or hurt and need their health insurance, and no more annual or lifetime caps. As well as an individual mandate that requires that everyone get health insurance so we are all part of the system. And no longer have the ability to pass our health care Costs onto people who've decided to pay for their health care still in place, but they are now regulated. But Romney/ObamaCare leaves in place the private health care and health insurance system in place, including the private for-profit systems.

Media Burn Archive: 'President Richard M. Nixon before Resignation & Full Speech, August 8, 1974'

Source:Media Burn Archive- President Richard M. Nixon (Republican, California) announcing that he's resigning the presidency, in 1974.

"Moments before he goes on-air to resign as President of the United States, Richard Nixon is calm and collected, joking with staff as they set up the pool feed. "Good evening. This is the 37th time I have spoken to you from this office, where so many decisions have been made that shaped the history of this nation."

Help us caption & translate this video!" 

From Media Burn Archive

Why did President Richard Nixon resign the presidency in the summer of 1974, when he still had two and a half years left in his 2nd term? There are several reasons and to put it simply. He lost most if whatever support he had left in Congress. He would've been impeached on a bipartisan basis in the House and would've been convicted on a bipartisan basis in the Senate. The House Judiciary Committee had already voted to impeach him with a bipartisan vote and was on course for a similar vote on the House floor. The Republican Leader in the Senate, Minority Leader Hugh Scott told President Nixon, that the votes were there to convict the President which takes a 2/3 vote.

Senate Democrats had fifty five seats. Senate Republicans had forty-five seats and that there were at least twelve Republicans that would vote for the conviction of President Nixon and that Southern Democrats would vote for conviction as well. President Nixon would've been impeached in the House and convicted in the Senate, embarrassed even further in the country then he already embarrassed himself. And this scandal would've continued with the FBI or someone actually coming to the White House or someone to escort Richard Nixon out of the Oval Office so President Ford could takeover. Or however that process would've worked.

I would like to think that at least one of the reasons why Richard Nixon resigned the presidency when he didn't technically have to, you can't force a President to resign or a Member of Congress and perhaps even the Vice President, whose technically an elected official only they can make this what must be a very difficult decision, but I would like to think that why President Nixon resigned was to put an end to one if not the worst constitutional crisis's to sleep. And so the country could move on and deal with difficult challenges that were ahead.

The United States was facing energy shortages, a rising debt and deficit, rising unemployment. Similar challenges that President Carter faced in the late 1970s, that President Ford attempted to deal with them all. But it's a little difficult to deal with those challenges, when you are not sure who the President is going to be in the next few weeks. Whether it was for purely selfish reasons or looking out for the national interest in why President Nixon resigned when he did and I would like to think it was a combination of both, President Nixon made the right decision in resigning when he did. Not to make up for what he did that led up to his resignation, but to put and end to a scandal that he didn't start, but covered up.