which president was more liberal

[WalterMitty]

discuss.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

In terms of policies or general viewpoints? (Nixon on the first, Bubba on the second).

[© tweed]

In terms of policies or general viewpoints? (Nixon on the first, Bubba on the second).

^^^^

[Rob]

Nixon was a conservative who governed as a liberal. Clinton was a liberal who governed as a conservative. Frankly, I'll take the former any day of the week.

[Michael Z]

Clinton governed as a conservative partly because the Senate didn't give him much of a choice after the 1994 elections. Remember his plans to nationalise health care?

[kashifsakhan]

Clinton governed as a conservative partly because the Senate didn't give him much of a choice after the 1994 elections. Remember his plans to nationalise health care?

Thats true. He never really got to do much because the last 6 years of his presidency was just a train of scandals.

[kashifsakhan]

forgot to vote.... Clinton definitely.

[Michael Z]

Clinton governed as a conservative partly because the Senate didn't give him much of a choice after the 1994 elections. Remember his plans to nationalise health care?

Thats true. He never really got to do much because the last 6 years of his presidency was just a train of scandals.

Yeah, plus the Republicans controlled the Senate after '94.

[Rob]

Clinton governed as a conservative partly because the Senate didn't give him much of a choice after the 1994 elections. Remember his plans to nationalise health care?

Yes, but after that he swung far to the right and embraced the congressional GOP agenda, albeit without some of their nuttier ideas.

I'm mildly amazed that he couldn't even break 50 percent in 1996. That should have been a resounding victory on the level of 1956, even with Perot in the race.

[kashifsakhan]

Clinton governed as a conservative partly because the Senate didn't give him much of a choice after the 1994 elections. Remember his plans to nationalise health care?

Yes, but after that he swung far to the right and embraced the congressional GOP agenda, albeit without some of their nuttier ideas.

I'm mildly amazed that he couldn't even break 50 percent in 1996. That should have been a resounding victory on the level of 1956, even with Perot in the race.

I think the reason for him not breaking 50% in 1996 was due to the scandals, plus the fact that due to the GOP controlled congress, he didnt manage to get alot done.

[True Democrat]

Clinton governed as a conservative partly because the Senate didn't give him much of a choice after the 1994 elections. Remember his plans to nationalise health care?

Yes, but after that he swung far to the right and embraced the congressional GOP agenda, albeit without some of their nuttier ideas.

I'm mildly amazed that he couldn't even break 50 percent in 1996. That should have been a resounding victory on the level of 1956, even with Perot in the race.

I think the reason for him not breaking 50% in 1996 was due to the scandals, plus the fact that due to the GOP controlled congress, he didnt manage to get alot done.

Turnout was a big issue.  Everyone knew Clinton was going to win, so nobody turned out to vote.

[kashifsakhan]

Clinton governed as a conservative partly because the Senate didn't give him much of a choice after the 1994 elections. Remember his plans to nationalise health care?

Yes, but after that he swung far to the right and embraced the congressional GOP agenda, albeit without some of their nuttier ideas.

I'm mildly amazed that he couldn't even break 50 percent in 1996. That should have been a resounding victory on the level of 1956, even with Perot in the race.

I think the reason for him not breaking 50% in 1996 was due to the scandals, plus the fact that due to the GOP controlled congress, he didnt manage to get alot done.

Turnout was a big issue.  Everyone knew Clinton was going to win, so nobody turned out to vote.

Thats true.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

definitely clinton.

[Nym90]

Nixon was a conservative who governed as a liberal. Clinton was a liberal who governed as a conservative. Frankly, I'll take the former any day of the week.

Maybe, but you have to consider Nixon's attitude that he was totally above the law and that the executive branch should basically be able to do whatever it wants. That in and of itself makes him far worse than Clinton overall, even though Nixon's policies themselves weren't really that bad.

Both Presidents largely or in the case of Nixon completely faced Congresses controlled by the opposite party, so that made both of them more moderate than they likely would've been if their own party had complete control. Both had to be pragmatic and compromise in order to get anything accomplished.

[Nym90]

Clinton governed as a conservative partly because the Senate didn't give him much of a choice after the 1994 elections. Remember his plans to nationalise health care?

Yes, but after that he swung far to the right and embraced the congressional GOP agenda, albeit without some of their nuttier ideas.

I'm mildly amazed that he couldn't even break 50 percent in 1996. That should have been a resounding victory on the level of 1956, even with Perot in the race.

I would hardly say he "embraced" the GOP agenda. He vetoed quite a lot of legislation, but he did show quite a willingness to compromise which was pretty much a political necessity and reality in that environment.

[DWPerry]

Clinton governed as a conservative partly because the Senate didn't give him much of a choice after the 1994 elections. Remember his plans to nationalise health care?

Yes, but after that he swung far to the right and embraced the congressional GOP agenda, albeit without some of their nuttier ideas.

I'm mildly amazed that he couldn't even break 50 percent in 1996. That should have been a resounding victory on the level of 1956, even with Perot in the race.

I think the reason for him not breaking 50% in 1996 was due to the scandals, plus the fact that due to the GOP controlled congress, he didnt manage to get alot done.

The last Dem to crack 50% was Carter in 1976, before that, LBJ in'64; then you must go back to FDR for consecutive 50+% for a Dem.

[MarkWarner08]

Nixon. He oversaw the passage of major envrionmental reforms and he appointed relatively moderate justices.