Question

how did president nixons policies differ from presidents kennedy and johnson?

a. he focused on cutting taxes and federal spending during his term in office.
b. he did not focus on the poor and needy during his term in office.
c. he increased taxes, but only on the rich.
d. he did not expand the space program.

Explanation:

Analyze domestic policy focuses of Kennedy and Johnson

Presidents John F. Kennedy (New Frontier) and Lyndon B. Johnson (Great Society / War on Poverty) heavily prioritized federal social welfare programs, civil rights, and direct government assistance to support the poor, needy, and marginalized populations.

Compare with Nixon's domestic policy shift

Richard Nixon's domestic agenda, often associated with "New Federalism," sought to shift power away from the federal government back to the states. Unlike his Democratic predecessors, Nixon did not make federal programs targeting the poor and needy a central focus of his administration, aiming instead to scale back or restructure many Great Society initiatives.

Evaluate the given multiple-choice options

• Option (a) is incorrect because Nixon actually increased federal spending in several areas and faced high inflation.
• Option (b) correctly highlights the key policy difference: Nixon shifted focus away from the targeted anti-poverty and social welfare programs that defined the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.
• Option (c) is incorrect as Nixon did not implement a tax policy specifically targeting only the rich.
• Option (d) is incorrect because the Apollo space program successfully landed on the moon during Nixon's presidency, and space policy was not the primary policy divergence.

Answer:

• a. He focused on cutting taxes and federal spending during his term in office.
• b. He did not focus on the poor and needy during his term in office. (Correct answer)
• c. He increased taxes, but only on the rich.
• d. He did not expand the space program.