--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Things have gotten so bad in this…" description: "\"Things have gotten so bad in this country, you look back at Richard Nixon with nostalgia.\" — Ralph Nader" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/ralph-nader-1783_country_things-have-gotten-so-bad-in-this-countr_2284593.jpg" --- # Things have gotten so bad in this country, you look back… ![“Things have gotten so bad in this country, you look back at Richard Nixon with nostalgia.” quote by Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/ralph-nader-1783_country_things-have-gotten-so-bad-in-this-countr_2284593.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/ralph-nader-1783_country_things-have-gotten-so-bad-in-this-countr_2284593.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/765/ralph-nader-1783_country_things-have-gotten-so-bad-in-this-countr_2284593.jpg) > “Things have gotten so bad in this country, you look back at Richard Nixon with nostalgia.” [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nostalgia for past leaders arises when current conditions worsen. **In simple terms:** We miss past leaders when times are bad. Key Takeaway Learn from past leaders. Themes politics nostalgia discontent Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - election cycles - policy debates - social unrest Key Concepts historical reflection political critique Questions to Reflect On - What lessons can we take from past leaders? - How do we avoid romanticizing history? A Different Perspective Nostalgia can idealize flawed past. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Nostalgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgia/) ## Related quotes > [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Richard Nixon was the best thing that ever happened to journalism. I mean this guy was wonderful. Just when you thought he could get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/richard-nixon-was-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-journalism-i/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [George Washington was the president who could never tell a lie, and Richard Nixon was the president who could never tell the truth. Donald…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/george-washington-was-the-president-who-could-never-tell-a-lie-and/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) > [John Kennedy won the first televised presidential debate among those watching it, while Richard Nixon won among those listening on the radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-estrich/john-kennedy-won-the-first-televised-presidential-debate-among-those/) [Susan Estrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-estrich/) > [We forced Richard Nixon and the Congress who established, and thanks to your leadership, we supported you and we got the Environmental Protection Act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/we-forced-richard-nixon-and-the-congress-who-established-and-thanks/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ Mr. \[Richard M.\] Nixon never has anything but hindsight. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/mr-richard-m-nixon-never-has-anything-but-hindsight/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [ \[democrats\] hated Richard Nixon, and no wonder. It was Nixon who sent Alger Hiss to jail, and Nixon who waged the Vietnam War after… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/democrats-hated-richard-nixon-and-no-wonder-it-was-nixon-who-sent/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [The essence of Richard Nixon is loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/the-essence-of-richard-nixon-is-loneliness/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [For Obama to save himself, he should be thinking about the example of an unlikely Republican predecessor: Richard Nixon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/for-obama-to-save-himself-he-should-be-thinking-about-the-example-of/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [Only a cheap politician, greedy for political gain, would try to single out one individual for blame. The fault lies not with the individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/only-a-cheap-politician-greedy-for-political-gain-would-try-to-single/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [ I'd almost prefer \[Richard\] Nixon. I'd say \[Bill\] Clinton is every bit as corrupt as Nixon, but a lot smoother. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/i-d-almost-prefer-richard-nixon-i-d-say-bill-clinton-is-every-bit-as/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [ \[On Richard M. Nixon:\] Americans began with a president who couldn't tell a lie and now they have one who can't tell the truth. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/on-richard-m-nixon-americans-began-with-a-president-who-couldn-t-tell/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [Experience helped Richard Nixon, but it didn't save him, and it certainly wasn't a blanket endorsement. He blundered terribly in dealing with Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/experience-helped-richard-nixon-but-it-didn-t-save-him-and-it/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [ There were really funny characteristics about this guy \[Richard Nixon\], chief of which would be that he seemed to devote about 85 percent of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/there-were-really-funny-characteristics-about-this-guy-richard-nixon/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [More than half the combat deaths in Vietnam occurred after Richard Nixon was elected on a promise to bring the war to an end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-grijalva/more-than-half-the-combat-deaths-in-vietnam-occurred-after-richard/) [Raul Grijalva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-grijalva/) ## More by Ralph Nader > [This welfare for wealthy companies wastes taxpayer dollars, harms the environment, and makes a mockery of the recent reductions in federal social spending programs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/this-welfare-for-wealthy-companies-wastes-taxpayer-dollars-harms-the/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [Nuclear power must be dealt with irrationally. . . . Nuclear plants are carcinogens. Let's get that story out. . . . Their lies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/nuclear-power-must-be-dealt-with-irrationally-nuclear-plants-are/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [In 2000 the majority of people wanted me and Buchanan on the debates in two thousand. And me on the debates in 2004. have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/in-2000-the-majority-of-people-wanted-me-and-buchanan-on-the-debates/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [What we need to recognize, less than 1 percent of the people organized around issues that are already supported by conservatives and liberals, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/what-we-need-to-recognize-less-than-1-percent-of-the-people-organized/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [We live in a two-party tyranny that doesn't believe in competition, can enforce it with penalties and obstructions, and they're getting closer and closer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/we-live-in-a-two-party-tyranny-that-doesn-t-believe-in-competition/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [George W. Bush is very vulnerable but not if you campaign the way the major candidates - except for Dean and Kucinich - are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/george-w-bush-is-very-vulnerable-but-not-if-you-campaign-the-way-the/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [In the meantime the big corporations are fleeing America for tax havens and places like Ireland, Luxembourg and the Grand Cayman Islands; the rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/in-the-meantime-the-big-corporations-are-fleeing-america-for-tax/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [Full Medicare-for-all, free choice of doctor and hospital: that comes in sixty to seventy percent without even further explanation. 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They want the suburbs, a house, a settled life, and respectability. They want society to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/young-wives-are-the-leading-asset-of-corporate-power-they-want-the/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [Moral courage is the highest expression of humanity ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/moral-courage-is-the-highest-expression-of-humanity/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) [Explore all 208 Ralph Nader quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. 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It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. 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