Group Project: Let's Rank The Presidents and Summarize Their Presidencies

[ronpaulfollower999]

My #2 and #3 used to be Bill Clinton and FDR. Now you can share your shame

FDR was #1 for me.

But I also had Jefferson and I think Cleveland in my top 10. It was right at my transition from a flaming socialist. I had Andrew Jackson ranked last because of the trail of tears fiasco. Didn't rank Bush, but I'm sure he would've been in my bottom 5.

My bottom 5 today:

40) LBJ
41) Barack Obama
42) George W. Bush
43) FDR
44) Woodrow Wilson

Don't think I can do a top 5. Too many imperfections.

 

[John F Kennedy III]

FDR was #1 for me.

But I also had Jefferson and I think Cleveland in my top 10. It was right at my transition from a flaming socialist. I had Andrew Jackson ranked last because of the trail of tears fiasco. Didn't rank Bush, but I'm sure he would've been in my bottom 5.

My bottom 5 today:

40) LBJ
41) Barack Obama
42) George W. Bush
43) FDR
44) Woodrow Wilson

Don't think I can do a top 5. Too many imperfections.

Yeah the public school system teaches you to admire some TERRIBLE people.

I'm having a hard time myself with ranking Obama and George W. Bush. It's hard to weigh what they have done versus what I'm learning about some past presidents. Like Lincoln, FDR, Wilson and a few others have done some downright horrific things on a large scale.

I used to say W. was hands down the worst president. I don't think that anymore. But he is still near the bottom. And Obama I think is worse than him. At least Bush was open and in your face about what he was doing.

 

[John F Kennedy III]

Maybe we could debate who is worse? Obama or W. Bush.

 

[Origanalist]

Yeah as I research this more JFK keeps going down on the list. I still have alot of respect for him though for waking up and trying to do good. He ended up giving his life trying to do good for us. I know it doesn't make up for all of what he did before and during the Cuban Missile Crisis. But he deserves to be ranked above all of the presidents who were just flat out evil or were puppets, which is every president FDR and forward, plus Wilson and I'd rank him ahead of Lincoln.

If by that you mean you would rank JFK ahead of Lincoln I couldn't agree more. Lincoln ranks at the very bottom for me. JFK for all his baggage doesn't even come close.

 

[Origanalist]

Maybe we could debate who is worse? Obama or W. Bush.

Hmmmmm, I would have to give that one to Obama. He's taken what Bush set him up for and run with it with a vengeance.

 

[John F Kennedy III]

If by that you mean you would rank JFK ahead of Lincoln I couldn't agree more. Lincoln ranks at the very bottom for me. JFK for all his baggage doesn't even come close.

Yes I mean I would rank JFK ahead of Lincoln. I'm thinking Lincoln is going to end up in my bottom 5. It's hard to limbo under the bar he set. Lincoln goes down even more if what I have been reading on the subject of him and slavery is true. If anyone knows what I'm talking about please PM me. I trust RPF members alot more than random internet users because you guys are crazy obsessed with knowing what's going on with just about any subject But please PM me about it. I don't want this thread to get thrown into HT.

 

[John F Kennedy III]

Hmmmmm, I would have to give that one to Obama. He's taken what Bush set him up for and run with it with a vengeance.

True. He has taking every Bush policy and expanded and accelerated it. He has moved this country much farther into socialism than Bush did. Bush taught us not to pay attention to the President, Obama is taking advantage of that.

 

[JohnM]

Yeah as I research this more JFK keeps going down on the list. I still have alot of respect for him though for waking up and trying to do good. He ended up giving his life trying to do good for us. I know it doesn't make up for all of what he did before and during the Cuban Missile Crisis. But he deserves to be ranked above all of the presidents who were just flat out evil or were puppets, which is every president FDR and forward, plus Wilson and I'd rank him ahead of Lincoln.

You will have noticed that Ivan Eland gives him credit for moderating his behavior and being wise enough not to follow the advice of his generals.

I would love to hear anything Dr. Paul has said about JFK if he has said anything

Good question. I was wondering if he mentioned JFK in Liberty Defined, but I just looked at my copy, and there isn't an index!

 

[John F Kennedy III]

You will have noticed that Ivan Eland gives him credit for moderating his behavior and being wise enough not to follow the advice of his generals.



Good question. I was wondering if he mentioned JFK in Liberty Defined, but I just looked at my copy, and there isn't an index!

I can't find anything, but someone can, please post it!

 

[cityoflight]

3. James Monroe-- cut taxes and spending, substantially reduced the national debt, took a primarily non-interventionist stance on foreign affairs. He did unleash a certain trigger-happy General Jackson on the Indians (grimly foreshadowing certain future developments) in one unfortunate incident.

Non-interventionist? The Monroe Doctrine dominated U.S. foreign policy for over a century. Not only did it evolve into a blatant endorsement of intervention (asserted the right to resist European involvement throughout the hemisphere), Monroe also declared it without any accompanying legislation or approval. He also wanted to drastically expand the military including increased "defense" spending. It was quickly forgotten that we were supposed to stay out of European affairs as well. The doctrine was used as a basic justification all kinds of meddling in Latin America basically up until the present.

 

[MaxPower]

Non-interventionist? The Monroe Doctrine dominated U.S. foreign policy for over a century. Not only did it evolve into a blatant endorsement of intervention (asserted the right to resist European involvement throughout the hemisphere), Monroe also declared it without any accompanying legislation or approval. He also wanted to drastically expand the military including increased "defense" spending. It was quickly forgotten that we were supposed to stay out of European affairs as well. The doctrine was used as a basic justification all kinds of meddling in Latin America basically up until the present.

The Monroe Doctrine did overstep its bounds in suggesting that any intervention by Europe in our hemisphere might be seen as tantamount to intervention in the affairs of the US itself (though it is somewhat understandable, in that, for example, the Spanish might be out intervening in land bordering the US such as to stir up the Seminoles to attack) but you have to look at the other side of the coin as well-- not what it "evolved" into, but how Monroe and his administration actually interpreted it and enforced it (keeping in mind, also, that the term "Monroe Doctrine" as some kind of formal standard didn't come into use until decades after Monroe's presidency). Monroe's formulation of his own doctrine explicitly maintained that the US would stay neutral regarding overseas internal affairs and would not interfere with European colonies already present in the Western hemisphere; I would say he was about 80-90% non-interventionist, and certainly anti-imperialist. He wasn't as non-interventionist as you or I might like, but as US presidents go, I would definitely put him toward that end.

 

[John F Kennedy III]

Just did some research on Lincoln. It's hard to imagine someone worse than him.

 

[KingNothing]

Van Buren, Cleveland, Coolidge, Harding, Tyler, JQA, and Taylor were good or better.

I think we'd be better off if none of the others were ever elected.

 

[KingNothing]

Maybe we could debate who is worse? Obama or W. Bush.

Obama is worse because he's Bush, only more so.

 

[John F Kennedy III]

Van Buren, Cleveland, Coolidge, Harding, Tyler, JQA, and Taylor were good or better.

I think we'd be better off if none of the others were ever elected.

Care to give info on Van Buren and JQA?

 

[John F Kennedy III]

Bump

 

[Galileo Galilei]

Off topic post . . .



Greatest victory in US history is one way to describe it. According to Wikipedia, that is not quite how historians see it.

The people at the time thought it was a great victory. Even greater than the Revolution if you judge by the benefits of service had on your chances for elected office.

 

[Galileo Galilei]

Van Buren, Cleveland, Coolidge, Harding, Tyler, JQA, and Taylor were good or better.

I think we'd be better off if none of the others were ever elected.

What about Jefferson? When he was president, the federal government had only 300 employees in Washington and that included the congress.

The fact is, most people in the 1800s and virtually no contact whatsoever with the federal government. The feds took about 2% of the GNP out of the economy for operating expenses.

 

[Galileo Galilei]

The fact is, most people in the 1800s and virtually no contact whatsoever with the federal government. The feds took about 2% of the GNP out of the economy for operating expenses.

Which is why idiots who bash 19th century presidents, ... are, .... idiots. (besides Lincoln)

 

[TheTexan]

Just did some research on Lincoln. It's hard to imagine someone worse than him.

Yes, the Northern Aggressor is by far and indisputably the worst.