Ranking the presidents, best to worst

Which is why I see most Presidents as complete power hungry warmongers... Either they assault the liberties of the people or they commit violence in the name "security". It's really terrible in this age we've had Presidents who have done both of those and people consider them great people.

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Worship is a strong word... It's more like respect for what they've done.

 

If it was so tiny it can't be much of an accomplishment to justify the No. 1 ranking.

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So what did Washington do to justify a number 1 ranking in your opinion?

 

It worked great. GDP exploded and unemployment fell rapidly after FDR took office, until he, under pressure from Republicans, adopted austerity measures in 1936 and cut spending. The nation went into a recession the following year.

Unfortunately, we have many who distort the lessons of history rather than learn from them.

 

Well if you are going to put such a premium on being the first one to do something, then with that criteria, yes, Washington would be number 1. But being the first president to take a dump doesn't necessarily justify a number 1 ranking IMO

You were saying there were lots of reasons. You can't identify them?

I haven't researched it, but I think Jefferson did too, on his death.

But this was not an act as president.

Like what?

You say that, but about the only thing you've identified to justify it is the fact that Washington was the first president and chose some advisors.

I'm not disputing that Washington was a great man and a pivotal figure in our history, but that seems like weak soup to justify a number one ranking.

 

How could FDR have felt "pressure from Republicans" in 1936? He and the Democrats had massive, massive overwhelming majorities in Congress and he had won one of the greatest landslides in history?

Whatever FDR did in 1936, he is solely responsible for it.

 

I don't disagree that FDR was ultimately responsible for the spending cuts (they were in '37) which immediately preceded the '38 recession. They were in response to concern about the deficit and where "austerity measures" for the time.

Here's a post with some additional data on spending and GDP in the GD:

http://www.politicalforum.com/curre...ring-first-ever-audit-fed-24.html#post4567114

 

It's kind of hard to argue against facts. The Dems did control ~75% of both the House and Senate in '36.

 

You're never going to convince the cons of that.

 

Yeah, the cons always argue against the facts, it's the only way they could get back in the game.

 

Why even bother typing that empty rhetoric out? What does it add to the conversation? You sound like a broken record and you're trolling your own thread...

 

Calling facts empty rhetoric only proves my point. Thanks.

 

I can say this for FDR: At least he had the good sense to flatten and fire-bomb Japanese and German cities. He initiated unrestricted submarine warfare even before the declaration of war. Given the poor performance of the Mk.14 torpedo, that didn't mean much in 1941 but at least he cut them loose.

 

Which one of your posts contained a "fact". I don't think you know what the word means.

 

It boomed due to production of planes, tanks, and arms for the Allies. You must know this and are purposely distorting the facts.

Again.... his own Sec. of Treasury.

"We have tried spending money. We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work." - Henry Morgenthau, Jr. (Secretary of the Treasury or FDR)

 

Funny how Shrub and his republican senate and congress didn't give it a thought when they doubled the national debt from $5.5 trillion to almost $12 trillion, spending money on stupid wars, and welfare for millionaires, and welfare for Wall Street.

There's a fact for ya tomfoo

 

Iriemon, I have provided you for a half dozen reasons PLUS Washington's farewell address which leading Presidential scholars cite for him being one of the most, if not THE most important President in American political history. American Presidents to this days attempt to model themselves after him. If you do not wish to recognize those that is not of my concern, but my offer stands for recommend reading in order to educate yourself on the man. I would recommend George Washington: The Indispensable Man, by James T. Flexner and His Excellency: George Washington, by Joseph Ellis

 

Bush raised the debt from 5 T to 9 T in 8 years-------obama raised it from 9T to 16T in 4 years. Both were wrong, obama was worse. Why do you support the guy that is spending your kids money and driving the country into bankruptcy?

Shrub +7 = Obozo

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worst presidents:

obama
FDR
LBJ


best presidents:
Washington
Jefferson
Kennedy

 

People compartmentalize. To avoid appearing hypocritical it is wise to judge with consistent standards across the board. Unfortunately many, such as gophangover, do not.

worst presidents:

I would not agree that Obama deserves to join the eschelon of worst Presidents, at least not yet. He has another term to serve. I certainly would not classify Kennedy as one of the best either, although I would give him high marks on some of his economic policy. What made Kennedy have the perception as being ""great" is his untimely death and the generation that sympathized with it.

 

For the FDR cultists, here is a report on a study from economists from UCLA that helps dispel the myth of his positive effect on the Great Depression:

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Actually, these programs did not begin under FDR. They started under his Republican cousin Teddy Roosevelt.


Let's get back for a moment to Washington: I said earlier that he did not spend more on the infrastructure because of the huge war debt. That was correct. But what I forgot to point out and what others have not noted is the fact that the USA did not have good credit with foreign powers such as France, Holland, and Spain. Therefore, the government could not borrow against the debt or more $$$ would have been spent on the infrastructure.


Lastly, anyone who is stupid enough to say Reagan or the two Bush's belong anywhere near the top of the best presidents is on drugs.

 

That's fine. You kept saying there were other reasons that Washington was great, hence the question.

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That's fine. You kept saying there were other reasons that Washington was great, hence the question.

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Social security started in 1934. Medicare in 1964.

 

The Panama Canal was largely built (but not completed) on Teddy Roosevelt's watch. TR's government did not have to build much infrastructure because a (largely unregulated) private sector was doing so quite nicely.

Important point: Entitlements are not infrastructure.

 

Year - % chg real GDP
1930 -8.6%
1931 -6.5%
1932 -13.1%
1933 -1.3% <-FDR takes office, implements "New Deal"
1934 +10.9%
1935 +8.9%
1936 +13.1%
1937 +5.1%
1938 -3.4%
1939 +8.1%
1940 +8.8%

Source: BEA.gov

I don't see any prolonged recession after FDR takes office in 1933.

 

Ya, try again. FDR had nothing to do with Medicare.

 

I responded to your post in that thread, see post #452.