Best US President
 

Who would you guys argue was the best president? I think it's interesting since most of the popular choices (Lincoln, FDR, Regan) wouldn't be all too popular 'round these parts.

Re: Best US President
 

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Who would you guys argue was the best president? I think it's interesting since most of the popular choices (Lincoln, FDR, Regan) wouldn't be all too popular 'round these parts.

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ZOMG RON PAUL!!!111!!

Re: Best US President
 

I vote George W. Bush. (Keep in mind that I live in Canada and I find that dude funny as hell).

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Bartlet. The only good politician is a fake one.

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Bartlet. The only good politician is a fake one.

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I prefer Santos. He's less smug.

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William H. Harrison

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Thanks everyone for crapping all over this thread.

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Thanks everyone for crapping all over this thread.

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Sorry pal,

Serious answer (based on the little I know about the US political system) = Abe Lincoln.

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FDR.

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They all have faults, that I can tell anyways, but I'd have to hover around Jefferson.

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Thanks everyone for crapping all over this thread.

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If you want to be taken seriously, learn how to spell. It's Reagan.

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Thanks everyone for crapping all over this thread.

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If you want to be taken seriously, learn how to spell. It's Reagan.

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I think nits are supposed to hang out in B&M...

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Washington. And I don't think it is close.

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Maybe this guy:

He described the Cold War saying: "We face a hostile ideology global in scope, atheistic in character, ruthless in purpose and insidious in method..." and warned about what he saw as unjustified government spending proposals and continued with a warning that "we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex... Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."

On second thought, maybe he was a failure also, since he failed to get the masses to pay attention.

Re: Best US President
 

Washington
Jefferson
Grover Cleveland
William H Harrison

Lincoln and FDR are two of the worst down in GWB territory.

Re: Best US President
 

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Maybe this guy:

He described the Cold War saying: "We face a hostile ideology global in scope, atheistic in character, ruthless in purpose and insidious in method..." and warned about what he saw as unjustified government spending proposals and continued with a warning that "we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex... Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."

On second thought, maybe he was a failure also, since he failed to get the masses to pay attention.

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He also failed to guard himself against the very thing he warned us about. Shady CIA intervention and US-led military buildup went full bore through Eisenhower's administrations.

I think he was a good man and accurately foretold of America's dark future. But he failed to do anything while leading America for 8 years to actively head off that future, except throw in some great quotes in his farewell address.

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Who would you guys argue was the best president? I think it's interesting since most of the popular choices (Lincoln, FDR, Regan) wouldn't be all too popular 'round these parts.

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The most popular choices will always be presidents who lived during high profile times, either the 1st president, or during a war/largest depression. I know almost nothing about presidents who were commander in chief during times of peace and prosperity.

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Maybe this guy:

He described the Cold War saying: "We face a hostile ideology global in scope, atheistic in character, ruthless in purpose and insidious in method..." and warned about what he saw as unjustified government spending proposals and continued with a warning that "we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex... Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."

On second thought, maybe he was a failure also, since he failed to get the masses to pay attention.

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He also failed to guard himself against the very thing he warned us about. Shady CIA intervention and US-led military buildup went full bore through Eisenhower's administrations.

I think he was a good man and accurately foretold of America's dark future. But he failed to do anything while leading America for 8 years to actively head off that future, except throw in some great quotes in his farewell address.

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I agree. Pretty much like Greenspan calling the kettle black after retiring.

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Who would you guys argue was the best president? I think it's interesting since most of the popular choices (Lincoln, FDR, Regan) wouldn't be all too popular 'round these parts.

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The most popular choices will always be presidents who lived during high profile times, either the 1st president, or during a war/largest depression. I know almost nothing about presidents who were commander in chief during times of peace and prosperity.

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Of the 3 listed above, at least 1 served during a time as you describe. So was Jefferson and Teddy Roosevelt and John Kennedy and Dwight Eisenhower, 4 more well-known Presidents. But your point is accurate in that America lionizes those who served in interesting times more than those who tended shop and faithfully served the Constitution. No doubt about that, and that should be the most important measure of all.

Re: Best US President
 

taft

Re: Best US President
 

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Maybe this guy:

He described the Cold War saying: "We face a hostile ideology global in scope, atheistic in character, ruthless in purpose and insidious in method..." and warned about what he saw as unjustified government spending proposals and continued with a warning that "we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex... Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."

On second thought, maybe he was a failure also, since he failed to get the masses to pay attention.

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I like Ike too (if I'm correctly attributing this), possibly the best post WWII pres. But he did overthrow a bunch of foreign elected officials in sketchy manner.

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I have to give the nod to Kennedy. I doubt we would have got thru that without a serious war without him. I know McNamara had a lot to do with it, however, Mc was responding to Kennedy's resistance to the general's wanting to bomb.

If the generals had gotten their way, they never would have had the time to determine what was going on in the Kremlin, i.e., two completely different types of messages.

Plus, you don't assasinate a president that melts in with the political machinery that is running things.

Lastly, I was born in 54. I am white and do not believe there has been anything more important in my lifetime than the civil rights movement.

I am a lot happier today, than when the only time you saw a black in a commercial on t.v., was for a commercial about cleaning products.

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Kennedy really didn't do much for Civil Rights, AFAIK it was mostly Johnson.

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President Marshall

Re: Best US President
 

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William H. Harrison

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+1

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Thanks everyone for crapping all over this thread.

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Sorry pal,

Serious answer (based on the little I know about the US political system) = Abe Lincoln.

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Your first answer was a lot less crappy.

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Thanks everyone for crapping all over this thread.

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Sorry pal,

Serious answer (based on the little I know about the US political system) = Abe Lincoln.

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Your first answer was a lot less crappy.

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Yes! I was waiting for PVN to find this thread.

Re: Best US President
 

Zachary Taylor

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I am personally a big fan Teddy Roosevelt. I even have a shirt with him on it and a list of things he did throughout his life.

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Theodore Roosevelt

Bill Clinton (Post-WW2)

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I am personally a big fan Teddy Roosevelt. I even have a shirt with him on it and a list of things he did throughout his life.

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I was wondering if anyone would mention him.

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Despite all of the [censored] that Lincoln illegally did and his basically [censored] all over the Constitution, letting the South peacefully secede would have had vast effects for the future. Not having the Civil War would arguably result in millions of not tens of millions of more future American deaths which which otherwise would not have happened. And thats not even considering the whole slavery issue (which is obv not why the war was fought, but the war still brought about the end of actual American slavery). So yeah, basically Lincoln still sucks, but isn't anywhere near as bad as FDR. Lincoln was put in an awful situation by circumstance (no prez before or since had ever had to deal with what he did, and letting 1/2 the country secede or burning the constitution were both awful choices), FDR created them (great depression and US entry into ww2).

Oh, and best prez is obv Washington. Dude could have been the monarch of an American kingdom if he wanted, but voluntarily gave up power. And his advice about foreign entanglements remains the best advice ever given by a President, despite the fact it was obv never followed. Jefferson kicked ass too.

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US entry into ww2

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... This would be one of those few things I really don't have a problem with. Can't imagine how anyone would.

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In my lifetime...

Best - Eisenhower
Worst - Carter

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US entry into ww2

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... This would be one of those few things I really don't have a problem with. Can't imagine how anyone would.

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I think you're being a bit results oriented. I certainly think it's up for debate whether or not it was a prudent decision to enter WW2 at the time. Looking back from 65 years in the future it's too easy to question or agree with decisions made back then.

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Also, surprised that ppl don't like Calvin Coolidge. Off of wiki:

During Coolidge's presidency the United States experienced the period of rapid economic growth known as the "Roaring Twenties." His economic policy has often been misquoted as "generally speaking, the business of the American people is business" (full quotation below, at left). Although some commentators have criticized Coolidge as a doctrinaire laissez-faire ideologue, historian Robert Sobel offers some context based on Coolidge's sense of federalism: "As Governor of Massachusetts, Coolidge supported wages and hours legislation, opposed child labor, imposed economic controls during World War I, favored safety measures in factories, and even worker representation on corporate boards. Did he support these measures while president? No, because in the 1920s, such matters were considered the responsibilities of state and local governments.

Coolidge's taxation policy, and that of his Secretary of the Treasury, Andrew Mellon, was that taxes should be lower and that fewer people should have to pay them.[106] The Congress concurred, and the tax burden on Americans was reduced in Coolidge's term.[106] In addition to these tax cuts, Coolidge proposed reductions in federal expenditures and retiring some of the federal debt.[107] To that end, Coolidge declined to sign some of the spending that Congress approved. He vetoed the proposed McNary-Haugen Farm Relief Bill of 1926, designed to allow the federal government to purchase agricultural surpluses and sell them abroad at lowered prices. Coolidge declared that agriculture must stand "on an independent business basis," and said that "government control cannot be divorced from political control."[108] He favored Herbert Hoover's proposal to modernize agriculture to create profits, instead of manipulating prices.

While he was not an isolationist, Coolidge was reluctant to enter foreign alliances.[115] Coolidge saw the landslide Republican victory of 1920 as a rejection of the Wilsonian idea that the United States should join the League of Nations.[116] While not completely opposed to the idea, Coolidge believed the League, as then constituted, did not serve American interests, and he did not advocate membership in it.[116]

Coolidge's best-known initiative was the Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928, named for Coolidge's Secretary of State, Frank B. Kellogg, and French foreign minister Aristide Briand. The treaty, ratified in 1929, committed signatories including the U.S., the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan to "renounce war, as an instrument of national policy in their relations with one another."

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US entry into ww2

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... This would be one of those few things I really don't have a problem with. Can't imagine how anyone would.

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I think you're being a bit results oriented. I certainly think it's up for debate whether or not it was a prudent decision to enter WW2 at the time. Looking back from 65 years in the future it's too easy to question or agree with decisions made back then.

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I have no idea how this could possibly be up for debate.

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Cool info on Coolidge though, I'll try to read up on him.

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BEST:
Washington
Jefferson
Jackson
Coolidge
T.R.
Reagan

WORST:
Grant
Wilson
FDR
Carter

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Who would you guys argue was the best president? I think it's interesting since most of the popular choices (Lincoln, FDR, Regan) wouldn't be all too popular 'round these parts.

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I think FDR is way overrated i.e. he was not goot. Sure many disagree though.