All the Presidents since I was born

[Old Rocks]

Kids all.

I was born when FDR was in office.

Bush 2 was obviously the worst. Followed by Reagan and Nixon.

Nixon gave you the EPA. Why so harsh?

Because he destroyed his own Presidency with his paranoa. Had he been able to put aside his 'enemies list' and work on being the best President he knew how, Nixon would be remembered as one of the great Presidents. His story is a political tragedy written by his own hand.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I have to say 'worst' is hard to delineate as a stand alone term or descriptor.

I think including obama and bush II in there is not quite fair, its to soon, Clinton too, BUT , Clinton is certainly looking better each year compared to those that followed him, a statement I would not have saw myself making back then, thats why I am loath to do so now for bush and obama who still has 3 years to run.

ditto.
I told people several years back that it is silly to say Bush II is the worst President ever - still in office. So it would be equally silly to say Obama is now.
I would agree that Clinton is the best of the worst in the last three. But that is of course saying very little. Clinton afterall, working with Summers, Rubin, Greenspan and top house members on both sides - is the true foundation of corporate corruption where it is today - as well as the chief architects of the "debt as income" policies that caused 2008. So for that alone - Clinton was a bad President.
Bush II - AWOL on too many important factors, primarily immigration and the corruption of the financial system. And his role in the complete FUBAR of the Iraq war.
Obama? - looking more and more to be the worst of the three. Anyone not seeing Obama in a poor light is without exception - a political sheep. Same for those defending Bush while he was President.

 

[rightwinger]

Didn't we just do this in another thread yesterday?

http://www.usmessageboard.com/polit...y-lifetime-compared-to-barack-obama-king.html

My list stays the same

Rank of Presidents in my Lifetime

1. Eisenhower: National Highway System,Civil Rights, strong economy
2. Obama: Prevented a depression, Obamacare
3. Reagan: Negotiated peaceful collapse of the Soviet Union
4. JFK: NASA, Peace Corps
5. Clinton: Booming economy, balanced budgets
6. Nixon: EPA, China, Watergate
7. Bush Sr: Kuwait
8. LBJ: Medicare, Civil Rights, Viet Nam
9. Ford: not much one way or the other
10. Carter: Iran fiasco, economic collapse
11. Bush Jr: Iraq, massive economic collapse, 9/11

 

[editec]

Im shocked that all you financial and fiscal conservatives aren't faulting NIXXon for getting us off the GOLD STANDARD.

After all, thanks to that DEFICEIT SPENDING and massive inflation is assured.

Oh yeah, that's right, I forgot...you cons don't understand MACRO do you?

 

[birddog]

We can thank Clinton and his cohorts like Bwarney Fwank fo setting us up for economic fail after he left office. His incompetence as CIC set us up for 9-11 and the Iraq War also. Bush made mistakes, but did well considering the hand that was dealt him.

 

[DiamondDave]

Yeah but you are a bias pile of shit so your opinion isnt objective one bit.

Hello Pot.. you seem to have a message from Kettle... re: The color Black

 

[Darkwind]

Eisenhower

Kennedy

Johnson

Nixon

Ford

Carter

Reagan

Bush

Clinton

Bush

Obama

And the worst of the bunch?

Obama followed by Carter.

I start at Kennedy......and I agree with you.

 

[blastoff]

It's not even close anymore between Barry and Carter for the worst of the worst. And that's why J. Earl's been sporting that huge shit eating grin for a while now.

 

[DiamondDave]

Im shocked that all you financial and fiscal conservatives aren't faulting NIXXon for getting us off the GOLD STANDARD.

After all, thanks to that DEFICEIT SPENDING and massive inflation is assured.

Oh yeah, that's right, I forgot...you cons don't understand MACRO do you?

Nixon was a weird mix of good and bad... not the devil many put him out to be... was he the worst or the best?? Nope.. was he maybe an average President who is forever tainted by scandal?? Yep

I was born in the Johnson era...

Worst to best in my lifetime

1) Carter - The damage that spineless fuck did in 4 years was astounding
2) Obama - Quickly catching up to Carter with the spending, deficit, debt, and of course the horrid policy of Obamacare
3) Johnson - Really did no actual good on his own. Expanded the fed (like many progressives before him ) with federal spending on education and other bullshit.
4) Nixon - Bi-polar record of good and bad
5) Bush II - Horrible fiscally, not bad on domestic policy. Handled 9/11 tragedy well, did not handle Iraq all that well, handled Afghanistan ok
6) Ford - Helped'heal' the nation after the Nixon fiasco. Basically a place holder
7) Clinton - At least he could work across the table. Hated what he did to the military while I was enlisted.
8) Bush I - Could have been a great one. 1 line of speech did him in when he had to go back on it
9) Reagan - Easily a top 5 President of all time. No, he was not some no-mistake perfect conservative God. But, responsible for a majority of the good we have had since his time in office, correct the horror that was Carter, helped end Soviet Russia as we knew it, started on the path of making taxation better (even though he did not champion flat tax), and dealt well with a God-awful DEM legislature

 

[rightwinger]

We can thank Clinton and his cohorts like Bwarney Fwank fo setting us up for economic fail after he left office. His incompetence as CIC set us up for 9-11 and the Iraq War also. Bush made mistakes, but did well considering the hand that was dealt him.

Clinton had the biggest economic boom of my lifetime

Bush took a budget surplus and turned it into a deficit overnight

 

[DiamondDave]

We can thank Clinton and his cohorts like Bwarney Fwank fo setting us up for economic fail after he left office. His incompetence as CIC set us up for 9-11 and the Iraq War also. Bush made mistakes, but did well considering the hand that was dealt him.

Clinton had the biggest economic boom of my lifetime

Bush took a budget surplus and turned it into a deficit overnight

Clinton was not responsible for the tech boom... his tax policies did not cause the boom... In fact the boom happened in spite of it... The boom also was a false one that predictably corrected itself when much was based on speculation rather than actual production...

There was no actual surplus, just as there has not been since 1957

Nobody is defending Bush II's fiscal policy

 

[Edgetho]

Of mice and men....

BLACKFIVE

Below is an email (via military reader "In Media Res") from a Captain in the 501st (a unit that I know well) that was at President Bush's Thanksgiving Dinner. With all the talk of fake turkey and photo ops, maybe you should hear about the President's visit from someone that was actually there:

We knew there was a dinner planned with ambassador Bremer and LTG Sanchez. There were 600 seats available and all the units in the division were tasked with filling a few tables. Naturally, the 501st MI battalion got ourtable. Soldiers were grumbling about having to sit through another dog-and-pony show, so we had to pick soldiers to attend. I chose not to go.

But, about 1500 the G2, LTC Devan, came up to me and with a smile, asked me to come to dinner with him, to meet him in his office at 1600 and bring a camera. I didn't really care about getting a picture with Sanchez or Bremer, but when the division's senior intelligence officer asks you to go, you go. We were seated in the chow hall, fully decorated for thanksgiving when aaaaallllll kinds of secret service guys showed up.

That was my first clue, because Bremer's been here before and his personal security detachment is not that big. Then BG Dempsey got up to speak, and he welcomed ambassador Bremer and LTG Sanchez. Bremer thanked us all and pulled out a piece of paper as if to give a speech. He mentioned that the President had given him this thanksgiving speech to give to the troops. He then paused and said that the senior man present should be the one to give it. He then looked at Sanchez, who just smiled.

Bremer then said that we should probably get someone more senior to read the speech. Then, from behind the camouflage netting, the President of the United States came around. The mess hall actually erupted with hollering. Troops bounded to their feet with shocked smiles and just began cheering with all their hearts. The building actually shook. It was just unreal. I was absolutely stunned. Not only for the obvious, but also because I was only two tables away from the podium. There he stood, less than thirty feet away from me! The cheering went on and on and on.

Soldiers were hollering, cheering, and a lot of them were crying. There was not a dry eye at my table. When he stepped up to the cheering, I could clearly see tears running down his cheeks. It was the most surreal moment I've had in years. Not since my wedding and Aaron being born. Here was this man, our President, came all the way around the world, spending 17 hours on an airplane and landing in the most dangerous airport in the world, where a plane was shot out of the sky not six days before.

Just to spend two hours with his troops. Only to get on a plane and spend another 17 hours flying back. It was a great moment, and I will never forget it. He delivered his speech, which we all loved, when he looked right at me and held his eyes on me. Then he stepped down and was just mobbed by the soldiers. He slowly worked his way all the way around the chow hall and shook every last hand extended. Every soldier who wanted a photo with the President got one. I made my way through the line, got dinner, then wolfed it down as he was still working the room.

You could tell he was really enjoying himself. It wasn't just a photo opportunity. This man was actually enjoying himself! He worked his way over the course of about 90 minutes towards my side of the room. Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to shake a few hands. I got a picture with Ambassador Bremer, Talabani (acting Iraqi president) and Achmed Chalabi (another member of the ruling council) and Condaleeza Rice, who was there with him.

I felt like I was drunk. He was getting closer to my table so I went back over to my seat. As he passed and posed for photos, he looked my in the eye and "How you doin', captain." I smiled and said "God bless you, sir." To which he responded "I'm proud of what you do, captain." Then moved on.

- See more at: BLACKFIVE

 

[TooTall]

I'm not a huge fan of Obama I but voted for him. I think he's a little too conservative sometimes and willing to cut the safety nets which does nothing to help the economy, but considering the state of the economy when he came into office, and the state of the economy now, I think he's done fairly well especially considering how republicans have done everything in their power to make him fail. He may even go down in history as one the greats eventually, just like FDR, another democrat who had to rescue the country from an earlier republican created depression. Too early to tell yet.

Obama could be another FDR if he manages to get us into WWIII, and he is working very hard on doing just that.

 

[GHook93]

Eisenhower

Kennedy

Johnson

Nixon

Ford

Carter

Reagan

Bush

Clinton

Bush

Obama

And the worst of the bunch?

Obama followed by Carter.

I was born in 1978, so I start with Carter.

My worst to best list:
(1) Obama is taking the cake (didn't think he could beat Carter)
(2) Carter (Just horrible on all fronts and is even worse as an ex President)
(3) Clinton (He got helped in his second term by a GOP run house and senate, but he pushed the Carter error CRA that was the MAIN culprit in the mortgage meltdown. He helped stem roll China in to the WTO, he removed the barrier to trade with China, he signed NAFTA, he signed the bill to repeal Glass-Steagall, he made Student Loans non-dischargable and inflated college costs like never before, he didn't kill OBL when he had the chance, he gave Feddie Mac and Fannie Mae the power to create a secondary mortgage market which was the second main culprit of the mortgage meltdown etc.)
(4) Bush II (Didn't stop the Clinton era legislation that caused the mortgage meltdown and coming student loan crisis, regardless of all the signs and economist warnings; he spend like a Democrat; the Iraq War)
(5) Bush I (What did he do?)
(6) Reagan (Lowered taxes, oversaw a robust recovery, unlike Obama, oversaw a boom in manufacturing, in fact in 1987 we produced more of the world's good than any country has in history. Fall of the Soviets. Amnesty, Saving and Loan Crash, Iran-Contra and non-balanced budget were his downfalls. But he is still one of the best, even if over-rated).

 

[rightwinger]

In my lifetime I have seen Eisenhowers reputation grow. What was initially seen as a non-eventful presidency in the laid back 50s showed what his lasting impact was on the country

JFK has fallen back a bit as the martrdom has resided. Good man, but too short a term

LBJ was both great and horrible. His civil rights, medicare, anti-poverty programs made him a great president. His inability to draw back from a escallating Vietnam doomed him

Nixon was a damned good president, but was morally flawed. His raging paranoia did him in

Ford was in a no win situation and had his presidential powers neutered

I hated Carter at the time and considered him weak. He did a great job in middle east negotiations between Egypt and Israel. The Iran Hostage situation was his downfall but his patience paid off in the long run with all 52 hostages returning safely. A John Wayne kickass response would have played well in the press but resulted in many hostage deaths.

Reagan has dropped back somewhat. His economic miracle was built on runaway spending and his tax restructuring had a lasting impact on debt and the middle class. He did a great job negotiating the end of the Cold War

I liked Bush1 and thought he did a great job in Kuwait. The tax thing was just him doing what was necessary at the time. In the end....it was the economy stupid

Clinton was a good president in a booming economy. His personal flaws caused us great embarassment, so did the republican overreaction

Bush 2 was the worst president in modern history. He suffered the 9-11 attack and his response in attacking Afghanistan and Iraq cost thousands of unnecessary lives. Stood like a deer in the headlights as the economy collapsed around him

Obama took over during an economic collapse and prevented a depression. He redirected the war on terror from nation building to attacking terrorists where they were hiding. Passed Obamacare after almost a hundred years of trying to get national healthcare

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

What a hard hitting and informative post!

Did you have the same response for Blackman1's identical thread?

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

The Clinton and Reagan presidencies were both good imo.

 

[jasonnfree]

Nixon certainly worse than he was given credit for. For those of you who remember, his campaign was about law and order and getting us out of vietnam. So we saw his version of law and order. Agnew got off easy but even his attorney general went to prison. Got us out of Vietnam several years afterwards when as many soldiers under him died as did under LBJ. Nixon and kissinger had been dealing with the north vietnamese government before the first campaign which was treason but LBJ never pushed it, not wanting to put the country through the wringer on that. Instead of going to jail Nixon went home, was later revived as an elder statesman with Clinton eulogizing him as such. Why don't democrats go for the jugular like this republican scum do?
Reagan/Bush 1 were most certainly dealing behind the scenes with the Iranians to short circuit Carter before the 1980 election. The hostages released right after Reagan was sworn in was a major clue. Congress should have acted on it but "didn't want to put the country through the wringer on that. Can we ever get good politicians? Not as long as big money buys the politicians, and any bills to get money out of politics are always voted down by republicans who could never win elections if that happened. As it is, they couldn't even carry the house if it weren't for their gerrymandering.
Pelosi sez "impeachment off the table". Why don't democrats go for the jugular like this republican scum do?

 

[jon_berzerk]

Eisenhower

Kennedy

Johnson

Nixon

Ford

Carter

Reagan

Bush

Clinton

Bush

Obama

And the worst of the bunch?

Obama followed by Carter.

And the worst of the bunch?

Obama followed by Carter.


and that is the main reason

carter is happy that obama got elected

 

[Wry Catcher]

Im shocked that all you financial and fiscal conservatives aren't faulting NIXXon for getting us off the GOLD STANDARD.

After all, thanks to that DEFICEIT SPENDING and massive inflation is assured.

Oh yeah, that's right, I forgot...you cons don't understand MACRO do you?

Nixon was a weird mix of good and bad... not the devil many put him out to be... was he the worst or the best?? Nope.. was he maybe an average President who is forever tainted by scandal?? Yep

I was born in the Johnson era...

Worst to best in my lifetime

1) Carter - The damage that spineless fuck did in 4 years was astounding
2) Obama - Quickly catching up to Carter with the spending, deficit, debt, and of course the horrid policy of Obamacare
3) Johnson - Really did no actual good on his own. Expanded the fed (like many progressives before him ) with federal spending on education and other bullshit.
4) Nixon - Bi-polar record of good and bad
5) Bush II - Horrible fiscally, not bad on domestic policy. Handled 9/11 tragedy well, did not handle Iraq all that well, handled Afghanistan ok
6) Ford - Helped'heal' the nation after the Nixon fiasco. Basically a place holder
7) Clinton - At least he could work across the table. Hated what he did to the military while I was enlisted.
8) Bush I - Could have been a great one. 1 line of speech did him in when he had to go back on it
9) Reagan - Easily a top 5 President of all time. No, he was not some no-mistake perfect conservative God. But, responsible for a majority of the good we have had since his time in office, correct the horror that was Carter, helped end Soviet Russia as we knew it, started on the path of making taxation better (even though he did not champion flat tax), and dealt well with a God-awful DEM legislature

Does man make history or did history make the man (or his legend)?

When we look at former Presidents, sometimes the problems they leave behind are the issue, not the problems they solved or hoped to solve.