My Top Five

February 19, 2007
11:30 AM CST

[Aaaargh. I’d already written this post on Sunday, but when I posted it, I dated it for Tuesday instead of Monday (Presidents Day). I was wondering what happened to it. Anyway, here it is.]

My top 5 U.S. Presidents are, in order:

1. George Washington
2. Ronald Reagan
3. Thomas Jefferson
4. Andrew Jackson
5. James Polk

Real men who won wars, took no crap from anyone, and believed in this great country’s Manifest Destiny.

Comments

Bottom of Comments | Original Post

In addition Thomas Jefferson was a redhead.

Author ID: 7522 | 2/19/2007 12:37 PM CST | #81834


That might be why he would make Tech Support’s list of top five, but not mine.

0 Author ID: 1 | 2/19/2007 01:14 PM CST | #81843


My top five: (not in order)
1. Theodore Roosevelt
2. George Washington
3.  Ronald Reagan
4. Andrew Jackson.  (to my knowledge the 1st attempted assasignation of a president, he caned the man and nearly killed him when his pistol misfired.)
5.  Thomas Jefferson.  Hey he got the Louisana Purchase right.

Author ID: 8379 | 2/19/2007 01:14 PM CST | #81844


Can’t argue with the six that are mentioned, just a matter of the sequence I think. Hard to have GW anyplace but first, all things considered. Remember, he could have been addressed as ‘Your Majesty’ had he so allowed, with all that goes with that. He also could have been president for life but had the wisdom not to do so.

How about the five worst presidents? Here’s some suggestions…

William Clinton - can’t leave him out!
Franklin Delano Roosevelt - socialist bastard!
Woodrow Wilson - ‘he kept us out of war’
Jimmy Carter - a definite numero uno!

....

Author ID: 9349 | 2/19/2007 01:46 PM CST | #81851


I have to disagree on Jackson.  He defied the Supreme court’s ruling on behalf of the “civilized” Cherokee indians and continued with the blatantly unconstitutional and essentially Genocidal Indian Removal act. Trail of Tears anyone?

He also defied the legislative branch, gutted the Bank of the US essentially by presidential order alone, due to personal disagreements with Nicholas Biddle, without creating an adequate substitute.

This left Martin Van Buren with a lousy economy and ended up with the Panic of 1837. Van Buren reaped the consequences of Jackson’s actions and wasn’t re-elected.

Jackson had many good qualities. Unfortunately they were only good qualities for a military officer.  I am especially fond of his hanging of British agents in Spanish Florida when he was a general.

That being said, Andrew Jackson was a lousy president.

Author ID: 1154 | 2/19/2007 02:10 PM CST | #81857


I also would rank TR up there - #1 in my list.

Author ID: 200 | 2/19/2007 02:16 PM CST | #81859


Hey, anyone remember James Monroe?
Ever heard of the Monroe Doctrine? The one that basically told Europe ‘Stay the F#$k OUT of the Western Hemisphere’ - and then went ahead and enforced it?
Considering what we had in the way of a Navy when he did it, THAT took maximum cojones - big BRASS Ones!

And of course, there’s always James Madison; when the Brits hit DC in 1812 and burned much of it, he got his short, chubby little ass out and rallied troops to go back in and kick them right back OUT - and this while he was damn-near choking to death from (okay, embarassing) asthma, or something like that!
MORE BRASS Ones!

There are a LOT of politicians in our nation’s history that get passed over for notice, just because they didn’t have very good press agents.

And as far as FDR is concerned, his only big screw-up was SSA; he pulled this country out of the Depression, and at a time when most of the country, and most newspapers (at a time when newspapers held ALL the media cards), were either isolationist or pro-German, managed to get us ready for WW2 AND let France, Britain, and Russia do most of the early fighting. Which is damn smart warmaking, I say. Yes, he was one Socialist SOB when he could be, but when chips fell, he managed to do what he had to as President to keep us OUT of the war almost until we were ready, materially; with the attitudes in this country before Pearl Harbor, he could never have declared war before then.

Study history before knocking him.

Jim

Author ID: 8889 | 2/19/2007 02:48 PM CST | #81873


Interesting, but in some respects, surprising group: Washington should be at the top of everyone’s list, not because of his prowess as an executive, but because of his deference to the Constition--he could have easily been the first Generalissimo of the U.S., but resigned his commission and returned to his farm, before reluctantly accepting the 1st presidency.  I pray we will one day find another person as principled.  Jefferson and Reagan are on my list, too, but because of their domestic economic policies and foreign diplomacy achievements.  Jefferson was good at trickle-down economics (cut tax on whiskey) and investing in infrastructure (Louisiana Purchase) but ultimately weak militarily (hit the Barbary Pirates, but failed to exterminate them and their ilk and still we pay the cost).  Though there is no doubt that Reagan’s defense and economic policies brought down the USSR and proved communism the nasty deception it was, the fact that he did nothing militarily to quell jihadist terrorism, most notably the ‘83 Beirut Marine Barracks bombing, set the stage (casting the U.S. in a seriously yellow light--albeit just continuing the military weakness of Nixon, Ford, and Catarrh) for the horrible world-wide war we must now fight.  Proof positive, I guess, that no one is perfect. Madison started and finished the War of 1812, against lots of opposition, with Jackson as figurehead over a militia army (for ground forces- -signif. naval power supplied by privateers, too) who could shoot and knew local conditions (Battle of N.O., 700 Brits KIA, 1400 wounded vs. 8 Americans KIA, 13 wounded).  Now that’s a Nation of Riflemen style victory!  Jackson, himself, spent so much effort fighting congress (perhaps rightly) that it seems he achieved little else.  He was, however, crusty and entertaining, much like some of the “best” Louisiana politicians.  Lincoln should make no one’s list of top presidents--a guy who played the “hayseed” card to the hilt, but was an anti-states’ and individual right big gummint imperialist.  Only a maniac could manage to cleave a nation with such brutal disregard for its foundation in consent of the governed, that only complete abdication of the Constitution and the spilt fibrinogen of 100’s of thousands of her people would be necessary to bridge the gap--arguably just to liberate a cut-rate (slave) labor pool for Lincoln’s clients and supporters in northern industry.  McKinley fought and won the Spanish-American War.  Wilson, FDR, and Truman all presided over war victories, but what is particularly notable about all those genuine victories in war is that the presidents weren’t the focus--it was the fighting forces who were given the men and materials, but most importantly, the power and discretion to achieve victory.  Those successful presidents did not let politics get in the way of kicking enemy butt.  They dictated terms for peace AFTER the enemy was beaten and begging.  They didn’t whine retreat when things first started to get hot.  I challenge da Shrub to do more than surge--WIN the battle of Iraq, WIN the battle of Afghanistan, WIN the battle of Iran or Syria or Lebanon, whichever is MILITARILY the next strategic step to WINNING the war and putting an end to the threats really poor presidents (Catarrh, Clintoon in particular) back-pedaled and groveled to.  Until someone in the White House grows a spine like Washington, Madison, McKinley, FDR (socialism aside), and Truman, Presidents Day will be a day for national introspection, not celebration.

Author ID: 7689 | 2/19/2007 02:55 PM CST | #81875


I like TR also, ol’ Bull Moose himself.

Author ID: 2187 | 2/19/2007 03:06 PM CST | #81877


I would have to disagree with Ay Unaxe about Lincoln. Doubtful we would be in our present form without him. If he had lived longer we may avoided the Reconstruction mess.
How about considering Calvin Coolidge? He minded his own business and didn’t try to create an imperial Presidency. I think it depends on what you expect of the Presidency and government. Mainly defend the country, build some roads and stay out of the way.

Author ID: 7539 | 2/19/2007 03:25 PM CST | #81879


Dang I love this site!  The intellects that gather here generate so much heat and light that, if they could be channelled, would end our need for all forms of imported energy! 

I agree with Kim’s top 5, but I would have to expand the list to the Top 10.  Yes, add Teddy Roosevelt, James Madison, and James Monroe.  Ronaldus Magnus is definitely a keeper, and I support including Andy Jackson.  What many people overlook is that Ol’ Hickory could already see the rot and corruption that was being spread through the government and courts by the money flow throught the Bank of the United States, and wanted to rip it out by the roots--something that needs to be done today to the Federal Reserve, but that is something for a different thread. 

Have to cogitate on the last two to add. 

For the bottom five, throw in Warren G. Harding.  Teapot Dome says it all. 

DeDog.

Author ID: 8353 | 2/19/2007 03:36 PM CST | #81882


Does the job get any easier? Why were the great presidents mostly the earlier ones? Were the issues, problems and solutions defined any clearer then than now?

Has the President’s Office now become hamstrung by the very checks and balances intended by the Constitution to the extent that lame-duckism is the norm and not the exception?

Looking at the current crop of hopefuls looking to assume the Office of the 44th President of the United Staes of America, methinks the last of the truly great Presidents will remain the Gipper for some many years to come… and this not only in the face of mounting worldwide descent into religious fanaticism, but the rise of a 3-way challenge to the USA’s dominance of the world economy- Big R, Bigger I and even Bigger C.

Any good men still left standing?

Author ID: 8614 | 2/19/2007 03:39 PM CST | #81883


Seems like we should also do a bottom five, which I will start.

1. Jimmy Carter;
2. LBJ;
3. Bill Clinton;
4. U.S. Grant; and
5. FDR

Author ID: 7253 | 2/19/2007 03:42 PM CST | #81884


I kind of liked Truman. Would go with Washington, T.R., Reagan, and Monroe.  No particular order.

Author ID: 68 | 2/19/2007 04:34 PM CST | #81888


What about Millard Fillmore?

Author ID: 201 | 2/19/2007 05:23 PM CST | #81892


George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
James Monroe
Teddy Roosevelt
Ronald Reagan

As for FDR, many of his policies inadvertantly extended the Great Depression and made it worse. And his worse decision was to follow the Keynesian philosophy of having the government spend money it didn’t have. Spend now and pay later. How many trillions are we in debt?
You can argue all you want but todays profligate spending by Congress is a direct result of that. And when the chickens come home to roost it ain’t gonna be pretty.

Author ID: 7019 | 2/19/2007 05:33 PM CST | #81893


Teddy Roosevelt would have been remembered as a great man even if he had never been elected president. How many of these other men can we put in that category?

Author ID: 8050 | 2/19/2007 06:14 PM CST | #81900


I think we old guys fondly remember Reagan before politics, he made some good War and Western Movies and he was actually an actor with principles who could think.  He was all right as long as he stayed away from chimps as co-stars. 

Take that you present day rat’s assed, commie, pervert actors who prattle on about your nonesense crap and hate the US of A.

Author ID: 7907 | 2/19/2007 06:35 PM CST | #81902


FDR got us out of the Great Depression?  Not so sure I buy that.  His socialist policies more likely extended it. WWII got us out of it.

Don’t forget his packing the court scheme either.  Not pretty…

dw

Author ID: 8713 | 2/19/2007 06:41 PM CST | #81903


I have to strongly disagree with “Ay Uaxe” above about Lincoln’s purpose, which Ay Uaxe said was “just to liberate a cut-rate (slave) labor pool for Lincoln’s clients and supporters in northern industry.” Allowing slavery in the republic negated the primary reason that our country’s founders forcefully separated from Britain and setup their own country.  In their words, “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” To argue that human slavery contradicts this statement would be superfluous.

In all groups of people, it is important to maintain adherence to core principles, because it is on those core principles that all legislation, code, and judicial decisions are based.  If the core principles are ignored by some, then everyone has equal right to ignore them.  Because of our founding principles, the policy of human slavery was going to tear this country apart; Lincoln chose to dissolve it before it dissolved us.

The structure of our federal government has to mimic our core principles.  This might be seen more easily if other policies were examined.  In addition to slavery (contradicts “Liberty"), allowance of the following acts would be contrary to our founding:  murder (contradicts “Life"), infanticide (contradicts “Life"), etc.  If examples such as these were allowed at the state level, we’d need to modify our theme or unification statement.  Otherwise, we’d eventually have a problem like France or other places in Europe, with “no go zones” that will eventually cause civil wars or split the countries .

Author ID: 8282 | 2/19/2007 06:51 PM CST | #81904


Dave the Rave
The no-go zones that are happening in the EU are starting to happen here, thanks to CAIR. They are doing it through the court system. Using our own Constitution against us. There’s nothing in the Constitution stating that people and groups can’t separate themselves from others. Now granted the Affirmative Action laws of the 60’s did try to end segration but that was segragation by whites. According to liberal philosophy it is ok for minorities to segragate themselves to “celebrate” their cultural differences. And the courts will say it’s ok.

Author ID: 7019 | 2/19/2007 11:25 PM CST | #81922


I’m glad to see Lincoln off that list. Had I lived in his time, I would have joined the nearest cavalry regiment and rode hard for Texas.

My list would be different, though.

1. GW
2. James Madison (Just as was stated about TR, Madison would be remembered as a great man even had he not been elected to presidential office.)
3. TR
4. RR
5. TJ

Author ID: 9291 | 2/19/2007 11:57 PM CST | #81923


Sorry, but I have to disagree about Tom Jeff.  He was a great American, but only a mediocre President.  It was his refusal to spend enough money to build a real navy that almost got us reconquered in 1812.  The British blockade during the War of 1812 almost destroyed the American economy because he was too shortsighted to build about 18 ship.  Even the Louisiana Purchase was contrary to his political ideals, which he freely admitted.

Author ID: 8071 | 2/20/2007 06:21 AM CST | #81938


Best:
1. Washington—emulating Cincinnatus
2. Jefferson—for being so hardcore for liberty and still making the Louisiana Purchase
3. Coolidge—more presidents should take naps
4. Eisenhower—ended the Korean War and contained the Soviets, allowing us to choose a well-armed peace if we wanted it
5. Madison—Tried to keep us out of Europe’s wars, but wasn’t so pussified as to avoid the War of 1812, which he fought with vigor. Being a main author of the Bill of Rights is a pretty big bonus.

Worst:
1. James Buchanan—a little leadership might have avoided the Civil War
2. Carter—completely out of his depth
3. Wilson—overreaching and ineffectual
4. Nixon—liar and caught; he’d be #1 but he resigned
5. Grant—a tyrant in the south and a thief in the north

Author ID: 8851 | 2/20/2007 06:29 AM CST | #81940


Any bottom five should include FDR.  He didn’t pull us out of the Depression - WWII did that.  The New Deal is creeping socialism that nobody has had courage, will, or power to stop since.  Reagan and Gingrich slowed it down a little.

I agree with whoever had Calvin Coolidge in the top 5 – he was the last real conservative President.  He knew how to shut up and protect the American people from government.

Author ID: 8662 | 2/20/2007 07:03 AM CST | #81944


1. Washington
2. Jefferson
3. Reagan
4. Monroe
5. Coolidge

Author ID: 6565 | 2/20/2007 09:16 AM CST | #81962


My best:

Washington
Jefferson
T. Roosevelt
Lincoln
Reagan

My worst:

FDR
LBJ
Carter
Clinton
Nixon

Author ID: 774 | 2/20/2007 10:46 AM CST | #81985


If only Reagan had not done that whole gun bill thing in 1986.

Author ID: 9624 | 2/20/2007 11:25 AM CST | #81996


So many bad ones to winnow out, and so many who did some good things but also equally bad things. However, if all of our Presidents had been like five below, we would be in much better shape than we are:

George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Andrew Jackson
Grover Cleveland
Calvin Coolidge

And the worst tyrants…

Abraham Lincoln
Theodore Roosevelt
Woodrow Wilson
FDR
George W. Bush

I don’t think that simple incompetents, such as Buchanan and Carter, are nearly the danger to the Republic that meglamaniacs are.

Author ID: 9625 | 2/20/2007 01:37 PM CST | #82014


Oops. I knew that looked wrong. I meant megalomaniac. Fortunately, it’s not a word I use often.

Author ID: 9625 | 2/20/2007 01:42 PM CST | #82020


Truman fired MacArthur for wanting to use nukes and win in Korea. I put Truman down with Carter and Clinton. Korea set the template for the US losing wars. What a different world this would be!
I think LBJ wanted to win but the Democrats wouldn’t let him. He was no general nor leader, just a scummy politician who got his just deserve at the tail end of his life. He belongs down there with the others.
Someone mentioned Harding & ‘Teapot Dome’; he may have been a dupe or a fool but I don’t believe he was a coward like Carter/Clinton.
I believe FDR in his heart of hearts was a true leftist/socialist. He has no love for capitalism. His administration was rancid with communists and extreme leftists. He admired Stalin and probably wished he had the same power. We should be thankful for Churchill, who recognized who ‘Uncle Joe’ really was. Alger Hiss et al were advising FDR. So I’d dump FDR in there with the worst. IMHO, he was a borderline traitor! But that’s just me!

Author ID: 9349 | 2/20/2007 04:25 PM CST | #82064


NJSoldier
Any bottom five should include FDR.  He didn’t pull us out of the Depression - WWII did that.

We agree where FDR belongs but with all due respect, WWII didn’t pull the US economy out of the Depression, Free Enterprise after the war did.
War doesn’t create wealth, it destroys it. All the guns, planes and warships etc are useless after a war. All that wealth becomes pretty much junk. Free people with property rights working and saving and investing create prosperity!
I hope I don’t come across as some peacnik asshole! Well not an anti-war peacenik anyway. Believe me, I’m not.
My wife won’t let me have a gun. She knows..........

Author ID: 9349 | 2/20/2007 04:59 PM CST | #82069


Good Presidents (in no particular order):

Washington, Lincoln, Reagan

Presidents with some really good points:
Jefferson, Polk (between them acquired 60% of the country).

Bad Presidents:
Pierce, Carter, Clinton, Grant (great general, though), Wilson, Buchanan, A Johnson

On the bubble: Both Roosevelts (TR was a great guy, barrel o’ fun, but he really liked strong verging on authoritarian government; FDR probably averted total collapse in 1933-34, but then couldn’t get out of the hole; managed entry into WW II well, but bungled relations with the USSR); LBJ (the civil rights laws were needed and long overdue; the Great Society was a huge mistake; he understood we should fight in Vietnam, but screwed up the war).

Semi-crummy: Madison. Tyler, Harding, Hoover.

Who knows? Monroe, Van Buren, Tyler, Harrison, Harrison

Author ID: 8341 | 2/21/2007 12:30 AM CST | #82117