Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The final countdown, then the Pendragon will return to more normal concerns such as championing his choice for President.
10. JFK. Gets high marks for economic policy, and national defense, if not for character. I always thought that the worst Kennedy is still alive.
9. Harry Truman. Need I say more?
8. FDR. High marks for wartime leadership and foreign policy (a perfect 5), surprisingly low marks for his handling of the economy, which actually prolonged the Great Depression until the Japanese navy helped him out.
7. Ulysses S. Grant/Dwight D. Eisenhower. These are the only two presidents to use the military to enforce civil rights for blacks so it is fitting that they tie. How does Grant make it in to the top ten? He was committed to finishing the job of the Civil War and if his economic policy failed, he gets top marks for spreading liberty, for national defense, and for character.
6. James Monroe. While he takes credit for a lot that his secretary of state John Quincy Adams was responsible for. But his firm stance in foreign policy, his willingness to bend his preconceived animosity to the English to enforce the Monroe Doctrine make him easily one of the greatest of all time.
5. William McKinley. Not normally mentioned as a top president, McKinley was very strong on national defense, foreign policy and economic policy. He loses a few marks for not spreading liberty as well as he might but we occupied Cuba only shortly before he died so it may not be entirely his fault.
4. Theodore Roosevelt. Enough said.
3. Ronald Reagan. Strong across the board: his economic policies ended forever double-digit inflation and unemployment, while actually raising taxes on the rich and lessening the burden on middle-class families; his position on national defense and foreign policy made possible the end of the Cold War as well as restoring American hopes again. His character and competence were unparalleled in the last few decades (although when compared to whichever administration comes next, W is going to look like a genius).
2. Abraham Lincoln. Considered the best for his Civil War heroics, Lincoln also possessed amazing competence in crafting a wartime government, stellar character, and diplomatic wiliness to avoid war with the European powers while waging and winning a war on his own shores.
1. George Washington. Statistically tied with Lincoln for first, Washington gets a bump up because he was the first. He not only ran the American economy, he created it, with help from his protoge Hamilton. He not only maneuvered through wars and rumors of wars without sinking the country, he set all the precedents for foreign policy that lasted over a century. It is cliche to say it, but without Washington, the new nation may well have been dead in the water.
Discuss!
10. JFK. Gets high marks for economic policy, and national defense, if not for character. I always thought that the worst Kennedy is still alive.
9. Harry Truman. Need I say more?
8. FDR. High marks for wartime leadership and foreign policy (a perfect 5), surprisingly low marks for his handling of the economy, which actually prolonged the Great Depression until the Japanese navy helped him out.
7. Ulysses S. Grant/Dwight D. Eisenhower. These are the only two presidents to use the military to enforce civil rights for blacks so it is fitting that they tie. How does Grant make it in to the top ten? He was committed to finishing the job of the Civil War and if his economic policy failed, he gets top marks for spreading liberty, for national defense, and for character.
6. James Monroe. While he takes credit for a lot that his secretary of state John Quincy Adams was responsible for. But his firm stance in foreign policy, his willingness to bend his preconceived animosity to the English to enforce the Monroe Doctrine make him easily one of the greatest of all time.
5. William McKinley. Not normally mentioned as a top president, McKinley was very strong on national defense, foreign policy and economic policy. He loses a few marks for not spreading liberty as well as he might but we occupied Cuba only shortly before he died so it may not be entirely his fault.
4. Theodore Roosevelt. Enough said.
3. Ronald Reagan. Strong across the board: his economic policies ended forever double-digit inflation and unemployment, while actually raising taxes on the rich and lessening the burden on middle-class families; his position on national defense and foreign policy made possible the end of the Cold War as well as restoring American hopes again. His character and competence were unparalleled in the last few decades (although when compared to whichever administration comes next, W is going to look like a genius).
2. Abraham Lincoln. Considered the best for his Civil War heroics, Lincoln also possessed amazing competence in crafting a wartime government, stellar character, and diplomatic wiliness to avoid war with the European powers while waging and winning a war on his own shores.
1. George Washington. Statistically tied with Lincoln for first, Washington gets a bump up because he was the first. He not only ran the American economy, he created it, with help from his protoge Hamilton. He not only maneuvered through wars and rumors of wars without sinking the country, he set all the precedents for foreign policy that lasted over a century. It is cliche to say it, but without Washington, the new nation may well have been dead in the water.
Discuss!
// posted by The Pendragon @ 11:25 PM 
Comments:
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first, to cover me in, i'm not a historian and i probably do not know american politics as well as you but reagan helping the middle class out? I thought that the division between the poor and rich had grew hugely during his presidency. And he did not win the cold war, it was mostly the ussr which dissolved itslef due to its disastrous system. Furthermore, I think FDR merites higher credentials; and didnt he had a hostile congress to coope with?
W a genius compared to mccain or obama?? I doubt that, whoever will be next president, a more disastrous policy than the last 7 years is possible. c'mon!
W a genius compared to mccain or obama?? I doubt that, whoever will be next president, a more disastrous policy than the last 7 years is possible. c'mon!
# posted by 
: 10:16 AM
: 10:16 AM
A division between rich and poor does not rule out helping the middle class who are neither rich nor poor. I'm going for basic economic data...the idea that Reagan's tax cuts were for the rich is absurd. The richest 1# paid 50% of all taxes. This was a huge tax increase on the wealthy and did lift the burden on the middle class. And yes, the USSR imploded but the new data from the archives is showing that it would have done so much sooner if the US had pushed it into outspending itself like Reagan did. Even liberal scholars in this country are willing to grant him that.
As for FDR, no, Congress was overwhelmingly Democrat when he was in office. The first Republican majority of the entire 30s and 40s was 1946 when FDR had been dead for over a year. The opposition he aroused from his own party was in response to unconstitutional measures he espoused. And at any rate I measured him fairly--he got high marks for character (with a point detracted for his betrayal of Europe's Jews in the late 30s), foreign policy and national defense (perfect in both) and deservedly low marks in economics where he pretty much took a bad situation and made it worse.
As for W, I think you'd be surprised. Neither Obama nor McCain has any proof they can lead a country....
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As for FDR, no, Congress was overwhelmingly Democrat when he was in office. The first Republican majority of the entire 30s and 40s was 1946 when FDR had been dead for over a year. The opposition he aroused from his own party was in response to unconstitutional measures he espoused. And at any rate I measured him fairly--he got high marks for character (with a point detracted for his betrayal of Europe's Jews in the late 30s), foreign policy and national defense (perfect in both) and deservedly low marks in economics where he pretty much took a bad situation and made it worse.
As for W, I think you'd be surprised. Neither Obama nor McCain has any proof they can lead a country....
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