NationStates Jolt Archive

What makes a good president? Pragmatic or principled? Compromising or steadfast?

Check your favorite or favorites.

While Ronald Reagan was the greatest President in our admittedly short history, I feel Chester A. Arthur deserves some recognition for his derailing of the spoils system, and instituting qualification exams. Many of his reforms resulted in corruption lodging in the House of Representatives, instead of where it could have done most damage.

One must strike a balance between principle and pragmatism. Principled enough to stand for a set of values, to truly believe in ideals, but pragmatic enough to get things done.

I vote FDR, btw.

George Washington, despite his faults, I think was an important leader. A number of reasons. Everything he did, there was no precedent for, each action in office was the first time it had been done, he couldn't look to how it was done in the past. Despite not having any examples to look to, and you know he knew he was making history, so a lot of pressure of course, he did decent job at something that hadn't been been done before. And he had the humility to step down. There were those who wanted to crown him king. Arguably, leaving office when his term was up was the most important thing he did.

I voted for three:

Thomas Jefferson, because he supported freedom and personal autonomy, and foresaw the threat posed to these by industrialization.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, because he pulled America out of the Great Depression and guided the country through World War 2, both by recognizing that the government can be used as a tool to actively affect the organization of society to help people.

John F Kennedy, because he helped move America forward in civil rights, global engagement, and the space program.

John F Kennedy, because he helped move America forward in civil rights, global engagement, and the space program.

As in Vietnam? ;)

Jefferson and Reagan because they stood for smaller government.

Washington for not being power-hungry and possibly the most honorable man to have lived on this continent.

Lincoln for standing for right and holding the Union together.

TR just because he kicks butt.

The best president ever was probably Lincoln. FDR, TR and George Washington follow closely behind. Third place goest to Reagan, JFK, Woodrow Wilson, TJ, and Madison.

As in Vietnam? ;)

JFK was trying to withdraw from Vietnam when he got assassinated. The Vietnam war as we know and love it is compliments of LBJ.

Third place goest to Reagan, JFK, Woodrow Wilson, TJ, and Madison.

Wilson? The one who was so idealistic that he got the stupid, powerless League of Nations set up? That Wilson?

Wilson? The one who was so idealistic that he got the stupid, powerless League of Nations set up? That Wilson?

Yes, but it set in motion the events that led to the formation of the United Nations. And he pretty effectively guided the US through the first world war. The US never signed that mess of a treaty, Versailles.

I wouldn't call him phenominal, but he was a solid president.

Yes, but it set in motion the events that led to the formation of the United Nations. And he pretty effectively guided the US through the first world war. The US never signed that mess of a treaty, Versailles.

I wouldn't call him phenominal, but he was a solid president.

Sorry, I'm not a big fan of the UN either.

As for WWI, I usually hear a lot more about Pershing than Wilson.

Thomas Jefferson, because he supported freedom and personal autonomy, and foresaw the threat posed to these by industrialization.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt ... [snip]

I find that funny because, while you admire Jefferson, who was an ardent anti-federalist, sought small government, personal freedom, etc, you also admire FDR, who was quite possibly one of the worst presidents ever and the exact opposite of Jefferson; FDR's neck and neck with Lincoln, another highly over rated president. FDR did nothing to pull us out of the depression, if anything, his socialist ideas kept us in it longer and were highly detrimental to our economy. The only thing that pulled us out of the depression was WWII, not FDR and his alphabet soup agencies that amounted to nothing more than a farce at best; FDR was a wanna-be tyrant. Just ask the Supreme Court of the time as they struck down, time and time again, most of his ideas as unconstitutional.

I find that funny because, while you admire Jefferson, who was an ardent anti-federalist, sought small government, personal freedom, etc, you also admire FDR, who was quite possibly one of the worst presidents ever and the exact opposite of Jefferson; FDR's neck and neck with Lincoln, another highly over rated president. FDR did nothing to pull us out of the depression, if anything, his socialist ideas kept us in it longer and were highly detrimental to our economy. The only thing that pulled us out of the depression was WWII, not FDR and his alphabet soup agencies that amounted to nothing more than a farce at best; FDR was a wanna-be tyrant. Just ask the Supreme Court of the time as they struck down, time and time again, most of his ideas as unconstitutional.

Detrimental to the economy?? So I take it you support Herbert Hoover, then?
Lincoln was not overrated. He held the US together in a severe constitutional crisis. He deserves the credit he gets.

I will answer the question this way,


BULLY!

*charges up hill on horseback*






DISCLAIMER: Presidential preference may more be related to character and acts outside the presidency, than acts of the president in a presidential capacity.

I don't like any of them, but the one I dislike the least is probably John Tyler.

In my personal opinion Nixon.

He founded the EPA.

His efforts with Vietnam while derailed were some of the most brilliant foreign policy in American, an attempt for real and genuine multi-lateral ties the likes of which no modern president has duplicated, I dont even duplicated in success I mean no modern president has even attempted such sweeping diplomatic moves...we need Nixon now...I mean damn the man spent his entire term trying to seriously find a Win Win for all the involved parties in Vietnam..Us, the Chinese, the Vietnamese, the Soviets etc etc...he was too ambitious.

His relationship with China...hello?

Anyway...

Yeah, Nixon was great, except for Watergate, and I mean that without any sarcasm, Nixon was one of the best presidents we've had.

However I feel that I'd be loath to overlook Andrew Jackson, his bank wars saved our economy, he consolidated the power of our government and dealt with many serious national security issues, long before the color-coded scheme.

I hope the six voters for dubya were joking and not serious....

For me, Truman. Except for Abraham Lincoln, I believe Harry Truman had the single greatest and most terrible set of choices to make in his Presidency; and unlike Lincoln, I can find no fault with his choices on the greater issues (while Lincoln stifled the press and restricted Habeas Corpus). He was not perfect; no man is. But by his actions Truman laid the foundations of the modern America, defended what needed defending, and destroyed what needed destroying. I find no fault with that.

I cant belive James A. Polk isn't on the voting list:confused:. He gave the US the most land(Oregon Country, Texas,California,Nevada,Arizona,Nex Mexico,and the Land of the Mormans (utah)) in just one term! you cant be serious that he is'nt on the board. He is the Uber President!

My vote is for Calvin Coolidge, he came to the presidency when the president died and refused to replace the former president's cabnet, he managed to run the country well and be elected to a second term in his own right.

However, you need to look at the worst Presidents as well, My vote is for James Buchanan, Let's see if anyone Knows why.

However, you need to look at the worst Presidents as well, My vote is for James Buchanan, Let's see if anyone Knows why.

I hate Buchanan for supporting the Lecompton Constitution, his influence on Taney regarding Dred Scott and his prosecution of the Utah War.

Speaking as a foreigner, the President that had the best effect on MY life is probably Kennedy.

Seriously, if it had been some gun-ho, "Evil Empire"-esque guy, the Cuban Missile Crisis would have finished us all. But he basically saved the world by being an awesome statesman.

Plus, I'm Irish, and Kennedy was an irishman, you know...

I hate Buchanan for supporting the Lecompton Constitution, his influence on Taney regarding Dred Scott and his prosecution of the Utah War.

Very good, he also let the south secede, he belived it was illegal for them to do so, but he also beleived it was illegal for him to stop them. he tried though, sent one ship to ft. Sumpter. it got attaked and he did nothing else for the remainder of his administration.

Very good, he also let the south secede, he belived it was illegal for them to do so, but he also beleived it was illegal for him to stop them. he tried though, sent one ship to ft. Sumpter. it got attaked and he did nothing else for the remainder of his administration.

Right, but I have nothing against him for all that. I don't think the South was right for leaving (I dislike their reasons, not the idea of seceding), but I also don't think a military invasion was the right thing either.

I hope the six voters for dubya were joking and not serious....

That was the joke option.;)

My vote goes for Taft. He worked his ass off to fight the monopolization of businesses. He also used the courts much better and knew how to navigate them (being a Supreme Court judge.)

Kennedy was the last of the truly Liberal Democrats. Liberal Democrats today must be making him spin in his grave.

There have been many great presidents. But I'm going to have to go with the first, Washington, if for no other reason than that he was willing to GIVE UP power.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is class.

I liked FDR, JFK, Clinton and Eisenhower

While Lincoln was a strong leader (the damage had been done by the time he was elected), he is misrepresented by history. The Civil War was not fought to free the slaves: it was fought to preserve the Union. Freeing the slaves was something of an afterthought.
Ah well. No President is accurately remembered by history.

For me, Truman. Except for Abraham Lincoln, I believe Harry Truman had the single greatest and most terrible set of choices to make in his Presidency; and unlike Lincoln, I can find no fault with his choices on the greater issues (while Lincoln stifled the press and restricted Habeas Corpus). He was not perfect; no man is. But by his actions Truman laid the foundations of the modern America, defended what needed defending, and destroyed what needed destroying. I find no fault with that.

And was an amazingly honest man, for a politician.

Click Stand;13272724']That was the joke option.;)

My vote goes for Taft. He worked his ass off to fight the monopolization of businesses. He also used the courts much better and knew how to navigate them (being a Supreme Court judge.)

The judge part came after he was Pres.

James K. Polk, Dark horse candidate and Napoleon of the Stump should be included. Only president to keep almost every campaign promise.

George Washington, despite his faults, I think was an important leader. A number of reasons. Everything he did, there was no precedent for, each action in office was the first time it had been done, he couldn't look to how it was done in the past. Despite not having any examples to look to, and you know he knew he was making history, so a lot of pressure of course, he did decent job at something that hadn't been been done before. And he had the humility to step down. There were those who wanted to crown him king. Arguably, leaving office when his term was up was the most important thing he did.

This is not totally true, while there was much that was new; there were aspects of the office, which had a commonality to the previous version under the old AoC, namely dealing with cabinet positions, where he could look back to the appointments made by the President of the United States in Congress Assembled....

There have been many great presidents. But I'm going to have to go with the first, Washington, if for no other reason than that he was willing to GIVE UP power.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is class.

You mean like the Sandinistas?

You mean like the Sandinistas?

:p

to be honest, I hate them all.

There have been many great presidents. But I'm going to have to go with the first, Washington, if for no other reason than that he was willing to GIVE UP power.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is class.

And, to the old adage, "the one who is most qualified to lead, is the one who is least likely to want the job..."

The judge part came after he was Pres.

Oh yeah, he was just a regular judge before. My point stands however.

Other: Josiah Bartlet

I like Washington and Jefferson, naturally. I also have a soft spot for JFK (too bad LBJ had him murdered), and Jackson, just because he was a badass.

Click Stand;13272724']That was the joke option.;)

My vote goes for Taft. He worked his ass off to fight the monopolization of businesses. He also used the courts much better and knew how to navigate them (being a Supreme Court judge.)

Taft was great at stopping monopolization, however he broke under pressure in a lot of other progressive decisions. That's why I'd put TR over Taft. And plus TR spring-boarded Taft into the White House.

I like Teddy Roosevelt because he seems like a man's man, I mean comon, he fought a bear naked, with his bulging biceps! (Warning: Some event in this post may not have happened.) He also preserved a lot of our forest because he was such an avid outdoors man. Like I said, he was a man's man.

I don't really like Lincoln though, mainly because he took a huge dump on the Constitution by suspending Habeas Corpus. I also don't like FDR because he created the Social Security office, which has since been abused by Congress since then. I don't like FDR because he expanded Gov. Co's power.

RONALD REAGAN AWESOME GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h219/pjcomix/blog/ronald-reagan.jpg

RONALD REAGAN AWESOME GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have never been able to express in words how disgusting that man was.

Looking at it from a slightly different angle, let it suffice to note that he is dead now. Daniel Ortega, on the other hand.... ;)

I have to admit, I am pretty shocked by the looks of this survey at this moment in time. Not in a bad way, as I assumed there would be 3 big leaders, Ronald Reagan (The great communicator), Bill Clinton (recent presidents always get some points just for being name familiar), and the Roosevelts (who I am counting as 1 person rather than 2, as people often confuse the two). However, there are some pretty big turnouts on each of the candidates....very impressive..

Teddy of course. And LBJ was the worst, with Bush not far above him.

What makes a good president? Pragmatic or principled? Compromising or steadfast?

Check your favorite or favorites.

From that list... FDR. The New Deal alone is a pretty standout piece of work, bringing the economy back under control (someone earlier in the thread made a joke about it being WWII that fixed the economy - apparently ignoring things like the continued increase in GDP during New Deal years, except for a slump in the direct wake of engagement) and giving America (at the very least) leadership and direction.

We still have Social Security, and the Securities and Exchange Commission, at least... not bad going for a repair package.

Detrimental to the economy?? So I take it you support Herbert Hoover, then?

Hoover's policies differed little from Roosevelt's. In fact, during the 1932 election, Roosevelt criticized the Hoover Administration for spending more than any other U.S. presidential administration in history. Of course, Roosevelt then went on to spend more than three times as much as all thirty-one of his predecessors combined. The myth that the New Deal cured the Depression has been debunked countless times, as has the myth that Hoover supported laissez faire and "did nothing" during the Depression. Granted, he was an anarchist compared to Roosevelt, but he did far from "nothing."

In answer to the poll question, my favorite President is William Henry Harrison. Why? His administration was the shortest, meaning he wasn't around long enough to do any serious damage.