NationStates Jolt Archive

We have so few good presidents, which was the best?

FDR was pretty swish. Clinton wasn't bad.

Andrew Jackson was the best.

Andrew Jackson was the best.
Eugh. The Indian Removals were a bit much.

François Mitterand

Eugh. The Indian Removals were a bit much.

he had the balls to stand up to the supreme court. How many other presidents can say that ?

HRH George III

he had the balls to stand up to the supreme court. How many other presidents can say that ?
FDR, who nearly got taken out for it.

And my point still absolutely stands.

hmmm, tough one, well I can narrow it down to 3. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.

of those offered, i'd have to go with f.d.r., though to be fair, i wasn't arround then so i only have what's been written to go by, which i'm guessing is still fairly indicative, just beyond the scope of my personal verification.

every president it seems gets one, what i would consider f-up. his was the encarceration of asiatics.

he absolutely did save american capitolisms ass though, for better or worse his doing so, by all his new deal making it socially responsible programs. maybe we'd be better off if he'd let it fall, i don't know, but all in all, he's probably the best of the best that i know of. i just don't entirely know how much that is saying.

they've all, all the best have been a mix of good and bad. some of the worst have been a mix of bad and bad.

he had the balls to stand up to the supreme court. How many other presidents can say that ?
yeah thats great except when it involves rounding people up and making them walk to oklahoma so you can steal their land.

Emperor Norton.

Who can really say who the best president is? I mean if your a republican or democrat your going to like the policies of one over the other, however I will say that Thomas Jefferson is my favorite, he was a musical and political genius.

FDR, who nearly got taken out for it.

And my point still absolutely stands.

standing up to. and trying to double the number of justices so you can pack the supreme court are two different matters. Just about Every president as tried in one way shape or form to pack the supreme court.

yeah thats great except when it involves rounding people up and making them walk to oklahoma so you can steal their land.

those were the morals of the times.

Jfk

those were the morals of the times.
obviously not since the supreme court disagreed.

that he got away with it doesnt mean that everyone thought it was a great idea.

obviously not since the supreme court disagreed.

that he got away with it doesnt mean that everyone thought it was a great idea.

and the relationship between the supreme court, popular opinion, or the times, with "morality" is?

liely had to do with the court knew jackson would come shoot em if they tried to enforce their ruling. well that or the majority of the country loved and supported him would.

and the relationship between the supreme court, popular opinion, or the times, with "morality" is?
that its not a slam-dunk "these savages dont deserve consideration" thing.

it was out and out theft of property of people who did not have the military power to resist.

as such it does not make the flouting of the rules of the supreme court a good thing.

he had the balls to stand up to the supreme court. How many other presidents can say that ?

Ah yes, Good old Sharp Knife Jackson.

Emperor Norton.

Good choice. One of the kindest and most thoughtful US sovereigns.

I'm going to go with Carter. Because I'm a liberal.

Cool, the poll has a mirth option!

Rutherford B. Hayes!!! ftw!!!

Jefferson was best. He had some good quotes.

The "worst president" thread has about three times the votes of this one. That's why I love NSG.

The role of the office of the President was so limited for the first hundred or so years that it's hard to rate someone like Washington, Jefferson or even Lincoln. Many of them had admirable qualities, but the president wasn't expected to be all things to all people like he/she is nowadays.

What about John Kennedy? And Woodrow Wilson's wife (who was actually the first woman President, she just wasn't elected - when Wilson was too sick to function, she took over, effectively subverting the VP).

And what about Eisenhower, who proved we didn't need a President?

HRH George III

Love it. =)

That Dutch guy.

Fdr.

I think that Eisenhower is usually very underrated.

i think it was martin van buren for not making america world news for once

I'm rather saddened no one mentioned Chester A. Arthur-for all he was a career machinist out of Tammany Hall, he actually did his best to gut the spoils system, instituting qualification exams for appointed positions, was a social lion enough to get his legislations enacted. While he is considered a caretaker president, his reforms strengthened the country without pissing anyone off-perhaps it was his habit of carrying around a picnic basket filled with paperwork so he could beg off further work that doomed him.

Hmm that would be because President Garfield got assassinated by someone who gave the customary bribe then never got the job he wanted. Of course we wouldn't had the spoil system if it wasn't for Andrew Jackson who brought into being. I would say George Washington followed by Thomas Jefferson and the two Roosevelts.

Lincoln put himself on the line for his ideals. And died for them ultimately. I know that the reason he brought us into the civil war war was ultimately states rights issues but it had the positive side effect of advancing the cause of abolition.

I gotta go with George W. Bush on this one although Reagan was also great.

Hmm that would be because President Garfield got assassinated by someone who gave the customary bribe then never got the job he wanted. Of course we wouldn't had the spoil system if it wasn't for Andrew Jackson who brought into being. I would say George Washington followed by Thomas Jefferson and the two Roosevelts.

Washington started the spoils system-he refused to make anyone an officer unless they were also a Mason of status in that august order. Jefferson was the philosopher, and brilliant in his way-far-sighted as well, and it is sad too few men like him have ascended to the presidency. As far as the Roosevelts, Theodore was the man who ushered the US into the status of world power, and was an exemplary president, which got Franklin elected. Sadly, FDR was horrid, and his resolving the Great Depression was more due to WWII than his policies. The man had to run at 180 from his actual policies, and it was his administration that resulted in the term limit on the presidency. I think that speaks volumes in itself.

http://visibility911.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/martin-sheen.jpg

i think it was martin van buren for not making america world news for once

No he was just blamed for being president during one of one of the worst Finanical depressions in US history, granted part of the problem was caused by the policies of Andrew Jackson or as his oppenents called him "King Andrew the Frist" and much of it was caused by people gambling on businesses and land. Still as always its easier to blame people in charge then it is for people to blame themselves or previous presidents.

I think that Eisenhower is usually very underrated.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1954_Guatemalan_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat

I don't.

Im goin with Good Ol' TR!

He had Everything, Hardcore defense, Trust-Busting Capability, and Monster Karate Chop Action! best used in a Red and Blue Deck

How did ol' Dubya get 5 votes? Jokes? Seriousness? Gasp!

Anyway, I'm going with Teddy for best.