Best of the post WWII Presidents (1 Viewer)

[Jredbaron96]

Since I can only put ten choices for the poll, I had to squish them in there. Feel free to expand in your comments.


Simple question: Out of the 12 Presidents we've had since the conclusion of the Second World War, which one has had the best overall impact for the United States of America, including economics, politics, foreign relations.

 

[TheDemSocialist]

In my opinion, Jimmy Carter or Dwight D Eisenhower

 

[Geoist]

Going with Eisenhower. Had some faults, but overall solid president. And pretty progressive for a Republican.

He "ended" the Korean War, sponsored the Civil Rights Bill, the Highway Act, and balanced the budget three times.

Clinton and Reagan are both overrated.

 

[soot]

Kinda like being asked to pick the shiniest turd but of the 12 I'd have to say Nixon.

For all of his blunders I think he had the most solid stable of foreign and domestic successes and made the greatest overall long-lasting positive contribution.

I agree that Clinton and Reagan are both overrated, as is Kennedy in my opinion.

 

[calamity]

Truman for me. Big shoes to fill, which he filled well. Hard choices to make, which he made well. And...like the guy above, I am sick of hearing how great Reagan and Clinton were.

 

[CanadaJohn]

Would have liked to have chosen two, both Nixon and Bush II

 

[Crovax]

Kinda like being asked to pick the shiniest turd but of the 12 I'd have to say Nixon.

For all of his blunders I think he had the most solid stable of foreign and domestic successes and made the greatest overall long-lasting positive contribution.

I agree that Clinton and Reagan are both overrated, as is Kennedy in my opinion.

Nixon was a criminal, a racist and was anti-2nd amendment. I don't see how anyone liberal or conservative could say he was the best president

 

[faithful_servant]

Kinda like being asked to pick the shiniest turd but of the 12 I'd have to say Nixon.

For all of his blunders I think he had the most solid stable of foreign and domestic successes and made the greatest overall long-lasting positive contribution.

I agree that Clinton and Reagan are both overrated, as is Kennedy in my opinion.

Without Watergate, I'd say that Nixon would have gone down as one of the greatest Presidents this nation has ever had, Had he not done that stupid, stupid thing, his term in office would have led this nation to a string of conservative election victories that would have dwarfed anything in our history.

 

[faithful_servant]

Would have liked to have chosen two, both Nixon and Bush II

:agree
I think that this poll would been a lot more interesting if we could have voted for multiple Presidents.

 

[CanadaJohn]

:agree
I think that this poll would been a lot more interesting if we could have voted for multiple Presidents.

I think both my choices were perfect for the times they served in and that makes them important, if not "best"

 

[Jredbaron96]

:agree
I think that this poll would been a lot more interesting if we could have voted for multiple Presidents.

I'm sorry : (

 

[soot]

Nixon was a criminal, a racist and was anti-2nd amendment. I don't see how anyone liberal or conservative could say he was the best president

I didn't say he was the best president.

I said that of the limited number of presidents we were given to chose from his administration's policies had the best overall long-term benefit for most Americans.

As I also said, he had his blunders, no doubt about that.

But every president on that list had good policies and bad policies, successes and failures, achievements and setbacks.

But when you think of each of them individually and weight all the good against all the bad Nixon comes out as being the one who in aggregate achieved the most, even for all his warts.

 

[Dittohead not!]

Eisenhower certainly presided over the best period in our history, but how much of the economic growth, the building of the interstate system, the rebuilding of Europe can be attributed to the president? Seems to me our culture has gone downhill rapidly since about 1966 or so, and the job of president has become far more difficult, politics much more personal and confrontational, and social decay far more pronounced than it was in the 1950s.

I'd still say Eisenhower. Kennedy might have been had Oswald (and maybe whoever was on that grassy knoll) missed.

 

[Geoist]

Eisenhower certainly presided over the best period in our history, but how much of the economic growth, the building of the interstate system, the rebuilding of Europe can be attributed to the president? Seems to me our culture has gone downhill rapidly since about 1966 or so, and the job of president has become far more difficult, politics much more personal and confrontational, and social decay far more pronounced than it was in the 1950s.

Fair points. I would say the toughest issues Eisenhower had to face were the early years of the Cold War and the growing unrest in the Civil Rights Movement. For the most part, I thought he handled those issues with grace.

 

[Dittohead not!]

Fair points. I would say the toughest issues Eisenhower had to face were the early years of the Cold War and the growing unrest in the Civil Rights Movement. For the most part, I thought he handled those issues with grace.

Yes, he did. I'd be the last to say he didn't do a good job as president. He's also the last one to actually address the issue of illegal immigration.

And, the society in the US was quite different during his term, as was the political climate. Republicans and Democrats still disagreed, but they didn't refuse to work together. Some of the voters disagreed with Eisenhower, but they didn't say he was a criminal that should be locked up.

And most children were being raised by two parents who were married to each other. Drugs were not a big part of people's lives. People respected the law. A lot fewer people were in prison or wards of the state. None of that can be credited to the president, just as the more recent presidents are not to blame for societal decay.

 

[radcen]

Eisenhower certainly presided over the best period in our history, but how much of the economic growth, the building of the interstate system, the rebuilding of Europe can be attributed to the president? Seems to me our culture has gone downhill rapidly since about 1966 or so, and the job of president has become far more difficult, politics much more personal and confrontational, and social decay far more pronounced than it was in the 1950s.

I'd still say Eisenhower. Kennedy might have been had Oswald (and maybe whoever was on that grassy knoll) missed.

I was going to ask this. Was Eisenhower really good, or did he just get lucky and preside during an easy & prosperous time like Clinton did?

I do think his highway act was fantastic, though.

 

[radcen]

Since I can only put ten choices for the poll, I had to squish them in there. Feel free to expand in your comments.


Simple question: Out of the 12 Presidents we've had since the conclusion of the Second World War, which one has had the best overall impact for the United States of America, including economics, politics, foreign relations.

What if I think Ford was the best and Johnson the worst? How do I vote? :mrgreen:

 

[radcen]

Simple question: Out of the 12 Presidents we've had since the conclusion of the Second World War, which one has had the best overall impact for the United States of America, including economics, politics, foreign relations.

I tend to believe that a President cannot be rationally evaluated until roughly 30 years have passed. Time needs to pass for all their actions to fully shake out so we can see if they were reactionary and/or partisan hacks or visionary. That puts Obama, Bush II, Clinton, and Bush I off-limits, IMO. Reagan is borderline, though probably ok to evaluate.

I'd probably pick Truman as the best. As someone mentioned, he made hard decisions at difficult times, and they weren't always popular decisions, but history I think has validated them.

Eisenhower was good, but benefited from prosperous times.

Ford, I think would have been good, if he had a full term.

Johnson was horrible, in the lower 10% of ALL Presidents.

Kennedy was/is overrated, though not a bad President. His pros were motivation and vision, and he might have done well, hard to say. Unfortunately, he gets a pass by many because he was dynamic and popular, and also his untimely and tragic death while still popular.

Carter was out of his league. Should have stopped at governor.

Nixon... I don't know. Overall, ok, did some good things, but some that I cannot abide with.

Reagan. Was a big fan at the time. Now, his star has dimmed a lot in my eyes, as time has passed and things like the drug war and civil asset forfeiture* have taken their long-term toll on the country and society, in general. I cannot forgive those.

*-Reagan started neither, but he did put both on steroids, and used them to ride the "tough on crime" wave of popularity.

 

[Dittohead not!]

I tend to believe that a President cannot be rationally evaluated until roughly 30 years have passed. Time needs to pass for all their actions to fully shake out so we can see if they were reactionary and/or partisan hacks or visionary. That puts Obama, Bush II, Clinton, and Bush I off-limits, IMO. Reagan is borderline, though probably ok to evaluate.

I'd probably pick Truman as the best. As someone mentioned, he made hard decisions at difficult times, and they weren't always popular decisions, but history I think has validated them.

Eisenhower was good, but benefited from prosperous times.

Ford, I think would have been good, if he had a full term.

Johnson was horrible, in the lower 10% of ALL Presidents.

Kennedy was/is overrated, though not a bad President. His pros were motivation and vision, and he might have done well, hard to say. Unfortunately, he gets a pass by many because he was dynamic and popular, and also his untimely and tragic death while still popular.

Carter was out of his league. Should have stopped at governor.

Nixon... I don't know. Overall, ok, did some good things, but some that I cannot abide with.

Reagan. Was a big fan at the time. Now, his star has dimmed a lot in my eyes, as time has passed and things like the drug war and civil asset forfeiture* have taken their long-term toll on the country and society, in general. I cannot forgive those.

*-Reagan started neither, but he did put both on steroids, and used them to ride the "tough on crime" wave of popularity.

There was that shadowy, unappreciated body we call the "Congress" that passed the war on drugs and asset forfeiture, as well as amnesty for illegals during Reagan's time. Of course he could have, and should have, vetoed all three but didn't.

The real Reagan is quite different from the demi god Reagan of legend who single handedly bought down the Soviet Union and fixed what was wrong with the federal government. We need someone like that demi god now, but, unfortunately for us, such a person never has and probably never will exist in the real world.

 

[Ikari]

Nixon was a criminal, a racist and was anti-2nd amendment. I don't see how anyone liberal or conservative could say he was the best president

There's and old Vulcan proverb, Only Nixon can go to China.

Nixon accomplished a lot. He got us out of Vietnam and ended the draft, he started the EPA, Title 9 was his, Helped fund cancer research, oversaw the desegregation of the southern schools, made policy changes towards American Indians including including the halt of their forced assimilation and giving them the right to tribal-determination, helped eliminated Soviet dominance in the Middle East, avoided a second Cuba Middle Crisis, aided Israel during the Yom Kippur War, etc.

And then when his administration was caught spying on the Democrats, he had the decency to resign. His crimes, compared to our politicians' now, was hardly anything. Hillary is a liar and criminal and she's still running (and winning). Nixon resigned. Regan essentially committed treason with Iran Contra and just had Ollie North take the fall.

I don't know. We allow Watergate to fully determine our opinion of Nixon, but i think that if you actually look at his administration and accomplishments that he wasn't a bad President at all. If only we still held our politicians today to the standards we held Nixon to.

 

[radcen]

There was that shadowy, unappreciated body we call the "Congress" that passed the war on drugs and asset forfeiture, as well as amnesty for illegals during Reagan's time. Of course he could have, and should have, vetoed all three but didn't.

The real Reagan is quite different from the demi god Reagan of legend who single handedly bought down the Soviet Union and fixed what was wrong with the federal government. We need someone like that demi god now, but, unfortunately for us, such a person never has and probably never will exist in the real world.

I don't excuse Congress in all that, not at all, but Reagan pushed it hard and rode it for all it was worth. Inexcusable in my mind of today. I think it's reasonable to presume that those things would not have taken on the life they did without Reagan's advocacy.

I do give him credit for "beating" the Soviets in the Cold War. While it would have happened eventually anyway, I think, he helped speed it along and made it happen faster than it would have otherwise.

 

[radcen]

There's and old Vulcan proverb, Only Nixon can go to China.

Nixon accomplished a lot. He got us out of Vietnam and ended the draft, he started the EPA, Title 9 was his, Helped fund cancer research, oversaw the desegregation of the southern schools, made policy changes towards American Indians including including the halt of their forced assimilation and giving them the right to tribal-determination, helped eliminated Soviet dominance in the Middle East, avoided a second Cuba Middle Crisis, aided Israel during the Yom Kippur War, etc.

And then when his administration was caught spying on the Democrats, he had the decency to resign. His crimes, compared to our politicians' now, was hardly anything. Hillary is a liar and criminal and she's still running (and winning). Nixon resigned. Regan essentially committed treason with Iran Contra and just had Ollie North take the fall.

I don't know. We allow Watergate to fully determine our opinion of Nixon, but i think that if you actually look at his administration and accomplishments that he wasn't a bad President at all. If only we still held our politicians today to the standards we held Nixon to.

But but but... didn't he take full responsibility?

 

[Crovax]

There's and old Vulcan proverb, Only Nixon can go to China.

Nixon accomplished a lot. He got us out of Vietnam and ended the draft, he started the EPA, Title 9 was his, Helped fund cancer research, oversaw the desegregation of the southern schools, made policy changes towards American Indians including including the halt of their forced assimilation and giving them the right to tribal-determination, helped eliminated Soviet dominance in the Middle East, avoided a second Cuba Middle Crisis, aided Israel during the Yom Kippur War, etc.

And then when his administration was caught spying on the Democrats, he had the decency to resign. His crimes, compared to our politicians' now, was hardly anything. Hillary is a liar and criminal and she's still running (and winning). Nixon resigned. Regan essentially committed treason with Iran Contra and just had Ollie North take the fall.

I don't know. We allow Watergate to fully determine our opinion of Nixon, but i think that if you actually look at his administration and accomplishments that he wasn't a bad President at all. If only we still held our politicians today to the standards we held Nixon to.

I think his approval of abortions only for interracial babies and support for a ban on handguns defines him much more than watergate ever could... but thats just me

 

[Ikari]

I think his approval of abortions only for interracial babies and support for a ban on handguns defines him much more than watergate ever could... but thats just me

A man of his times, I suppose. At the same accord, he oversaw the peaceful desegregation of the southern schools. He did want to ban handguns, but never pushed for it. He did say that if Congress passed such a bill, he would sign it.

And so we have a couple non-issues. His opinion on abortion for interracial couples and his opinion on handgun (so called Saturday night specials) ownershil vs. his actual accomplishments which were diverse and long standing.

 

[antiquity]

Without Watergate, I'd say that Nixon would have gone down as one of the greatest Presidents this nation has ever had, Had he not done that stupid, stupid thing, his term in office would have led this nation to a string of conservative election victories that would have dwarfed anything in our history.

Ike time was a mixed bag...national highway system was good (he actually learned from Hitlers autobahn system build to move the military) but beyond that really nothing jumps out.
Kennedy nearly got us into a war with the USSR and the Bay of Pigs was a big negative. Kennedy also made Clinton womanizing look like an amateur.
Johnson gave us a generational welfare system and copped out when the war went south after he escalated the war on a lie.
I didn't vote for Nixon but he did end the Vietnam war that Kennedy started and Johnson escalated.
Ford was a weak President who, but didn't do anything to hurt the country, he just was in the right place at the right time when Nixon resigned.
The ineptness of Carter who dismantled the military, especially the intelligent service was disaster that took years to recover from.
Reagan was elected because of Carter ineptness but was the main reason for the collapse of the USSR and reuniting Europe, he took a weak economy and rebuilt it.
Bush profited from being Reagan VP and I can't think of any thing he really did.
Clinton profited from Reagan's policies and took the credit but without a republican congress it could have gone south on him.
Bush was saddled with 9-11 and a dot.com bust left over by Clinton policies. The wars which the American people first supported was a bust and continues today.
Obama is just plain clueless on just about everything. In my opinion he is the worst president of the bunch with Carter a close second.