Who is the best modern day American president?

20-10-2013 02:27AM

Clinton seems to have been the least bad.. Hate Obama and Bush and don't know enough about the otbers.

diomed · 20-10-2013 02:39AM

Bill Clinton is probably getting votes for the same reason people think George Best and Alex Higgins were the greatest.

20-10-2013 02:45AM

Robert Kennedy had just won the California Primary and was on course to win the Democratic nomination in 1968 when he was assassinated. He most likely would have won the presidential election that year. He was a more interesting character than his brother and his death was a huge loss to history.

If Hilary Clinton had won the Democratic nomination in 2008 we might never have heard of Sarah Palin. I think Clinton would have made a great president, and was shafted for a guy who wrote two self-indulgent autobiographies before he was 40.

Sunglasses Ron · 20-10-2013 04:25AM

Manic Moran wrote: »

Can someone explain the Obama vote? In comparison to, say, the Civil Rights Act, or thawing the Cold War, what has he done? ACA doesn't come close.

He brought the US unemployment rate back to its pre GFC level within 5 years of taking office.

Is there any other Western economy that was hit by the GFC that has done this, bar maybe Germany? Not to mention he had the balls to take on the gun nuts in an election year.

clairefontaine · 20-10-2013 05:07AM

castletownman wrote: »

JFK.

Stuck to his guns during the Bay of Pigs/Cuban Missile crisis (in terms of ignoring instructions from Cabinet). Oversaw an economic boom and set in motion a chain of events that eventually saw LBJ sign into law the Equality Act. The first globally adored POTUS. Charmer.

And Irish of course too

JFK and McNamara nearly got the whole country blown to bits. Bobby Kennedy was the diplomatic mastermind who got us out of it.

JFK also initiated Vietnam.

IMO, that entire list sucks.

metaoblivia · 20-10-2013 05:58AM

Deleted User wrote: »

Robert Kennedy had just won the California Primary and was on course to win the Democratic nomination in 1968 when he was assassinated. He most likely would have won the presidential election that year. He was a more interesting character than his brother and his death was a huge loss to history.

I often wonder how different American history would have been if RFK hadn't been assassinated.

I went with Clinton, but it was close between him and LBJ. Manic Moran is right - people often don't get past Vietnam when it comes to LBJ, but he did a lot for Civil Rights. As Killer Wench pointed out, he was no social justice leader himself, being a Southern Democrat from Texas. A lot of blacks were actually scared when he took over the Presidency after Kennedy's assassination. They thought he might quash Kennedy's Civil Rights plans. But actually, historians now believe LBJ ended up doing what Kennedy couldn't have done - he got the legislation passed. LBJ was a highly competent Senator before taking the Vice Presidency, and he was able to pull the votes together. Kennedy, on the other hand - his Congressional career could be described as mediocre if you were feeling generous. He just wasn't that great of a negotiator.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 20-10-2013 06:07AM

On domestic policy Bush Jnr is more popular now than he was in office. He won't rank near the bottom of the list in years to come.

An interesting fact is that his wife Laura Bush nee Pierce is descended from Franklin Pierce (President 1853-1857) who in most recent ratings of Presidents has faired the lowest. He was a desperate alcoholic who used to frequent the local taverns in Washington when serving his term. :pac:

As many historians say he was a brilliant guy in other ways, educated, a lawyer and a Brigadier General in the Army. His alcoholism took hold once he took office though. He served his 4 year term and was beaten in the election and died from his condition in 1869. (cirrhosis of the liver)

IvaBigWun · 20-10-2013 08:02PM

Daddy Bush now has a vote.

Who did that?!

WoollyRedHat · 20-10-2013 08:21PM

FDR was the best, without a doubt.

I also agree with the sentiments that it was such a gret shame of Robert Kennedy's assasination and what could have been... he was more progresive than his brother.

Karl Stein · 20-10-2013 08:45PM

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

He won't rank near the bottom of the list in years to come.

GBJnr might just be the worst president the US ever had.

[-0-] · 20-10-2013 08:53PM

The votes for Clinton are sickening. You people really have no clue what the man was like. He is a war criminal who bombed innocent civilians to take attention away from his impeachment. Read this: http://www.amazon.com/One-Left-Lie-Triangulations-ebook/dp/B007NJOR3M

PropJoe10 · 20-10-2013 08:56PM

Charlie Rock wrote: »

GBJnr might just be the worst president the US ever had.

Hes probably the worst President that any country calling themselves a superpower ever had. A complete and utter blithering idiot.

cml387 · 20-10-2013 09:10PM

[-0-] wrote: »

The votes for Clinton are sickening. You people really have no clue what the man was like. He is a war criminal who bombed innocent civilians to take attention away from his impeachment. Read this: http://www.amazon.com/One-Left-Lie-Triangulations-ebook/dp/B007NJOR3M

Hitchens book is just a tirade. Well done, but just a polemic.

Clinton was neither as good as this poll would suggest, or as bad as Hitchens says.

Teyla Emmagan · 20-10-2013 09:24PM

Bullseye wrote: »

I'd like to vote but I don't know much about most of those presidents.

Don't worry, that's not stopping anyone else.

[-0-] · 20-10-2013 09:30PM

cml387 wrote: »

Hitchens book is just a tirade. Well done, but just a polemic.

Clinton was neither as good as this poll would suggest, or as bad as Hitchens says.

He killed innocent civilians and cheated on his wife. He is a lowlife scumbag.

MyPeopleDrankTheSoup · 20-10-2013 09:30PM

Ronald Reagan baby, won the Cold War.
OK, the USSR was on the way out anyway but still.

Stood up to the unions and fired all the air traffic controllers when they went on strike. We could use some of that in Ireland. Public sector workers should not be allowed to strike IMO.

cml387 · 20-10-2013 10:00PM

[-0-] wrote: »

He killed innocent civilians and cheated on his wife. He is a lowlife scumbag.

If you are POTUS then killing innocent civilians kinda goes with the territory.. at least in the sense that if you order military action it may lead to that outcome.

Actually, name a US president against whom that accusation cannot be made.

As for the unfathfulness, well FDR had a long standing affair with his wife's social secretary.

Karl Stein · 20-10-2013 10:05PM

georgiecasey wrote: »

Ronald Reagan baby

He ran up massive debts, increased military spending, and cut all the social programs to the bone.

[-0-] · 20-10-2013 10:05PM

cml387 wrote: »

If you are POTUS then killing innocent civilians kinda goes with the territory.. at least in the sense that if you order military action it may lead to that outcome.

Actually, name a US president against whom that accusation cannot be made.

As for the unfathfulness, well FDR had a long standing affair with his wife's social secretary.

POTUS...FDR.. You love acronyms. I can't stand them.

Back on topic, Thomas Jefferson.

Earthhorse · 20-10-2013 10:09PM

Jimmy Carter is history's greatest monster.

cml387 · 20-10-2013 10:10PM

[-0-] wrote: »

POTUS...FDR.. You love acronyms. I can't stand them.

Back on topic, Thomas Jefferson.

Well actually (PHO) you are off topic because it's only the last 10 presidents we are discussing(PHO). OK I only mentioned FDR because he was mentioned earlier.

PHO= pedantic hat on/off

OK = OK

[-0-] · 20-10-2013 10:16PM

cml387 wrote: »

Well actually (PHO) you are off topic because it's only the last 10 presidents we are discussing(PHO). OK I only mentioned FDR because he was mentioned earlier.

PHO= pedantic hat on/off

OK = OK

Your parents have a lot of explaining to do.

gerTheGreat · 20-10-2013 10:22PM

Clinton repealed the Glass-Stegall Act. People should really reconsider just how good he was.

Despite facing the most hostile house in living memory, Obama managed to enact the single most significant social care since FDR introduced Social Security. Obama should get the vote.

Sunglasses Ron · 21-10-2013 03:41AM

PropJoe10 wrote: »

Hes probably the worst President that any country calling themselves a superpower ever had. A complete and utter blithering idiot.

If we consider that the UK Prime Minister is effectively the same as the US president, Blair did a far greater amount of damage to his country than Bush ever managed.

Amirani · 21-10-2013 03:44AM

[-0-] wrote: »

POTUS...FDR.. You love acronyms. I can't stand them.

Back on topic, Thomas Jefferson.

Thomas Jefferson the slave owner?

endacl · 21-10-2013 03:46AM

Flawed premise OP. There is only one modern day American president. The others, of course, being ex-presidents.

Tipsy McSwagger · 21-10-2013 10:03AM

[-0-] wrote: »

He killed innocent civilians and cheated on his wife. He is a lowlife scumbag.

He also accomplished a lot in his first 2 years in office,

-Under President Clinton's leadership, almost 6 million new jobs were created in the first two years of his Administration -- an average of 250,000 new jobs every month.

-In 1994, the economy had the lowest combination of unemployment and inflation in 25 years.

-As part of the 1993 Economic Plan, President Clinton cut taxes on 15 million low-income families and made tax cuts available to 90 percent of small businesses, while raising taxes on just 1.2 percent of the wealthiest taxpayers.

-President Clinton signed into law the largest deficit reduction plan in history, resulting in over $600 billion in deficit reduction. The deficit is going down for 3 years in a row for the first time since Harry Truman was president.

-President Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act. The law, which covers over 42 million Americans, offers workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-guaranteed leave for child birth, adoption, or personal or family illness.

-The President signed into law the Brady Bill, which imposes a five-day waiting period on handgun purchases so that background checks can be done to help keep handguns away from criminals.

-The President's Crime Bill will put 100,000 new police officers on the street. More than 1,200 communities have already received grants to hire 27,000 additional officers.

-Under the President's Direct Student Loan program, students can borrow money directly from the government at a lower interest rate and with many flexible repayment options, including the option to repay with a percentage of their after-graduation salary. Taxpayers will save at least $4.3 billion over five years.

Foxhound38 · 21-10-2013 12:04PM

Overall it has to be Lincoln, since 1900 it has to be FDR, but of that list I'll have to go with Clinton

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 21-10-2013 12:06PM

gerTheGreat wrote: »

Clinton repealed the Glass-Stegall Act. People should really reconsider just how good he was.

Despite facing the most hostile house in living memory, Obama managed to enact the single most significant social care since FDR introduced Social Security. Obama should get the vote.

most hostile housing in living memory? democrats controlled the house and senate at the time...
the republicans were elected to take control of the house as a result of obamacare getting the go ahead

old hippy · 21-10-2013 12:41PM

[-0-] wrote: »

He killed innocent civilians and cheated on his wife. He is a lowlife scumbag.

Sounds a bit naive to me. I can't think of many modern Presidents who haven't presided over military actions that inevitably result in innocent deaths. As for the sex on the side? Has zero effects on his achievements, zero bearing on whether he was a competent leader. That kind of moralising is best left to the puritans.

Who is the best modern day American president?

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