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Best and Worst US presidents prior to 1900

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Best and Worst US presidents prior to 1900
Post by biochem   » Mon Jan 27, 2014 12:30 pm

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We've had a lot of discussion on 20th and 21st century leaders. But what about the historical ones? After all the modern Republic we have was based upon theirs. Different people may have different thoughts but:

Best - George Washington

Nominated for stepping down voluntarily after 8 years. This was absolutely critical to the foundations of the USA as a true Republic (countries aren't really republics if the same guy "wins" the election every year for life). It was also incredibly rare. Very very few leaders in history have ever done this.

Worst - Andrew Jackson

Nominated for the Trail of Tears.
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Re: Best and Worst US presidents prior to 1900
Post by PeterZ   » Mon Jan 27, 2014 12:39 pm

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biochem wrote:snip

Worst - Andrew Jackson

Nominated for the Trail of Tears.


Andrew Johnson beats him by a nose. That SOB supported the Jim Crow lawsa that fostered much of the racism issues we deal with today.
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Re: Best and Worst US presidents prior to 1900
Post by namelessfly   » Mon Jan 27, 2014 12:58 pm

namelessfly

The worst President is a President who used to be my favorite back when I was young and foolish.

The worst President was Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln essentially suspended the Constitution and the rule of law to prosecute the Civil War. More importantly, Lincolon repudiated the fundamental concept articulated in the Declaration of Independance that governments govern only with the consent of the governed. The Uas Constitution had no provision for enabling secession, but it had no provision to pro hit secession.

I know all about the popular dogma about Lincoln freeing the slaves. However; if you actually study the Civil War and specifically the Emancipation Proclaimation, you will find that slavery was still accepted as legal in the slave States that did not secede from the Union. In an alternative history in which Lincoln was not assassinated, it is possible that slavery would not be abolished or that it would have been phased out slowly. More importantly, given the fact that most Northerners were no less racist than their slave State counterparts, it is probable that in the absence of the Lincoln assassination the 14th Amendment would never have been passed and that various idea for deporting Blacks back to Africa or establishing reservations for them would have been implemented.
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Re: Best and Worst US presidents prior to 1900
Post by thinkstoomuch   » Mon Jan 27, 2014 2:02 pm

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biochem wrote:We've had a lot of discussion on 20th and 21st century leaders. But what about the historical ones? After all the modern Republic we have was based upon theirs. Different people may have different thoughts but:

Best - George Washington

Nominated for stepping down voluntarily after 8 years. This was absolutely critical to the foundations of the USA as a true Republic (countries aren't really republics if the same guy "wins" the election every year for life). It was also incredibly rare. Very very few leaders in history have ever done this.

Worst - Andrew Jackson

Nominated for the Trail of Tears.


I agree with the best.

Probably not with the worst. Though President Jackson does have other things to consider for negative aspects. IMO, using damage done to Native Americans as a measuring stick fails miserably.

Any US president prior to 1900 has a terrible record as far as the American Indian goes including President Washington.

Sad thing was the Trail of Tears was him trying to mitigate the damage done to the "good" Indians. Which as soon as bureaucracy met people reality turned into what it was. Much like what happened to Chief Joseph.

Though as far as worst goes I think President Grant should be contender for cronyism.

Enjoy,
T2M

PS If you haven't read Flint's 1812 and 1824 I would recommend them. Though they really are just a starting point. Opened my eyes to a bunch of stuff.
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A: “No. That’s just the price. ...
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Re: Best and Worst US presidents prior to 1900
Post by pokermind   » Tue Jan 28, 2014 5:10 am

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Odd no one picked William McKinley who at the urging of his Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt declared war on Spain to obtain coaling bases for the United States fleet.

The accidental destruction of USS Maine (coal bunker fire next to the magazine) used as Spain's firing first as justification, not to mention William Randolf Hurst's yellow journalism.

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Re: Best and Worst US presidents prior to 1900
Post by Annachie   » Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:46 am

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James Monroe, for the Monroe doctrine, or John Quincy Adams who actually wrote it.

William Henry Harrisson (Who died in 30 days yay Simpsons)


Best, has to be Lincoln. If he'd been a little more sucessful at the vampire hunting we might not have had to put up with Twilight.
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Least Best; Lincoln; Best; Jefferson
Post by HB of CJ   » Tue Jan 28, 2014 9:53 pm

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The least best by far was Lincoln. Did everything possible to split the nation. Not a nice man. Maybe he was crazy. Hated blacks. Wanted to remove them all and send them way south to South America.

The best was maybe Jefferson. Certainly smarter than most. Seemed to excel at everything he did. But..he did not understand the Navy. Oh well. HB of CJ (old coot) Definitely a Southern Boy.
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Re: Least Best; Lincoln; Best; Jefferson
Post by Howard T. Map-addict   » Wed Jan 29, 2014 3:20 pm

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Jefferson certainly excelled at Hypocrisy!
His writings as a young man proved
that slaveholding corrupts the slaveholder.
His acts after he returned from Europe,
proved it in his own person.

He did not excel by attempting the Embargo,
or by his attempts to enforce it.

(To name just one each.)

HTM

HB of CJ wrote:
[snip = htm]
The best was maybe Jefferson. Certainly smarter than most. Seemed to excel at everything he did. But..he did not understand the Navy. Oh well. HB of CJ (old coot) Definitely a Southern Boy.
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