Who has been the best US president in recent years?

[Sand]

So, who do you think is the best president we have had in the recent past?

 

George W.

Bill Clinton

George Sr.

Ronald Reagan

 

or

 

Jimmy Carter

 

EDIT: Damn poll didn't work... grrr...

Edited February 19, 2007 by Sand

[astr0creep]

I ain't American but I'd say Bill C.

 

Canada usually feels pretty much any repercussions, good or bad, from things that happen in the States and from memory I believe Clinton's reign had the least bad effects on my country.

 

:confused:

Edited February 19, 2007 by astr0creep

[Walsingham]

It's like choosing the most attractive frog! I'd have to say George Snr.

[Sand]

In terms of likability I would have to say Clinton.

[Gfted1]

Im going to have to go with Ronald Reagan.

[Guard Dog]

Reagan, hands down. He alone in recent years understood what Jefferson said: "The government that governs least governs best". I would rank the last 5 in this order

 

1) Reagan

2) Bush I

3) Clinton

4) Bush II

5) Carter (this man is a national disgrace)

 

Best of all time I'd say a toss up between Theodore Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson with Reagan and Lincoln tied as a distant 3rd.

Edited February 19, 2007 by Guard Dog

[Pidesco]

You think Reagan was as good as Lincoln? Are you kidding?

[Gorgon]

They have elevated Reagan to mythological status for some reason that I don't fully understand, possibly it's just so long ago that they can't remember.

 

Anyway i'm going to go with Clintion, as the lesser of several evils.

 

FDR for best ever.

Edited February 19, 2007 by Gorgon

[astr0creep]

Martin Sheen FTW!

[Guard Dog]

You think Reagan was as good as Lincoln? Are you kidding?

From my political perspective yes. Lincoln suspened due process and comitted more than a few constitutional transgressions during the war. His thoughts were "Inter Arma Silent Leges" and the "Ends Justify the Means". I disagree. However, he did save the country a had a much wiser post war plan than the one actually enacted after his death. To say nothing of taking the first step to correct the monstrous injustice of slavery. In my opinion he was the third best president in our history. Had he done it without violating the constitution in the process I would have him and #1 easily.

 

Ever since FDR (who consolidated more power, seized more land, and violated the 10th amendment more times than all of his predecessors combined) America has been slouching towards a more socialistic society. Reagan was one of the bright spots to take a more Libertarian view. He drew a hard line against the Soviets when all of the world was quailing before them. Plus he pulled off one of the greatest bluffs in history, SDI. Before him and after Watergate and Vietnam the contry was floundering. We had lost our pride and direction. The government was swelling in size, the economy was tanking, US flage were burning in protests world wide as nations cozied up to the Soviets thinking that a new World War was inevitable and that they would win. Reagan brought a sense of pride and optimisim, the first to do so since Kennedy. Thats why I ranked him with Lincoln at #3.

[Wistrik]

Of the presidents that governed during my lifetime, I'd have to say Ronald Reagan was one of the better presidents. He brought dignity to the office, assisted in ending the Cold War, and so on. He wasn't perfect, but no president ever has been.

[Pidesco]

He drew a hard line against the Soviets when all of the world was quailing before them. Plus he pulled off one of the greatest bluffs in history, SDI.

 

I don't think the world was quailing before the Soviets during the eighties, and anyway, if anything the Reagan administration was responsible for at least, an apparent softening towards the USSR.

 

As for SDI, it was a huge financial disaster, regardless of whether it was a bluff or not, which I don't think it was.

 

Finally, Reagan has always struck me as the American President of recent years that was more of an empty figurehead that all others.

[Guard Dog]

I don't think the world was quailing before the Soviets during the eighties, and anyway, if anything the Reagan administration was responsible for at least, an apparent softening towards the USSR.

 

Not the history I'm familiar with. Quite the opposite on both counts.

 

As for SDI, it was a huge financial disaster, regardless of whether it was a bluff or not, which I don't think it was.

 

It never left the developmental stage and was out of reach in the 80's. But The Soviets believed we could do it and that is what mattered. Reagan even believed it I think. Check out the book "The New History of the Cold War" for more info. Don't remember the author.

 

We are not going to come to an agreement Pidesco and that fine. Reply if you wish and I'll leave it at this. This thread has potential and I don't want to side track it.

[Sand]

Reagan was the most effective president, both in domestic and foreign policies. I may not like most of it, but out of all of them I respect Reagan the most.

 

My favorite speech of his: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." One of the more pinnacle moments in recent history.

[WITHTEETH]

Reagan basically let AIDS happen. Bush Sr went to war over to Kuwait, and said atheists shouldn't even vote basically. Clinton, was so-so and Bush Jr, is a train wreck.

 

My vote is for Clinton.

[Gfted1]

Reagan basically let AIDS happen.

 

 

You cant mean this the way Im reading it. Elaborate please.

[alanschu]

Reagan basically let AIDS happen.

 

What?

 

Bush Sr went to war over to Kuwait

 

As did the rest of the UN Coalition.

[Sand]

Bush Sr. went to war and the war was justified. He also had the backing of many nations. That is the way it should be done and not the way Bush Jr. did it. Bush Jr. has to be the worse president in recent years. I place him below Jimmy Carter.

[Gorgon]

Reagan played neuclear brinksmanship with the fate of the world in the balance, the fact that it happened to succed has more to do with Gorbatchev than anything else, he got lucky in the order of things. On the home front his policies caused considerable suffering to the poorer sections of society, the economic recovery did come, but these things usually have a lot less to do with presidential administration than governance would like you to think. The 'Reagan recovery' and the 'Clinton boom' are just arbitrary terms for naturally occuring economic fluctuations.

[Darth Drabek]

My vote goes to Slick Willie.

 

He did a great job of balancing the nation's budget and reducing the National Debt, which was no easy task.

 

He also passed a budget reconciliation act in 1993 that raised taxes on the wealthiest 1.2 percent, while cutting taxes for 15 million low-income families and made tax cuts available for 90 percent of small businesses. Reagan may be the Hollywood president, but Bill Clinton was Robin Hood with a southern drawl!

 

That said, Hillary doesn't have a chance in hell of winning in 2008, and there are at least three other Dems I'd rather see in office than her.

[Sand]

The two Dems who has my vote are Vilsack and Obama. Now that would be the ticket, and of those two I rather see Vilsack as Vice than President. I just can't picture the President in a Winnie the pooh suit. There is one Republican candidate that has my eye, surprisingly enough, and that is the former mayor of New York.

 

There is this saying about Clinton and Bush Jr. that is quite apt: I trust Bill Clinton with my country, but not my daughter. I trust George W. Bush with my daughter, but not my country.

Edited February 19, 2007 by Sand

[Pidesco]

I wouldn't be so quick to trust Bush with my daughter.

[DeathScepter]

Well Bush is more trustworthy in that than Clinton was.

 

 

But I can't blame Bill. Look at his wife.

[Sand]

Looks at wife

 

Looks at intern

 

wife

intern

 

It looked like a lose/lose situation to me.

[Gorgon]

I thougth Monica was kinda hot in a plump kinda way.