Worst President in History?!?

[Sig]

Enigma-

I'll be dam*ed if you aren't the exact match to what I usually rant on about when the taboo topic of presidential politics comes around...


I'm willing to bet that you'd agree Jimmy has been the most effective ex-president in history (I admire the man as well, for his work since 1980). And to read what you think of LBJ and Abe- I get swept under a rug or somebody gets the wrong idea and misses the point entirely - is AWESOME. I think Clinton is brilliant- intellect and ethics aren't the same thing- and I completely agree he permanently damaged the office as a liar (JFK is a folk hero while having a little less marital fidelity than Clinton, so the beej wasn't the worst of it). Federalism, net widening- you hit on all of the goods.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on Reagan, if there are any.

 

[enigma]

Re: Enigmatic. That's for sure.

But Carter, I'm afraid we'd have to come back another night to talk about him. I'm not so quick to dismiss the man's value to the citizens of the US. He is, without a doubt, hands down, the *most* productive EX-president in modern history.

I happen to admire the man. Perhaps he's making up for lost time from '76-'80 but he's not easily dismissed.

Anyway. Keep 'em coming. Thought provoking as always.

President Carter. I'll admit that he is obviously a decent man who cares deeply for his fellow human beings. Clinton isn't worth of being a pimple on Carters backside, for what it's worth.

However, no matter how much I honor President Carters one-on-one humanity, I can't overlook his consistant support for globalism. It is a time honored custom for former Presidents to withhold comment on the actions of the current President, especially abroad. I can not forgive Carter for his public statements in opposition to President Bush post September, 11. I oppose the loss of US sovereignty with all of my being, and I'm afraid that President Carter has undermined our strength. He has been a very effective humanitarian, but he has been a destructive force against America. I kinda want my former Presidents to be Pro-American.

I'm trying to wean myself from constant attention to this forum, so I'll stop there. More later, maybe.

regards,
enigma

 

[enigma]

Re: Enigma-

I'm willing to bet that you'd agree Jimmy has been the most effective ex-president in history

See my above reply to MAR.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on Reagan, if there are any.

Ronaldus Magnus. Positive, leader of men.

Ronald Reagan is a policy wonk like Clinton, but with a good twist. Reagans deep thinking was never credited when he was in office, and has been ignored since he left. Reagan was extremely well informed( I would say "is extremely", but obviously he has little mental capacity due to the Alzheimers), and wrote a tremendous amount about political subjects. His letters are available if anyone cares to read them. Also, transcripts of his radio political commentarys from the sixties and seventies show him to be extremely well versed on his subject.

Now, I said that he is policy wonk like President Clinton but with a good twist. The twist is this, Ronald Reagan had a very solid core of true conservative values. Reagan knew exactly what he wanted, and attempted to accomplish his agenda, where others, like President Clinton, were more opinion driven. Reagan had only a few basic goals in his political life. One was to restore internal pride in the US. Reagan believed in the inherent goodness of America, as opposed to Carters "malais", and worked to restore our belief in our own country. His "morning in America" is the best political ad of all time. His other goal was to win the cold war. Reagan saw communism as a pox on humanity and worked to eliminate it.

President Reagan succeeded on both counts. The American people DID regain pride in our country, and the Soviet Union DID fail as it attempted to keep up with us, as Reagan knew it would.

I only fault President Reagan in one area, in an attempt to compromise with the Democrat controlled Congress, he traded them increased social spending in order to gain increased military spending. Luckily, his tax cuts and relaxation of regulation allowed the economy to grow enough to increase tax revenue, but he still allowed Federal spending to increase dramatically. That would be my main gripe with Reagan.

All in all, President Reagan was the most inspiring leader this country had in his half century. JFK was close to Reagan, but Reagan had a landslide mandate, where Kennedy only won because dead people are allowed to vote in Chicago.

regards,
enigma

 

[Benhuntn]

Greatest President

Ronald may have been the greatest president in our history. If not he was the greatest conservative president. I find it ironic that Mr. Carter and Gorbachev get Nobel peace prizes and Mr Reagen never got any recognition for bring down the Berlin wall and ending the USSR's 70 yrs. of terror. 90-150 million lives lost and yes Mr Carter on the occasion of his Nobel Prize speech to the opportunity, while on foregein(sp) shores to blast or current president. He may build an nice house but he is better and destroying American status around the world any day.

 

[enigma]

Re: Greatest President

Ronald may have been the greatest president in our history. If not he was the greatest conservative president. I find it ironic that Mr. Carter and Gorbachev get Nobel peace prizes and Mr Reagen never got any recognition for bring down the Berlin wall and ending the USSR's 70 yrs. of terror. 90-150 million lives lost and yes Mr Carter on the occasion of his Nobel Prize speech to the opportunity, while on foregein(sp) shores to blast or current president. He may build an nice house but he is better and destroying American status around the world any day.

That's what I'm talkin about!!!!!!!!

enigma