Today is Presidents Day in the United States (officially known as Washington’s Birthday) so I thought it would be fitting to do a list relating to presidents. Rather than having a negative slant – I have decided to go with a positive.
When answering this question, be sure to give us your reasons for your answer.
If you could replace the current president with one from the past (dead or alive), who would it be and why?
Unfortunately I know very little about past US presidents so I am going to leave it up to you – by the end of this post I hope to have learnt a lot about some of the greatest presidents the US has had.
hmm i would have to say well one of the roosevelts either one would work i like both there methods, but may fdr would help get our country back to its greatness he got us out of the depression he can get us out of this rut
oh and yay first post
i also have no idea. it should strike up a nice topic though
I don’t know much about U.S. presidents, but I still think Clinton got screwed… who cares that he got a blowjob?!?!? Maybe if his wife would put out more often he wouldn’t have to um.. ahem… rely on the “services” of others.
Arabella: Your comment made me laugh
The Clinton missus does look pretty frigid! haha
On topic though, I don’t really know much about them either. Don’t really know much about past PMs either though, so I guess I should do some reading sometime…
One things for sure, we would be better off if ‘any’ of the past presidents replaced dubya. We’ve never had such an egotistical, bumbling nutjob before.
The best one, imho, would be John F. Kennedy. I thin JFK, would have made a very positive impact on the world had he not been struck down the way he was. He was the quintessential anti-bush. Smart, eloquent, humble. He worked for civil rights, he worked for bringing about cultural changes. In short, he did more work within his country. The present regime seems more interested in other peoples problems, or rather is mroe keen on taking advantage of other peoples problems by bombing the living daylights out of them and seizing their natural resources. Look at how we destroyed the lives of Iraqis and Afghanis. Not the leaders or militants, but the common man like you and me. It sucks.
I digress. My pick would be JFK.
Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear. Harry S. Truman Aug. 8th, 1950. I think he has been given a bad wrap for being the only president to ever use the bomb (so far). But, he was also the last “populist” type president we’ve had and the one that didn’t seek the office- it came to him (unlike all these power hungry politicians today). We need someone like Harry today.
Being a Canuck, my knowledge of American presidents is limited. That being said I’d have to say J.F.K. Who knows how much he could have accomplished in eight years? He would have set the U.S. on a course that would have made it a far different country than it is today. And then Dubya would have the job he really is qualified for-scraping the gum from underneath the tables at a fast-food franchise!
TR
Robert Kennedy (JFK’s brother) even though he wasn’t a past president. He would have been though! Poor guy.
He was the man behind JFK.
harry S Truman is the choice. Actually any idiot can replace Bush and still be better than him!
WHat about Lincoln? Im suprised none of you have chosen him. I am realted to him, you know.
Bananas: isn’t there a bit of anti-Lincoln sentiment around nowadays? That might be why you are the first to mention him.
abraham lincoln is definitely the greatest president ever
william henry harrison, 1773-1841, was a perfect president. he died one month after taking office of pneumonia. he didn’t have any time to screw anything up.
it seems that this is the only qualification these days. it doesn’t matter what good you do, just don’t do anything bad.
one request please, it is a given that bush needs to be replaced, in actuality and it is the premise of this list. can we keep this from turning into a list of why you think bush is ignorant/a bad president.
i’m so tired of that particular discussion. just a request, thnx.
Thomas Jefferson:
Philosopher, statesman, inventor, architect, etc.
Interesting to note:
1) Under his administration: marbury v madison – Any law passed by Congress can be declared unconstitutional by the courts (preserves the checks and balance system).
2) He outlawed the importation of slaves – First Federal statement of the evils of slavery.
3) His personal library started the Libray of Congress
He was an all around cool guy, who believed in the people and rejected religion (unlike today) as a basis of political beliefs.
more info:
http://www.ipl.org/div/potus/tjefferson.html
http://www.poplarforest.org/
Theodore Roosevelt. A president with a concept of the importance of maintaining and preserving our ecological resources is crucial. I think he would be appalled at our situation and implement drastic measures to save the environment.
urban: i currently live in texas but used to live outside of san francisco. enviornmental issues were huge there, not so much here.
why do you think that the enviornment should be high on the president’s priority list when there are seemingly “more important” issues? i.e. security, health care, poverty, budget, etc.
(i pose this question truly seeking information, not in an accusative way)
There is a need for a statesman today. Someone who has shown the ability to unite, and be humble in the most trying situations. That said-Lincoln or Washington
Ronald Reagan, he ended the cold war…peacefully.
Interesting to me to read that Jamie starts out the topic on a positive note and this topic goes negative almost immediately. I’ll skip my perspective on that for now and say I’m continually amazed at some people’s naivety.
Teddy Roosevelt would be a great choice. More recently I’d pick Truman or Ronald Reagan.
hence my request in #15, buc
I agree with Ducky.
I agree with the sentiment, but it doesn’t matter that you requested it, by the day’s end this section will be close to 100-150 comments (quite possibly more) and the majority of them will be precisely of that ilk.
I’ve commented on it till I’m blue in the face on other lists, (or blue on the fingertips) nothing changes, it’s simply unavoidable.
Where’s Loose_Cannon when you need him?
My choices would be:
1) Teddy Roosevelt–no president has ever used the ‘bully pulpit’ with greater effect, and many of the things that have shaped our world today are rooted in his presidency (and I mean that as a good thing)
2) Andrew Jackson–just the term of ‘Jacksonian democracy’ and the “true” embodiment that anybody can be president (not true these days I’m afraid)
These men were not perfect, but they were statesmen something politics around the globe seem to be lacking in our day and age
Disc: Maybe it’s a bit of naîvité on my part, but I cannot understand why the ecological issues we face aren’t just about the biggest issue out there. It influences so many other factors, and really determines everything that our future holds. I just feel like Roosevelt could give those issues the prominence they are lacking.
Harry S Truman: He was mostly honest, confrontational when he needed to be, incredibly intelligent and well versed on the history and authority of the presidency, and he was the only president in the last 100 years who didn’t leave office as a millionaire.
My choices would be (even though some weren’t presidents they were either nominees or serious contenders in their day):
Alexander Hamilton- if he hadn’t been murdered by Aaron Burr he most definitely would have been president. He was a financial genius who helped get the new born nation on it’s feet.
Thomas Jefferson- a man who was willing to listen to people and accept that he didn’t always have the answers, but he wasn’t a push over.
Woodrow Wilson- a great diplomatic genius who unfortunately wasn’t able to utilize his great ideas because of the stroke he suffered.
and then I’d choose RFK- he had the charisma to unite people despite their differences. On the day MLK was killed the city where he was giving a speech during his ’68 campaign was the only one that didn’t break out in a riot.
I’ll keep w/ the intended positive tone Jamie set out by not giving my opinions on past presidents that *should not* ever come back.
Theodore Roosevelt,not only a brilliant man but one who understands what it means to be in combat.
Harry Truman(common sense & morals), RFK, (not JFK, popular yes, principled – I don’t think so), Wilson, Lincoln (little weird, but moral), Not Reagan (disastrous social policies at home and I think the Iron Curtain would have fallen anyway, their economic system was in a shambles),,,,good lord Jimmy Carter would be better than Bush….he doesn’t seem to have respect for anyone other than old home boys ….(the texas big business kind),,,
THOMAS JEFFERSON
THOMAS JEFFERSON
The Roosevelts were mafia frontmen. JFK and Thomas Jefferson were on the same level. Clinton does not compare. Andrew Jackson killed Indians like there was no tomorrow. JFK or Thomas Jefferson (preferably Prez Jefferson and VP Kennedy) would easily replace this sack of scum we have now as president.
That was weird.
By “JFK and Thomas Jefferson were on the same level,” I meant that as they were both great people, not mafia frontmen.
Harry S. Truman: “S” didn’t stand for anything.
Ronald Reagan is dead, and that’s a good thing. He is one of the many presidents who died and should stay freakin’ dead. He’s involved in the Bush oil business and was just an ass of a president.
At this point in time, comsidering the enormous amount of foreign affairs we are dealing with, John F Kennedy would be the best for the job. In his time, he was able to prevent a possible nuclear war, and help deal with civil rights, a topic which many whites at the time considered foreign affairs. Alternately, he did begin the embargo on Cuba which is now destroying a primarily innocent nation. Should John F Kennedy be brought back, I believe he would take into consideration the topic of the Cuban embargo unlike all other politicians of our times, and he would most likely swiftly abolish it, bringing both the United States and the Cuban People economic prosperity.
Llamee – You are correct! The S didn’t stand for anything (that’s why it is usually written without the period after it). Actually it stood for both of his grandfather’s names, which started with S. Even his parents were diplomatic.
Llamee, etc.
As readers of these lists seem to love esoteric information, here is a link about the use of a period in “Harry S. Truman”:
http://www.trumanlibrary.org/speriod.htm
Logistically speaking, none of the other presidents would recognize their jobs if we brought them back and put them in the oval office today. The presidency has changed dramatically- I mean there’s an entire new branch that’s absorbed so many responsibilities in homeland security.
Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt are already on Mt. Rushmore.
George washing is the first one shown, then Jefferson, Roosevelt and then Abe Lincoln. JFK would be my vote along with Truman. George III, (Bush) could clean sewers as far as I am concerned.
I know that I might ***** some people off when I say this and it might start a bit of a debate…but
Rutherford B Hayes
He fits one requirement that I think should be and that is to actually serve in the military before Serving as president. “He serves his party best who serves his country best.” He was so dedicated to doing his job in the military that he turned down the nomination to run for Congress saying that “I have other business just now. Any man who would leave the army at this time to electioneer for Congress ought to be scalped.” He was elected anyways.
I know his election was a disarray, but being in office he did great things. No one at the time beleived it. He was not pushed around and vetoed any bill that did not fit what he thought was right. He even vetoed the bill for black rights 4 times before he saw it fit and signed. He was able to bring peace on the great Railroad strike though there was unfortunate deaths. He signed a few Bills to help with using the land for economic and domestic use. He helped with womans rights being the first to allow female lawyers to argue cases before the Supreme Court.
He did alot that at the time made people think he was mad andtearing down the country.
I stand corrected as to the “usually written without a period” part, but I will not use one for 2 reasons:
1- He didn’t customarily use it until after his presidency
2- I refuse to put a period after something that isn’t an abbreviation, no matter how many style manuals recommend it.
If these manuals strive for consistency, then we need to start putting periods after every letter when we recite the alphabet.
Nevertheless, Truman was still a great president (and on the ecological plus side, he walked just about everywhere in his hometown after he left the presidency).
Ravyn- Good argument for Hayes!
Grumpus, wasn’t it Truman who set up tons of state parks and protected areas?
Ravyn; grand argument, he was a good guy
Llamee; I agree, I was around for Reagan, horrible president, not as bad as Nixon,,,but pretty bad
I can see the leanings of the crowd on this web site tend to lean a little to the left. I’ll try swaying it back to the right a little
Eisenhower, Nixon (pre-scandal), or Reagan.
Eisenhower gave the country confidence after WWII, and led a prosperous nation.
Nixon modernized democrat pillars like social security and welfare while still maintaining a balanced budget. He was the first president to normalize relations with China. He is commonly thought of as the most intelligent president we have ever had. Of course if JFK’s political machine wouldn’t have cheated in the first place Nixon would have been president in 1960, and JFK would have been another losing New England Senator…
Reagan – redefined what a true conservative was. Pulled the country out of Carter’s recession. Hastened (I agree didn’t create) the end of the cold war and eventual freedom of the Soviet Bloc. Normalized relations for the first time with USSR. Was a gentleman in every sense of the word, and just damn cool
Mom424- I believe he did as a continuation of Roosevelt’s New Deal plan to create jobs through the Works Progress Admin. (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Almost every state park, forest, and bridge here in VA was built, refurbished, or dedicated in the mid-forties.
And Reagan! OMG, I went to one of the most conservative, neo-Reaganite colleges on the US, and I could never understand the near-worship of that man. For a party that prides itself on family values, fiscal responsibility, and small governmant, it seems odd that they revere the only president who was divorced, who consistently (almost exponentially) increased the national debt through poor budgeting, and who increased the size of the government more than anyone since FDR (especially in the area of military build-up).
Jake: I am not American so I don’t know the history of all the presidents, but I thought Nixon got the chop because he was a liar and cheat – am I wrong?
Mom424 – It was Teddy Roosevelt that created the national parks department and purchased a lot of the land.
its true that nixon actually did a lot of good before being caught up in the whole watergate thing….
but i would bring back teddy roosevelt. he didnt take crap from anyone, he demanded loyalty, honesty and integrity from all he worked with, and overall, he may have been one of our most powerful presidents.
he brought out severely lacking military at the time up to one of the best in the world, he started the national park system and he forced reform in the business world with all his trust busting.
all i know is that mccain should be replaced by anybody because mccain + attacking iran = russian retaliation = severe US casualties
I couldn’t disagree with you more about Reagan, Mom and Liamee, but I understand he isn’t going to be everyone’s first choice. If not for the two term limit, he’d probably would have been elected again and again, something you can’t deny. He was very popular.
OK, I’ve shown my hand a bit here, but folks, the environment shouldn’t run the entire economy and the path of leadership. If it did, we’d be addressing Ralph Nader as Mr. President and I’d probably be writing this somewhere other than the USA.
jfrater- Now now…Nixon resigned because he got caught. Most of the presidents we have had in the 20th/21st centuries have been liars and cheats to some degree. I’m no Nixon apologist, but almost all politicians in general have some kind of crooked angle. Even if they start their careers with noble aspirations and a real desire to serve the people who elect them, the seductive nature of power and influence soon overtakes them until they are a bent cog in the machine. Just saying…
I know alot about presients and i would have to say Reagan, or one of the Roosevelts. Mostly because they would know how to win this war and because they were great leaders.
jfrater – He was a liar for sure. It all was built out of his paranoia. He is said to have ordered wiretapping of the Democratic National Offices then fired/replaced people to cover it up. The crazy thing was he would have easily won re-election without any dirty tricks. He enjoyed a comfortable popularity rating, and the democrats didn’t have a viable candidate running against him.
Popular does not necessarily equal good. Just look at television or music for examples.
Also, I’m not a leftist, eco-warrior, bunny-kisser, tree-hugger, etc. But most of the first world is heading towards “greener” policies. It would probably behoove any future leaders of this country to follow the example of the Queen of the Netherlands who encouraged her countrymen to “go green” a few years back. The Netherlands now has a multi-billion dollar industry servicing the world’s desire to be “green”. I’m not voting one way or another in the global warming debate, but I do believe that in order to keep up with the rest of the world, right or wrong, we need to focus on environmental issues. At the very least, there’s a metric assload of money to be made from eco-industry, eco-tourism, eco-frozen waffles, eco-whatever.
Sorry, grumpus, I thought that’s what elections were about, who’s the most popular. In other words, most people agreed with how he was running the country and would vote for him again.
Elections are about getting electoral votes nowadays. At least 2 presidents in history (one very recently)did not receive the majority of the popular vote. Speaking of which, the majority of the popular vote is still usually a minority of all possible voters. In our society of eligible voters who cannot be bothered to register to vote, or bother to vote if registered, anyone who is elected immediately becomes suspect. Slick campaigns win the votes of those who actually vote. Also, think of how many times you’ve heard people say they voted for someone because it was “the lesser of two evils.” However, I do agree that Reagan was extremely popular, but not because of how he did things.
Grumpus – I get your point, well taken. I’ve become extremely cynical as of late because of all the shenanigans – on BOTH sides. Most of it is high grade steaming horse*****. And it seems we elect someone who has done their best to not offend anyone rather than a true leader. Besides, who would want to run for office with all of the ridiculous media scrutiny these days?