Who's the worst U.S. president ever?

[Kuciwalker]

Own goal.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Ted Striker
Blanket statements are not true son.

Sometimes they are. You shouldn't go around making blanket statements about blanket statements.

[Kuciwalker]

Beat you too it.

[Ted Striker]

Duh.

But thanks for the refresh in third grade logic.

I'll add in the word, "usually."


Happy now ?

In any case, your original point is not true.

[Ted Striker]

.

[techumseh]

Madison - he was mad. http://www.deadtroll.com/index2.html...x.html~content

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly
I'm going for two who never get mentioned in threads like these:

Franklin Pierce, who, through both advocated policies and feckless leadership, did more to hasten the inevitibility of Civil War than any other president, including Buchanan.

Rutherford B. Hayes who, like he-who-shall-not-be-named-in-this-thread, stole his election to the presidency, and paid back his South Carolinian supporters by ending Reconstruction, a move that cost black Americans their life, liberty, and property well into the 20th century.

Good call on Hayes. I wonder if he is any relation to Isaac Hayes? If so I bet Isaac hates that.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly


Carter inherited a domestic mess, which he stewarded very badly; but the mess was not of his making.

He had a great foreign policy failure (Iran) and a great foreign policy success (The peace accords between Egypt and Israel).

He was a mediocrity, but hardly one of the worst presidents ever.

Interestingly his main foreign policy achievements are all looming large today.

1) Arab - Israeli peace. Carter helped Anwar Sadat and Menachim Begin reach a peace agreement which ended the state of war between Israel and Egypt and returned the Sinai to Egyption control. Sadat was later assassinated by Islamic Fundamentalists, who were ruthlessly cracked down upon. Al Qaida's #2 was imprisoned and tortured during the backlash. This was probably the first act by Islamic Fundies to make an impression on Americans.

2) Afghanistan. Carter isolated the Soviet Union diplomatically and built a coalition of Arabs, Chinese and Pakistanis to aid the insurgency in Afghanistan. The war which began in 1979 finally ground to an end 20 years later in a victory for the Taliban.

3) The Carter Doctrine. As part of his response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan as well as the Islamic Republic in Iran Carter devised the Carter Doctrine which stated that the Persian Gulf is a region which is in the vital interests of the U.S. Central Command was created to control American military activity in the area. In 1990 the Carter Doctrine played a pivotal role in defining America's response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. The first war against Iraq of course set the stage for the second as well as providing an excuse for Bin Laden to declare war on the U.S. in the 1990s.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Rufus T. Firefly


That has nothing to do with what a completely crap prez Hayes was; his "accomplishments" still stand. Moreover, if you can point to a single instance of any 19th-century vice president doing anything with his position, good or bad, I'll be mightily impressed; until then, it's hard to see what anybody's choice for veep has to do with anything.

I hear the Chester Arthur almost singlehandedly ended the spoils system.

[Ned]

Could someone create a poll listing every president named in this thread so that we can vote?

I find it interesting that Lincoln was even mentioned.

[Tattila the Hun]

Taft

(I think there was a prez by that name...)

[Sava]

Originally posted by Ned
I find it interesting that Lincoln was even mentioned.

Because only moron southerners think Lincoln was bad... maybe not just moron southerners... maybe just morons in general.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Ned
Could someone create a poll listing every president named in this thread so that we can vote?

I find it interesting that Lincoln was even mentioned.

Not really, with DF and Berz.

[Hot Mustard]

http://www.americanpresidents.org/su...erformance.asp

[Dinner]

When all is said and done Bush will likely be in the bottom 1/3 due to his poor economic leadership, poor international relations, and for the lack of equal justic and equal rights under his administration.