The good and bad (US) Presidents of the last 70 years

[Getao321]

nvm this post is pointless

[David Floyd]

it was Hitler who declared war on the USA, not vice versa...

No, you are correct. And it was the US that was attacking German Uboats, radioing their position to the British, and escorting British/Canadian convoys, as well as being a general nuisance to the Germans wherever possible. Hardly innocent, in any case.

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

Originally posted by David Floyd

He could have refused to enforce them.

True. I feel much better now for giving Carter a worse grade than Stalin. This despite my utter lack of insight into J.V's position on

[David Floyd]

And those WERE valid provocations for war, by the way. Attacking the submarines of another nation without a declaration of war?? We were total hypocrites for blasting the Japanese over Pearl Harbor.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by David Floyd
No, I don't make this claim.

You have in the past. Some nonsense about the embargo being an immoral restriction on free trade and the like.

[David Floyd]

Yes, that's true. It was an immoral restriction on free trade.

[Shi Huangdi]

Roosevelt- 4: gets some credit for WWII(though most of it goes to Churchill), however he undermined constitution, set up welfare state, turned down Jews fleeing holocaust, interned the Japanese, refused to support anti-lynch law

Truman-7: Decent president, nuked Japan, Marshall Plan, stood up to North Korea, hard line against communists

Eisenhower- 5: Didn't do much, continued hard line anti-commie policy, sent troops to Little Rock HS to enforce integration.

Kennedy- 7: Tax Cuts, Cold Warrior, handled Cuban missle crisis well.

Johnson-4: Handled Vetnam War badly, War on Poverty, tolerated attack on USS Liberty, but on the plus side was pro-civil rights

Nixon-1: EPA, bad Southeast Asia policy, began policy of detente, increased welfare state, Watergate

Ford-4: Pardoned Nixon

Carter-3: Stagflation, Incompetnent foreign policy

Reagan- 8: Tax Cuts, brilliant foreign policy. Was unable to secure spending cuts however.

Bush I-6: Broke No New Taxes pledge, but he did defeat Hussein

Clinton-2: Tax increases, showed moral cowardice in enforcing terms of peace for Gulf War, failed to respond adequately to bombings of US embassies in Kenya(should have gone to war against Taliban then), bombed an Asprin factory , vetoed Partial Birth Abortion Ban, perjury, failed Israel policy. however he did cut social spending and maintained balanced budget.

Bush II- Defeated Taliban, hawkish stance against Iraq, stood up to Europeans on international treaties such as ICC and Kyoto, has done good work going after terroists; no terrorist attacks since 9/11, Tax Cuts, Gag rule on foreign abortions, however John Ashcroft.

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

Originally posted by David Floyd
And those WERE valid provocations for war, by the way. Attacking the submarines of another nation without a declaration of war?? We were total hypocrites for blasting the Japanese over Pearl Harbor.

I remember there being lots of US volunteers for the RAF and the "Flying Tigers" - funny how one doesn't see the American volunteers for the Luftwaffe getting much press. That sends a message, even if it isn't 'official' US involvement.

[David Floyd]

Actually, there were many Americans of German descent who moved back to "The Fatherland" in the 1930s.

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi


Bush II- Defeated Taliban,


no terrorist attacks since 9/11,

Ermm... so far

It has only been 18 months, after all.

[Ned]

Roosevelt -- +10 (Unparalled success.)
Truman -- +4 (Marshall Plan +, Korea -)
Eisenhower -- 9 (Fixed Korea, peace and prosperity, Interstate Highways and Civil Rights)
Kennedy -- +3 (Screwed up everywhere in foreign policy and almost got us into nuclear war with the Soviets. He deserves high marks for his tax cuts and for his vision of landing a man on the moon. )
Johnson -- -10 (That's right, -10. Why? Vietnam.)
Nixon -- +6 (Showed a large amount skill in foreign policy, and ended the Vietnam War. But his major failure was imposing wage-price controls.)
Ford -- 0 (A complete idiot! Accomplish nothing.)
Carter -- -5 (A well-meaning idiot. Completely screwed up foreign policy. Inflation went out of control.)
Reagan -- +10 (A tremendous success across the board. Reversed of the decline that began with Kennedy and won the Cold War.)
Bush I -- +3 (A partial success with Kuwait. Tax increases! Read my lips!)
Clinton -- +7 (Success across the board in domestic and foreign policy, marred by his corruption and his impeachment.)
Bush II -- +9 (A mediocre politician that has risen to greatness after 9/11.)

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by David Floyd
It was an immoral restriction on free trade.

And a valid use of Presidential power as laid out in the Constitution.

[Six Thousand Year Old Man]

Originally posted by David Floyd
Actually, there were many Americans of German descent who moved back to "The Fatherland" in the 1930s.

But you see my point, I hope...

[David Floyd]

And a valid use of Presidential power as laid out in the Constitution.

This makes it moral how?

[David Floyd]

But you see my point, I hope...

If your point is that the Americans who supported war went and fought it rather than trying to force others to fight it, then I understand. If your point is "other", I fail to see the relevance.