Who is the Greatest President of the United States?

[Winston]

Just one more vote for "Other", and Reagan will be tied for first place.

[Kontiki]

I'll say Van Buren. You need more Dutch presidents.

Edit: I just found out that Van Buren prevented Texas from joining the US. Jesus Christ, no one can hold a candle to this guy.

[Bosh]

My vote goes to Washington. Most leaders who become great in times of war tend to outstay their welcome once peace returns. The American revolution was the start of a good thing, and Washington had the humility to step down and keep it that way. Compared to other major nations that had a change of government through revolution (China, Russia, France, to name a few) I'd say the American model has done unexpectedly well. Although many different great U.S. leaders are to thank for it, Washington was the first.

Exactly. 99% of leaders who talk about what a burden leadership is and how they just want to go retire on the farm are full of ****. Washington was one of the few who meant it and that made all of the difference in the early US. If pretty much anyone else had been President early on things could've gotten very hairy...

I'd also rank Eisenhower pretty high, if it wasn't for what the CIA did during his administration...

Lazy presidents (except Bush)

[MrFun]

Lincoln, because he made Texas his b!tch.

You know, you really do not embrace Lincoln's idea of, "charity toward all, and malice toward none."

[Sharpe]

re Coolidge

Yes, I did. The point was to bring out the quote that he had served for 7 years as president by 1928, and would have served more then a decade by the time 1933 rolled around.

Coolidge was President from August 23, 1923 to March 4, 1929 - that is only 5 years 7 months - not 7 years. LBJ was president for a similar period (3 months fewer than Coolidge).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Coolidge

[chequita guevara]

Edit: I just found out that Van Buren prevented Texas from joining the US. Jesus Christ, no one can hold a candle to this guy.

You make a compelling argument.

[chequita guevara]

You know, you really do not embrace Lincoln's idea of, "charity toward all, and malice toward none."

Like I care. He crushed the South without mercy. That's what makes Lincoln great. Other than that, he was a mediocre president and it's good that he was killed. He would have blown it with Reconstruction.

[Arrian]

Just in case anyone was forgetting your douchebaggery, you are kind enough to remind us.

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

Lazy presidents (except Bush)

Well, you could have rephrased: Lazy presidents & their vice-presidents who are just as lazy!

[MrFun]

Like I care. He crushed the South without mercy. That's what makes Lincoln great. Other than that, he was a mediocre president and it's good that he was killed. He would have blown it with Reconstruction.

You don't know how he would have dealt with Reconstruction. Late in his presidency, he started extending equal voting rights for blacks in Union-occupied Louisiana for starters.

What magic eight ball do you have that you can say forthrightly how Lincoln would have enacted Reconstruction policies, and based on such presumptions, write hiim off as if he would have been half-hearted, or even worse, with regard to fairness and equal rights for freedpeople?

Lincoln was much more than mediocre in other areas besides just the defeat of Confederacy. He believed in the principle of basic human equality, as stated in our Declaration of Independence.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Lincoln wanted what Johnson put into place (well aside from the wanting to be accepted by the Confederate elite thing and given them some preferential treatment). Lincoln wasn't interested in punishing the South, which is what che wants.

[Lefty Scaevola]

Lincoln, because he made Texas his b!tch.

Texas won the last battle of the War between the states, after Lee had surrendered.

[DaShi]

That's how insignificant they were.

[chequita guevara]

Lincoln wasn't interested in punishing the South, which is what che wants.

Really what I want is to troll Slowwhand, but he isn't taking the bait.

I did hook MrFun, but he's below the weight limit, so I have to throw him back.

[chequita guevara]

Texas won the last battle of the War between the states, after Lee had surrendered.

So you're worse than the French. You win and surrender!