Where Does Obama Rank In Your List of Best to Worst Presidents

[PJMcK]

18. That's a good list

Last edited Mon Jul 4, 2016, 08:54 AM - Edit history (1)

I'm with you, GusBob. President Obama has been the best president in my lifetime.

Dwight Eisenhower was in office when I was born, (I know, I'm old: there were only 48 stars on the flag back then!).

Ike did some pretty good things like the national highways and school desegregation. John F. Kennedy had more potential than accomplishments (because of his death) but he was an inspirational man who helped set the tone for social change. LBJ advanced Civil Rights and Voting Rights but escalated the Viet Nam war.

I agree with you that Richard Nixon was an evil, petty man but he did advance some tremendous issues for the environment and foreign affairs. But, you know, Watergate and that Viet Nam war thing again.

Gerald Ford was merely a placeholder till the good but ineffective Jimmy Carter (my first presidential vote!) had his single term.

Now we get to the second worst president, Ronald Reagan. His administration shredded our social compact, repeatedly violated the Constitution, nominated Antonin Scalia to the Supreme Court, destroyed the underpinnings of our economy and set our country on the path of hyper-partisanship that has resulted in our current morass. I yearn for the day when we can stop hearing how "St. Ronnie" was "the greatest."

George H.W. Bush was not much more than a third term for President Reagan's policies. There's one thing I'll give him credit for: in the First Gulf War, he built a truly international coalition, accomplished to UN-mandated goal of ousting Iraqi forces from Kuwait and mercifully ended the attacks after 100 hours when it was clear that we were not just winning the conflict but decimating Iraq's military. However, I believe he was guilty of treason regarding the American hostages held by Iran. And his economic policies were damaging to the middle class.

Bill Clinton is a mixed bag, I think we can all agree. Better that he was in office than George H.W. Bush or Bob Dole, though.

George W. Bush was undoubtably the worst as he was an incurious, lying moron who damaged our country in countless ways for years to come. It's been slightly cathartic that he's mostly stayed silent since leaving office. He was bad.

It was an amazing and thrilling night when Senator Obama won his first presidential election and I hope to have the same excitement this November.