I find it interesting that a post asking the simple and innocent question of "who is the greatest US president" turned into an expression of who is the worst.
I will answer this question as the author intended by stating my choice with a brief explanation of why, in my humble opinion, the person was above the rest. Before I do this I would like to say that most major publications and media outlets such as Time, USA Today and most recently CNN have asked such questions. Ronald Reagan most recently comes to mind as he was voted by the people of the United States as the greatest American ever. I think it fair to say that Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Wilson, FDR, and Reagan are the finalist. This question is one that is complex because you are juxtaposing human behavior and decisions to geopolitics for the past three hundred years. All had enormous struggle and all persevered. First, lets list the major accomplishments:
Washington
1. Greatest General in the Revolutionary War
2. In the company of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Ben Franklin et-al, was choosen as the best between them and given the office.
3. On Mt Rushmore
Adams
1. By most accounts the most responsible for severing ties with Brittan
Jefferson
1. Wrote the declaration of Independence
2. Louisiana Purchase
3. On mt. Rushmore
Madison
1. Father of the Constitution
2. Major author of the Federalist Papers
3. Father of the Bill of Rights
Lincoln
1. Preservation of the Union under the greatest internal turmoil
2. Chief player in the abolition of slavery
3. On mt. Rushmore
Roosevelt
1. Panama Canal
2. Square Deal
3. Sherman Antitrust Act
FDR
1. WWII (NO explanation needed)
2. Arsenal of Democracy/End of Great Depression
Reagan
1. Chief architect to the defeat of the Soviet Union
2. Highest Approval Rating
3. Supply side Economics "Reaganomics"
After writing that very brief and undoubtedly, incomplete, list of achievements I can now say that I have my choice.
Lincoln.
Can you imagine you persevered the United States, the greatest country or civilization the world has ever know, from the worst peril it has ever known. Once you vanquish your foes on the battlefield, you then show mercy, much to most of your sides chagrin, and unify the country. Oh yeah, you sort of abolish slavery as a side bar to that! Wow! In addition, you are assassinated before you ever get to run the US on a peace time footing.
In closing, how impressed are you with the James Madison. I bet some of you first reading my choices said "Madison?" How would you like to have as your epitaph: Father of the Constitution, Father of the Bill of Rights and coauthor of the Federalist papers. Wow!!!
I pick Reagan as #2
Originally posted by Lord of Murder
I find it interesting that a post asking the simple and innocent question of "who is the greatest US president" turned into an expression of who is the worst.I will answer this question as the author intended by stating my choice with a brief explanation of why, in my humble opinion, the person was above the rest. Before I do this I would like to say that most major publications and media outlets such as Time, USA Today and most recently CNN have asked such questions. Ronald Reagan most recently comes to mind as he was voted by the people of the United States as the greatest American ever. I think it fair to say that Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Wilson, FDR, and Reagan are the finalist. This question is one that is complex because you are juxtaposing human behavior and decisions to geopolitics for the past three hundred years. All had enormous struggle and all persevered. First, lets list the major accomplishments:
Washington
1. Greatest General in the Revolutionary War
2. In the company of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Ben Franklin et-al, was choosen as the best between them and given the office.
3. On Mt RushmoreAdams
1. By most accounts the most responsible for severing ties with Brittan
Jefferson
1. Wrote the declaration of Independence
2. Louisiana Purchase
3. On mt. RushmoreMadison
1. Father of the Constitution
2. Major author of the Federalist Papers
3. Father of the Bill of RightsLincoln
1. Preservation of the Union under the greatest internal turmoil
2. Chief player in the abolition of slavery
3. On mt. RushmoreRoosevelt
1. Panama Canal
2. Square Deal
3. Sherman Antitrust ActFDR
1. WWII (NO explanation needed)
2. Arsenal of Democracy/End of Great DepressionReagan
1. Chief architect to the defeat of the Soviet Union
2. Highest Approval Rating
3. Supply side Economics "Reaganomics"After writing that very brief and undoubtedly, incomplete, list of achievements I can now say that I have my choice.
Lincoln.
Can you imagine you persevered the United States, the greatest country or civilization the world has ever know, from the worst peril it has ever known. Once you vanquish your foes on the battlefield, you then show mercy, much to most of your sides chagrin, and unify the country. Oh yeah, you sort of abolish slavery as a side bar to that! Wow! In addition, you are assassinated before you ever get to run the US on a peace time footing.
In closing, how impressed are you with the James Madison. I bet some of you first reading my choices said "Madison?" How would you like to have as your epitaph: Father of the Constitution, Father of the Bill of Rights and coauthor of the Federalist papers. Wow!!!
I pick Reagan as #2
Good Post But I think you left out a vital kandidate Kennedy, I know he wasn't around for long but still he handle det Cuban crisis and he managed to make the cold war less cold only my Openion but I agree that Lincoln is the greatest President.
Most of the early presidents certainly do deserve recognition as Great presidents because they were in fact the architects of the early American Republic. However, the two greatest HAVE to be Lincoln and FDR for the simply fact that they led the country steadfastly and dutifully when the country was in the midst of its greatest peril: the Civil War and WWII, respectively.
I've never understood Reagan's stature with Americans nor do I think he should be mentioned in the same breath as Lincoln, FDR, Jefferson, Washington, Madison,or even Wilson. The notion that his leadership helped defeat the evil Soviet Empire is inaccurate on two levels. First, Reagan was in a sense a puppet that surrounded himself with very capable and intelligent people who basically "ran the show" and pulled Regan's strings. Second, the Soviet Empire's fall was inevitable. Communism as an economic doctrine and ideology was doomed. The fall of communism throughout Eastern Europe was a result of the Berlin Wall's fall that was the required spark to bring down the 'Iron Curtain'. Did Reagan's foreign policy buttress that fall? Possibly. But i think it would have happened regardless of who the president was.
Originally posted by Morgoths_WrathBest: Clinton
According to posters at KMC, who was the greatest U.S. President and why?and just for kicks…who was the WORST?
Why? Clinton did everything he promised. He made the country great. He might not be a good person, but he surely did everything he could for the country. Dubya did the exact opposite and has the record for ****ing everything up. Before Clinton things were shit, during Clinton things were getting better. After Clinton things went from being the best they've ever been, to the worst they've ever been in the shortest possible time. This was BEFORE Iraq!
Originally posted by lord xyz
Best: Clinton
Worst: DubyaWhy? Clinton did everything he promised. He made the country great. He might not be a good person, but he surely did everything he could for the country. Dubya did the exact opposite and has the record for ****ing everything up. Before Clinton things were shit, during Clinton things were getting better. After Clinton things went from being the best they've ever been, to the worst they've ever been in the shortest possible time. This was BEFORE Iraq!
I don't know. I'd put him at 2nd behind Lincoln.
Originally posted by Mr ParkerMore corrupt than Bush Senior and Reagan and FDR and Ford and Eisenhower?
thats hysterical that xyz thinks clinton was the best.I know that was meant as a funny joke. 😆 😆 he was the most corrupted right up there with richard nixon till bush jr came along.
Originally posted by Mr ParkerNo. Apart from the ridiculous Clinton scandals which make no sense, he was good. Most Democrats are.
I know your being funny. 😄
Originally posted by Lord of MurderNo, his aprroval rating was substantially low compared to those surrounding him.
Reagan1. Chief architect to the defeat of the Soviet Union
2. Highest Approval Rating
3. Supply side Economics "Reaganomics"
Not only that, but Reagan is a simple-minded lucky delusional neocon, who lies to his people and exagerates to control people IE anti-democratic. Sure, he campaigned for less government control, but he terrorised the public to support him. All neocons do.
Originally posted by bakerboy
For me, between Lincoln and Roosvelt.Both Bush, Reagan, Nixon and Clinton were jerks and killers.
yeah they sure were.anyone who talks this crap of clinton being one of the top 5 best presidents is clearly a fool.thats all documented how they were all killers.especially clinton.
Reagan was awful, the only reason he's considered the best is because of Fox News and sympathy votes.
The drug war was an utter failure. His economics lead to a recession that only the first war in Iraq could pull us out of, the fall of the Soviet Union was inevitable no matter who was in charge and it was during Reagan that we helped and/or keep Bin Laden and Hussein in power.
I'd go with FDR, he may have cheated on his wife and should have entered WW2 sooner, but he helped our nation through its depression and created government programs that would have made Jesus proud.