The worst American President ever

[tumbleweed41]

Who, in your opinion, was the worst American president ever?

My pick is a tie between Andrew Jackson and Andrew Johnson.

Jackson for being the largest slave owner in the southwestern US at that time, and his genocidal policies towards Native Americans.

Johnson for his Jim Crow laws and his utter failure and divisiveness in Southern reconstruction.

Both of these men were also well known for using the Presidential office to openly defy the checks and balances of the three Branches of Government.

Other nominees on my list include Woodrow Wilson, Millard Fillmore, George W. Bush and John Adams.

 

[Tarheeler]

Thomas Jefferson also had a pretty abysmal run as President. While he was a brilliant statesman and politician, he oversaw the unconstitutional Louisiana Purchase and used trade policies that crippled the US economy, owed hundreds of slaves, and instituted policies that led to the Trail of Tears and guided federal policy towards Native Americans for most of the next century.

 

[tumbleweed41]

Thomas Jefferson also had a pretty abysmal run as President. While he was a brilliant statesman and politician, he oversaw the unconstitutional Louisiana Purchase and used trade policies that crippled the US economy, owed hundreds of slaves, and instituted policies that led to the Trail of Tears and guided federal policy towards Native Americans for most of the next century.

Not to mention he used Adam's anti-sedition laws against the Federalists rather than abandoning them.

Amazing how some of our Founding Fathers made lousy Presidents.

 

[Reverend Rick]

Nixon anyone?

 

[tumbleweed41]

Nixon anyone?

What, a power hungry megalomaniac?:yes:

Is he your top pick, or just in the top ten?

 

[Revoltingest]

Lyndon Johnson's Great Society was perhaps the most financially crippling program in history.
And then we have his expansion of the Viet Nam War.
Obama is hot on his heels as an economic crippler though.

 

[Cassiopia]

George W Bush.
The rest of the world never hated America more or respected America less than when Dubya was in power.

 

[Reverend Rick]

What, a power hungry megalomaniac?:yes:

Is he your top pick, or just in the top ten?

Top pick in my lifetime. :yes:

 

[Reverend Rick]

George W Bush.
The rest of the world never hated America more or respected America less than when Dubya was in power.

GWB was my favorite President.

 

[Revoltingest]

GWB was my favorite President.

More so than Reagan?
I'm shocked!
This is how I look when I'm shocked.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

I have an easier question, were there any good American presidents? I would have to say one of the better ones, and this will get huge disagreements, was FDR. Clinton was ok, too. I don't like any of the early presidents, because most were for slavery and the destruction of the Native Americans. Most of the middle presidents did next to nothing, save Lincoln, and most of our later presidents have all been morons. I think, had he not been assassinated, Kennedy would have been a great president, but since at least Carter, we haven't had a decent president, save maybe Clinton. Reagan and both Bush's were lunatics, and Obama hasn't really done that much, not as much as I was hoping he would. But he's not liberal enough for me, anyway. I liked Jefferson, but again, he had his bad points as well as his good. He was a great philosopher, but that's about it. I don't think we're ever going to really have a really good president.

 

[Falvlun]

I have an easier question, were there any good American presidents? I would have to say one of the better ones, and this will get huge disagreements, was FDR. Clinton was ok, too. I don't like any of the early presidents, because most were for slavery and the destruction of the Native Americans. Most of the middle presidents did next to nothing, save Lincoln, and most of our later presidents have all been morons. I think, had he not been assassinated, Kennedy would have been a great president, but since at least Carter, we haven't had a decent president, save maybe Clinton. Reagan and both Bush's were lunatics, and Obama hasn't really done that much, not as much as I was hoping he would. But he's not liberal enough for me, anyway. I liked Jefferson, but again, he had his bad points as well as his good. He was a great philosopher, but that's about it. I don't think we're ever going to really have a really good president.

I'm a fan of Teddy for his National Parks initiative, but that's not to say he was perfect either.

 

[Tarheeler]

You could always make the case for William Harrison being the best. Or at least not being the worst.

With only 32 days in office before his death, he couldn't screw up too much.

 

[Revoltingest]

You could always make the case for William Harrison being the best. Or at least not being the worst.
With only 32 days in office before his death, he couldn't screw up too much.

Oooooo....I like him!

 

[Reptillian]

Thomas Jefferson also had a pretty abysmal run as President. While he was a brilliant statesman and politician, he oversaw the unconstitutional Louisiana Purchase and used trade policies that crippled the US economy, owed hundreds of slaves, and instituted policies that led to the Trail of Tears and guided federal policy towards Native Americans for most of the next century.

I think it's easy for us to look back from our position of comfort, and place our judgement upon the men of the past. One can't idolize historical figures. You have to realize that they're human and products of their times. Yeah Thomas Jefferson held slaves, and Benjamin Franklin was a syphilis infested man-whore...but they achieved great things and were progressive in many ways in spite of their human failings.

Look at the Louisiana Purchase from Jefferson's point of view...he sends some people over to Europe to buy the port of New Orleans, and they later come back saying that Napolean sold them half the continent for the price he would have paid for the port. I also don't think you can place blame squarely on T.J. for the Indian Wars or the policy of Manifest Destiny...those are direct products of European colonial philosophy and medieval Christianity.

Nixon anyone?

I agree, if you're so awful as president that you're impeached and brought up on criminal charges...if the next guy in office has to give you a presidential pardon...you must have done something terribly wrong.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

James Buchanan was a disaster.

 

[gnomon]

Jackson, Wilson and Buchanan rank up there as some of the worst in my opinion.

But I would have to say Buchanan was the worst of those three.

 

[Revoltingest]

Jackson, Wilson and Buchanan rank up there as some of the worst in my opinion.
But I would have to say Buchanan was the worst of those three.

I don't remember Pat Buchanan winning election.
He might not be half bad as prez.
Oh, you mean.....never mind.

 

[Mathematician]

Best presidents:
- George Washington
- Abraham Lincholn
- FDR
- Eisenhower
- Willy Clinton

Best men who were presidents:
- D. Eisenhower
- Jimmy Carter

 

[Revoltingest]

Best presidents:
- George Washington
- Abraham Lincholn
- FDR
- Eisenhower
- Willy Clinton

Best men who were presidents:
- D. Eisenhower
- Jimmy Carter

I like that. Jimmy Carter seems a fine human being who just wasn't great as prez.