Most Over-Rated President

[Nym90]

Lincoln. I don't ever recall a civil war happening under any other US president's watch

Dave

True, but the War was somehow Lincoln's fault??

I do agree that almost all "great" Presidents are probably overrated in that great success in life in pretty much anything always involves some measure of luck, but I think that's a pretty unfair criticism. Could've been tongue in cheek however on your part.

[True Federalist]

Lincoln. He caused most of our present race problems by keeping the slavers and their slaves in the union.

Can you imagine how bad conditions would be in the seven Confederate States had they managed to obtain independence without a struggle?
From my POV he kept the South from being yet another Brazil or Mexico with the only notable difference being that English would be the predominant language.

[Boris]

Lincoln. I don't ever recall a civil war happening under any other US president's watch

Dave

If you want to blame a U.S. President for the Civil War, blame Franklin Pierce or James Buchanan. Lincoln was merely the scapegoat the South used to secede.

[Colin]

Lincoln. He caused most of our present race problems by keeping the slavers and their slaves in the union.

Can you imagine how bad conditions would be in the seven Confederate States had they managed to obtain independence without a struggle?
From my POV he kept the South from being yet another Brazil or Mexico with the only notable difference being that English would be the predominant language.

Well the race and poverty issues in an independent Confederacy would be more black and white than in Mexico or Brazil, no pun intended. With only one minority race instead of the myriad of colours and combinations found in Latin American nations like Mexico would make the Confederacy a different entity. I don't even know if we have a country in the modern world today that would have the same sort of conditions as an independent Confederacy would have.

[True Federalist]

At the very minimum an independent Confederacy would likely have adopted instead of the one-drop of blood rule of Jim Crow, a distinction such as that used in apartied between black and colored, and might well have extended it to created separate legal classes for quadroons or even octoroons.  Plus there was the distinction between slave and free, not to mention the Indians.  I have no reason to doubt the inventiveness of the South in creating additional racial distinctions if needed to sustain the system that kept the planters at the head of society.

[Snowguy716]

Overrated? 

Ronald Reagan.

[Dr. Cynic]

Reagan is the most overrated President, although I will say JFK is alot too, but because he never finished his term, it's a bid harder to gage him.

[MaC]

Before reading this topic, I told myself, "now, I bet you anything that the liberals will say Reagan and the conservatives and libertarians will say FDR and Lincoln".

Boy, am I good.

Mr Sarcasm, who would you say is the most overrated?

[The Duke]

JFK? Not sure. He did achieve quite a bit in his short time in office - resolving the Cuban missile crisis, kickstarting the moon landings programme, the civil rights act, etc.

I'd say Reagan (sorry, D-Man!).

There would not have even been a Cuban Missile Crisis if JFK hadn't choked at the Bay of Pigs.

[Southern Patriot]

True, but the War was somehow Lincoln's fault??
[/quote]

Yes, the war was Lincoln's fault; He sent troops into the CSA. Had he never sent troops to take possession of military forts and "save the Union", the war never would have happened.

[Southern Patriot]

I'll go ahead and say it, I know someone else is wanting it to be said, but I think Bill Clinton is over-rated.
I do not understand his popularity, plus he never recieved a majority of the popular vote, only a plurality.

[Harry]

JACKSON

[Wakie]

Washington.  Yeah, I think he did a great job but I don't think he accomplished anything superhuman as a President.  Yet he is ALWAYS listed in the top 5 of US Presidents.

[jokerman]

Thomas Jefferson

[Josh/Devilman88]

Clinton, Lincoln, Jackson

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Lincoln. He caused most of our present race problems by keeping the slavers and their slaves in the union.

Can you imagine how bad conditions would be in the seven Confederate States had they managed to obtain independence without a struggle?
From my POV he kept the South from being yet another Brazil or Mexico with the only notable difference being that English would be the predominant language.

Well the race and poverty issues in an independent Confederacy would be more black and white than in Mexico or Brazil, no pun intended. With only one minority race instead of the myriad of colours and combinations found in Latin American nations like Mexico would make the Confederacy a different entity. I don't even know if we have a country in the modern world today that would have the same sort of conditions as an independent Confederacy would have.

Actually we did have one but not anymore. Pre 1993 South Africa would be like an independent CSA. The only difference is that instead of being a 90% black maority it would be a 55-65% black majority(I see CS whites as moving north due to the confederate economy'sd releative decline).

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Lincoln. He caused most of our present race problems by keeping the slavers and their slaves in the union.

Can you imagine how bad conditions would be in the seven Confederate States had they managed to obtain independence without a struggle?
From my POV he kept the South from being yet another Brazil or Mexico with the only notable difference being that English would be the predominant language.

Yes but its not my problem. I have no love for southron social conservatism, urban gangsta "culture" and southern culture. I'd rather they ad their own naiton instead of attempting to hijack the rest of the US.

[AuH2O]

Lincoln, FDR, Truman, JFK, Clinton.

Lincoln is champ though.

[Soaring Eagle]

I would have to say Reagan. Don't get me wrong, I think he was a good President, I just wouldn't come close to calling him "great."

[Bugs]

Jefferson, Jackson, FDR, Kennedy and Clinton.  Put Jackson at the top of the list.  Jefferson was at least fairly good at forging relationships, and FDR and JFK were good at inspiring confidence among the common folks.  Reagan and Clinton were both popular two term presidents who could have won a third term if it were legal.  I dislike Clinton for the same reason liberals dislike Reagan. 

[MasterJedi]

I'd say FDR, at least during the Great Depression because he didn't end it or even come close to doing it. During the war he deserves the reputation though.