Who has been America's worst President?

[SPC]

James Buchanan -and this forum seriously needs some historical perspective.  As bad as some think President Bush is, I don't see him precipitating a civil war that took at least 2% of the population once it was finally concluded...   

The civil war was started under the Lincoln administration. He could have just let the South leave in peace.

[SPC]

James Buchanan -and this forum seriously needs some historical perspective.  As bad as some think President Bush is, I don't see him precipitating a civil war that took at least 2% of the population once it was finally concluded...   

The civil war was started under the Lincoln administration. He could have just let the South leave in peace.

They had no right to secede, and Lincoln had to preserve the Union.

I suppose you can explain why New York, Virginia, and Rhode Island ratified the Constitution only on the pretext that they could secede at any time? Or that the right to secede is protected by the 10th Amendment? Or that the United States fought a war to protect their right to secede from Great Britain?

[SPC]

I don't see the right to secede as being included in the 10th Amendment.

This is basic logic. If A (Any power not given to Congress is given to the states) and B (The power to secede is not given to Congress in the Constitution), then C (States have the right to secede). if you don't see the right to secede in the 10th Amendment, then you need a new pair of glasses. Plus, New York, Virginia, and Rhode Island explicitely ratified the Constitution under the pretext that they could secede at any time.

Or that the United States fought a war to protect their right to secede from Great Britain?

No, they fought a tax revolt that got turned into a revolution.  Independence was, except for a few Yankee hotheads, not the intent of the colonists at first.

Regardless, the end result of the war was that the colonies seceded from Great Britain.

You only have the right to secede if you can make it stick by force of arms.  (or the otherside just lets you)  It might not be right, but it is what it is.

True, which is why the Founders placed the Second Amendment in the Constitution. Of course, with our ignorant lawmakers, it would be better to enforce it through civil disobedience of corrent gun control laws.

[SPC]

Or that the United States fought a war to protect their right to secede from Great Britain?

No, they fought a tax revolt that got turned into a revolution.  Independence was, except for a few Yankee hotheads, not the intent of the colonists at first.

Aye. To me, the protestors always seemed like a bunch of E +9.5 whiners. They were getting a lot more from the mother country than they were giving it. But a few taxes? No, rebellion is necessary.

I hate the one-sided way in which our history textbook presented it (though, of course, that is to be expected).

Now you know how I feel when I read War of Southern Independence history from a textbook.