paul718
YaBB God
Posts: 4,012
Political Matrix E: 4.00, S: -4.35
|
|
« on: November 14, 2008, 05:51:08 PM » |
|
|
« edited: November 14, 2008, 05:54:09 PM by paul718 »
|
It's between Johnson, Carter, and Bush 43. Carter and Bush inherited a lot, and had more to deal with than other presidencies (i.e., Eisenhower and Clinton).
Bush wasn't a great President but he was right on the economy most of the time. And I say that by meaning he knew how NOT to do things (I don't think a President can actively make the economy "better". He can only actively make it worse). So he came into office during a recession (not Clinton's fault, IMO, just a natural cycle) and for the better part of his administration we've had economic prosperity. My only economic gripe with him is the fact that he couldn't control the Congress in his first term, hammering all the discretionary spending they wanted right through. And still, Iraq and the conduct of his primary agents (Cheney and Rumsfeld) were a huge error on his part and should not be easily forgiven.
Carter gets a bad rap. The world handed him a lot of garbage during his term. Economically, he faced significant challenges, but it seems as though every move he made was the wrong move and only made things worse. But I do believe he made those moves on principle, so I won't call him the "worst" President, but more of the wrong President at the wrong time.
LBJ, however, doesn't get a pass from me. Not only did he prosecute a war as incompetently as Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld, but he also decided it was the perfect time for massive social programs.
It's difficult to compare presidencies because they haven't all dealth with the same level of challenges, but my rankings going back to Ike would go something like this...
1. Reagan 2. Kennedy 3. Clinton 4. Eisenhower 5. Bush 41 6. Ford 7. Nixon 8. Bush 43 9. Carter 10. Johnson
|