Ivan Eland , a Senior Fellow and Director of the Center on Peace & Liberty at The Independent Institute has authored a book rating the the presidents according to their policies promoting (or not) peace, posterity and liberty. The rankings may surprise many (in particular #8), but should not. Any astute adult being alive and in full possession of basic critical thinking skills should have arrived at the same conclusion. Jimmy Carter was by far the most responsible POTUS the citizens of this Republic, in moderns times, ever elected . He attempted to slow this fiscal train of a government spending down in order to allow the US economy time for its debt heated, inflationary tracks to cool , but spendthrift Republicans would have none of that. The banksters that control the Republican Party wanted to keep the central banksters’ debt-fueled gravy train rolling, damn the cost to economic stability and thus the era of Wall Street Republicans “turning the bull(shit) loose” was born.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTcL6Xc_eMM]
“The second unhappy change in the American economy has been the extraordinary growth of our public debt. In 1970 it was just 40 percent of gross domestic product, or about $425 billion. When it reaches $18 trillion, it will be 40 times greater than in 1970. This debt explosion has resulted not from big spending by the Democrats, but instead the Republican Party’s embrace, about three decades ago, of the insidious doctrine that deficits don’t matter if they result from tax cuts.” – David Stockman
But, I digress. I am not seeking to create a singular debate on who was the better POTUS between Reagan or Carter, but to initiate and learn from a general discussion on the rankings of presidents according to opinions of others on which presidents throughout the history of this Republic served the best interests of all Americans. My personal choice for # 1 would be Calvin Coolidge and at the very bottom, would be Bush #43, who gave the banksters free reign backed by the full faith and credit of the American taxpayer which set the US economy afire with no money down, easy credit resulting in what perhaps may turn out to have been the catalyst to a global economic collarless. This debt device of financial destruction dropped by Dubya upon the global markets may turn out to be mega-tons more destructive than any misery the Anglophile Wilson could ever have visited on civilized society by dragging US kicking and screaming into the human horror story that was WWI.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwPG-7FTkyM]
Eland asks the defining question on the topic of who was the better president in the article linked below:
“Presidents cannot take credit or be blamed for what they inherit when they take office. If they at least try to move the country in the right direction – as Jimmy Carter did when he proposed a top-to-bottom review of federal programs and government spending, known as “zero-based budgeting “– they deserve more credit than presidents who go along with things that are wrong.
Indeed, Carter, who is underrated as president, reduced government spending as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) faster than any other modern president, began deregulation of many industries, and nominated Paul Volcker to serve as Federal Reserve chairman. He was The main architect of the “tight money” policies that helped trigger the Reagan and Clinton booms.” Ivan Eland
Recarving Rushmore: Ranking the Presidents on Peace, Prosperity, and Liberty
I have not yet read this book, but it is certainly on my (very long) must-read list. If you have read the book and are able to expound on the topic, please do so.
2. Grover Cleveland
3. Martin Van Buren
4. Rutherford B. Hayes
5. Chester A Arthur
6. Warren G Harding
7. George Washington
8. Jimmy Carter
9. Dwight D Eisenhower
10. Calvin Coolidge
11. Bill Clinton
12. John Quincy Adams
13. Zachary Taylor
14. Millard Fillmore
15. Benjamin Harrison
16. Gerald Ford
17. Andrew Johnson
18. Herbert Hoover
19. U.S. Grant
20. William Howard Taft
21. Theodore Roosevelt
22. John Adams
23. James Buchanan
24. Franklin Pierce
25. James Monroe
26. Thomas Jefferson
27. Andrew Jackson
28. James Madison
29. Abraham Lincoln
30. Richard Nixon
31. FDR
32. LBJ
33. George H.W. Bush
34. Ronald Reagan
35. JFK
36. George W. Bush
37. James K. Polk
38. William McKinley
39. Harry S. Truman
40. Woodrow Wilson
*41. Barack Hussein (Soetoro) Obama II
* my addition
I highly recommend “Recarving Rushmore.”
Most importantly it sets out sensible criteria for ranking presidents. Peace, Prosperity, and Liberty and how the presidents contributed to the American people’s enjoyment of all three, are author Ivan Eland’s measuring sticks for presidential greatness.
Understanding Eland’s method makes one realize that the traditional ranking of presidents appears to be by the War, Recession, and Repression standards. The more presidents have inflicted those agonies on Americans, the greater the establishment historians rank our leaders.
Others might say that traditional rating criteria has been by how much a president has expanded the power of the State at the expense of the people.
Recarving Rushmore is a most readable book that I’ve found myself looking into time and time again. It’s especially helpful for learning more about most presidents and comparing their administrations. If you want a copy you can get one used from Amazon for about $8.50 plus postage. Be sure to click on TBP’s Amazon ad to get to the site. JQ benefits.
Excellent post, flash. It will take me some time to process this one.
If they EVER carve monkey boy into Rushmore, I’m moving to Stucky’s home country of Austria . I love goulash…..I think that I could fit in.
Flash it looks like you have your work cut out if you want to build a consensus for this libtard shit.
Move over, Jimmy Carter: Survey finds Obama is the worst president since World War II
BY T. BECKET ADAMS | JULY 2, 2014 |
President Obama pauses while making an announcement about immigration reform, Monday in the Rose…
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. From Greek pillars and “Hope and Change” to this:
President Obama is now considered the worst U.S. president since World War II, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday.
The survey, which was conducted from June 24-30, found that 33 percent of registered voters believe Obama is the worst commander in chief since the defeat of the Axis Powers.
Surprisingly enough, Obama polled worse than former presidents George W. Bush, who earned 28 percent of the vote, and Richard Nixon, who polled at around 13 percent.
Former President Jimmy Carter received only 8 percent of the vote.
The survey found that voters give Obama poor marks across the board, a trend that can be seen in polls from just about every major research group.
The Quinnipiac poll comes at a time when the White House is scrambling to address several serious and persistent scandals, including the Internal Revenue Service’s admitted targeting of conservative groups, the deadly 2012 terrorist attacks on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, alleged corruption and widespread mismanagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs and the administration’s decision to act without Congress to trade Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for five Taliban officers.
Fifty-three percent of respondents in the Quinnipiac survey disapprove of the job Obama is doing, while only 40 percent approve.
Further, the survey, which polled 1,446 registered voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points, found that 54 percent of voters believe that the Obama administration is wholly incompetent and that those in charge are not fit to run the government.
No other candidate considered for the title of “worst president since World War II” polled worse than 3 percent.
On the other hand, when asked to rate the best president since World War II, a plurality of respondents chose Ronald Reagan, handing him 35 percent of the vote.
No other president considered for this category comes close: Bill Clinton comes in second with 18 percent of the vote, John Kennedy comes in third with 15 percent of the vote and way, way down the line, Obama comes in fourth with only 8 percent of the vote.
Every other post-World War II president came in with 5 percent of the vote or less.
For example, exactly 5 percent of survey respondents say Dwight Eisenhower was the best president since the Second World War, while 4 percent said Harry Truman. Three percent of respondents said Lyndon Johnson and George H.W. Bush.
But here’s the most interesting takeaway from the Quinnipiac University poll: A plurality of voters apparently regret the outcome of the 2012 presidential election.
Indeed, an impressive 45 percent of respondents actually said that the U.S. would be better off had former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the White House in 2012.
Only 38 percent of respondents disagreed with this.
Flash …. Is this your first posted article? If so, it’s a good one. Congrats to a self-confessed communist who appears to be having a change of heart, however minor. Oh, and you can really write better when you set your mind to it.
Now then, John Tyler as #1? WTF? “When the American Civil War began in 1861, Tyler sided with the Confederate government, and won election to the Confederate House of Representatives shortly before his death.”
Doesn’t sound like someone devoted to peace, prosperity, and liberty.
Lots of presidents get left with a bucket of shit from previous govts. How do you think the president after Obongo and Cliton is going to fare? Oops. And Clinton, man was he ever in the right place right time re economic growth.
Lots of presidents got a bad deal from what they were left with. Others fell in a bed of rose petals. Lots of luck involved.
SSS – did the Confederacy have the right to secede? I always have felt they did.
Not everyone who is dedicated to peace is a pacifist. Liberty is worth fighting for.
Washington is #7? Are you fucking shitting me? The guy SET THE TABLE in this country for peace, prosperity, and liberty. #1 by a country mile.
You can shuffle the cards on #s 2 through 5, but they are Jefferson (#26), Madison (#28), Truman (#39), and Eisenhower (#9). The numbers in parens are from the article’s listing.
The listing is absolutely bullshit. Martin Van Buren is listed as #3. Just fucking great. The architect of the Trail of Tears, which resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Southeastern Indians on their forced march to the Oklahoma territory is somehow #3 among our presidents for “peace, prosperity and liberty.”
Just fucking great.
SSS – Jackson was the original architect. First removals on the trail were the Choctaw in 1831. Buren did not take office until 1837. He did a good job continuing the policy, tho.
WWI changed the course of human history … for the worse.
Without WWI, there would be no WWII. WWII changed everything … for the worse.
Wilson got us in WWI for no justifiable reason …… that makes him THE WORST.
Shit-bags like Wilson make me long for a literal hell …. pitchforks up the ass daily, burning flesh, forever and ever.
Stucky says:
Shit-bags like Wilson make me long for a literal hell …. pitchforks up the ass daily, burning flesh, forever and ever.
You long for hell, Stuck?
Stucky …. agree.
Llpoh …. The Trail of Tears occurred during Van Buren’s administration. Stop trying to dump everything on Andrew Jackson, who so richly deserves your scorn. Jackson had many supporters AFTER he was president. One of them was the following president of the U.S.
“You long for hell, Stuck?” ———- El Siete channeling bb
Hell yes!!
Also, maybe even the Debil.
[/img]
[img
SSS – seriously, you are wrong re the Trail. You really think you know better than me? Bullshit.
The Choctaw were forced on the trail in 1831. The Cherokee, who for some reason are most associated with the trail, came several years later. Around 4000 Choctaw died on the trail, and around the same number of Cherokee. But the Choctaw were first on the Trail. And it was a Choctaw that coined the term.
The Trail was a result of the relocation act of 1830. Choctaw were moved first in 1831. The Seminole resisted. Etc etc etc.
It was Jackson. JACKSON. Key dates 1830, 1831 Choctaw, 1837 Cherokee.
Look it up and quit being a dumbass. Seriously, that is some kinda world class stupid to contradict me on this.
The name Trail of Tears sprang from a Choctaw who said it was a “trail of tears and death”.
I agree Buren was an evil mofo, but Jackson, if there is a God, resides in a very special everlasting hell.
Are you re-writing the scriptures, Stuck? Suggesting the Evil One is good?
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good–except God alone.
The Iranians most certainly celebrate Eisenhower for destroying their democratic republic (the first and oldest in the middle east), and installing Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as their dictator. No matter that we are paying for that mistake to this very day…
Thanks Jackson.I’ll now move Eland’s book to the top of my must read list
Sensetti -Flash it looks like you have your work cut out if you want to build a consensus for this libtard shit.
I could give a fat ratz ass for consensus, i.e. mob rule , which BTW is what empowers the psychopathic fools which play at administering this democidal farce of a Republic. The subject is who -in fact- the best POTUS this nation has ever seen and not who the MPAI voted fopr as the most popular.The herd will always be wrong , which is why Democracy is such a bad idea. The only way to save this Republic is by severely limiting the vote and that means not allowing morons a vote.
note Heinlein words:
“The America of my time line is a laboratory example of what can happen to democracies, what has eventually happened to all perfect democracies throughout all histories. A perfect democracy, a ‘warm body’ democracy in which every adult may vote and all votes count equally, has no internal feedback for self-correction. It depends solely on the wisdom and self-restraint of citizens… which is opposed by the folly and lack of self-restraint of other citizens. What is supposed to happen in a democracy is that each sovereign citizen will always vote in the public interest for the safety and welfare of all. But what does happen is that he votes his own self-interest as he sees it… which for the majority translates as ‘Bread and Circuses.
’‘Bread and Circuses’ is the cancer of democracy, the fatal disease for which there is no cure. Democracy often works beautifully at first. But once a state extends the franchise to every warm body, be he producer or parasite, that day marks the beginning of the end of the state. For when the plebs discover that they can vote themselves bread and circuses without limit and that the productive members of the body politic cannot stop them, they will do so, until the state bleeds to death, or in its weakened condition the state succumbs to an invader—the barbarians enter Rome.”
― Robert A. Heinlein
SSS says: . Congrats to a self-confessed communist who appears to be having a change of heart, however minor.
WTF when have I ever professed to be a commie? And hell yeah Tyler sided with the Confederacy because it was the proper thing to do… by natural law,those who enter a union voluntarily should also be allowed to withdraw from voluntarily from said union as well. No one in the nation cheers when a husband beats his wife to death because she asks for a separation , yet imbeciles of all sorts and stripes huzzah like drunken fools at a sports event over the Union’s mass murder of Southerners simply because those 11 states chose to separate from Lincoln’s Northern corporatocracy.
…and saying that if the history surrounding the events of 1865 had been different , my first choice for president would have been Jefferson Davis.
[img
[/img]
I’m laughing that this banter is even going on about “Presidents”. All of the above 41 were puppets of the global elite. Rothschilds and the other usual suspect have been financing, planning and profiting from war since before this country began. Presidents have no power over war and peace……..what a bunch of maroons.
Presidents are front men and nothing more.
Lloph-And Clinton, man was he ever in the right place right time re economic growth.
Clinton inherited NAFTA from that globalist snake up our ass, George the 41 and thus the giant suck off of US manufacturing began.
Sensetti ,Democracy is the worst form of government , but you don’t have to take my word on it.. other have had a say:
“A Republic, if you can keep it.” Benjamin Franklin
“Hence it is that democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and in general have been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths… A republic, by which I mean a government in which a scheme of representation takes place, opens a different prospect and promises the cure for which we are seeking.” James Madison, Federalist Papers No. 10 (1787).
“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!” Ben Franklin
“A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.” Thomas Jefferson
Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.
John Adams
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.
Winston Churchill
“The America of my time line is a laboratory example of what can happen to democracies, what has eventually happened to all perfect democracies throughout all histories. A perfect democracy, a ‘warm body’ democracy in which every adult may vote and all votes count equally, has no internal feedback for self-correction. It depends solely on the wisdom and self-restraint of citizens… which is opposed by the folly and lack of self-restraint of other citizens. What is supposed to happen in a democracy is that each sovereign citizen will always vote in the public interest for the safety and welfare of all. But what does happen is that he votes his own self-interest as he sees it… which for the majority translates as ‘Bread and Circuses.
’‘Bread and Circuses’ is the cancer of democracy, the fatal disease for which there is no cure. Democracy often works beautifully at first. But once a state extends the franchise to every warm body, be he producer or parasite, that day marks the beginning of the end of the state. For when the plebs discover that they can vote themselves bread and circuses without limit and that the productive members of the body politic cannot stop them, they will do so, until the state bleeds to death, or in its weakened condition the state succumbs to an invader—the barbarians enter Rome.”
― Robert A. Heinlein
Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
H. L. Mencken
“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
― H.L. Mencken
Dictatorship naturally arises out of democracy, and the most aggravated form of tyranny and slavery out of the most extreme liberty.
Plato
Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers.
Aristotle
Democracy is the road to socialism.
Karl Marx
Democracy is indispensable to socialism.
Vladimir Lenin
Obamney and his cohorts in the Rethuglican Party is stetting up their own trail of tears for US to traverse..take heed.
In 1887 Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the
University of Edinburgh , had this to say about the fall of the
Athenian Republic some 2,000 years prior: “A democracy is always
temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent
form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until
the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous
gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority
always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from
the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally
collapse over loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a
dictatorship.”
“The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations from the
beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200
years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:
From bondage to spiritual faith;
From spiritual faith to great courage;
From courage to liberty;
From liberty to abundance;
From abundance to complacency;
From complacency to apathy;
From apathy to dependence;
From dependence back into bondage.”
The Obituary follows:
Born 1776, Died 2016
It doesn’t hurt to read this several times.
Professor Joseph Olson of Hamline University School of Law in
St. Paul, Minnesota, points out some interesting facts concerning the last Presidential election:
Number of States won by: Obama: 19 Romney: 29
Square miles of land won by: Obama: 580,000 Romney: 2,427,000
Population of counties won by: Obama: 127 million Romney: 143 million
Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by:
Obama: 13.2 Romney: 2.1
Professor Olson adds: “In aggregate, the map of the territory
Romney won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of the country.
Obama territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in low
income tenements and living off various forms of government welfare…”
Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the
“complacency and apathy” phase of Professor Tyler’s definition of
democracy, with some forty percent of the nation’s population already having reached the “governmental dependency” phase..
If Congress grants amnesty and citizenship to twenty million criminal invaders called illegals – and they vote – then we can say goodbye to the USA in fewer than five years .
Zara , Carroll Quigley summed up Ike as an empty suit , who merely went along to get along. Dulles was calling the foreign policy shots for Ike.
https://ia601605.us.archive.org/8/items/TragedyAndHope_916/71Chapter68TheEisenhowerTeam.txt
Chapter 68 — The Eisenhower Team, 1952-1956
It helped win an election for Eisenhower in 1952. The candidate had no particular
assets except a bland and amiable disposition combined with his reputation as a
victorious general. He also had a weakness, one which is frequently found in his
profession, the conviction that anyone who has become a millionaire, even by
inheritance, is an authoritative person on almost any subject. With Eisenhower as
candidate, combined with Richard Nixon, the ruthless enemy of internal subversion, as a
running mate, and using a campaign in which the powers of Madison Avenue publicity
mobilized all the forces of American discontent behind the neo-isolationist program,
victory in November, 1952, was assured. The coup de grace was given to the Democratic
candidate, Governor Adlai Stevenson of Illinois, darling of the academic intellectuals,
when Eisenhower adopted Emmet Hughes’s suggestion that he promise, if elected, to go
to Korea to make peace.
Although not himself a neo-isolationist or a reactionary, Eisenhower had few deep
personal convictions, and was eager to be President. When his advisers told him that he
must collaborate with the … Right, he went all the way, even to the extent of condoning
Senator McCarthy’s attack on General Marshall. This occurred when Eisenhower, under
McCarthy’s pressure, removed from a Wisconsin speech a favorable reference to
Marshall.
Once elected, the new President reintroduced the Republican conception of the
Presidency which had been used in 192 1-1933. This conception saw the President as a
kind of titular chairman of the board who neither acted himself directly nor intervened
indirectly in the actions of his delegated assistants. Fully aware of his own limitations of
both knowledge and energy, Eisenhower allotted the functions of government to his
Cabinet members (“eight millionaires and a plumber,” according to one writer) and
expected to be consulted himself only in unsettled disputes or major policy changes.
FWIW, Reagan shouldn’t even be on this list.The only list he should have been placed on was the inmate list at a Federal prison for aiding and conspiring with enemies of these United States.
http://www.wrmea.org/1987-october/did-iran-delay-hostages-release-to-ensure-reagan-s-election.html
The arms supply contract Iran signed with Israel in March, 1981, less than two months after Reagan’s inauguration, was the payoff for delaying the release of the American hostages, Bani Sadr maintains. This is largely corroborated by a Washington Post report of November 29, 1986, that Secretary of State Alexander Haig gave Israel permission in 1981 to ship $10 to $15 million in US arms to Iran, and a 1983 statement by former Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon that the extensive Israeli arms dealings that began in 1981 with Iran were approved by the United States. There is no question, also, that the trickle of US and other arms that began flowing to Iran through Israel in 1981 led to a flood in subsequent years.
If the evidence from overseas points the finger squarely at the Reagan administration, evidence from the United States itself is even more damning. A July 7, 1987, article written for the political weekly In These Times by Jim Naureckas and Barbara Honegger, a worker in Reagan national campaign headquarters in 1980, described the “paranoid” fear of an “October Surprise” by the Carter campaign just before the election. “In late fall,” the two authors wrote, “the surveys still found the election too close to call. Reagan’s pre-election top pollster, Richard Wirthlin, predicted that a pre-election hostage release would boost Carter at least 5 or 6 percent in the polls, and as much as 10 percent—giving him a sure victory—if the release came before the campaign’s final week…But in the campaign’s closing weeks, the mood of high anxiety suddenly changed…’We don’t have to worry about an October surprise’ a jubilant staffer at the campaign’s operations center (told Honegger). ‘Dick’s cut a deal.'”
“Dick” was Richard Allen, and the deal apparently was a promise of arms in return for a delay by Tehran in releasing the hostages. A few days after the conversation Honegger describes, another Reagan campaign official, future CIA director William Casey, was sufficiently confident to tell journalist Roland Perry on October 30 that if something happened to give Carter the election, “it won’t be the hostages.”
It is no secret that the Reagan campaign had set up an elaborate apparatus to head off such an “October surprise.” It included a network of active and retired military personnel serving on or living near US Air Force bases who were prepared to alert the Reagan campaign to any unusual activity that might indicate a pre-election rescue effort. The network plan, concocted by retired Admiral Robert Garrick, was to abort the mission by leaking it to the press.
“Presidents are front men and nothing more.” ——- Bea Lever
Not George Washington. They wanted to make him King, but he refused. NOT something a “front man” would do.
I also love William Henry Harrison. He was Prez for one month, then died.
Stucky
Proxy king for the Brit royalty. You need to study up on old Georgie, he was not who you think he was. Many paintings in Washington will give you a clue.
The dead dude does not count.
a small step in on deprogramming oneself out the cult of Statism …worth a read.
The great historian of classical liberalism strips away the veneer of exalted leaders and beloved wars. Professor Ralph Raico shows them to be wolves in sheep’s clothing and their wars as attacks on human liberty and human rights.
Great Wars and Great Leaders: A Libertarian Rebuttal
http://mises.org/library/great-wars-and-great-leaders-libertarian-rebuttal
[img
?oh=7478e3e1702d9e5713db266a951a3147&oe=5564E1E4[/img]
Flash
I gave you more credit than this………..guess I was wrong.
Flash
9:55 post…………hmmmmmmm. Did not see that before I posted my 10:03 post.
Flash, we can say goodbye to the USA now. It has been dead for a few years now. It is all over but the shooting (not a typo). SHTF will be the start of Civil War II.
BL, I have no idea what carry on. you talking about , but it has anything to do with C&P don’t bother reading that which does not interest you. It’s that simple.
Flash,
Good stuff, appreciate the effort. The first seven presidents I have the greatest respect for, as they held the new country together against great odds. The two yankees were the best, next was the four Virginians and slave owners, then old hickory who was a slave owner and committed horrific genocide of our native Americans . Washington and Jackson were great generals too.
After the first seven I would pick Polk, Cleveland, and Truman as runners up. I use to have a much longer list, but then I found TBP, the shit throwing monkeys, and got sober about America.
Jefferson at 26?
Wow. Just wow.
Washington and Jefferson are locks for 1&2, Jackson #3. Kinda like teddy Roosevelt, but don’t know enough to rank him.
The list is going to be predicated, I believe, on how you view what the basic premise of the USoA is as opposed to who was actually superior to the rest in terms of leadership. There’s a world of difference between a leader, like Washington and a figurehead, like JFK. it appears that we have moved away from national leadership inevitably towards a managerial occupation.
THEN-
[img
[/img]
NOW-
[img]data:image/jpeg;base64,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[/img]
Last post on this thread from me.
1. Appreciate flash’s efforts and posting.
2. The list is absolutely ridicules … as HF and other pointed out.
3. Bill “Blow Job” Clinton at #11? Are you fucking serious?
I wonder how citizens of the former Yugoslavia feel about that!
[/img]
[img
Any list that doesn’t have that murdering POS Lincoln at the bottom ( followed by Bush and Obozo ) isn’t worth a crap . Lincoln had 750,000 of his fellow American’s killed….worthy of the title of “America’s Hitler ” .
I agree with HSF…Washington #1 and Jefferson #2….thumbs up to Andy Jackson ( an S.C. homeboy ) for stopping the Banksters from getting their hooks into our country .
I’m thinking most ya’ll missed Eland’s principle criteria for ranking the presidents.
Did they uphold the Constitution, and promote peace, prosperity, and liberty?
Eland on why he ranked several lower than some would like..and yes I tend to agree with Buckhead, Lincoln should be the very last on the list. And , having read a good bit on Washington, Hamilton and the Whiskey Rebellion., I think he deserves the 7 slot if not one lower.
Overview
http://www.independent.org/store/book.asp?id=111
Abraham Lincoln, often ranked as one of the three greatest presidents in U.S. history, helped to provoke a bloody civil war and then pursued it ineptly and brutally. The war nominally ended slavery, but for many decades African Americans experienced only marginally more freedom from bitter white southerners than before their emancipation. Peaceful alternatives to Lincoln’s policies might have achieved better results more quickly. Far from the being the number one president, Lincoln earns a low PP&L ranking of 29, placing him in the category of “bad” presidents.
Thomas Jefferson, although a proponent of small government, imposed a trade embargo that curtailed the liberty he championed rhetorically and led to starvation in America. His unconstitutional approach to making the Louisiana Purchase and his forced relocation of Native Americans to less desirable land farther west set bad precedents for acquiring new territory. Jefferson’s PP&L ranking is only 26, placing him near the top of the “bad” presidents category.
George Washington expanded the role of the federal government and the powers of the presidency beyond what most of the Constitution’s framers envisioned. He also set other bad precedents, including unconstitutionally crushing the Whiskey Rebellion. Washington earns a high PP&L ranking of 7, placing him solidly in the category of “good” presidents, because, despite his shortcomings, he had republican intentions, shunned becoming a king or dictator, and left office after two terms.
Barack Obama and George W. Bush are usually considered very different in their political outlooks and philosophies, but their policy track records show striking similarities. As for Barack Obama, this updated edition of Recarving Rushmore rates him as one of the worst presidents in U.S. history, ranking him slightly higher than George W. Bush. Like his predecessor, Obama has pursued ruinous domestic policies—including massive bailouts, Keynesian fiscal stimulus, nationalization of industries, and increasing public debt—as well as substantial infringements on civil liberties. Yet despite significant flaws, to his credit Obama has had the most restrained foreign policy since Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, making his presidency slightly better overall than that of George W. Bush.
If Ron Paul , Thomas Woods and Di Lorenzo thought well enough of Eland’s book to give it plug, It must be damn well written on.Can’t wait to read it.
“In the intriguing book, Recarving Rushmore, Ivan Eland reassesses the record of all U.S. Presidents based on the constitutional principles that each swore to uphold. While conventional accounts glorify the flagrant misdeeds of the ‘Imperial Presidency,’ this insightful and crucial book provides an inspiring vision for both conservatives and liberals on the crucial need to rein in White House power and restore peace, prosperity and liberty.”
—Ron Paul, U.S. Congressman
“Well-written and fascinating, Recarving Rushmore provides a long-overdue reassessment of the actual record of all U.S. presidents. Thanks to Ivan Eland’s efforts, the traditional classroom narrative of our ‘great presidents’ and their glorious deeds lies in well-deserved ruin.”
—Thomas E. Woods, Jr., Senior Fellow, Ludwig von Mises Institute; author, The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History and 33 Questions About American History You’re Not Supposed to Ask
“According to American historians, the best presidents are the ones who get us into the biggest wars, impose the most interventionist economic policies, and trample civil liberties by expanding executive power beyond what the Constitution permits. The more European-style fascism the better seems to be their criterion. That’s why Lincoln and FDR are always at the top of their lists. In Recarving Rushmore Ivan Eland makes a novel proposal: Why not rank presidents according to the traditional American values of peace, prosperity and liberty? Read this important new book and find out why John Tyler may be America’s greatest president!”
—Thomas DiLorenzo, Professor of Economics, Loyola College in Maryland; author of The Real Lincoln and Hamilton’s Curse
And , too Washington’s Freemason gig also made he highly suspicious of whether his sworn oath to the lodge took precedence over his allegiance to his country. After all , he’d already committed treason against the the Crown which he had once prior a loyal oath to British Crown.
But in all fairness, Washington did note in this excerpt from a letter addressed to the Grand Lodge of Maryland that Free Masonry could in fact be used for nefarious purposes… but the question is was it?
So far as I am acquainted with the principles & Doctrines of Free Masonry, I conceive it to be founded in benevolence and to be exercised only for the good of mankind. If it has been a Cloak to promote improper or nefarious objects, it is a melancholly proof that in unworthy hands, the best institutions may be made use of to promote the worst designs.
George Washington
[img
[/img]
“Proxy king for the Brit royalty. You need to study up on old Georgie, he was not who you think he was. Many paintings in Washington will give you a clue.”
—-Bea Lever @ Stucky
Well, I’ve read quite a few books about Washington by serious, dedicated biographers and historians. Not one described Washington as “a proxy king for the Brit royalty.” And if he was, he was the worst proxy king in history. I can just see King George III saying to Lord North, “Well, our plan on making Washington our proxy king in America isn’t working out very well.” Heh.
Anyway, I’ll bite, Bea. Since you imply that you’ve “studied up on old Georgie,” why don’t you enlighten the unwashed masses here on TBP with your wisdom and knowledge on old Georgie. We’re waiting.
Read my lips..
[img
?oh=91c4c9fcb8a350f826159a9791609693&oe=5567154F[/img]
I agree that jackson did us all a service by getting rid of the central bank, but the treatment of the native americans earns him a black mark with me. Lincoln was probably the worst. Every other country in the world ended slavery without a civil war, there is no reason we couldn’t have done the same. Another little factoid about lincoln thats missing from the traditional narrative is that lincoln made it abundantly clear that this had nothing to do with ending slavery, and that if states didnt leave they could keep their slaves. He knew people wouldn’t fight if this was the case. He ended habeus corpus, and used federal troops to enforce his will. Posse Comitatus was written to prevent future presidents from turning into lincoln. Wilson is the second worst. Without wilson involving the US in WWI, the entire century to bloodshed we have witnessed wouldn’t have happened. Ralph Raico has written several excellent books about this, and has an extensive archive on lewrockwell.com. The rest of the modern presidents have followed his example
Iraq did have weapons of mass destruction. I directly know a pilot who flew them out and was told to keep quiet. He’s never understood why and I sure can’t figure it out.
Bush still sucks though. A lot.
EF
“The Iranians most certainly celebrate Eisenhower for destroying their democratic republic (the first and oldest in the middle east), and installing Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as their dictator.”
—-Zara
The following is a snapshot of Iran’s democratically-elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh in the months before the coup. He HIMSELF was a virtual dictator, but Zara never mentions that, do you, Zara?
“By 1953, economic tensions caused by the British embargo and political turmoil began to take a major toll upon Mossadegh’s popularity and political power. The people were increasingly blaming him for the economic and political crisis. Political violence was becoming widespread in the form of street clashes between rival political groups. Mossadegh was losing popularity and support among the working class which had been his strongest supporters. As he lost support, he became more autocratic. As early as August 1952, he began to rely on emergency powers to rule, generating controversy among his supporters. After an assassination attempt upon one of his cabinet ministers and himself, he ordered the jailing of dozens of his political opponents. This act created widespread anger among much of the general public, and led to accusations that Mossadegh was becoming a dictator. The Tudeh party’s unofficial alliance with Mossadegh led to fears of communism, and increasingly it was the communists who were taking part in pro-Mossadegh rallies, and attacking opponents.
By mid-1953 a mass of resignations by Mossadegh’s parliamentary supporters reduced the National Front seats in Parliament. A referendum to dissolve parliament and give the prime minister power to make law was submitted to voters, and it passed with 99.9 percent approval, 2,043,300 votes to 1300 votes against. The referendum was widely seen by opponents as a dictatorial act, and the Shah and the rest of the government were effectively stripped of their powers to rule. When Mossadegh dissolved the Parliament, his opponents decried this act because he had effectively given himself total power. Ironically, this un-democratic act by a democratically elected prime minister would result in a chain of events leading to his downfall.”
I kick SSS in the nuts with my pointy, silver tipped boot, and he cannot even make the sound of one lonely cricket.
Damn, whatever happened to the good old days when it would have resulted in all-out war?
We must be getting old and soft.
SSS
There are history books and there are real history books. Flash pointed out George was a master mason. Spend some time on Esoteric Freemasonry.
George was not the poor country boy…..not even close. Washington was a direct descendant of Edward III and related to the Churchills. But hey, so is George W. Bush…..this is where you monkies start throwing shit….ALL of our presidents since 1776 have been bloodline descendants of Brit/French royalty.Yes, even Obongo is bloodline on his mother’s side. Barry’s grandfather was cousin to Winston Churchill.
We would have a better chance of being struck by lightning four times in the same spot than for EVERY president being bloodline since 1776.
There is one president that is questionable to qualify as bloodline but you should research this subject and legal ownership of us and this land by Brit royalty even to this day.
Llpoh
I was not aware of the Choctaw connection to Jackson and his forced removal of your tribe to Oklahoma. So I learned something. WTF response did you therefore expect from me? Silence or irrational denial. I chose silence.
Bea and flash
You two are a hoot. You bash Washington over meaningless, trivial bullshit like Free Masons and bloodlines. It’s what the man DID during his lifetime and presidency that counts, not who his ancestors were or with what organizations he chose to associate. Is it to much to ask you to look closely at Washington’s presidency, which de facto extends BACK to the Constitutional Convention, in the context of “peace, prosperity, and liberty” and judge accordingly?
Let me answer that question for you both. Yes, it is too much to ask. You’d rather grasp at nitpicking, irrelevant tidbits of history that have nothing to do with the issue at hand.
“He HIMSELF was a virtual dictator, but Zara never mentions that, do you, Zara?” —- SSS
And that’s reason enough for the USA!USA!USA! (via help from the CIA) to overthrow their government?
I’d really like to know if that’s a good fucking reason in your eyes. Or, do are you privy to some secret shit not available to us mere mortals?
SSS
The tooth fairy and the Easter Bunny will be by to see you later. Per usual, you are clueless and I don’t really care if you choose to live in never, never land. The smart guy would question the official story.
” … for EVERY president being bloodline since 1776.” ———Bea Lever
I think that smells like bullshit. NO! I am ot going to go and do research on every damn president’s bloodlines. But, given the time span of hundreds of years, and the vast diversity amongst our presidents …. well, it just smells like bullshit.
Also, there’s just six degrees of separation between any human on earth and Kevin Bacon!
SSS – I was hoping for irrational denial – that is much more fun! We need a new war around here. The natives are getting restless.
Re Washington, I think you are winning. Free Masonry? Seriously, they are using that?
I know some masons. None of them are president, or even rich for that matter.
Stucky
Prove it is wrong…..go ahead stick your feet in the water of truth.
Do you want to live in never never land with SSS…..time to wake up.