There is some disagreement among historians about who will go down in history as the Worst President Ever.
"Was the lousiest James Buchanan, (pictured) who, confronted with Southern secession in 1860, dithered to a degree that, as his most recent biographer has said, probably amounted to disloyalty -- and who handed to his successor, Abraham Lincoln, a nation already torn asunder? Was it Lincoln's successor, Andrew Johnson, who actively sided with former Confederates and undermined Reconstruction? What about the amiably incompetent Warren G. Harding, whose administration was fabulously corrupt? Or, though he has his defenders, Herbert Hoover, who tried some reforms but remained imprisoned in his own outmoded individualist ethic and collapsed under the weight of the stock-market crash of 1929 and the Depression's onset? The younger historians always put in a word for Richard M. Nixon, the only American president forced to resign from office." Rolling Stone Magazine
Or is it George W. Bush? I now give you an opportunity to vote. Pick your favorite. You don't have to be an American citizen........you can be a citizen of the world. Vote for your favorite in the comments section. If you vote anonymously, chose a nom de plume to separate yourself from the others.
9 comments:
I vote for Bush--the effects of his collosal governing errors will last for generations.
Regarding your map puzzle, California, MD, is not quite as obscure as it sounds and would be a logical destination for a truck driver. Although California probably doesn't have many more than 10,000 inhabitants, it is one of two major support towns for Patuxent River Naval Air Station. a relatively unknown big deal.
A brief quote from a description:
NAWC Patuxent River continues to serve as the Navy's principal research, development, test, evaluation, engineering and fleet support activity for naval aircraft, engines, avionics, aircraft support systems and ship/shore/air operations. In addition the installation hosts the Navy Test Pilot School, and both NAS Patuxent River and the nearby OLF Webster host Unmanned Aerial Vehicle operations, all of which regularly use the installation's airspace complex. An additional mission is the detachment of the very high priority TACAMO mission (VQ-4 Det). Etc., etc., etc.
Now you know more than you ever wanted about "Pax River," as it is called, and why many truck drivers go there.
I vote for Bush. Corruption, graft, cronyism, blatant defiance of the constitution, spying on citizens, ignoring all American and international law and tradition, suspension of habeus corpus for detainees, torture, extraordinary rendition, undercutting or outright reneging on all environmental gains from the last 40 years, war crimes, invasion of foreign countries, giving corporations absolute freedom while cutting back severely on the most basic freedoms of citizens, voodoo economics, etc, etc...I'm not sure our country will ever live him down. I sincerely hope he is tries for war crimes after he is out of power. I will never forgive Nancy Pelosi for refusing to pursue impeachment.
By the way, I love your stories about your ranger days.
I had to think hard about this question of the worst President...having just read 1000 pages about the Civil War, I was reminded of the fact that Lincoln also suspended Habeus Corpus and there was a great distrust of him even by the Unionists...but ultimately, the Union was preserved...so he gets a pass.
Hoover was incompetant...but not malicious...he also gets a pass.
Lyndon Johnson was ruined by Viet Nam...but he tried to bring us "The Great Society" and got the voting rights bill passed...so I gave him a pass also.
For me, it's Bush (W) with Richard Nixon running a close 2nd. Both men completely subverted the political process of the country and trampled on the souls of its' citizens.
I hope tomorrow brings us President Obama and a Democratic Congress to support him. I will then begin to pray in earnest that he has a resourcefulness and stamina to withstand the "hightened expectations" that will accompany his presidency. Sadly, I think he will find it's a lot harder to please
"most of the people...most of the time" than on the campaign trail.
If President Obama(?) can choose the best possible people to advise him...then I think we will be in good hands...I hope.
With my fingers crossed...and plans to vote tomorrow (I can't vote early in SC)...I leave you for now. Luke
Luke, I can't imagine how South Carolina plans to accommodate the hoards of voters tomorrow. It will be interesting to see how the voter turnout in SC compares with that of those states that allowed "early voting" where it supposedly surpassed 25% - 35% by this weekend. Take a good book, comfy shoes (or maybe a chair), and a cell phone to report any PROBLEMS!!! Have fun, Nancy
I am not much of a historian or political science buff, I met Ike once when he came to our street with Mamie during his bid for re-election, I believe. As I recall there was a voting booth halfway down the block by the Sundell's house, Doug. Adele Sundell may have been the precinct chairman or something. I might have been five.
I remember Nixon, he was sleezey, dishonest and deserved more than he got. Lyndon Johnson was also a crook, read about his redistricting of Texas to allow him to be elected Senator ( I think), it was an article in the New Yorker years ago, but best of all I will remember George W Bush, who has profoundly ruined our country. I have never been able to watch him on tv or listen to him on the radio, he makes my skin crawl.
I am voting a straight democratic ticket tomorrow. I have no confidence that Obama will be elected but I hope with all my soul that he will be and I believe the rest of the world is with us. Leslie
Nancy - It took me 3 hrs....1 1/2 outside under the stormy sky and another 1 1/2 in the gym...but I got to a voting machine...and I am now an official 2008 Presidential election voter! My feet are killing me and I forgot to take water with me...but I am triumphant!
I have done what I can do...now it's that horrible time when we have to wait to see what everyone else did.
Enjoy Election Day! I know I'll be up late watching the returns...by tomorrow I should be a complete wreck!
Luke
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article5030539.ece
Don't know if the link translates. If not Google London Times Worst U.S. Presidents. Interesting read.
In my time it's Bush.
While I don't necessarily blame him for our current economic crises (Reagan) I do blame his administration for lack of oversight.
It's Iraq. His hubris as president has been intolerable.
He and others in his administration should face charges as war criminals.
I've just finished cleaning our back patio in preparation for a few celebratory cocktails this evening.
I believe we're about to get our country back!
Bill
I agree that Nixon was pretty sleazy but I have to give him credit for passing more good environmental laws than we have had to the present. Otherwise, he got what he deserved. I vote for Bush because no president in our history has done so much to destroy our good will globally, to put us at such greater national risk. He is the most selfish, self-serving, lying, murdering son of a b---h to ever be allowed into the Oval Office. And I say murder because none of those soldiers who have lost their lives in Iraq should have been there in the first place! I am so elated that Obama won but he sure is inheriting a mess!
Well it is a few days later as I respond to this question but Dan and I cast two votes for Bush. I cast my vote based on the environmental ruin (we can't join in the Kyoto treaty for some reason), the f-ing war and the f-ing torture.(I'm eloquent aren't I?). And Dan's vote will have to be explained by him, he probably has the historical knowledge to back up his claim.
Amy
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