Who was a better president in your lifetime?

Question

In the time that you've been alive, who was the best president and why? Who was the worst and why?

Answer 1

I actually loved Reagan and Clinton. Hmmm...how weird is that?

Answer 2

I'd have to say it was Clinton. He improved the economy and he was excellent at foreign relations. I also remember being pleased at the Brady Bill and the advances toward medical leave for pregnancy/child care. I know he left the office with an incredibly high approval rate, even after the Lewinsky scandal. I wasn't happy with him for lying about that whole thing, but I thought the witch hunt was over the top, useless and did our country more harm than good. I was a fan of Reagan also. I admired the fact that he was a devout Christian who realized the importance of keeping church and state separate. The current Administration could take a page from his book on that note.

Answer 3

The worst president in my lifetime (23)? That would be George W. Bush. Ballooning deficits, rights infringements, political cronyism, massive tax cuts... Ignore Iraq and you STILL have a good case for a terrible president.

Best? Bush Sr. He very courageously raised taxes, knowing it would cost him re-election, because it was the right thing to do. He protected American interests and power, while at the same time cooperating with the international community. He deserves a lot more credit for good statesmanship that people give him.

Answer 4

In order:
1. Harry S Truman - made tough decisions, visionary leader, practical. Integrated the military, made the decision to use the bombs to end the war (this is a contentious issue, I know), knew the limits of the constitution as well as its responsibilities.
2. Ronald Reagan - now I never voted for Reagan but in retrospect, he accelerated the demise of the USSR, brought a sense of purpose and pride to Americans.
3. William J Clinton - plagued by personality flaws, Clinton was a thinker - probably the most intelligent man to serve as president in 100 years. The finest speaker of the 20th century (with the exception of FDR).
4. Dwight Eisenhower - maligned for being a do-nothing president, he was the right man for the expansion of both civil rights and economic growth. A careful, thoughtful man.
5. Lyndon Johnson - the 1964 Civil Rights Act was pushed through by Johnson. This was absolutely needed to preserve the Union. States rights were clearly subservient to the good of the country. I feel Johnson was in a quagmire in Vietnam - he mistakenly kept building it up, more troops, more bombing. I think he was trapped, trapped by history, trapped by the fear of the domino theory that all of SE Asia would fall.
6. Gerald Ford - I remember when Ford was nominated after the Agnew resignation, I thought, "Oh no, not this political hack!" He had been the hatchet man for the GOP in the House but as president, he rose to statemanlike qualities. Many people blame him for pardoning Nixon but I think it was time to move on. The ngihtmare was over.
7. Jimmy Carter - placed somewhat high on this list than perhaps he deserves. No one ever suffered and micromanaged the government as did Carter. He was ernest and honest but that doesn't always work.
8. Bush Sr. - far the better president when compared with his son. Lots of strange baggage - CIA, business interests but his handling of the first Gulf War was masterful. But he should have gotten Saddam...
9. JFK - overrated, in my opinion. Very smart, but with less than 3 years, hard to judge. Handled the Cuban Crisis well but botched the Bay of Pigs. A higher class of sleeze than Clinton with his personal bearing.
10 Nixon - a paranoid, strange man. Allowed Kissenger to run the Vietnam war and was responsible for the Khmer Rouge take over (indirectly) of Cambodia. Watergate and the cover-up will rank as the vilest misuse of the government in teh 20th Century.
11. Bush Jr. The worst, most tone deaf, idiot to serve in 100 years. Politics is all, the country be damned. Iraq and the waste of fine troops and billions of dollars will be his legacy.

Gee, that was fun!

Answer 5

Reagan in his prime was by far the best. He was resolute and decisive and never saw appeasement as an option. Jimmy Carter was (by far) the worst President of the 20th century. He was a control freak with an inflated opinion of his own importance who was inept as a leader. He was easily taken advantage of by opportunists of foreign governments (e.g., Iran hostage debacle). He was naive.

As for those who mistakenly believe that Clinton "balanced the budget" and made the economy great, you show your inexperience and lack of knowledge. Wealthy taxpayers balanced the budget because of the burgeoning tax receipts from rising earnings (incl. capital gains). Simple fact is that Congress could not spend the extra money fast enough so we found ourselves with a balanced budget (no credit to fiscal restraint on the part of our government who never cut back on spending). Billy Clinton was an accident of history (the luckiest President) and was a spectator to the greatest wealth creation in American history. He has the rich to thank for all those tax receipts and did nothing to impact the economy other than to slow even greater growth because of higher taxes he and Congress levied (typical tax & spend Dem)

All government can do to assist the econmy is to lower taxes, otherwise they just need to get out of the way because it runs itself. The private sector will see to that.

Answer 6

The worse would have to be Mr. Carter because of the hostage problem in Iran that he did nothing about.
The best is hard for me because of the following.
Mr. Eisenhower ended the problems in Korea.
Mr Kennedy started the space program
Mr. Johnson got the civil rights going
Mr. Nixon ended the war in Vietnam
Mr. Regan helped end the cold war
Mr. Bush finished the cold war.

Answer 7

Clinton was the best, he brought this nation to it's pinnacle in economy, was decent with foreign relations and although he got caught in the oval office, lets face it.. most presidents have done that or worse.. most just don't get caught.... he's not my vote for best of all time, just of my lifetime.

Answer 8

In my lifetime (I'm 24), I'd say Reagan. Worst, Clinton.

Answer 9

Ronald Reagan had it right...bill Clinton disgraced the presidency

Answer 10

Reagan the best. Nixon the worst.
See, the best and the worst can come from the same party.