Who is the greatest U.S President of the twentieth century and why??? (NOT a bash session)?

Question

I'm impressed, very thoughtful answers that aren't malicious.

Answer 1

Ronald Reagan

He stopped trying to appease the Soviets, and defeated them.

His economic policies brought us out of the carter "malaise" and are responsible for the strong economy we have now.

He made us proud to be Americans again

He was a true leader of a conservative movement, not just a conservative leader.

He wasn't afraid to stand up to an out-of-control liberal congress

He quit trying to tear down our military, and began to build it back up.

Answer 2

FDR I would agree with, Teddy Roosevelt was also good. The things you say about Reagan are right-on, but GW Bush has tried to out-Reagan Reagan in almost everything Reagan did, and I think he succeeded. Tax cuts for the rich, destruction of the public education system, unnecessary military adventures, lying to Congress and the American people. Bush makes Reagan look like an amateur! The only difference is that Reagan was able to convince people everything was okay. He was a much more convincing liar than Bush is. Harding was also not a good president, but he had one big scandal and he felt so bad he died! GW Bush as had DOZENS of scandals as bad as Harding's.

Answer 3

Franklin Roosevelt is the only contender. But FDR worsened the financial collapse he inherited from Hoover by raising taxes, pursuing a tight money policy and failing to rescind the Smoot-Hawley trade tariffs. It took Reagan, with help from Paul Volcker, less than three years to get the economy booming after the Carter-era malaise. FDR deserves hero status for helping to save the world in the 1940s. Let us not forget that victory cost 250,000 American lives. Yet without a shot, Reagan won the 20th century's other great fight against tyranny. In so doing, he liberated hundreds of millions of people

Answer 4

In order of significance, I would rate these Presidents as the greatest of the 20th century:
1. Harry Truman - he made perhaps one of the most difficult decisions that any President ever had to make, and he assumed full responsibility for the Japanese bombings;
2. Jimmy Carter - he gave up his re-election while he focused on trying to get the hostages released from Iran, and made a valiant attempt to negotiate peace in the Middle East;
3. Bill Clinton - he left office with a budget deficit, even under the cloud of scandal and impeachment;
4. Franklin D. Roosevelt - he had to deal with consequences of the great depression and implemented countless social programs that are still in place today;
5. Gerald Ford - he returned honor and integrity to the White House;
6. John F. Kennedy - he envisioned great things for America, and accomplished specific goals in his short term as President;
7. Dwight D. Eisenhower - he created a national highway system that revolutionized American travel;
8. Theodore Roosevelt - he gave us our wonderful national parks system, and understood the need for maintaining the delicate ecological balances between man, plants, and animals that allow us to co-exist in the Earth's fragile environment;
9. Herbert Hoover - he was left holding the bag - and blame - for the Great Depression, and tried to do what he could to salvage Americans from such disaster at a time when little could really be done;
10. George W. Bush - OH, NO - JUST KIDDING!!! -RKO-

Answer 5

Teddy Roosevelt. Before Roosevelt the Presidency was losing power. The Congress was taking the upper hand. The men between Lincoln and Roosevelt were all pretty forgetable.

I'd mention Truman too. He was the last President who took responsibility for his actions.

And don't laugh but Nixon. I know he ended in disgrace but he was fairly liberal President. His administration ended the war in Vietnam and re-opened relations with China.

FDR is way over rated. His New Deal wasn't getting us out of the Depression. It was WWII that got us out of the Depression. And he had America sit on the sidelines while the Nazi's were taking over Europe.If Japan hadn't attack Pearl Harbor and brought the US into the war the map of Europe might look plenty different today.

If you like history make sure you see the mini series about the Presidents that runs from time to time on the History Channel. Every time it's on I sit and watch it. Great stuff.

Answer 6

I would say Harry S. Truman. He was totally left out of the loop by FDR. He took office under the hardest of circumstances and made the tough decisions. Perhaps not all of them were the best, but most were. He was a straight talker who wasn't afraid to tell the truth. When he said, "the buck stops here," he meant it. One of his greatest accomplishments was The Marshall Plan.

Answer 7

I agree with lauren G. Franklin Delano Roosevelt raised our nation out of the October 9, 1929 stock market crash with the creation of The New Deal.

Answer 8

Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Creator of the New Deal, Social Security, and leader during World War 2. Along with many other accomplishments.

Answer 9

Maybe not the greatest but the most honest...Jimmy Carter. The man stood for what he said and never backed down on his beliefs. He was dumped by the party because he refused to be a party man. He has gone on to help thousands of people with his Habitat for Humanity program. He is the last honest politician to be elected.

Answer 10

Many for different reasons

Reagan...making a super power

Clinton...for bring a fresh younger more approachable face to government

Kennedy...a visionary