Was Jimmy Carter the worst President in US History?

Question

The 1970s are described as a period of stagflation, meaning economic stagnation coupled with price inflation, as well as higher interest rates.

Price inflation caused interest rates to rise to unprecedented levels (above 12% per year). The prime rate hit 21.5% in December 1980, the highest rate in U.S. history.

The economy suffered double-digit inflation, coupled with very high interest rates, oil shortages, high unemployment, and slow economic growth.

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan marked the end of détente, and he did nothing.

From November 4, 1979 until January 20, 1981, a 444-day period, Carter sat with his thumb up my arrss while 63 americans were held hostage in Iran. 444 Days!

Unlike, GWB, when he ran for re-election he lost 44 states and was completely humiliated in one of the worst landslides ever.

He has spent the years after his presidency continuously putting his foot in his mouth. His support for Palestinian terrorists is pathetic.

Answer 1

Not even close.

That would be George W. Bush.

Also worse than Carter:

Nixon, Bush Sr, Reagan, and a host of others.

Answer 2

Well, America is not a socialist country, so blaming the government for the state of capitalism is a bit silly. All economies took at hit, mainly due a) to the unstable nature of capitalism and b) oil. I can't think where you are talking about Americas allies, unless you mean the fascist thugs who used to dominate South America. Yes, this democracy is so embarrassing. The Iran hostage crisis was exacerbated by the Republicans doing a deal with Iran so that the hostages would not be released until after Reagan was elected. Why is it an unwritten code to criticise a sitting President. Personally, I think Reagan was the worst President you people ever elected, and Bush was very unlucky (and bent). I am glad that America is becoming weaker - just look at the governments being elected in South America. By the way, why do you guys try and insist your opponents are dictators? This is bullshit. Putin has approval ratings any American President before Obama could only dream of, Chavez has just won another referendum, and I suspect the Iranian elections are more representative than yours. Yet, you keep mysteriously quiet about Saudi Arabia. You are such hypocrites.

Answer 3

I consider one of the worst presidents in American history to be sitting now. The Carter years were not great, but they followed the bad Ford years (no fault of his since he inherited the disgrace that President Nixon left him). President Reagan's great contribution was not the economy--I was an American farmer at the time. I voted for RR twice. It only cost me about $200 thousand each time. Reaganomics. Nevertheless, President Reagan brought back American pride. I'm glad I voted for him--both times, even though he made me poor. President George H.W. Bush was great. Seriously. President Clinton was also great, and could have gotten a lot more done if the Right wouldn't have been consistently trying to find dirt where none was. They finally got him for doing something many of the were probably also doing. President George W. Bush's Administration has simply proven that "Like father; like son," isn't always true. I think there might be four presidents worse than GW--Herbert Hoover, Martin Van Buren, Grover Cleveland, and Milard Filmore.

Answer 4

I am heartened to see that some people have chosen to understand our history. Carter, Bush, etc. may not be your choice for the best presidents of our history but we have had far worse. Clearly the Civil War was the greatest calamity that ever has come to our country. Those who were complicit in its creation (and there are several starting with Polk) are clearly far worse than the petty mistakes of those we have more recently (yes, including Carter and Bush).

For those of you who cannot see past the past 30 years, get a grip and read some history. You will not only be better educated but you will feel better about where we are and where we may be able to go as a country.

Answer 5

I do not understand how any one who has taken even an introduction to American History course can even begin to say any President other then Nixon was the worst.

The Man waged an illegal war in Cambodia, illegally broke into buildings and had to resign in disgrace. He was by far the worst President and will remain as such till some else is in the same position

Both Harding and Grant had administrations that were so corrupt that they would also make a list of worst presidents.

Bush and Carter were simply not good presidents.

But please read some history, because those who do not are doomed to repeat it



(Side note in the Disney World: Hall of Presidents in Liberty Square when the Lincoln "Robot" makes his speech he says "Our greatest challenge will come from within" (or close to that) if you look over at the Nixon (robot) it bows its head and looks away)

Answer 6

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Answer 7

At least in my life time he was and in historical terms most show him significantly near the bottom due to stagflation, the hostages, the move by the Soviets, and his general blaming of all that wrong on the public - the inflation, the energy crisis, and finally us voting him out (like we were to stupid to know how great he was).

Answer 8

I was of voting age and I did not vote for Carter. As it turns out I made the right choice unfortunately the majority of Americans picked Carter. I remember him sitting in the Oval Office to give a speech to the American people with a sweater on telling us we needed to conserve energy (the oil embargo was also on his watch) I remember interest rates on homes going to 18,19, and 20%. Mostly I remember the hostages, I remember that when Iran found out a Republican was coming into office they quickly negioated a way to send them home. Now, the man critizes the current President something no other former President has ever done. He is a rude nasty man who needs to close his pie hole. He may not be the worse President, as there are some who were total crooks, but he is definitely in contention.

Answer 9

Carter supports terrorists? Really? Can I get an introduction to your drug dealer. You're obviously smoking better stuff than I could get in the 70's.

Carter did zero about the Soviets invading Afghanistan because it was the right thing to do. The Afghans threw the Soviets out.

Regarding the hostages, what would YOU do, Slick? Invade Iran, thus insuring their deaths plus the deaths of thousands of American soldiers (you know, kinda like that little quagmire called Iraq)?

And, apparently you forgot the rescue mission Carter initiated that failed due to technical malfunctions.

Carter had nothing to do with rising oil prices but the oil prices had everything to do with the poor economy during his Presidency.

Carter, who is of a different faith than me, is a man who lives his religion, something I see damn few conservatives do. He's not putting his foot in his mouth, he's living his faith.

That he lost in a landslide is a testament to the enduring lack of education of the American voting public.

The worst "President" in our history is easily the pathetic George W. Bush.

Second worst: the paranoid Nixon.

Third worst: Reagan.

As one of the people in his administration remarked "The battle for the mind of Ronald Reagan was like the trench warfare of World War I: Never have so many fought so hard for such barren terrain."

Answer 10

President William Henry Harrison died before he really was able to execute any duties as president. He may be the worst.

William McKinnley bowed to Jingoism and the yellow journalism tactics of Hearst and Pulitzer to recommend to Congress to declare war on Spain because of the sinking of The Main in a Cuban harbor, despite the fact that prior to going before Congress, he had read a letter from the King of Spain denying the misdead, but offering unconditional surrender.

Warren G. Harding: Associated with crooks, and was a hair's breadth of being impeached for the oil leases/tempest in the teapot dome scandal, if he had not died in office.

Richard Millhouse Nixon: Lied, cheated, deprived citizens of their civil liberties, YES, HE WAS A CROOK! Should have been impeached, but was saved by gentle Gerald Ford.

George W. Bush: Incompetent, reactionary, ill-advised.

Answer 11

Yes you are probably correct but he is right about one thing....the support for the Palestinians who deserve a homeland that has been occupied since 1967. Regardless of what you think, they had a legitimate country called Palestine and if you are saying all of them are terrorists, then I can say alot more about American not to mention the bloody British.