Who was the worst US President?

[cronxeh]

Who do you think was the worst past US President, and why? I personally nominate Richard Nixon, because, well because he was an idiot in almost everything he did.

 

[Townsend]

FDR for the New Deal...

 

[Pengwuino]

Worst President of the 21th century?

And I'm pretty sure... depending on what century you're talking about, have far too few names or far too many names.

 

[cronxeh]

From the choices available, if you had to pick

Oh and 20th century of course

 

[Pengwuino]

Well I really don't know anything about Taft or Wilson so I'm not sure what to say

 

[Manchot]

How on Earth did you decide to put Truman, Taft, and Wilson on there? Did you just decide to pull names out of a hat?

 

[rachmaninoff]

Where's Hoover? Where's Reagan?

 

[Pengwuino]

Where's Hoover? Where's Reagan?

I think he put all the names in a hat and just pulled 6 out

 

[Smurf]

I'm stuck between Hoover and Reagan... Okay Reagan's bad but you can't beat Hoover in Badness.

Too bad theír not on the list.

(who the **** is "taft")

 

[Smurf]

Definitely not Wilson, that guy was a hero. He could've done so much good for the world if congress hadn't been against him.

 

[cronxeh]

Well Reagan I'm impartial to because of his work on collapse of USSR, and he deserves respect for that. Truman for nuking Japan.

 

[motai]

(who the **** is "taft")

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Howard_Taft

The White House had to install a new bathtub for him...

 

[mattmns]

Yeah Wilson should be replaced with Hoover. What about Andrew Johnson?

edit.. Taft was president right after TR, I think 1904/1908. I can't remember him doing too much, but I know TR was disappointed with him and decided to run against him the following term, that is when Wilson came in, must have been 1912 then.

 

[Entropy]

Truman for bombing Japan.

 

[Manchot]

Truman for bombing Japan.

Well, the atomic bombs obviously weren't a good thing, but Truman certainly didn't take it lightly. It came down to two choices: either fire-bomb Tokyo (which would have killed 200K civilians per month) or drop the atomic bomb. When all radiation deaths are included, the two bombs killed fewer than that number of people, so if the war hadn't ended within the month, then there would have been more deaths (not even including military deaths). Was it an evil? Yes. Was it the lesser of the two evils? Probably.

 

[Entropy]

Well, the atomic bombs obviously weren't a good thing, but Truman certainly didn't take it lightly. It came down to two choices: either fire-bomb Tokyo (which would have killed 200K civilians per month) or drop the atomic bomb. When all radiation deaths are included, the two bombs killed fewer than that number of people, so if the war hadn't ended within the month, then there would have been more deaths (not even including military deaths). Was it an evil? Yes. Was it the lesser of the two evils? Probably.

Or just have done nothing. Japan's navy was gone and its forces shattered. Maybe they weren't a threat anymore?

 

[Smurf]

I know how to settle this. Pro's and Con's.
Truman
Pros:
Marshall Plan
Supported United Nations
Fair Deal*
Executive Order 9981
Cons:
A-Bomb
Second Red Scare
Truman Doctrine
Hydrogen Bomb

0

Johnson
Pros
Great Society
War on Poverty*
Equal Opportunity Act
Cons
Escalation of Vietnam
Dealing with MFDP

+1

Nixon
Pros
Space shuttle program
China Card - SALT I
EPA
NOAA
MBDA
SSI
Détente
Cons
Watergate
DEA

+5

I think there's something wrong with my system. :yuck:
Truman wins.

*I admit degrees of ignorance for these programs

 

[Skyhunter]

FDR for the New Deal...

Of the available choices I would have thought you would pick Taft. He was President when the 16th (income tax) amendment was passed.

 

[russ_watters]

Wilson would be in my top 5. I probably would have said Andrew Johnson.

 

[Townsend]

Of the available choices I would have thought you would pick Taft. He was President when the 16th (income tax) amendment was passed.

When I posted that there were no choices listed, just the question of who was the worst US president. So I said FDR...

I suppose from the choices that Taft is my pick for the worst just because of 16th amendment but I do appericate the fact that he established Yellow Stone National Park..

 

[Smurf]

Wilson would be in my top 5. I probably would have said Andrew Johnson.

is that a best list or a worst list?

 

[Pengwuino]

The White House had to install a new bathtub for him...

How is this a bad thing

 

[Lisa!]

I just know 1 president of 21th century and he's Bush! But if you're asking about 20th century, all of them! :uhh:

 

[Gokul43201]

I voted Johnson thinking that was Andrew on the list...only after reading Smurf's post did I realize it might as easily be referring to Lyndon.

 

[Smurf]

I didn't even think of Andrew... he wasn't in the 20th century though was he?

 

[Skyhunter]

When I posted that there were no choices listed, just the question of who was the worst US president. So I said FDR...

I suppose from the choices that Taft is my pick for the worst just because of 16th amendment but I do appericate the fact that he established Yellow Stone National Park..

Ulysses S. Grant was President when Yellow Stone National Park was established.

By Act of March 1, 1872, Congress established Yellowstone National Park in the Territories of Montana and Wyoming "as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people" and placed it "under exclusive control of the Secretary of the Interior." The founding of Yellowstone National Park began a worldwide national park movement. Today more than 100 nations contain some 1,200 national parks or equivalent preserves.

And Woodrow Wilson was the President who signed th act creating the National Park Service. So you can pick Taft as the worst President without any reservations.

 

[Skyhunter]

I didn't even think of Andrew... he wasn't in the 20th century though was he?

He was Lincoln's Vice President.

 

[Smurf]

He was Lincoln's Vice President.

... that's a "no" then right? Lincoln was like 18-something something.

 

[Lisa!]

I didn't even think of Andrew... he wasn't in the 20th century though was he?

You're right. He was 1865-1869.
PS someone please edit the poll question!

 

[deckart]

Any good US presidents? Or are you all just anti-US?

 

[Pengwuino]

Any good US presidents? Or are you all just anti-US?

The poll is about who the worst out of 5 particular are

 

[Anttech]

Or just have done nothing. Japan's navy was gone and its forces shattered. Maybe they weren't a threat anymore?

I actually aggree that Truman had no option, if he didnt drop 'em Japan wouldn't have given up.. And a LOT more blood would have been spilt on both sides... So it was the lesser of two evils

Any good US presidents? Or are you all just anti-US?

yeh Clinton... haha

 

[Pengwuino]

Oh god is this thread going to turn into another one of those Japan/nuke threads.

Just go ask Germany how Soviet occupation felt, end of discussion.

 

[Anttech]

Just go ask Germany how Soviet occupation felt, end of discussion.

Becuase Japan were communists and were going to invade china and create the People Republic of China...
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

 

[Pengwuino]

Becuase Japan were communists and were going to invade china and create the People Republic of China...
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I'm really not sure what you're trying to say. Are you saying the Soviet Union didn't declare war on Japan and wasn't attempting to move troops into it?