American History

» graynavarre - Anyone else?

In response to Anyone else? posted by pink101:

Hi, I am new, but I thought that I would jump in.

The best president was George Washington. When he was elected President, he had to establish and form everything, with little or no help.

He kept us out of war with England (and Austria, Spain, Holland - heck, half of Europe) when many, including Jefferson and Madison, wanted us to go to war to help France.If he had made one misstep, there would not have been a second president or a nation for Lincoln and FDR to save.

-- posted by graynavarre

» Brian Tubbs - Anyone else?

In response to Anyone else? posted by graynavarre:

New or not....I like you already.

» Brian Tubbs - GW

In response to Anyone else? posted by graynavarre:
Just to put the exclamation mark to what you're saying. Washington instituted the first Cabinet (it was not called for specifically in the Constitution), took action to secure the frontier (through both military action AND diplomacy), supported Hamilton's critical economic reforms which made America solvent, put down the Whiskey Rebellion, kept us from being embroiled in Europe's wars (which you pointed out), and established the two-term precedent. Of course, we're both just scratching the surface.
George Washington was the best!

» pink101 - William McKinley

In response to GW posted by BrianTubbs:
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McKinley hasn't been mentioned here as of yet. I figure he deserves, at least, honorable mention by the Republicans among us.
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Why was he shot and killed?
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-- posted by pink101

» Brian Tubbs - William McKinley

In response to William McKinley posted by pink101:

McKinley is one of the most underrated Presidents. He set the stage that Teddy Roosevelt grandstanded on. But McKinley's not your kind of President. He was a devout Christian, pro-business, and a quasi-imperialist.

» JohnCrandall - GW

In response to GW posted by BrianTubbs:

Well, I think there are two important aspects of the Presidency. One is popular support and maintaining the dignity befitting the office, George Washington wins in this repect, hands down.

The other is working with Congress to set policy and lead the nation ideologically. In this respect Thomas Jefferson was arguably the best, although world events as Napoleon led France away from his radical republican ideals somewhat tarnished his popularity, and and meeting international dignitaries in his bathrobe somewhat undermined his dignity although it punctuated his ideals as a first among equals even as President. The paradigm Jefferson put in place for the federal government lasted until the Civil War virtually unchanged, and as a residually important ideology until the Great Depression. The Jeffersonian/Madisonian Federal Republic is the government of America's rise to greatness.

-- posted by JohnCrandall

» pink101 - A Great Book

In response to GW posted by JohnCrandall:

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The Jeffersonian/Madisonian Federal Republic is the government of America's rise to greatness.
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That sounds like the theme of a great book.
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-- posted by pink101

» Brian Tubbs - GW

In response to GW posted by JohnCrandall:

We have to remember that Washington operated under a different model than his successors eventually did. Washington tried to remain ABOVE politics and delegate much of the political wrangling with Congress to his Cabinet secretaries.

(John Adams tried in part to follow this, but it was disastrous for him, since he was no GW and his Cabinet was more loyal to Alexander Hamilton).

It's easy in our day to assess Washington's dealings with Congress as being less than stellar, but Washington understood that the USA was in an extremely vulnerable situation in the 1790s. The country needed a stable, noble figurehead with a calm hand on the ship's wheel. Washington fulfilled that role.

And yet, he (like Eisenhower) was very instrumental BEHIND THE SCENES in getting a lot accomplished. He supported Hamilton's policies, kept the USA out of war with Britain, and successfully put down the Whiskey Rebellion (which, if unchecked, could have spun quickly out of control).

Washington also defined the office of the presidency, created the Cabinet system, and established numerous precedents that we today take for granted.

Looking at it as objectively as I can (and I admit I'm a fan), I don't think anyone can top Washington's claim to being our greatest President.

» Brian Tubbs - Jefferson

In response to GW posted by JohnCrandall:

Thomas Jefferson is probably Top Five and definitely Top Ten in our Presidents, but doesn't best GW. Not at all. Jefferson's first term was successful, but not his second.

Jefferson's greatest accomplishment - the Lousiana Purchase - was possible because he distanced himself from his earlier ultra-strict constructionism of the Constitution. (I say "ultra-strict," because they - including Alexander Hamilton and later John Marshall - were ALL strict constructionists of the Constitution compared to the judicial activism of today).

Jefferson's downsizing of our navy almost met with disaster, though. He was fortunate that we didn't get our rear ends handed to us by the Barbary Pirates. As it was, we almost did. He owes a debt of gratitude to the likes of Stephen Decatur and William Eaton.

» JohnCrandall - Jefferson

In response to Jefferson posted by BrianTubbs:

I'm not downplaying Washington, and hyping Jefferson, although he is my personal favorite. I'm saying that there are different aspects of the Presidency, and different Presidents have had different talents, styles, and ideals. I'd probably put Washington first overall if I was ranking, but I find it hard to compare the two as their talents, accomplishments, and styles were very different, so I prefer to rank them in two different categories. Would Andrew Jackson make your top 5? He was a great leader, but ideologically often confused, and from a historical perspective very difficult to like due to his treatment of the Indians, etc.

-- posted by JohnCrandall