Top 10 Greatest U.S. Presidents

[Dpm12]

Last edited Mon Mar 30, 2015, 06:17 PM - Edit history (9)

My list:
1. Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865; R)
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Brought the nation together again following the Civil War, abolished slavery
2. Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945; D)
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New Deal, Social Security, leadership in WWII (the last necessary war we participated in)
3. John F. Kennedy (1961-1963; D)
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Saved the world from nuclear holocaust in 1962 by keeping a cool head and not going to war, created the Peace Corps, promised to land an American on the moon by the end of the decade, responded to Governor Wallace's stand in the schoolhouse door by sending troops to demand him to move
4. George Washington (1789-1797; I)
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Set the precedents and laid the groundwork for all future presidents, remained neutral to the wars raging in Europe, stepped down after two terms and refused to be a dictator
5. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909; R)
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Square Deal, regulating big business, improved labor conditions, created the minimum wage, conservation, created the National Parks system, etc.
6. Bill Clinton (1993-2001; D)
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Fixed the economy after 12 years of Republican rule and presided over the longest peacetime economic expansion in U.S. history, paid off the national debt, budget surpluses
7. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961; R)
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Presided over favorable economic conditions, expanded most of FDR's New Deal policies including Social Security, sent troops to Little Rock to enforce the integration of nine black students in a high school, warned against the military industrial complex
8. Gerald R. Ford (1974-1977; R)
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Made the bravest and most unselfish decision a president has ever made in the history of this great nation of ours: pardoned Nixon so we could get the Watergate scandal behind us and move on to other issues
9. Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809; D)
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Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark expedition
10. James K. Polk (1845-1849; D)
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Made the United States a coast-to-coast nation, walked into office with an agenda and achieved all of it

Now, list your top 10!

[Sherman A1]

1. I would have less Polk

and more Truman and Jefferson (Louisiana Purchase, Lewis & Clark)!

Not too sure I would include Ford or Eisenhower, but can't think of replacements just at this moment. I am assuming that you are not including the current office holder in your criteria as his term is not yet completed.

[Dpm12]

2. Obama...

...is not included because his term in office is not completed. But, I don't think he would be on here anyway. His presidency is average at best.

[Sherman A1]

6. I would disagree with your observation

regarding President Obama's term being average, but this is all opinion in any event.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

7. His presidency is "average"? I want what you're smoking.

[lovemydog]

3. My list

1. Franklin D. Roosevelt
2. Abraham Lincoln
3. Barack Obama
4. George Washington
5. Theodore Roosevelt
6. John Quincey Adams
7. Thomas Jefferson
8. Woodrow Wilson
9. Bill Clinton
10. Dwight D. Eisenhower

[Dpm12]

4. Good list! N/T

[ProfessorGAC]

20. Pretty Darned Close To My Top 10

I have Washington at 3, Jefferson at 4 and Ike and Wilson flipped. Also, i've got Clinton and Obama flipped. The lens of history may change where i end up thinking BHO belongs, but for now the impact of Clinton was a little more positive. Order of magnitude perhaps the same, just started at a higher place and there was no "war on terror" to keep up with. So, it started a little less negative and ended up more positive.

We'll see in two years, i guess.

Other than those minor differences, we're very similar in our lists. Probably for all the same reasons, too.

[lovemydog]

21. Very interesting ProfessorGAC.

I'd be interested in seeing your list with a short explanation of the positive achievements of each, if you get the chance. I might try and do that myself when I have a little more time. As you say, the lens of history will clarify things a bit more in a few years. I'm noticing that so many of the great ones didn't start wars and have great achievements that benefitted individuals in real terms and / or our country in the long run. Hope you enjoy a good day.

[ProfessorGAC]

32. Thanks, LMD

Is that a lab you have there? That's our doggie too.

[lovemydog]

40. Yes, it's a lab.

It's a stock photo from the avatars here at DU. I had a wonderful aussie shepherd / cattle dog mix for many years. I love labs and all kinds of doggies.

[HereSince1628]

5. Ok...

Based on seeking positive change for Americans
1. Franklin Roosevelt
2. Abraham Lincoln
3. Lyndon Johnson
4. Woodrow Wilson
5. Theodore Roosevelt

Based on contributions to American success
6. Thomas Jefferson--Louisiana Purchase
7. Dwight Eisenhower--Interstate Hwy System
8. John Kennedy--Space Program

Based on vision of human possibility
9. Jimmy Carter

Based on least damage done
10. George Washington--steered the nation clear of dictatorship
10. William Harrison--died in office before doing anything

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

8. Two of those presidents on your list owned slaves. No, thank you.

[HereSince1628]

12. Yes, many of the presidents are flawed

I'd knock FDR and JFK off greatness on character issues

Knowing that the persons aren't mythic heroes is why I stated where I though their greatness lay.

Jefferson owned slaves but he did do that Declaration of Independence thingy...which was of great significance to the nacent nation even if, as it was, it was constructed around horrible prevailing beliefs about who are men, and thereby how equal all men can be.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

16. Sorry. I'm black, so I can't include them.

[HereSince1628]

17. Why be sorry? It's better to be consistent

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

18. I take it back, then. ;)

[joeybee12]

9. While I realize this is subjective, I have to ask...

How the heck did Ford make the list?

[First Speaker]

10. My list...

...one to ten--JFK, Lincoln, Washington, FDR, Theodore Roosevelt, Jefferson, Jackson, Truman, Eisenhower, Obama. Why JFK as #1? Because he single-handedly kept the world from blowing up during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Anyone else would have given into the generals and bombed Cuba, thereby triggering Armageddon. That makes all other Presidential accomplishments secondary. And yes, I have slave-holders on the list. Why? Because history is a tragedy, not a melodrama.

[KamaAina]

11. Polk? And Ford?

Ford?!

[underpants]

30. Polk? Indeed. W's Iraq war closely mirrored Polk's Mexican-American war

Both were bloody land grabs. Polk sent Cav Scouts on a suicide mission to justify the war - W did it ass backwards (of course) using the needless deaths of American soldiers as a buffer for criticism against the pre-war lies.

[hifiguy]

13. Can't argue with the top five

though I would flip TR's and JFK's places and make room for Jefferson next.

[appalachiablue]

14. Top 10

1. GW
2. FDR
3. AL
4. TJ
5. JFK
6. TR
7. LBJ
8. IKE
9. JC
10. AJ

[Dpm12]

15. The reason I listed Ford

is because of his strong leadership skills, and unselfishness. The reason most people hate him is why I love him...pardoned Nixon to get Watergate behind us. Plus, he was progressive in his later years, would be thrown out of today's GOP. And lastly, I just like the guy. I look up to him as a role model.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

25. Democrats idolizing a Republican on a Democratic discussion forum? Again...

I shouldn't be surprised, as I'm seeing the embracing of slave owners and racists on this list.

[IDemo]

33. Hogwash

That pardon sanctified "If the President Does It, That Means It's Not Illegal". It did nothing less than set the US on the path we found ourselves on during the the Reagan and Bush years.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

19. Why would any Democrat have slave owners like Washington or Jefferson included

on their lists? I don't understand this.

Do you guys not care at all about the plight of black people in this country?

[NCTraveler]

22. While your point is not falling on deaf ears with me.

No president has ever stopped the use of slave labor to bring cheap products and even services to the American people. Not one. Slavery should not be diminished because the color of todays slaves do not always match our nations history and our understanding of the use of slaves. The current administration uses products assembled by those who can only be labeled slaves. Slavery has not been outlawed when it comes to bringing products to the American people. You are making a distinction between the actual owning of slaves, and the outsourcing and acceptance of using others slaves. One of those does not currently happen. The other is currently being used and accepted. According to your standards, can any President make your list? How about a President who benefits from and uses products by slaves owned by others?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

24. Take everything you wrote here and apply it to the Holocaust. Your words would not

be tolerated on this sight. But the racial insensitivity is not lost on me or others, and I should not be shocked by what I'm witnessing here on DU, especially over the course of the last decade or so.

The lack of empathy is real; it is shameful, and you ought to be ashamed of yourself.

[NCTraveler]

37. My words were not applied to the holocaust because......

we are not speaking of the holocaust. You make a distinction between owning slaves and using slaves. You believe that owning slaves sets a standard where said person cannot be recognized for any positive actions in life. At the same time, you hold the position that using and greatly benefiting from slaves does not limit the ability for open discussion with respect to great deeds done by said individual. I truly don't think I am the one displaying insensitivity issues here. I deplore slavery. That is the main I stand strongly against free trade agreements as understood by our government over the last decades. If you are holding the position that no conversation can be had about the positive actions of past Presidents because they owned slaves, you should be consistent and make the same claim about Presidents who use, support, and benefit from the use of slaves. Really is that simple. I personally think we should be able to discuss great actions of Presidents regardless of flaws. Those flaws should also be discussed.

[Dpm12]

38. Liberal_Stalwart and I have been

arguing about this and says I'm a racist who supports slavery. Not only am I black, but I told him or her a dozen times that great PRESIDENT does not equal WONDERFUL, FLAWLESS HUMAN BEING.

[NCTraveler]

39. Not sure why they feel I can't say...

That a President who took risks and worked to eliminate slavery, greatly benefiting society, also had a deplorable side as he felt black were inferior. I can't for the life of me figure out why they think that sentence should be stricken from any discussion. You would think they would want my thoughts next to Abe in history books over that of the pie in the sky stuff that currently exists.

[Dpm12]

23. Every president has their flaws

Washington and Jefferson owned slaves, JFK cheated on his wife with many women, FDR interred Japanese, Lincoln-while ending slavery-was a man of his time and still racist, Teddy Roosevelt shot animals for fun and was an imperialist, Eisenhower overthrew the shah of Iran and got us involved in Vietnam, Clinton got a blowjob from one of his aides and signed don't ask don't tell, etc. Every president is a person with foibles. I'm not saying these are all great men (most were hypocritical douchebags), I'm saying they were outstanding presidents who, for the most part, did great jobs. By your standards, we can't like both Jerry Lee Lewis and Charlie Chaplin because they fucked teens. While I don't approve of that, it doesn't change the fact that both men are geniuses in their respective medium.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

26. Slavery doesn't mean shit to you Democrats. So when we explain how we have

witnessed racism here on Democratic Underground, racial insensitivity, the lack of empathy for people of color, I will point to this post.

If you made similar comments about those responsible for the horrible atrocities committed against the Jewish people; if you made excuses for Hitler (because he was a 'genius'); or Mussolini (because the 'trains ran on time')...none of those things would be tolerated here at DU.

But because it's Negroes, you can make these horribly offensive statements that essentially reduce the importance of slavery and its continued impact on the lives of American blacks in this country, it's o.k. and acceptable. But it's NOT acceptable!!!

No! It's very offensive. Very racist. Very demeaning and condescending!!!

[Dpm12]

27. First of all, I'm black!

Secondly, not once did I say these are great people. If you read what I wrote, I said that most of them were douchebags and hypocrites. They were not/ARE not great people. I said that as PRESIDENTS, they did a good job. You do know that Lincoln, yes the one who freed the slaves, was racist and thought that blacks were inferior to whites, right? So, I guess you can't like Lincoln then. Just like ALL humans, me and everyone else including you, are not perfect right? These were men of their time. Doesn't make what they did right, but that doesn't mean that they didn't do good things too. Oh, and Hitler did do a few good things. He fixed Germany's economy after WWI, created the autobahn (a precursor to the Intersrate system here in the U.S.), made sure all Germans had radios, and created the Volkswagon Beetle. That DOESN'T mean Hitler was good, he was a terrible person, but you get the point. Michael Jackson raped kids, Jerry Lee Lewis fucked his 13 year old cousin, and Woody Allen married his stepdaughter. Does that mean we can't appreciate their art? Slavery was a horrible thing, no doubt about it, but that doesn't mean that Washington and Jefferson didn't do SOME good things. Without them, there wouldn't even be an America that we live in. Give them SOME credit. And, like I said, I'm black too, so there's no sense in playing the race card.

[Dpm12]

29. You are not reading ANYTHING I write

I AM NOT MAKING EXCUSES. I'm saying that no one is perfect.

I did not praise Hitler. I said he was a terrible person.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

31. You are blocked. I believe you are a troll. Goodbye.

[LanternWaste]

35. Possibly due to historical and cultural context...

Possibly due to historical and cultural context. For this same reason, we do not immediately dismiss Aristotle or Plato as great philosophers simply because they too rationalize slavery as part and parcel of the natural condition of man, nor do we minimize the achievements of past governments merely because they were monarchies which did not recognize anyone of less than noble born as fully human, or dismiss the achievements of mathematicians during the Golden Age of Islam despite their continued use and treatment of slavery, or the strides in astronomy of the Incas and Mayans even though they habitually sacrificed innocent people.

Though many historians recognize the Declaration of the Rights of Man as a fundamental piece of work in the post-Enlightenment world, the declaration did not revoke the institution of slavery, as lobbied for by Jacques-Pierre Brissot; much as we recognize the Magna Carta as a powerful and iconic status to modern governments and one of the first steps of the protection of the individual from the government, despite that it not merely allowed for, but also implicitly relegated the English serf to less value than a head of oxen.

Recognizing the importance and status of an individual, a government or a law does not deny the plight of slave or serf in and of itself... it does however, allow for two separate and wholly different conversations. If you still do not understand this at all, I suggest "The Greatest Minds of All Time" by Will Durant, "The Daughters of Time" by Josephine Fey, "Rise and Fall of the Great Powers" by Paul Kennedy to better educate yourself on the concept of context and how it fits into history.

[Dpm12]

36. Yea, I don't know what

Liberal_stalwart's problem is. I said these men were great PRESIDENTS, not great human beings.

[TheKentuckian]

34. Mine is

1. FDR
2. Lincoln
3. Washington
4. TDR
5. LBJ
6. Jefferson
7. Adams
8. Eisenhower
9. JFK
10. Truman