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The Worst President Ever

I think that the worst President ought to be judged by the harm that he did to the Constitution and to our democratic institutions.

For example, carrying out a secret foreign policy in defiance of the expressed will of the Congress, as Nixon and Reagan each did, should rank them near the top of anybody's worst list.

Bush's threats to our republic are so numerous and far-reaching that we may never recover from them. I don't know of any other Administration that did so much harm to democracy and individual liberty--the two things Bush claims to love most.

The Worst President Ever

I don't think "worst" is the corrrect word for a numbskull like Bush 2.

"Worst" implies that with a little "insight," Bush could/would "do something" about the "mess'o'potamia," as Jon Stewart so appropriately calls it! Dante had the "worst" sinners in Hell ("Opportunists") located at Hell's front door, lest the sinners in the "Juddeccai" might somehow exalt themselves. Bush is an opportunist, but he is also, in this retired paramedic preceptor's opinion, the most obviously "Ted Bundy-like," except for his choice of targets ("everyone," if there's a nuclear escalation to the current oil and war profits situation, instead of Mr. Bundy's taste for--female variety--human flesh).

No shame, always a "reason" for his activities, (though the reasons may change faster then a prisoner"s stained shorts when they're about to ride Florida's "ole sparky," (Bundy was executed electrically...).

And...Guiliani / McCain vs. Clinton/Obama? Reminds me of a time when Saturday Night Live was always funny!

The Worst President Ever

I'm responding to Nicholas von Hoffman's piece on whether or not one can call Bush II the worst President ever. Of course this is always an amusing and pleasant topic for speculation. Still, I was disappointed by Hoffman's light-hearted approach. It seems to me that there is a very real possibility that Bush II really is the worst and that the consequences of his actions--particularly the militarization of international conflicts--could be very grave indeed, not just for this country but for the millions who could be caught up and killed in those conflicts.

Too many political reporters treat the Bush Administration as business-as-usual, as nothing worse than a particularly bad moment in the ongoing process of American democracy. It isn't. We are living through a political disaster and not just in Iraq. We need to agree that something has gone very badly wrong, figure out what it is, and then try to fix it. That Bush remains just another figure in the rogues' gallery, someone we love to hate, demonstrates that in the end we are just as frivolous and irresponsible as he is.

The Worst President Ever

In assessing some of our worst presidents, Nicholas von Hoffman offers some curious breaks.

He is able to somehow absolve Grant and Harding of any responsibility for putting crooks in their cabinets. He also doesn't mention that Grant's administration was one long booze binge and Harding lacked the intellect to be chief executive.

Then, while praising Hoover for being "brilliant" and "decent," von Hoffman blames bad luck for the horror that blossomed while Hoover stood by. Sure, he didn't cause the Depression, but he did his best to do nothing to stop it--and that's probably why Hoover revisionism never really caught on.

And why neglect William McKinley? His and his advisors' approach to foreign policy reeked of the same arrogance and aggression we are seeing today.

Will the Watada Mistrial Spark an End to the War?

Imagine--a vast, corrupt system with infinite resources and power, stopped dead in its tracks by the simple, pure and morally unambiguous act of one courageous young man saying "No, I won't go--it's wrong," while reminding us of the the fundamental principles and rule of law upon which this nation was built, is a lush oasis in an otherwise empty desert.

Lieut. Watada is effectively asking Mssrs Cheney and Bush: "Have you no shame?" Revolutions have started with less.

The Worst President Ever

In the poll your site posed the question "Who was the worst president ever" I don't see the correct choice in our options.

I would prefer to leave the question open-ended as opposed to stacking the deck. Most people now don't know anything except what you printed about Harding and others, but they do know Bush.

They also know Clinton, Reagan, Bush Sr. so why limit the choices.

If you print this, I would be really surprised, just like I would if you actually printed a fair or balanced view of politics. I have heard it said that Pelosi has illegal immigrants working for some of her businesses.

The Worst President Ever

Because I have a Presidential name I have a shot at speaking my peace even though I know peace is not part of the current equation.

I can only say that never in one's lifetime should one have to encounter so much wrong, so many lies, so much distortion and all under the slick guise of decency.

The question is a no-brainer in my held opinion. Mr. Bush (notice I can not even call him President) is by far the worst, hands-down, without any doubt, yet I don't claim to be perfect, nor an expert, just a simple Christian.

The Worst President Ever

Interesting list, however you forgot to mention the two Johnsons.

Andrew Johnson set about undoing in peace the victory that the Union had won in the Civil War. The result of his racial policies is still being felt today. He should have been removed.

LBJ took us into a war that he did not believe in for reasons of domestic politics. The Great Society was a well intentioned policy that deepened economic misery for millions of Americans. We are still suffering the consequences of those actions. He gets lots of credit for the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act, but let’s not forget that the real catalyst for racial justice was television. When the good natured people of this country saw the reaction to the Brown decision in Arkansas and Mississippi, change was inevitable.

It may be too early to tell, but my worst three would be A. Johnson, with LBJ and Nixon tied for second. They left problems that will last for generations.

The Worst President Ever

There is no question in my mind or on my mind. George W. Bush is the worst man in the White House, ever.

He and Chaney have been the most incompetent, the most arrogant, the most corrupt and the most deceptive pair at the top.

If we do not change our Constitution into a Parliamentary type, we will lose our democracy and ere long we may have a Christian Ayatollah in our White House.

The Worst President Ever

Surely to the list of worst Presidents--with another big "wait and see” asterisk --one must add Ronald Reagan. Yes, beloved as he is, "end the Cold War" though many claim he did, the list of offenses he and his administration committed is long, worrisome, and generally goes unacknowledged.

Iran-Contra? Impeachable. His drug policy? Hopeless and shortsighted. Bad choices? The list of criminals and incompetents appointed by him and his administration is long and impressive. AIDS? Never heard of it. Creating, in essence, the ever- growing divide between rich and poor (and, coincidently, white and black) in the US? Would it have become so huge a problem without his Trickle Down Voodoo? The Cold War? Reagan simply bent the US economy as far as possible, and the Soviets decided they could not bend theirs so far.

The "Wait and See" is in how Russia resolves its issues in the decades to come, and whether the US can ever hope to avoid complete economic collapse. And let's not forget what he helped to do to Latin America and the Middle East. If there was a dictator to support, Ronnie was there. If there was a justly-elected Left- leaning leader to be found, Ronnie was there to arm fascists in opposition.

This man may have done more damage to the entire globe than anyone since Hitler -- who had help from Tojo and Il Duce. Poor Ron only had Maggie firmly on his side. Will his adoring public ever realize how bad he was? Will all his crimes and atrocities ever fully come to light? Will the damage he did ever heal? Wait and See. Meanwhile, there are still millions of Americans who truly believe Bush II is a great man. Wait and see.