For President's Day, AOL posted the results of a poll to select "The Top 10 U.S. Presidents". There were some surprises, to be sure. George W. Bush ranked 10th. GW "Chimpy" Bush, 10th! Uh...WTF? Who did they poll for this list - a Toby Keith concert?
There were two presidents whose ratings were, to me, insultingly low. Thomas Jefferson at 7th? George Washington at 5th? W-T-F?!?!?!? How about these two are 1st (Washington) and 3rd (Jefferson) on MY list of best presidents. Again...which historical illiterates made these choices?
Bill Clinton ranked 6th. Cut through the hype from the left and the right, and Bill Clinton was a mediocrity as president, as were 8th ranked Harry Truman, 9th ranked Teddy Roosevelt, and 4th ranked John Kennedy.
FDR ranked 3rd. Franklin f'in Roosevelt! FDR did more to open the door for the unconstitutional intrusions of the federal government into every aspect of American life and did more to foment socialism in this nation than any president other than LBJ. FDR's policies EXTENDED the Great Depression, contrary to the popular mythology that FDR saved America from it. FDR sux.
2nd ranked was Ronald Reagan. Good choice. He's my 2nd choice as well. He didn't accomplish everything he set out to do. He made some terrible judicial appointments. But, on the plus side, he undid 17 years worth of national decline resulting from the policies of LBJ-Nixon-Ford-Carter (particularly Carter) and saved us from the ruination that would have been a 2nd Carter administration. He faced down and ultimate brought down the Soviet Union. And he REALLY pissed off the far Left, which makes the Vulture smile like nothing else. In fact, that's the ONLY thing I like about Bush -- he makes the far Left go bananas.
But the choice for 1st rank made my head explode. It shouldn't have; I should have absolutely expected it. There is a mythology in this country that Abraham Lincoln was a great man. The Emancipator. The man who Saved The Union. Hell, it's right there in the history books, so it must be true, right?
Rather than go on a 800-word rant here, let me summarize the reasons Why Abraham Lincoln Is the 3rd Worst President (behind Carter and LBJ):
- Habitually exceeded his Constitutional authority (suspension of Habeas Corpus, attempt to jail the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court)
- Coerced Maryland at bayonet point to remain with the Union during the war (against the will of its citizens, who wished to join the Confederacy) and kept a military blockade on the Port of Baltimore to "ensure cooperation"
- Fought an unconstitutional war to force the Confederate States to return to the Union
- Was a virulent racist who believed that Blacks were little more than animals
At least Woodrow Wilson (the 4th worst president and the father of "nation-building war" and the League of Nations) didn't make the list.
