this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2024
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Depending on how the next four years go I'm on the fence between Bush Jr. and Trump but I'd like to hear from you

Edit:

Top 10 suggestions so far (unordered):

  • Andrew Jackson
  • Andrew Johnson
  • George W. Bush Jr
  • Ronald Reagan
  • Richard Nixon
  • James K. Polk
  • Woodrow Wilson
  • James Buchanan
  • Franklin Pierce
  • Donald J. Trump
(page 2) 50 comments
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[–] jeena@piefed.jeena.net 14 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)
[–] tetris11@lemmy.ml 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

(the upside down book was photo shopped l

[–] jeena@piefed.jeena.net 7 points 3 weeks ago

I think it does not make it less funny, everyone believes it because it's so in character.

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[–] ryathal@sh.itjust.works 13 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Trump is definitely in the bottom quintile, but also anyone putting him in the bottom 5 is just recency bias.

[–] zyratoxx@lemm.ee 12 points 3 weeks ago

Most people who argued for Trump said it's because of Jan 6th and his other felonies and that he was allowed to run again and became reelected (even tho a partition of the us citizens are to blame for the latter). I also think people already value him lower because of Project 2025 and out of fear what will happen during his 2nd term.

[–] saigot@lemmy.ca 11 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

Does worst mean:

  • least able to achieve their stated agenda, ie worst at their job. (Trump)
  • worst vision for America, ie most evil (Reagan)
  • worst overall impact to America, ie one you'd kill with a time machine (Bush Jr, but Trump might catch up in term 2)
  • Worst for the world, ie the one I'd kill with a time machine (Washington)

Although I'm not American and don't know your history that well.

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Idk I think Jackson beats Reagan there. He was the trail of tears guy. He ran on genocide against the indigenous peoples of the continent and delivered

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[–] Drewfro66@lemmygrad.ml 10 points 3 weeks ago

Reagan. Without a doubt Reagan.

[–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 10 points 3 weeks ago

It's Reagan or Nixon, no contest. Bush pales in comparison

[–] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 10 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Going for the low hanging fruit, huh?

[–] iii@mander.xyz 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm having a hard time deciding between grape and kiwi what about you?

[–] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] zyratoxx@lemm.ee 5 points 3 weeks ago (7 children)

Everyone loves strawberries

(But ngl I just really wanted to know what people would say. I find some answers very reasonable, others quite debatable. But I'd also be interested in what Lemmy thinks is the best president the US has ever had)

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[–] Yeat@hexbear.net 9 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

If we’re talking strictly the neoliberal era would it be too out there to say 1. Bush Jr 2. Reagan 3. Biden? All time though probably Andrew Jackson

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[–] yogthos@lemmy.ml 9 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (7 children)

The one that's presiding over a genocide and is currently trying to start WW3.

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[–] Someonelol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 3 weeks ago

James K. Polk. He went into a bloody war for conquest with Mexico to conclude Manifest Destiny.

[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.ml 8 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Wasn't it Nixon who sold the americans out? Or Truman?

[–] Taalnazi@lemmy.world 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Plenty of choice. In my view, most presidents were rambling reeking right wingers in some way or other, save for FDR and Teddy Roosevelt, who were the two presidents I'd actually call capable and outspoken on civil rights (rather than just pragmatical like Lincoln). They did have their blemishes, but less than e.g. Andrew Jackson.

So many presidents were terrible for one people or another.

Andrew Jackson? Held hundreds of slaves and quite literally led an ethnic expulsion against Native Americans (the Trail of Tears).

Lincoln? Mostly good, but did not forbid slavery in the form of penal labour. If one were to abolish slavery, why not go the full mile?

Wilson? Rabid antisemite, pretty much.

Hoover? Might've tried to tackle the Great Depression -- but did so by allying with large coorporations, effectively being corrupt and choosing bribery.

Truman? Dropped nukes and set the stage for "we support any government that hates people being remotely leftist".

Nixon - corrupt and wanted to sidestep the rule of law, all for his own profit: to stay in power. Other than thaf, decent, but that's a big "other than that".

Reagan - enough said. Ultracapitalist, misleading, made the US economy far worse by accruing debt like there's no tomorrow, and shoving it onto the poor -- typical oligarch behaviour! Militaristic, power-hungry. And no, he did not end the Cold War: Gorbachov did.

JFK: socially pretty good, actually. But economically, the cutting of the top rates made the richest keep more money. At least it wasn't down below 50%, but still. Had that happened, I think the tax rates would've allowed wealth accumulation.

And so on.

So, in my view, it's hard to focus on who is the worse, and better to rather focus on what is the best. Ted would be my candidate. Not only social progress, but also economical, and in a way that favour the worker -- and he also was environmentally aware. That is a good president.

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[–] dessalines@lemmy.ml 5 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Agree with most of the comments about jackson being the worst, but I'm surprised no one's mentioned Eisenhower and Hoover, who would easily go in the top ten.

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