Presidents' Day!
Every once in a while I enjoy looking at these Presidential polls. Now when I say this, I don't mean election polls. Everyone looks at those. No, I look at the presidential rankings, which mean even less, unless they are public polls, and then they show just how great of a failure the public school system is in this country.
Take for instance this new poll from Gallup, which asks if you "could bring back any U.S. president, living or dead, to be the next leader of this country who it would be?"
Well, the results are in:
1.) John F Kennedy 23%
2.) Ronald Reagan 22%
3.) Bill Clinton 13%
4.) Abraham Lincoln 10%
5.) Franklin Roosevelt 8%
Jack Cafferty of CNN is posing this question to CNN watchers specifically. Here are a few choice answers:
"I think Franklin Roosevelt could probably clean up this financial mess and restore our country to full employment. He was attacked by conservatives for his social programs, just like Democrats today are attacked. But his programs worked, and to this day they help stabalize our economy and prevent economic chaos such as the Great Depression. But in this political climate, he would be ‘Swift Boated’ righty off the campaign trail."
Yes, except the programs didn't work and we only got out of the Depression because of WW2 and that wonderful thing called the Military Industrial Complex that the Liberals hate so much now. Not to mention that whole attempt to stuff the Supreme Court. I wonder how that would fly today?
"George Washington. He knew how the English and their religion did to politics and he knew that was not the way too go and as you see religion is trying to get their bed back in politics."
Uh wha?
"Jack, It would have to be JFK. The younger generations already feels the excitement by Sen Obama that brings and the older generation felt it previously w/JFK. JFK was an influential leader with the same charisma that Sen Obama brings to the table. That’s a magnetic trigger to bring parties together - because everybody wins & moves in a positive direction (and Lord knows this country needs it now more than ever after these last 7 years)"
and
"John F. Kennedy of course! He rallied the American people, it would be nice to remember what it feels like to have the people represented instead of Corp. America. Oh, for the good ole days!!!!!!"
and even worse...
"JACK’ once again you are asking a simple question, JOHN F. KENNEDY is without a doubt the best president that this country has ever had. The sad part about that is the fact that he did not even get to finish out his term. What does that say about the rest of the president’s that did, some even had two terms and what do we have to show for that, Please dont get me started!"
Right, because JFK did a whole lot while in office right? Never mind that he got assassinated for a moment. Just think about what he did for a moment. First of all, he was a Cold War Hawk - Bay of Pigs ring any bells? Vietnam? He waited on civil rights and when he finally sprung into action he couldn't get his bill through Congress because he apparently was not as great of a charismatic and uniting force as people give him credit for. The controversial LBJ got that bill through Congress.
"Bill Clinton would be the only past president that I could consider, When you thinks of the prosperity that we enjoyed during his tenure He lead this country and had to continue to fight with the republicans all the way, and still done a better job than any of them could do."
He sure done did.
So there you have it. Be proud America. Our best Presidents forgotten in the veneer of Camelot or supported for misguided reasons.
Oh, to be fair, their were some well thought out responses about Teddy and Truman (a lot for him actually).
My choice:
James K. Polk
Why? He accomplished the four major goals of his platform in one term and then left office. And I don't even like him...
Take for instance this new poll from Gallup, which asks if you "could bring back any U.S. president, living or dead, to be the next leader of this country who it would be?"
Well, the results are in:
1.) John F Kennedy 23%
2.) Ronald Reagan 22%
3.) Bill Clinton 13%
4.) Abraham Lincoln 10%
5.) Franklin Roosevelt 8%
Jack Cafferty of CNN is posing this question to CNN watchers specifically. Here are a few choice answers:
"I think Franklin Roosevelt could probably clean up this financial mess and restore our country to full employment. He was attacked by conservatives for his social programs, just like Democrats today are attacked. But his programs worked, and to this day they help stabalize our economy and prevent economic chaos such as the Great Depression. But in this political climate, he would be ‘Swift Boated’ righty off the campaign trail."
Yes, except the programs didn't work and we only got out of the Depression because of WW2 and that wonderful thing called the Military Industrial Complex that the Liberals hate so much now. Not to mention that whole attempt to stuff the Supreme Court. I wonder how that would fly today?
"George Washington. He knew how the English and their religion did to politics and he knew that was not the way too go and as you see religion is trying to get their bed back in politics."
Uh wha?
"Jack, It would have to be JFK. The younger generations already feels the excitement by Sen Obama that brings and the older generation felt it previously w/JFK. JFK was an influential leader with the same charisma that Sen Obama brings to the table. That’s a magnetic trigger to bring parties together - because everybody wins & moves in a positive direction (and Lord knows this country needs it now more than ever after these last 7 years)"
and
"John F. Kennedy of course! He rallied the American people, it would be nice to remember what it feels like to have the people represented instead of Corp. America. Oh, for the good ole days!!!!!!"
and even worse...
"JACK’ once again you are asking a simple question, JOHN F. KENNEDY is without a doubt the best president that this country has ever had. The sad part about that is the fact that he did not even get to finish out his term. What does that say about the rest of the president’s that did, some even had two terms and what do we have to show for that, Please dont get me started!"
Right, because JFK did a whole lot while in office right? Never mind that he got assassinated for a moment. Just think about what he did for a moment. First of all, he was a Cold War Hawk - Bay of Pigs ring any bells? Vietnam? He waited on civil rights and when he finally sprung into action he couldn't get his bill through Congress because he apparently was not as great of a charismatic and uniting force as people give him credit for. The controversial LBJ got that bill through Congress.
"Bill Clinton would be the only past president that I could consider, When you thinks of the prosperity that we enjoyed during his tenure He lead this country and had to continue to fight with the republicans all the way, and still done a better job than any of them could do."
He sure done did.
So there you have it. Be proud America. Our best Presidents forgotten in the veneer of Camelot or supported for misguided reasons.
Oh, to be fair, their were some well thought out responses about Teddy and Truman (a lot for him actually).
My choice:
James K. Polk
Why? He accomplished the four major goals of his platform in one term and then left office. And I don't even like him...