General Discussion

lakercub

(670 posts)

62. Disagree

Tue May 5, 2015, 07:13 PM

May 2015

The recency phenomenon you mention is exactly why Bush and Reagan were worse. America wasn't the power it is today when the others you mentioned were in office. So, while there were plenty of terrible presidents, they just didn't have the reach to cause as many problems.

With America's position as the world power since WWII, American Presidents have had a greater responsibility worldwide than they did before. When they fail, those failures are magnified by the reach of the country. And Bush and Reagan failed huge on a larger stage. They caused more suffering to more people around the world than any presidents before them and it's not that close. Yes, it's a function of when they were in office, but failures on a bigger stage tend to be bigger failures by default.

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Highlight:

The Verdict is in: Guess Who's The Worst President in US History? [View all] KamaAina May 2015 OP

There can only be one answer for that.... John Poet May 2015 #1

kick samsingh May 2015 #55

Allow me to fall out of my chair in utter surprise. arcane1 May 2015 #2

yep - right alongside you blm May 2015 #31

Yeah, me too. Color me stupefied... calimary May 2015 #63

It's especially shocking considering he wasn't an elected president. BreakfastClub May 2015 #115

Wow. That's an impressive list of FAIL. AtomicKitten May 2015 #3

I thought the question was "Worst President in US History?".... Segami May 2015 #4

I thought you were going to say "Resident" or "Usurper" or "Election thief" carolinayellowdog May 2015 #5

The Residents for President! Warren DeMontague May 2015 #7

W was on Cheney strings, so in that respect, you're technically correct. drynberg May 2015 #19

One of Obama's BEST White House Correspondent's Dinner jokes: okaawhatever May 2015 #26

yes that would be my response as well. mountain grammy May 2015 #57

+1 BeanMusical May 2015 #125

I think most historians think it was Buchanan. Warren DeMontague May 2015 #6

my son insists it is Jackson nt barbtries May 2015 #72

Im sure the folks on the trail of tears could make a compelling case for Jackson Warren DeMontague May 2015 #84

yeah, and it didn't end there. barbtries May 2015 #105

It's not even close...knr joeybee12 May 2015 #8

The three worst were Buchanan, Wilson, and Dubya...can't choose between them... First Speaker May 2015 #9

Let's not forget Andrew Johnson . . . MrModerate May 2015 #24

Johnson, yes; Grant, I'm not sure... First Speaker May 2015 #69

Quite so. Mostly . . . MrModerate May 2015 #75

passively failing to prevent a (possibly inevitable) war, versus actively causing an avoidable one carolinayellowdog May 2015 #37

W was also incredibly out of his element and in over his head deutsey May 2015 #110

Don't forget...... MyOwnPeace May 2015 #112

Yeah, especially when he pracically took the entire month of August 2001 off deutsey May 2015 #114

Wasn't his father the one that choked on the pretzel? nt brush May 2015 #121

No, his dad threw up in Japan deutsey May 2015 #122

I'm going to have to disagree here. Liberal Veteran May 2015 #10

I would have picked Ronnie too. Go Vols May 2015 #11

It's got to be Bush or Reagan, but I say it is Bush. Maineman May 2015 #13

I see Bush as a symptom of the disease Reagan started. Liberal Veteran May 2015 #15

Bush was the end-stage of the Raygun tumor in our once-proud democracy. hifiguy May 2015 #17

The nation has been follwing Reagan's model ever since. Enthusiast May 2015 #47

Between Reagan and Dubya it's tough, but I'd say REAGAN by a hair- appalachiablue May 2015 #95

Without Reagan's Presidency ... staggerleem May 2015 #126

Precisely, no Reagan, no Poppy & no W. Nightmare, with ANOTHER one on the horizon! appalachiablue May 2015 #130

Reagan's presidency is the nightmare that keeps hifiguy May 2015 #135

Amazingly they both were re-elected to two terms oberliner May 2015 #20

With George W Bush it was because he started the war just in time for the 2nd election. Most okaawhatever May 2015 #29

It helped that his opponent also thought it was the right thing to do :( arcane1 May 2015 #33

Democratic timidity in the face of overhyped war fever . . . MrModerate May 2015 #77

propaganda and a spineless media Volaris May 2015 #108

I know . . . Brainstormy May 2015 #45

Couldn't have said it better. 99Forever May 2015 #119

Reagan did as much or more long term damage hifiguy May 2015 #12

I can't decide between Reagan or Bush! m-lekktor May 2015 #14

On Free Republic, GWB isn't popular Reter May 2015 #118

That question seems an insult to our intelligence, but perhaps not, in the light(?) of the Joe Chi Minh May 2015 #132

Without Question it was James Buchanan kevin.xiii May 2015 #16

Harding has got to be second worst oberliner May 2015 #23

I disagree lakercub May 2015 #58

I'll go with Runny Raygun olddots May 2015 #18

The link leads to a "No Longer Published" message?? SaveOurDemocracy May 2015 #21

I am getting the same message Gothmog May 2015 #66

Looks like bushhacks are scrubbing their bad publicity. Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #68

Neither Bush nor Reagan would be in the top 5 list of worst presidents oberliner May 2015 #22

I give the medal to Buchanan . . . MrModerate May 2015 #30

For the 20/21st centuries hifiguy May 2015 #34

You are saying Clinton was worse than Bush Sr. and Gerald Ford? oberliner May 2015 #38

I forget about Ford hifiguy May 2015 #41

Disagree lakercub May 2015 #62

Around 800,000 Americans were killed in the US Civil War oberliner May 2015 #71

Can't access the link anymore ailsagirl May 2015 #25

Damn you, KKKarl!! KamaAina May 2015 #28

Bush was the last person who could have stopped Climate Change... AZ Progressive May 2015 #27

They also ought to blame Limbaugh for his "celebrate your freedom,...to buy an SUV" campaign. Spitfire of ATJ May 2015 #36

And to think, he wasn't even elected! rurallib May 2015 #32

Yep. Neither time. nt SusanCalvin May 2015 #59

When I went to read the article, I got PatSeg May 2015 #35

Well, credit where it's due. NanceGreggs May 2015 #39

The best at being being a terrible president. hifiguy May 2015 #42

Yup. NanceGreggs May 2015 #56

I swear to Princess Celestia that, left to his own devices, hifiguy May 2015 #73

Your post literally ... NanceGreggs May 2015 #79

Why thank you! hifiguy May 2015 #80

Credit for the Unintentional heckles65 May 2015 #40

That's odd, since both were Yankees KamaAina May 2015 #43

We knew that. Enthusiast May 2015 #44

Correction: he was never a President. riqster May 2015 #46

Gads, I almost miss how stupid he was.... realFedUp May 2015 #48

He definitely made the comedy very easy, but also made it very necessary n/t arcane1 May 2015 #67

Unlike his budget, these numbers add up Omaha Steve May 2015 #49

"No longer published" Imagine that. Enthusiast May 2015 #50

Reagan and Bush II were both just figureheads central scrutinizer May 2015 #51

I am not surprised Gothmog May 2015 #52

And any. Republican in the clown car will tell you that things were so much better when W was world wide wally May 2015 #53

Breaks my heart tavernier May 2015 #54

Gosh! Who knew? (snark) nt Duval May 2015 #60

Followed by this complete and total dumbass. Rex May 2015 #61

The link is not working for me Gothmog May 2015 #64

It appears to have been taken down KamaAina May 2015 #65

Reagan worst, Dumbya number two Terra Alta May 2015 #70

Yep. nt LWolf May 2015 #76

+1 Reagan is the worst. Without him there would have been no Bushes. CharlotteVale May 2015 #86

Yes I agree wholeheartedly. In the modern era, Reagan beats Bush by a country mile as worst. FailureToCommunicate May 2015 #91

I second, third, and fourth that! Ivywoods55 May 2015 #124

I thought W Thespian2 May 2015 #74

Is we really learnin anything new? czarjak May 2015 #78

Every bad thing he's done is a rat clawing it's way out from within his mind and body. NBachers May 2015 #81

K & R L0oniX May 2015 #82

I think poor Bushy is getting a raw deal here. rhett o rick May 2015 #83

''Money trumps peace.'' -- appointed pretzeldent George Walker Bush, Feb. 14, 2007 Octafish May 2015 #85

Americans aren't nearly as smart as they think they are. GeorgeGist May 2015 #87

Americans are dumbfucks to keep electing Republicans mnhtnbb May 2015 #88

Americans have always been stupid. hifiguy May 2015 #137

dubya mac2766 May 2015 #89

Best seventh post in DU history! KamaAina May 2015 #92

I'll Rec #139 to that!1 Where are the 4,000 who favor DU celebrities?!1 n/t UTUSN May 2015 #90

Aww, I always thought that pic was kinda cute. Like the cat that ran into a door and said freshwest May 2015 #93

Would you prefer this one? KamaAina May 2015 #94

Too tiny for me to make out. Try this version of the Bush Reign of Terror: freshwest May 2015 #99

LOL -What a fucking moron. jalan48 May 2015 #96

That's "moran" around these parts. KamaAina May 2015 #97

I'm really laughing now. Thank you jalan48 May 2015 #98

Yes, GW was a failure, but he's not the absolute worst. Yorktown May 2015 #100

I think W. will move up that worst list lovemydog May 2015 #102

Wikipedia? Really??!! staggerleem May 2015 #128

Gotta call bullshit and give it to Ronald St. Reagan for teeing it up for him. n/t brewens May 2015 #101

Benjamin Franklin? AlbertCat May 2015 #103

Sorry, Buchanan was simply the worst Recursion May 2015 #104

Grover Cleveland. Puzzledtraveller May 2015 #106

Buchanan easily davidn3600 May 2015 #107

He's not even listed among the presidents DFW May 2015 #109

Bummer. Link To Nowhere ProfessorGAC May 2015 #111

K&R! This thread has hundreds of recommendations! Enthusiast May 2015 #113

This message was self-deleted by its author rosesaylavee May 2015 #116

The article is no longer posted there. Whaddya know. nt raccoon May 2015 #117

And treasonous murdering war criminal IHateTheGOP May 2015 #120

The article was taken down. Any idea why? RUINED my FB argument! nolabear May 2015 #123

Raygun most be really close. BeanMusical May 2015 #127

I always liked the picture of bush after he was attacked by the pretzel Angry Dragon May 2015 #129

Ah yes, the Pretzeldent KamaAina May 2015 #131

That's an easy one. Dumbest, most dishonest, most dangerous AikidoSoul May 2015 #133

Well, it went downhill when his daddy was elected. raven mad May 2015 #134

Why would anyone who cares for the USA and people therein consider another Bush for Pretzeldent?? PufPuf23 May 2015 #136