Your Top Five Presidents?
Having just torn the concept of President's Day a new one, I thought it might be fun to talk about our favorite presidents. Historians like to make top X lists, so I figured we could have fun and do the same.
Too often, I ask these questions and never get around to answering them myself, so I'll go first.
1. William Henry Harrison - He did two important things that makes him number one. First, his life was a parable of why one should not give long-winded speeches. Second, he died a month after taking office. If only every other president would do as he did.
2. Thomas Jefferson - TJ showed us how to be president. He once famously answered the door of the White House himself in slippers. The person knocking was the British Ambassador. He also balanced the budged and paid off the national debt. He so hated the job (it gave him migraines for days at a time) that he checked out several months early and left everything on auto-pilot. Then when he wrote his own epitaph he left the presidency off the list of his accomplishments. If only every other president would do as he did.
3. James Madison - Madison so understood the dangers of centralized power and a standing military that he let Washington DC get burned to the ground. If only every other president would do as he did.
4. Martin Van Buren - Convinced by Quicker Brown Fox and Murray Rothbard, I've added Van Buren to the previously vacant spot on the list. All the good aspects of Andrew Jackson minus the militarism.
5. Calvin Coolidge - Of all the presidents since the beginning of the 20th century, knowing how their tenures turned out, he's the only one I would vote for. But only with reservations (because he was pro-tariff). Not only did he say no as early and often as possible, but he also knew when and how to shut the hell up. We've lost something since then. If only every other president would do as he did.
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Comments:
Jul '12
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
I know you are being tongue in cheek, but my favorites in no particular order are Washington,Lincoln,Polk, Cleveland,Coolidge and Reagan.
Oct '11
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
Maybe Van Buren? I'd never before thought of Van Buren until I watched this Murray Rothbard clip about his favorite ("least bad") president. His points: pro-peace, sound money, and most of all, ability to work and maneuver within the system. The last surprised me coming from Rothbard, who's always struck me as a "screw the system" type.
Also, Marty has the t-shirt ready slogan "MVB is my MVP". Other than that, your list looks pretty spot on to me.
Edited on February 15, 2013 at 6:34pmNov '12
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
HA HA HA The only thing that could beat your list is William Tecumseh Sherman If nominated, I will not accept; if drafted, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve.
Oct '11
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
Washington has to be #1 on any list of best presidents. Lots of people at the time wanted him to be President For Life. He declined. Also there's the whole father of the country thing.
Mar '12
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
Washington
Lincoln
Reagan
Truman
Coolidge
Nov '11
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
QuickerBrownFox: Maybe Van Buren? I'd never before thought of Van Buren until I watched this Murray Rothbard clip about his favorite ("least bad") president. His points: pro-peace, sound money, and most of all, ability to work and maneuver within the system. The last surprised me coming from Rothbard, who's always struck me as a "screw the system" type.
Also, Marty has the t-shirt ready slogan "MVB is my MVP". Other than that, your list looks pretty spot on to me. · 29 minutes ago
Edited 19 minutes ago
Damn. Okay. You got me. But I'm bumping Coolidge down then.
Apr '11
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
No Lincoln? I mean he did maintain the Union. He probably had the hardest presidency. Had he failed the US would have ceased to be.
I frankly have a strong dislike of Jefferson despite his accomplishments. He always struck me as kind of naive, especially when it came to military and economic matters.
And what about James K. Polk? He has a song...and he may be the only president who actually delivered on all of his campaign promises.
Dec '11
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
You are certainly correct there and because of his fiscal recklessness, we have a Library of Congress stocked with 6500 books Jefferson was forced to sell due to bankruptcy.
I would have cast my vote for Coolidge then and now.
Apr '12
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
1. Millard Fillmore. Gotta love any former President who runs for another term a few years later as a "Know-Nothing".
2. Gerald Ford. Whip Inflation Now. 'Nuff said.
3. James Polk. Had four major goals, accomplished them all. Served one term and went home.
4. William Howard Taft. First President to throw out pitch on opening day.
5. James Garfield. Like what I read about him in Destiny Of The Republic by Candice Millard.
Jul '10
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
If we're talking favorites and not necessarily best:
Washington - the indispensable man
Jefferson - more personal matter for me as I grew up a few streets over from his Summer home, Poplar Forest, and played there as a kid before the historical society bought it and renovated it
Madison - mainly through recent support of the Montpelier Foundation
Ford - for a guy who was never elected, he didn't do half bad
Reagan - the best President of my lifetime and the first I have memories of getting elected
Sep '12
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
Washington right at the top of the list. He walked away from absolute power. Twice.
Harding. Cut taxes, reduce spending. THAT'S how you avoid a depression. Learn guys.
Reagan cause "We win, they lose."
Not much impressed w/ the rest of the 20th century guys and the few 19th century guys I know anything about, not impresses w/. So...
Lincoln & Jackson to round out the list. Whatever.
Aug '12
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
Hey, isn't William Henry Harrison the hero of the Battle Of Tippecanoe - who basically partied himself to death? This seems to ring a bell. ??
Jul '10
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
I'd say Warren Harding and Coolidge vie for the top. Unassuming men suspicious of big government and tyrants like Wilson. Slash budgets and taxes and "return to normalcy!" Grover Cleveland for his epic vetoes, Grant for demolishing the Klan. And Truman. Less for his economic views, but he was an incredibly decent man and true republican citizen. Probably the most courageous president we ever had too. Dropped the Bomb, saved Korea and fired the show boating MacArthur.
Dec '11
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
Kevin:
Harding. Cut taxes, reduce spending. THAT'S how you avoid a depression. Learn guys.
Attention: James Of England!
May '11
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
Washington and Lincoln for obvious reasons.
Polk. Happy to see I'm not the only one.
Eisenhower. Underrated president. A lot smarter and shrewder than he was ever credited for. Quickly got out of Korea. His calm steady leadership kept us out of war with the Soviet Union. Built the interstate highway system. If we could ever reanimate a former president and give him another term it would be Ike. I love Ike.
Coolidge. Loved his restraint.
Honorable mentions. Truman. Had to make some gut wrenching decisions.
Chester A. Arthurs' muttonchops. How I long for the day when I see another president with awesome facial hair.
Sep '10
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
Just a quibble - it was Jackson, not Jefferson, who paid off the national debt. Lasted a year; then came a sharp panic, receipts dropped, and the debt resumed. If memory serves, it was Jackson destroying the national bank that set off the panic - go figure.
Jefferson wasn't too good on free trade - don't have much trade if you institute an embargo - and his dislike of military and naval spending did us little good when his protege got us into war with Britain.
Between Jefferson and Jackson, the relatively humane Washington/Knox Indian policy was unraveled; see "trail of tears".
Aug '10
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
I only have a top five:
Oct '12
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
And died promptly, leaving no presidential library. Bonus points.
Aug '10
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
1-David Atchison is a good one, president for a couple of hours and asleep the whole time.
2-Edith Bolling Galt Wilson , yes, she was in charge as Woody was out to lunch.
3-Who exactly was running things in the WH from January 1945 to April 1945 when FDR finally died ? That person would be my number #3
4-Alexander Haig, I'm in charge.
5-And of course, Valerie Jarrett.
Edited on February 16, 2013 at 2:11amSep '12
Re: Your Top Five Presidents?
This is exactly right. Jefferson reduced spending but did not pay off the national debt. That was Jackson. The Embargo of 1807 was terrible.
Bob Croft: Just a quibble - it was Jackson, not Jefferson, who paid off the national debt. Lasted a year; then came a sharp panic, receipts dropped, and the debt resumed. If memory serves, it was Jackson destroying the national bank that set off the panic - go figure.
Jefferson wasn't too good on free trade - don't have much trade if you institute an embargo - and his dislike of military and naval spending did us little good when his protege got us into war with Britain.
Between Jefferson and Jackson, the relatively humane Washington/Knox Indian policy was unraveled; see "trail of tears". · 1 hour ago