Worst President Since Buchanan? Some Eerie Parallels…

 

When Joe Biden was touting his achievements and daring his listeners to name a single president who did more in his first year, I immediately mentally listed FDR, LBJ, Reagan.. and then thought it might be easier to list presidents worse than Biden.  The only one who really stands out as a rival is the hapless James Buchanan and when you do a detailed comparison it is scary.  It took Buchanan four years to leave the country in the worse shape possible and Joe has been at it for only one year.

Be afraid.

Published in General
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 29 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. DrewInWisconsin, Oaf Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Old Bathos: and then thought it might be easier to list presidents worse than Biden.

    None. It’s that easy.

    • #1
  2. Old Bathos Member
    Old Bathos
    @OldBathos

    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf (View Comment):

    Old Bathos: and then thought it might be easier to list presidents worse than Biden.

    None. It’s that easy.

    But screwing up so bad as to cause the Civil War is still tough to beat.  But if anybody can top that level of failure it’s Joe.

    • #2
  3. DrewInWisconsin, Oaf Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Old Bathos (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf (View Comment):

    Old Bathos: and then thought it might be easier to list presidents worse than Biden.

    None. It’s that easy.

    But screwing up so bad as to cause the Civil War is still tough to beat. But if anybody can top that level of failure it’s Joe.

    As for Civil War, we’re not out of the woods yet. Or, as Zhou Enlai allegedly said about the impact of the French Revolution, “Too early to say.’

    • #3
  4. The Scarecrow Thatcher
    The Scarecrow
    @TheScarecrow

    Old Bathos (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf (View Comment):

    Old Bathos: and then thought it might be easier to list presidents worse than Biden.

    None. It’s that easy.

    But screwing up so bad as to cause the Civil War is still tough to beat. But if anybody can top that level of failure it’s Joe.

    Hey, the night is young. He’s already managed to lose Afghanistan disastrously, and Russia and China are both slavering at the borders of conquests they have been held back from by America until now. 

    But another civil war here is certainly not out of the question. (CW2?) 

    I suppose the Dems might finally figure out how screwed they are, and maybe arrange a Spiro Agnew for Kamala and stick some less objectionable placeholder in there at Veep, then maybe arrange a stroke or something for the Big Guy. 

    That press conference showed that we have now gone from the frustratingly irritating to the flat-out ridiculous.

    • #4
  5. Tyrion Lannister Inactive
    Tyrion Lannister
    @TyrionLannister

    I didn’t think Biden could worse than Obama who I thought would be the worst President in my lifetime.  I thought Creepy-Joe would be a poor president but largely ineffective at pushing policy, so the damage wouldn’t be as great (Obamacare comes to mind).

    I think he’s had a much worst first year and he has the potential to be one of the worst or the worst because his administration has been so thoroughly incompetent.  There’s literally not one area of governance in which America is now better off than even a year ago thanks to Biden.  His admin is not just ineffective, it’s actively making our lives worse.  

    Off the top of my head I’d say right now he’s with Wilson, Buchanan, Obama, and LBJ.  Johnson I don’t know how I feel about, but he’s generally considered poor (though I think the situation he was in was a poor one).  Pierce and Harding and Carter were all poor as well. 

    • #5
  6. Old Bathos Member
    Old Bathos
    @OldBathos

    Tyrion Lannister (View Comment):

    I didn’t think Biden could worse than Obama who I thought would be the worst President in my lifetime. I thought Creepy-Joe would be a poor president but largely ineffective at pushing policy, so the damage wouldn’t be as great (Obamacare comes to mind).

    I think he’s had a much worst first year and he has the potential to be one of the worst or the worst because his administration has been so thoroughly incompetent. There’s literally not one area of governance in which America is now better off than even a year ago thanks to Biden. His admin is not just ineffective, it’s actively making our lives worse.

    Off the top of my head I’d say right now he’s with Wilson, Buchanan, Obama, and LBJ. Johnson I don’t know how I feel about, but he’s generally considered poor (though I think the situation he was in was a poor one). Pierce and Harding and Carter were all poor as well.

    But Wilson, Obama, and LBJ had actual major legislative/policy wins (as baneful as the results were).  Even on his own terms and his own (current) ideological posture, Biden is a flop. 

    Outcome-wise, Biden could be a major positive figure in American history if everything associated with him (Wokeness? Open Borders? Tolerating crime…) becomes toxic and is rejected for decades after him.  A historical turd with a silver lining?

    • #6
  7. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk and
    @Misthiocracy

    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf (View Comment):

    Old Bathos (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf (View Comment):

    Old Bathos: and then thought it might be easier to list presidents worse than Biden.

    None. It’s that easy.

    But screwing up so bad as to cause the Civil War is still tough to beat. But if anybody can top that level of failure it’s Joe.

    As for Civil War, we’re not out of the woods yet. Or, as Zhou Enlai allegedly said about the impact of the French Revolution, “Too early to say.’

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The Current Moment still pales in comparison to all the assassinations, domestic terrorism (including literally thousands of domestic bombings), and urban destruction of the 1960s and 70s. The USA managed to avoid civil war at that time, despite a heck of a lot of people trying really hard to get one going.

    That’s not to say that inchoate political violence won’t increase substantially like it did in the 60s and 70s, but an actual civil war would require one or more states trying to secede, and even if that did happen I reckon the US government would negotiate their departure rather than going to war over it.

    I mean, a good chunk of Seattle was seized by armed insurrectionists and there wasn’t any military response. That should illustrate just how hard it is to get a civil war going in this day and age.

    • #7
  8. Tyrion Lannister Inactive
    Tyrion Lannister
    @TyrionLannister

    Old Bathos (View Comment):

    Tyrion Lannister (View Comment):

    I didn’t think Biden could worse than Obama who I thought would be the worst President in my lifetime. I thought Creepy-Joe would be a poor president but largely ineffective at pushing policy, so the damage wouldn’t be as great (Obamacare comes to mind).

    I think he’s had a much worst first year and he has the potential to be one of the worst or the worst because his administration has been so thoroughly incompetent. There’s literally not one area of governance in which America is now better off than even a year ago thanks to Biden. His admin is not just ineffective, it’s actively making our lives worse.

    Off the top of my head I’d say right now he’s with Wilson, Buchanan, Obama, and LBJ. Johnson I don’t know how I feel about, but he’s generally considered poor (though I think the situation he was in was a poor one). Pierce and Harding and Carter were all poor as well.

    But Wilson, Obama, and LBJ had actual major legislative/policy wins (as baneful as the results were). Even on his own terms and his own (current) ideological posture, Biden is a flop.

    Outcome-wise, Biden could be a major positive figure in American history if everything associated with him (Wokeness? Open Borders? Tolerating crime…) becomes toxic and is rejected for decades after him. A historical turd with a silver lining?

    Well I feel that Biden has been a lot more incompetent and a little more effective than I thought he’d be.  He doesn’t have much in the way of legislative accomplishments which is good because his idea of a win is really a loss- but he’s been active with executive orders to get around legislators and making regulations in defiance of courts to try to push an agenda (stay on evictions, vaccine mandate)  I’d be pleased if he was merely ineffective so the gridlock means nothing happens.  But unfortunately, he’s pushing the boundaries of the presidency with incompetent policy.  It’s delightful how everything poor he does is blowing up in his face.  

    • #8
  9. Hang On Member
    Hang On
    @HangOn

    I went to 3 grocery stores this morning to buy fixings for chili. It took 3 visits to get everything but one item: None of them had ground beef.

    The Russian Revolution started as a result of food shortages, Joe. Quit giving us the stores are stocked bs.

    My comparison is still with Jimmy Carter. I wasn’t around when Buchanan was President. 

    • #9
  10. Raxxalan Member
    Raxxalan
    @Raxxalan

    Old Bathos (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf (View Comment):

    Old Bathos: and then thought it might be easier to list presidents worse than Biden.

    None. It’s that easy.

    But screwing up so bad as to cause the Civil War is still tough to beat. But if anybody can top that level of failure it’s Joe.

    Joe has time yet.  He may be able to start WWIII and Civil War 2.0 before he is done.   He is working hard to ensure both come about.

    • #10
  11. Doug Kimball Thatcher
    Doug Kimball
    @DougKimball

    Thank our founders for biannual legislative elections.   They understood the damage that politicians could inflict in a short time.  The answer isn’t perfect, but it is better than the alternatives.  What I do find horrible is the denigration, the de-humanization of political opposition.  Biden is setting up his opposition, preparing, aiming the armed apparatus of the government and his rabid, even violent political support on US citizens.  The recent poll showing that near majorities of Democrats favor the detention and incarceration of unvaccinated citizens is telling, especially given the literal collapse of the entire COVID pandemic narrative in real time.  No, their animosity is far more profound than just fear of a virus, and Biden is using this animosity as well as the manufactured global warming threat to stir irrational fear.  Scary stuff.  This election season can’t come soon enough.  I’m hoping that as failures and setbacks continue, Biden, the Squad, Bernie, Schumer, Pelosi and the rest of the leadership of this leftist fever dream will be sufficiently demoralized and abandoned that they will realize that their causes, for now, are lost, and will retreat into obscurity.  Let’s hope they don’t see this as a reason to force a reckoning.  That will end badly for everyone.  As for Putin and Ukraine, I’m not sure how I feel about that.  I don’t see any compelling reason to push Ukraine into NATO.  I think we’d all be better off to push for a Ukraine-Russia de-escalation.  

    • #11
  12. DaveSchmidt Coolidge
    DaveSchmidt
    @DaveSchmidt

    My suspicion is that the Biden Administration is a reality TV version of West Wing.  No script to speak of. Lots of ad libs and improvising.  Lots of hanky panky just off camera.  

    • #12
  13. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    Tyrion Lannister (View Comment):

    Old Bathos (View Comment):

    Tyrion Lannister (View Comment):

    I didn’t think Biden could worse than Obama who I thought would be the worst President in my lifetime. I thought Creepy-Joe would be a poor president but largely ineffective at pushing policy, so the damage wouldn’t be as great (Obamacare comes to mind).

    I think he’s had a much worst first year and he has the potential to be one of the worst or the worst because his administration has been so thoroughly incompetent. There’s literally not one area of governance in which America is now better off than even a year ago thanks to Biden. His admin is not just ineffective, it’s actively making our lives worse.

    Off the top of my head I’d say right now he’s with Wilson, Buchanan, Obama, and LBJ. Johnson I don’t know how I feel about, but he’s generally considered poor (though I think the situation he was in was a poor one). Pierce and Harding and Carter were all poor as well.

    But Wilson, Obama, and LBJ had actual major legislative/policy wins (as baneful as the results were). Even on his own terms and his own (current) ideological posture, Biden is a flop.

    Outcome-wise, Biden could be a major positive figure in American history if everything associated with him (Wokeness? Open Borders? Tolerating crime…) becomes toxic and is rejected for decades after him. A historical turd with a silver lining?

    Well I feel that Biden has been a lot more incompetent and a little more effective than I thought he’d be. He doesn’t have much in the way of legislative accomplishments which is good because his idea of a win is really a loss- but he’s been active with executive orders to get around legislators and making regulations in defiance of courts to try to push an agenda (stay on evictions, vaccine mandate) I’d be pleased if he was merely ineffective so the gridlock means nothing happens. But unfortunately, he’s pushing the boundaries of the presidency with incompetent policy. It’s delightful how everything poor he does is blowing up in his face.

    The Wile E. Coyote presidency.

    • #13
  14. Steve C. Member
    Steve C.
    @user_531302

    Sisyphus (View Comment):

    Tyrion Lannister (View Comment):

    Old Bathos (View Comment):

    Tyrion Lannister (View Comment):

    I didn’t think Biden could worse than Obama who I thought would be the worst President in my lifetime. I thought Creepy-Joe would be a poor president but largely ineffective at pushing policy, so the damage wouldn’t be as great (Obamacare comes to mind).

    I think he’s had a much worst first year and he has the potential to be one of the worst or the worst because his administration has been so thoroughly incompetent. There’s literally not one area of governance in which America is now better off than even a year ago thanks to Biden. His admin is not just ineffective, it’s actively making our lives worse.

    Off the top of my head I’d say right now he’s with Wilson, Buchanan, Obama, and LBJ. Johnson I don’t know how I feel about, but he’s generally considered poor (though I think the situation he was in was a poor one). Pierce and Harding and Carter were all poor as well.

    But Wilson, Obama, and LBJ had actual major legislative/policy wins (as baneful as the results were). Even on his own terms and his own (current) ideological posture, Biden is a flop.

    Outcome-wise, Biden could be a major positive figure in American history if everything associated with him (Wokeness? Open Borders? Tolerating crime…) becomes toxic and is rejected for decades after him. A historical turd with a silver lining?

    Well I feel that Biden has been a lot more incompetent and a little more effective than I thought he’d be. He doesn’t have much in the way of legislative accomplishments which is good because his idea of a win is really a loss- but he’s been active with executive orders to get around legislators and making regulations in defiance of courts to try to push an agenda (stay on evictions, vaccine mandate) I’d be pleased if he was merely ineffective so the gridlock means nothing happens. But unfortunately, he’s pushing the boundaries of the presidency with incompetent policy. It’s delightful how everything poor he does is blowing up in his face.

    The Wile E. Coyote presidency.

    You should copyright that. 

    • #14
  15. Jim McConnell Member
    Jim McConnell
    @JimMcConnell

    Sisyphus (View Comment):

    Tyrion Lannister (View Comment):

    Old Bathos (View Comment):

    Tyrion Lannister (View Comment):

    I didn’t think Biden could worse than Obama who I thought would be the worst President in my lifetime. I thought Creepy-Joe would be a poor president but largely ineffective at pushing policy, so the damage wouldn’t be as great (Obamacare comes to mind).

    I think he’s had a much worst first year and he has the potential to be one of the worst or the worst because his administration has been so thoroughly incompetent. There’s literally not one area of governance in which America is now better off than even a year ago thanks to Biden. His admin is not just ineffective, it’s actively making our lives worse.

    Off the top of my head I’d say right now he’s with Wilson, Buchanan, Obama, and LBJ. Johnson I don’t know how I feel about, but he’s generally considered poor (though I think the situation he was in was a poor one). Pierce and Harding and Carter were all poor as well.

    But Wilson, Obama, and LBJ had actual major legislative/policy wins (as baneful as the results were). Even on his own terms and his own (current) ideological posture, Biden is a flop.

    Outcome-wise, Biden could be a major positive figure in American history if everything associated with him (Wokeness? Open Borders? Tolerating crime…) becomes toxic and is rejected for decades after him. A historical turd with a silver lining?

    Well I feel that Biden has been a lot more incompetent and a little more effective than I thought he’d be. He doesn’t have much in the way of legislative accomplishments which is good because his idea of a win is really a loss- but he’s been active with executive orders to get around legislators and making regulations in defiance of courts to try to push an agenda (stay on evictions, vaccine mandate) I’d be pleased if he was merely ineffective so the gridlock means nothing happens. But unfortunately, he’s pushing the boundaries of the presidency with incompetent policy. It’s delightful how everything poor he does is blowing up in his face.

    The Wile E. Coyote presidency.

    Wish I’d said that. Perfect description of our circumstances.

    • #15
  16. Mark Camp Member
    Mark Camp
    @MarkCamp

    “Worst president” by what criteria?

    As for me, I chose different criteria by a different process than the majority of pundits, politicians, and American voters.

    I choose instead the same criteria as Steven Hayward does in Politically Incorrect Guide to the Presidents, and by the same procedure. 

    Just as my performance as an employee of IBM was appraised by my manager with reference only to the objective criteria of my job description, Hayward rates Presidents not by the subjective, unstated criteria of the appraiser’s personal ideological goals, but by the objective, written criteria of their job description. 

    Because our basic American values include placing a high priority on the rule of law, Hayward relies solely on what the law says is the performance plan of the President: to faithfully execute the laws of Congress, and uphold the Constitution (in opposition to the Congress, insofar as

    • the Constitution gives him the power to do so and
    • the Congress has, as the Founders assumed they would tend to do, exceeded their Constitutional powers or violated their Constitutional obligations.

    Here is a book blurb, from the Amazon page for Hayward’s book

    Historian and celebrated Reagan biographer Steven F. Hayward reminds us that the Founders had an entirely different idea of greatness in the presidential office. The personal ambitions, populist appeals, and bribes paid to the voters with their own money that most modern presidents engage in would strike them as instances of the demagoguery they most feared— one of the great dangers to the people’s liberty that they wrote the Constitution explicitly to guard against. The Founders, in contrast to today’s historians, expected great presidents to be champions of the limited government established by the Constitution.

    Working from that almost forgotten standard of presidential greatness, Steven Hayward offers a fascinating off–the–beaten–track tour through the modern presidency, from the Progressive Era’s Woodrow Wilson to Barack Obama. Along the way, he serves up fresh historical insights, recalls forgotten anecdotes, celebrates undervalued presidents who took important stands in defense of the Constitution— and points the way to a revival of truly constitutional government in America.

    Application of these criteria results in a different result.

    • #16
  17. DrewInWisconsin, Oaf Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf
    @DrewInWisconsin

    DaveSchmidt (View Comment):

    My suspicion is that the Biden Administration is a reality TV version of West Wing. No script to speak of. Lots of ad libs and improvising. Lots of hanky panky just off camera.

    With minors.

    • #17
  18. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk and
    @Misthiocracy

    Hang On (View Comment):
    The Russian Revolution started as a result of food shortages, Joe.

    Yabbut, mainly in the army.  As long as the army is well-fed they ain’t gonna revolt.

    • #18
  19. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk and
    @Misthiocracy

    Raxxalan (View Comment):

    Old Bathos (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf (View Comment):

    Old Bathos: and then thought it might be easier to list presidents worse than Biden.

    None. It’s that easy.

    But screwing up so bad as to cause the Civil War is still tough to beat. But if anybody can top that level of failure it’s Joe.

    Joe has time yet. He may be able to start WWIII and Civil War 2.0 before he is done. He is working hard to ensure both come about.

    Oh, just in case y’all get the impression I’m an optimistic sort of fellow, I’ll readily place a bet on WWIII happening before a civil war does. 

    • #19
  20. Hang On Member
    Hang On
    @HangOn

    Misthiocracy got drunk and (View Comment):

    Hang On (View Comment):
    The Russian Revolution started as a result of food shortages, Joe.

    Yabbut, mainly in the army. As long as the army is well-fed they ain’t gonna revolt.

    The women in the factories went on strike first. That got the ball rolling. 

    • #20
  21. Full Size Tabby Member
    Full Size Tabby
    @FullSizeTabby

    Misthiocracy got drunk and (View Comment):

    Raxxalan (View Comment):

    Old Bathos (View Comment):

    DrewInWisconsin, Oaf (View Comment):

    Old Bathos: and then thought it might be easier to list presidents worse than Biden.

    None. It’s that easy.

    But screwing up so bad as to cause the Civil War is still tough to beat. But if anybody can top that level of failure it’s Joe.

    Joe has time yet. He may be able to start WWIII and Civil War 2.0 before he is done. He is working hard to ensure both come about.

    Oh, just in case y’all get the impression I’m an optimistic sort of fellow, I’ll readily place a bet on WWIII happening before a civil war does.

    I figure WWIII may trigger a civil war if a significant number of Americans suspect that WWIII could come to the North American continent. That would prompt a fight between the Americans who think the country should be defended and the people who think the United States should disappear. 

    • #21
  22. davenr321 Coolidge
    davenr321
    @davenr321

    Pierce will always be first worst on my list, then Buchanan, John Adams, Hayes, Wilson, then it gets less severe though Carter won’t get off the list. I don’t think a president is eligible or a “worst” (or best)  list until their term(s) is over. My son asked me about Biden being “the worst” and I told him “not yet.” After all, personally, we had a Great 2021, COVID notwithstanding. And, I told him, we aren’t in a war, and we aren’t in a serious financial crises. And the less crazy stuff that gets done/the more that Congress prevents happening the “less worse” a President gets.

    Still… too soon to tell, it’s only been a year and there’s plenty of time for a war and a financial panic, etc.

    • #22
  23. I Walton Member
    I Walton
    @IWalton

    President’s were weak except in foreign policy and even that was vastly different.  Now we are run by the bureaucracy and by a few companies, everybody else plays games.    The Democrats in Congress are working to destroy the checks and balances.   One has to wonder if they even understand what they’re doing.  There is one question that should be at the center of all our judgements.  What country in the history of mankind was successfully and positively centralized?

    • #23
  24. Old Bathos Member
    Old Bathos
    @OldBathos

    I Walton (View Comment):

    President’s were weak except in foreign policy and even that was vastly different. Now we are run by the bureaucracy and by a few companies, everybody else plays games. The Democrats in Congress are working to destroy the checks and balances. One has to wonder if they even understand what they’re doing. There is one question that should be at the center of all our judgements. What country in the history of mankind was successfully and positively centralized?

    The Roman Empire during the reign of Caesar Augustus, China under Emperor Kangxi, 18th Dynasty of Egypt starting with Ahmose I, the Island of Little St. James under Epstein I, Tudor England….  It’s doable but only with highly competent leadership and favorable demographic winds that never last.

    • #24
  25. BastiatJunior Member
    BastiatJunior
    @BastiatJunior

    Old Bathos (View Comment):
    A historical turd with a silver lining?

    Amen!

    • #25
  26. Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patriot) Member
    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patriot)
    @ArizonaPatriot

    You didn’t mention that their initials are both JB.  Also, their last names both end with an n.

    This has me thinking about an old Father Guido skit about the Carter-Coolidge coincidencia, but I can’t find it on YouTube, and I’m not sure whether I recall it properly from about 40 years ago.  

    • #26
  27. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    Yes, he may be headed as the worst president ever but I’m really worried about what is going to happen with Ukraine.  Putin cannot be allowed to swallow up Ukraine and Biden is so feeble that Putin is going to go full bore.  On this I am not rooting for Biden to fail.  He needs to rise to this occasion.  

    • #27
  28. Misthiocracy got drunk and Member
    Misthiocracy got drunk and
    @Misthiocracy

    Hang On (View Comment):

    Misthiocracy got drunk and (View Comment):

    Hang On (View Comment):
    The Russian Revolution started as a result of food shortages, Joe.

    Yabbut, mainly in the army. As long as the army is well-fed they ain’t gonna revolt.

    The women in the factories went on strike first. That got the ball rolling.

    Without all the young men with guns providing backup, a bunch of uppity broads ain’t gonna start a revolution.

    • #28
  29. Raxxalan Member
    Raxxalan
    @Raxxalan

    Manny (View Comment):

    Yes, he may be headed as the worst president ever but I’m really worried about what is going to happen with Ukraine. Putin cannot be allowed to swallow up Ukraine and Biden is so feeble that Putin is going to go full bore. On this I am not rooting for Biden to fail. He needs to rise to this occasion.

    Unfortunately Biden has already failed.  The interest thing will be if Putin can swallow up Ukraine or if he chokes on it.  It isn’t necessarily easy to bring 44 million people to heel.  I know he is ruthless and doesn’t care how many people he kills, but the role of an occupier isn’t an easy one and even if you are prepared to create an ocean of blood you can still drowned in it.

    • #29
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.