# Do you think this Presidency has been the U.S.A's worst ever!? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 17, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533 "2004-07-17T02:22:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/1 "2004-07-17T02:22:52Z")
Just generally with all the fucked up things he’s done on Abortion, abstinence, religion, seperation of Church and State, the Iraq war, Aids, the trillion dollar debts, foreign diplomacy etc… This has got to be the contender for the worst ever. Whats your opinion? ---
**Author:** ![MaryEFoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MaryEFoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaryEFoo)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/2 "2004-07-17T02:45:10Z")
Well, I’m no historian, so I can’t do a proper comparison. But besides what you list, dumping the Bill of Rights, the appearance of corruption, the “leadership” that concentrates on pumping fear into the populace…hard to be worse. There are multiple issues within the Bill of Rights alone. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/3 "2004-07-17T02:56:16Z")
Jimmy Carter’s presidency was a disaster compared to Dub’s first run in office, and I doubt that’s the worst. Some people think of the Clinton presidency as a good thing, but I can’t see how. I’d rank Clinton well below Carter. At least Carter meant well, in his own fucked up kind of way. How about Garfield? What do we think of Garfield? ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/4 "2004-07-17T02:59:50Z")
I was about to leave this thread, probably forever, when I noticed the OP’s comment about abstinence. What in particular do you think is fucked up about Dubya and abstinence? ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/5 "2004-07-17T03:05:08Z")
For that matter, we came out of WWI relatively leaderless. And I would, frankly, as I don’t know, appreciate someone better acquainted with the history’s take on the presidency of U.S. Grant. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/6 "2004-07-17T03:15:26Z")
Before descending into complete hyperbole, in my humble opinion you should read more history. Here’s a few questions to get you started. Under whose presidency were people actually jailed for criticising the government? Who got into office by being awarded the VPres as part of a political deal, only to have the president die in office? This one, BTW, spent most of his term having parties while the party bosses ran things. You probably do know who the alcoholic was, and which one is believed by many to have fathered several children by an enslaved woman. But do you know under whose presidency the secretary of state and secretary of treasury spent much of their time trying to do each other in politically? The Sec of State actually gave a bogus job as a translator to a man who spoke no foreign language fluently, and then paid him to publish a newspaper that ran little except scurrilous rumors about the sec. of treasury and his allies. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/7 "2004-07-17T03:21:14Z")
> [@Ryan\_Liam](#): > > Just generally with all the fucked up things he’s done on Abortion, abstinence, religion, seperation of Church and State, the Iraq war, Aids, the trillion dollar debts, foreign diplomacy etc… > > This has got to be the contender for the worst ever. Whats your opinion? I think its _among_ the worst ever, this is an example of the hysterical nature of the anti-Bush crowd. Abortion - Same as before Bush Abstinence - huh? Separation… - OK, there is the faith-based initiatives thing (which I think does more good than bad) Iraq war - yep, disaster Aids - He has done as much or more than any previous president Debt - check. Disaster Diplomacy - check 3 right, 3 wrong, 1 maybe. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/8 "2004-07-17T03:24:11Z")
**Do you think this Presidency has been the U.S.A’s worst ever!?** No, and it’s not even close. Do some reading. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/9 "2004-07-17T03:25:30Z")
Moving this rant disguised as a “poll” to The BBQ Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/10 "2004-07-17T03:28:37Z")
Yep. ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/11 "2004-07-17T03:41:37Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > Yep. Wow, such an insightful comment. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/12 "2004-07-17T03:44:28Z")
Maybe not the worst in all of history, but definately the worst in the past 50 years. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/13 "2004-07-17T03:45:55Z")
I think, by “abstinence” the OP meant teaching “abstinence til marriage” in school as opposed to “safe sex.” Much as I hate Dubya, though, I have to say no, he’s not the worst. **MLS** , can you please tell me what fathering children has to do with being POTUS, and why it makes Jefferson a bad president? The man did amazing things that more than made up for it. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/14 "2004-07-17T04:10:35Z")
I don’t like Bush but he’s far from the worst President we’ve ever had. Pierce, Buchanon, Grant, Taft, Harding, Johnson (both of them), Nixon - they were all worse. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/15 "2004-07-17T04:16:32Z")
> [@John Carter of Mars](#): > > **Do you think this Presidency has been the U.S.A’s worst ever!?** > > No, and it’s not even close. Do some reading. Do some citing. ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/16 "2004-07-17T04:17:22Z")
Worst in history, maybe, maybe not. Only time will tell. But definitely the worst in the past 4 years. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/17 "2004-07-17T04:24:44Z")
> [@imthjckaz](#): > > Worst in history, maybe, maybe not. > > Only time will tell. > > But definitely the worst in the past 4 years. I can’t recall any other prez we’ve had in the past 4 years, did I miss something? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/18 "2004-07-17T04:25:59Z")
> [@Ringo](#): > > Jimmy Carter’s presidency was a disaster compared to Dub’s first run in office, and I doubt that’s the worst. Jimbo inherited Gerry’s Whip Inflation Now buttons (they gave them out at Burger King, for pity’s sake!), and dealt with the hostage crisis the best he could. He boycotted the 1980 Olympics because of the USSR’s invasion of Afghanistan (how ironic). It really DIDN’T help that some back-room, under-the-table dealing ENSURED that the hostages would be KEPT and not released (by a different president) under a promise of illegal weapons deliveries. He oversaw SALT II and whittled down the number of ICBMs in the world. Rome wasn’t built in a day. I know that the resulting silos were a boondoggle, but it sorta made sense at the time. He tried fireside chats with sweaters and brokered a wonderful unprecendented cease-fire between Sadat and Begin, winning them the Nobel prize in 1978. Couldn’t stop some of their own folks from killing one of them, unfortunately. He’s currently BUILDING HOUSES in my neighborhood for poor people, monitoring elections in Central America and Africa and working hard to eradicate river blindness and guinea worm disease (in the aforementioned continent). He also teaches Sunday School up in north Georgia. We sometimes see him at the Pink Pig BBQ in Cherry Log, between Ellijay and Blue Ridge. Let’s not forget: eleven years in the Navy and a nuke tech to boot. Dub is giving sweet tax deals to his millionaire buddies and killing our 18 and 19-year olds (and 25 and 35 year olds) to settle old scores and award no-bid contracts to Cheney’s company. He’s lying to middle America whilst spending their grandchildrens’ money on a ‘war’ against a toothless desert oasis while the perpetrator of the crime at the core of the drama enjoys the hospitality of his (and GWB’s) Saudi pals. Jimmy actually showed up and served his time in the military. There’s more than a little bit of question about Shrub. Carter is possibly the ‘worst president’ and his admin is worse than GWB’s? What did YOU do for the poor and downtrodden this week? Jimmy did a helluva lot more. I wish he would try the hat on one more time (he has a term left, Reagan fixed that with his deal with the militant islamic clerics running Iran at the time). …I’m just an old PoliSci major and news wonk, responding to Ringo’s offhand statement. Forget Kobe and Shaq and Brad Pitt - Jimmy Carter IS a role model. I’ve never met a finer human being. ---
**Author:** ![Dan\_Norder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@Dan\_Norder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Norder)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/19 "2004-07-17T04:29:32Z")
Easily the worst since Nixon, might even surpass the low point Dick gave up, as at least Nixon had China in the positive column, Bush has got nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Strainger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strainger/32/244_2.png) [@Strainger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strainger)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2004, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533/20 "2004-07-17T05:03:28Z")
> [@Ringo](#): > > Jimmy Carter’s presidency was a disaster compared to Dub’s first run in office, and I doubt that’s the worst. Some people think of the Clinton presidency as a good thing, but I can’t see how. I’d rank Clinton well below Carter. At least Carter meant well, in his own fucked up kind of way. How about Garfield? What do we think of Garfield? Eh, I don’t think Clinton was worse than Carter. I was able to buy a house under Clinton. If the situation had been the same as during Carter’s presidency, I don’t think I could’ve done it. (I almost said I couldn’t afford one under Carter’s presidency, but that goes without saying seeing as how I was between the ages of 6 and 10.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-this-presidency-has-been-the-u-s-as-worst-ever/255533.md?page=2)