# Who would you Rank lowest among the six previous Presidents? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 29, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947 "2014-06-29T17:27:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![emcee2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/21 "2014-06-30T00:42:21Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > By surviving a full two terms, he single-handedly kept Dick Cheney from being President. I don’t know about single-handed. Whoever dislodged that pretzel’s got to get some of the credit. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/22 "2014-06-30T01:34:32Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > By surviving a full two terms, he single-handedly kept Dick Cheney from being President. Excellent point! And I appreciate that fact. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/23 "2014-06-30T01:36:13Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I don’t think so. Nixon did harm mostly to himself. I detested him personally, and I disagreed with most all his policies, his stands, and his statements, but the harm he did to the country was just a blip. Bush the Younger was off the charts. Nixon had people sabotage the Vietnam Peace talks, and then kept the war going for years longer when he knew it couldn’t be won. Ask all the Vietnamese and American Veterans who survived. W was stupid evil. Nixon was genius evil. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/24 "2014-06-30T02:02:48Z")
I voted GWB. As bad as Obama has been, as bad as Carter was, GWB combined two unique traits to create an epically disastrous Presidency: decisiveness combined with incompetence. Obama and Carter at least had the good sense to be indecisive in the face of decisions they weren’t qualified to make. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/25 "2014-06-30T11:30:41Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > I don’t think so. Nixon did harm mostly to himself. I detested him personally, and I disagreed with most all his policies, his stands, and his statements, but the harm he did to the country was just a blip. Bush the Younger was off the charts. Bingo. For “worst president, 1789-present”, it’s really down to GWB v. James Buchanan. And I’d go with GWB because the Civil War was gonna happen anyway at some point. ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/26 "2014-06-30T12:04:05Z")
A vote for President Reagan. By letting in the Moral Majority and other groups more focused on social issues, he transformed the GOP into party of vengeful dingbats that not even my parents could vote for. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/27 "2014-06-30T13:51:38Z")
Crap I thought I was voting in the who do you rank highest thread. Take away one vote for Wild Bill, add one for Chimpy. George W. Bush and his disastrous tax cut, starting two unnecessary wars, putting John Roberts on the Supreme Court (and he wanted Harriet Fucking Meiers), and worst of all, picking Dick Cheney for vice president. Or was it Rummy the Dummy for defense? Sorry, Ronnie, but W beat you out by a nose. Reagan cemented the unholy alliance between the far right Christian whack-a-doodles and the Republican Party and played the racist dog whistle to perfection (appearances at Bob Jones U and Philadelphia, MS don’t come by accident). He instituted the far-right doctrine that yes, there is a free lunch and we’re going to eat it. Tax cuts for everybody! Trillions for defense against enemies that aren’t there! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/28 "2014-06-30T14:21:18Z")
Carter, obviously. Iran, Afghanistan, stagflation, the botched hostage rescue attempt, the misery index, etc., etc. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/29 "2014-06-30T15:05:09Z")
Saint Ronnie - the Southern Strategy alone is bad enough. Never mind his chummy attitude towards the Apartheid government. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/30 "2014-06-30T15:34:26Z")
Even a Republican would have to put Dubya at the bottom, judging by his OWN standards. Obama has been awful, but he didn’t start the Iraq War. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/31 "2014-06-30T15:40:42Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Carter, obviously. Iran, Afghanistan, … the botched hostage rescue attempt,… > > Regards, > Shodan Darn that Carter for sending arms to Iran. Darn him to heck! Oh wait, that was Saint Ronnie. Well, blast him for starting that Afghanistan War under his watch. Oh crap, that was the USSR. Well doggone it, let’s crucify him for a helicopter breakdown in the desert. Son of a bitch should have been there himself with a tool kit. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/32 "2014-06-30T17:19:19Z")
The “trickle down” theory espoused by Reagan and his administration damaged this country way more in the long term than anything the subsequent Republican presidents ever did. He also started the bullshit war on drugs. Fuck that guy, I don’t even like him. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/33 "2014-06-30T17:32:49Z")
Which do you think was the most horrifying injury he did the country? Was it reducing both the poverty rate, and the number of US citizens living in poverty? Cutting inflation? Triggering the longest peacetime expansion of the US economy in history? Eliminating intermediate range nuclear missiles in Europe? Setting the stage to win the Cold War? Reducing unemployment? Getting the Iranian hostages set free? The unreasoning hatred of the lefties for Reagan is as grotesque as it is unfounded. I should be used to it by now, but I suppose I never will be. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/34 "2014-06-30T17:36:08Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > He also started the bullshit war on drugs. Fuck that guy, Actually that was Nixon. Aided by people like this - > [@](#): > > Although Bill Clinton advocated for treatment instead of incarceration during his 1992 presidential campaign, after his first few months in the White House he reverted to the drug war strategies of his Republican predecessors by continuing to escalate the drug war. Notoriously, Clinton rejected a U.S. Sentencing Commission recommendation to eliminate the disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentences. He also rejected, with the encouragement of drug czar General Barry McCaffrey, health secretary Donna Shalala’s advice to end the federal ban on funding for syringe access programs. [Cite](http://www.drugpolicy.org/new-solutions-drug-policy/brief-history-drug-war), as if it were going to help. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/35 "2014-06-30T17:36:26Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > The unreasoning hatred of the lefties for Reagan is as grotesque as it is unfounded. This leftie’s loathing is _very_ reasoned - the man and his cronies likely prolonged Apartheid by a good ten years. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/36 "2014-06-30T17:40:21Z")
It has to be _good_ reasoning. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/37 "2014-06-30T17:48:45Z")
> [@Itself](#): > > I’m curious about who voted that Bush the elder, who’s the poster child for solidly average caretaker presidents, was the worst of the six. Even rabid partisans would presumably prefer Carter or Reagan in that slot. Something with Iran-Contra or handling the fall of the Soviet Union? Don’t blame me; that was an accident. Bush the Lesses should have been listed as _George **W** Bush_, not just George Bush. I want my vote back. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/38 "2014-06-30T17:52:33Z")
Voodoo economics. Arms for hostages. Exploding deficits. Dog whistle racial politics. Invasions of small Caribbean nations. Sucking up to the religious right. Undermining hostage negotiations between Iran and the Carter Administration. Don’t fucking tell me my loathing for that piece of shit Reagan was unfounded. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/39 "2014-06-30T17:54:37Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Bush the Lesser You misspelled [Lesses.](https://www.wordnik.com/words/lesses) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947/40 "2014-06-30T17:57:48Z")
> [@Asympotically\_fat](#): > > he was at times given to carlessness You’re thinking of Al Gore 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-rank-lowest-among-the-six-previous-presidents/691947.md?page=3)