[rocket01]

Here is my top ten, Come on and put out your ranks of the presidents.

#1. George Washington (1789-1797)
#2. Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)
#3. Franklin Roosevelt (1933-1945)
#4. Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)
#5. Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)
#6. Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)
#7. Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)
#8. John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)
#9. Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)
#10. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)

[Hoot Gibson]

#1. George Washington (1789-1797)
#2. Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)
#3. Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)
#4. Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)
#5. James K. Polk (1845-1849)
#6. Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)
#7. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)
#8. Franklin Roosevelt (1933-1945)
#9. Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)
#10. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)

[TidesHoss32]

1. FDR (1933-45)
2. Reagan (1981-89)
3. Washington (1789-97)
4. Jefferson (1801-09)
5. Madison (1809-17)
6. Jackson (1829-37)
7. Wilson (1913-21)
8. Truman (1945-53)
9. Ike (1953-61)
10. Polk (1845-49)

[Dustoff67]

Come on men, where's the two Bush's?LOL!

[Dustoff67]

I'll name my number one.
#1 Lincoln

[Hoot Gibson]

Come on men, where's the two Bush's?LOL!

On my list, they "W" is several spots ahead of the two cellar dwellers, Carter and Obama. Bush 41 would be somewhere around number 20.

[Joe Friday]

It is very difficult to list 10 but here goes:

#1 George Washington
#2 Honest Abe Lincoln
#3 FDR
#4 Thomas Jefferson
#5 Ronald Reagan
#6 IKE
#7 Teddy Roosevelt
#8 James Monroe
#9 Harry Truman
#10 G. W. Bush

I know, I know, why G. W.? Because I will never forget 9-11 and neither should our nation...unfortunately, many already have. Unlike Johnson, who escalated Viet Nam and introduced us to operating under a deficit and robbing Social Security to fund the war and burden tax payers with the 'Great Society' (which opens a whole new social can of worms). G.W. had to respond with force to the worst attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor - fighting terrorism is not cheap. He took the fight to them!

I totally agree with Hoot, #43 is Jimmy Carter and #44 is B. Hussein.

[Hoot Gibson]

It is very difficult to list 10 but here goes:

#1 George Washington
#2 Honest Abe Lincoln
#3 FDR
#4 Thomas Jefferson
#5 Ronald Reagan
#6 IKE
#7 Teddy Roosevelt
#8 James Monroe
#9 Harry Truman
#10 G. W. Bush

I know, I know, why G. W.? Because I will never forget 9-11 and neither should our nation...unfortunately, many already have. Unlike Johnson, who escalated Viet Nam and introduced us to operating under a deficit and robbing Social Security to fund the war and burden tax payers with the 'Great Society' (which opens a whole new social can of worms). G.W. had to respond with force to the worst attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor - fighting terrorism is not cheap. He took the fight to them!

I totally agree with Hoot, #43 is Jimmy Carter and #44 is B. Hussein.

Bush did some great things and I supported him 100% on the war on terror, including the battle to free Iraq from its mass murdering dictator, but TARP and other domestic spending knocked him way down my list. Spending billions of taxpayer dollars fighting AIDS in Africa was inexcusable, IMO. The money should have been spent in the US fighting diseases that are not mostly avoidable through behavior modification.

Bush 41 would have made my list had he not reneged on his pledge to not raise taxes and paved the way for Bill Clinton's two terms. GHWB, with the help of Cheney, Powell and other administration officials, prosecuted the Gulf War as effectively as any US administration has ever led a war effort.

[Joe Friday]

Bush did some great things and I supported him 100% on the war on terror, including the battle to free Iraq from its mass murdering dictator, but TARP and other domestic spending knocked him way down my list. Spending billions of taxpayer dollars fighting AIDS in Africa was inexcusable, IMO. The money should have been spent in the US fighting diseases that are not mostly avoidable through behavior modification.

Bush 41 would have made my list had he not reneged on his pledge to not raise taxes and paved the way for Bill Clinton's two terms. GHWB, with the help of Cheney, Powell and other administration officials, prosecuted the Gulf War as effectively as any US administration has ever led a war effort.

Not much to disagree with you there! I did not agree with G.W. on his immigraton policies, some of his education policies ('No Child Left Behind'), but believe that what he did in the fight against terror and securing our homeland, in my mind, far out weighs anything I disagree with him on and keeps him in the top 10.

[LWC]

To me, there are 11-12 Presidents that stand above everyone else:

George Washington (1789-1797)
Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)


Franklin Roosevelt (1933-1945)
Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)
Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)
Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)
John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)
Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)
James K Polk (1845-1849)

The spaces are in there for a reason. The top two stand above everyone else because of the MAJOR accomplishments of each.

George Washington, first of all turned down being king. That does not sound like much but it paved the way, for arguably, the most successful democracy the world has ever known. Also, he set the precedent for two-term presidents. Yet again, he stepped out of power.

Abe Lincoln's MAJOR achievement to me is not the Emancipation Proclaimation. That document only freed slaves in an area that he had no control over. However, his struggle to preserve the union is without a doubt a defining moment in US history. Not to mention, he is considered one of the best ever and he followed possibly the WORST President ever (James Buchanon).

FDR and Ronnie Regan are heroes of the modern day Democrats and Republicans. They each have defining moments, but not an overwhelming percentage of people agree that each are top 3-4 in history. Dems and Reps agree that Lincoln and Washington are 1-2 (MOST places) FDR and Regan did enough good to be recognized as great so they go to 3 and 4 for me.

James K Polk may be the most underrated ever BTW.

[Future HOF'er]

FDR
Lincoln
Kennedy
Washington
Clinton
Reagan
Jefferson
Truman
T. Roosevelt
IKE

I know Clinton won't be a popular choice, but his economic poicies were undeniably effective.

[TidesHoss32]

To me, there are 11-12 Presidents that stand above everyone else:

George Washington (1789-1797)
Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)


Franklin Roosevelt (1933-1945)
Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)
Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)
Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)
John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)
Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)
James K Polk (1845-1849)

The spaces are in there for a reason. The top two stand above everyone else because of the MAJOR accomplishments of each.

George Washington, first of all turned down being king. That does not sound like much but it paved the way, for arguably, the most successful democracy the world has ever known. Also, he set the precedent for two-term presidents. Yet again, he stepped out of power.

Abe Lincoln's MAJOR achievement to me is not the Emancipation Proclaimation. That document only freed slaves in an area that he had no control over. However, his struggle to preserve the union is without a doubt a defining moment in US history. Not to mention, he is considered one of the best ever and he followed possibly the WORST President ever (James Buchanon).

FDR and Ronnie Regan are heroes of the modern day Democrats and Republicans. They each have defining moments, but not an overwhelming percentage of people agree that each are top 3-4 in history. Dems and Reps agree that Lincoln and Washington are 1-2 (MOST places) FDR and Regan did enough good to be recognized as great so they go to 3 and 4 for me.

James K Polk may be the most underrated ever BTW.

FDR was a southern democrat and those dont exist anymore on a national level..Now your either a liberal or a conservative..IMO, and Im a republican, but FDR was by far the greatest president our country has ever seen. Reagan was the best president of my lifetime though..

[Hoot Gibson]

FDR was a southern democrat and those dont exist anymore on a national level..Now your either a liberal or a conservative..IMO, and Im a republican, but FDR was by far the greatest president our country has ever seen. Reagan was the best president of my lifetime though..

I respectfully disagree. Our country is very lucky that a man like FDR was not our first president or else our nation's history would have been much different. FDR's decision to run for a third and then a fourth term posed a real threat to this country, IMO.

I included FDR in my top 10 because he was a good wartime president and he was elected to the office four times but I did not list him higher because he ran for the office four times. I think Washington's decision to limit himself to two terms may have been the greatest decision any president has ever made.

[TidesHoss32]

I respectfully disagree. Our country is very lucky that a man like FDR was not our first president or else our nation's history would have been much different. FDR's decision to run for a third and then a fourth term posed a real threat to this country, IMO.

I included FDR in my top 10 because he was a good wartime president and he was elected to the office four times but I did not list him higher because he ran for the office four times. I think Washington's decision to limit himself to two terms may have been the greatest decision any president has ever made.

I absolutely agree with term limits..and I agree 110% with that part of your post. I put him at number 1, but I was referring to FDR leading the nation out of the depression, and his leadership during wartime. He was exactly who our country needed at that time though. I agree that two terms is the most someone should get though..no argument here..

[Crazy Horse]

All the presidents in my life time...the best one would have to be Bill Clinton...during his time my well being was truly amazing...my family always had extra money to spend...economically the best I have seen an over all country fair...G.W. Bush absolutely destroyed that...now we are getting by from week to week afraid what will happen next week

[nky]

I absolutely agree with term limits..and I agree 110% with that part of your post. I put him at number 1, but I was referring to FDR leading the nation out of the depression, and his leadership during wartime. He was exactly who our country needed at that time though. I agree that two terms is the most someone should get though..no argument here..

but did FDR lead us out of the great depression or prolonged it with his policies only to be "out" because the war?

[nky]

All the presidents in my life time...the best one would have to be Bill Clinton...during his time my well being was truly amazing...my family always had extra money to spend...economically the best I have seen an over all country fair...G.W. Bush absolutely destroyed that...now we are getting by from week to week afraid what will happen next week

maybe the policy of Clinton especially the unchecked runaway issues of Wall Street in the late 1990's hurt more than the Bush presidency and the regulations established with Fanny and Freddie Mac that everyone should own a home no matter what.......... but that's another thread

[Jarons]

To me, there are 11-12 Presidents that stand above everyone else:

George Washington (1789-1797)
Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)


Franklin Roosevelt (1933-1945)
Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

Harry S. Truman (1945-1953)
Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)
Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)
John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)
Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961)
James K Polk (1845-1849)

The spaces are in there for a reason. The top two stand above everyone else because of the MAJOR accomplishments of each.

George Washington, first of all turned down being king. That does not sound like much but it paved the way, for arguably, the most successful democracy the world has ever known. Also, he set the precedent for two-term presidents. Yet again, he stepped out of power.

Abe Lincoln's MAJOR achievement to me is not the Emancipation Proclaimation. That document only freed slaves in an area that he had no control over. However, his struggle to preserve the union is without a doubt a defining moment in US history. Not to mention, he is considered one of the best ever and he followed possibly the WORST President ever (James Buchanon).
FDR and Ronnie Regan are heroes of the modern day Democrats and Republicans. They each have defining moments, but not an overwhelming percentage of people agree that each are top 3-4 in history. Dems and Reps agree that Lincoln and Washington are 1-2 (MOST places) FDR and Regan did enough good to be recognized as great so they go to 3 and 4 for me.

James K Polk may be the most underrated ever BTW.

Lincoln followed Buchanon. Andrew Johnson followed Lincoln after he was assinated.

[DevilsWin]

#1 Jefferson
#2 Washington
#3 Lincoln
#4 Jackson
#5 FDR
#6 LBJ
#7 JFK
#8 Nixon
#9 Clinton
#10 Reagan

[Mr.Kimball]

#1 Jefferson
#2 Washington
#3 Lincoln
#4 Jackson
#5 FDR
#6 LBJ
#7 JFK
#8 Nixon
#9 Clinton
#10 Reagan

I thought you hated those guys?

[thecavemaster]

Richard Nixon in the top ten? What's the rubric? Opening China for Nike? Which compensated for masterminding a plan that thwarted the democratic process. Nice.

[Hoot Gibson]

Richard Nixon in the top ten? What's the rubric? Opening China for Nike? Which compensated for masterminding a plan that thwarted the democratic process. Nice.

I agree with you on Nixon 100%. He was a crook and a liar who was the least conservative Republican president of my lifetime. His WIN campaign of wage and price controls would have made the current White House occupant proud.

However, Nixon's part in the Watergate break in cover-up pales in comparison to what Obama and the Democrats are doing to corral the votes to pass the horrible Health Care reform bill for which virtually no House Democrat wants to cast a vote.

Nixon also does not get enough blame for the horrible way that he ended the Vietnam War. Millions of people died in SE Asia as the result of Nixon and Kissinger negotiating a bad deal for our former allies in South Vietnam.

As much as I personally dislike Bill Clinton, I would rate him well above Nixon and Obama. He did not make my top ten, but I would place him solidly in the top 50 percent despite his impeachment (and I do believe that he deserved impeachment for committing perjury).

The Republicans who came into office deserve much of the credit for balancing the budget and passing welfare reform but those ideas could not have become law without a pragmatic Bill Clinton and he deserves a big share of the credit.

[LWC]

Lincoln followed Buchanon. Andrew Johnson followed Lincoln after he was assinated.

I thought that my statement said that Lincoln was elected after Buchanon?

In my mind the order went Buchanon, Lincoln, Johnson, Grant. Isn't that correct? I may have stated it incorrectly.

My point was supposed to be that Lincoln's achievements look EVEN BETTER because he followed the worst president EVER. In my opinion, James Buchanon is the worst president ever.

[Jarons]

I thought that my statement said that Lincoln was elected after Buchanon?

In my mind the order went Buchanon, Lincoln, Johnson, Grant. Isn't that correct? I may have stated it incorrectly.
My point was supposed to be that Lincoln's achievements look EVEN BETTER because he followed the worst president EVER. In my opinion, James Buchanon is the worst president ever.

You did state it correctly. After further review, I had read it wrong. I added an extra word. My fault.

[Westside]

It is very difficult to list 10 but here goes:

#1 George Washington
#2 Honest Abe Lincoln
#3 FDR
#4 Thomas Jefferson
#5 Ronald Reagan
#6 IKE
#7 Teddy Roosevelt
#8 James Monroe
#9 Harry Truman
#10 G. W. Bush

I know, I know, why G. W.? Because I will never forget 9-11 and neither should our nation...unfortunately, many already have. Unlike Johnson, who escalated Viet Nam and introduced us to operating under a deficit and robbing Social Security to fund the war and burden tax payers with the 'Great Society' (which opens a whole new social can of worms). G.W. had to respond with force to the worst attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor - fighting terrorism is not cheap. He took the fight to them!

I totally agree with Hoot, #43 is Jimmy Carter and #44 is B. Hussein.

I agree 100%.

[RavenBoy]

G.W. Bush absolutely destroyed that...now we are getting by from week to week afraid what will happen next week

Its not Bush fault that you didnt go to school! :eyeroll:

[DevilsWin]

I thought you hated those guys?

That's what you get for thinking.hh:

[bulldog149]

With passage of health reform which has eluded Democratic and Republican presidents for last century I believe Obama may well be on the list of top 10 presidents now that this is the most important health legislation since Medicare and comparable to Social Security.
..Plus that is just one area. He will still work to reduce dependence on foregin oil and win war in Afghanistan/Pakistan while ending war in Iraq. And straightening out economy. Not easy given he came in office after worst economic crisis since Depression and well we have seen record net job loss of 789,000 jobs in Bush's last month and like 20,000 last month. With economists seeing job growth this spring. While GDP is already positive,markets have rebounded,housing has improved,and other leading economic indicators have improved.

[thecavemaster]

Hoot Gibson suggests that NIxon's attempt to thwart the entire democratic process is chicken feed compared to the "deal making" going on in passing the healthcare bill. "Busines as usual" may be distasteful; however, the comparsion fails miserably, as NIxon's behavior was an impeachable offense (justified).

[Mr.Kimball]

That's what you get for thinking.hh:

I didn't have to think it. You said it. Or was that just during a "doobie" moment?

hh:, back at cha!!!