U.S. Presidents Ranked by ``Greatness''

I've ranked the 42 American Presidents on a scale of 1 to 10. (Some go ``off the scale.'') They're listed here in order of greatness. Use the top of the list as a ``List of the Best Presidents.'' Or turn the list upside-down to get a ``List of the Worst Presidents.''

Given the blunders of Bush-43, especially the Adventure in Iraq, it is hard to give him any score higher than Minus 5. Yet Dubya appears almost Presidential when contrasted with DJT. When I started this point system I didn't know there'd be Presidents like Trump. Perhaps I'd have used a logarithmetic scale, like Richters,
 

The criteria are complex and ambiguous: Some Presidents had good programs but were ineffective; others were very effective, but at advancing bad programs. James Polk was hugely successful, but many would regard his War and threats against Mexico as immoral. I've promoted some Presidents (John Q. Adams, Woodrow Wilson) for their inspirational or moral qualities. John Kennedy is hard to rank: When he was good he was very very good, but when he was bad he was horrid.

Many who disapprove of Reagan's policies would disapprove of the high rank I give him. However Reagan pursued his programs effectively, contributed to the end of the Cold war, ended the economic malaise of the 1970's, enhanced American confidence, and, unlike Kennedy and Johnson with their Vietnam War, made no major foreign policy blunder. Reagan would be a clearcut '9' except that, as we now know, his anti-regulation stance ("Government is the problem") proved eventually to be complete disaster.

The ranking which will be most controversial, I'm afraid, is my placement of the Abomination, George W. Bush. But I think the ranking is clearcut. How can one compare the Trillion Dollar War, fought in part to enrich Halliburton and oil companies, with the minor Teapot Dome scandal? How can one compare the deliberate polarization of the world, promoting terrorism for selfish political ends, with Buchanan's well-meaning but ineffective efforts to reconcile the fractured Union?

When the history books of the 22nd century are written, I promise you that George W. Bush will be viewed as having damaged America and humanity more than Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden combined. The poem is from Calvin Trillin's recent bestseller, Obliviously On He Sails: The Bush Administration in Rhyme.

At least there's no Bush eulogy On why they had to die. It's better that they're laid to rest Without another lie.

Please read Some comments by Frank Rich.

Please read Some comments by Paul Krugman.

Please read Some earlier comments by Sen. Byrd.

Please read Some quotations by George W. Bush.

This is not a political website, but these days Americans should be very concerned. Here are some of my thoughts.

Some Quotations by Great War-Leaders

(Most of the great war-leaders wrote their own speeches, but since Bush's formal attempts at communication are put into his mouth by fiction writers pimped by Karl Rove, I excerpted from his impromptu views. In other words, since I quoted the actual thoughts produced by Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Roosevelt, etc., it seemed fair to extend Mr. Bush the same courtesy.)

It's easy to make fun of Bush's speechifying, but sometimes he really does ``tell it like it is.'' Here's an example, though one has to believe his truthtelling here was the result of a Freudian slip:
 

Here's another quote. I thought for sure it was by Karl Rove, until I noticed the name: