Just to paint the picture of Reagan clearer, the two worst Presidents since 1952 (exclude Obama, because in all fairness, the book is still being written) are Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter. Now there are a pair of hemorrhoids. Carter had no leadership or organizational ability. This guy could not have lead his mother to go out to eat. The country was in total disarray both domestically (15% interest rates) and foreign policy wise. Then we have Lyndon Johnson, the man who increased our involvement in Vietnam and is responsible for tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths. Our cities were in total chaos. That does not even touch the subjects of Bell helocopters and the Gulf of Tonken resolution, which was a fabricated lie.
As usual, I enjoy reading what you post, SaturnNeptune, and find you to be a great poster. However, on this one you can't be serious.
Neither Johnson nor Carter were as bad as Nixon, who rivaled Warren G. Harding. Both of those Presidents (Republicans, by the way) were awash in controversy. Of course, Nixon was the one who had to resign in disgrace, and most likely would have faced trial had he not been pardoned by Gerald Ford.
If you want to talk about fiscal nightmares, let's not forget Humphrey or George Walker Bush (also Republicans). Both had policies that gave us the financial messes that are now a part of history.
IMO, Bush (43) is the worst President ever - not just the 20th century - though the current President is really shaping up to take that moniker away from W. The Bush Administration gave us this financial mess (and YES, it IS their fault). They gave us an endless war in Iraq that is bleeding us to death monetarily. The Bush Administration appointees at the SEC sat back when the people who created the mortgage fiasco (and in some cases outright fraud) claimed that they were exempt from regulations under the Securities Act of 1933 so the SEC had no jurisdiction. Don't forget that it was during the Bush Administration that the uptick rule was eliminated (2007). Even Cox himself (in 2008) supported the reinstatement of this rule. Also, remember that the Bush Administration spent more money than the first 42 Presidents combined. Bush reportedly admitted that he was not abiding by the laws outlined with FISA (John Dean has written about this at length, accusing him of an impeachable offense). It is going to take us YEARS to clean up the mess that was left by W.
That being said (or written), the current President is seemingly set to take this title of "Worst President" using the same criteria I have listed above. At the rate we appear to be going, it is going to take even longer.
As far as Reagan, I have never really understood this seemingly godlike status he has received. I liked him as President (I was a Republican back then), but I don't remember him being more than a good President. If you believe Paul O'Neill, Cheney is reported to have said that Reagan taught us that "deficits don't matter." [See the book "The Price of Loyalty"] I think that Reagan's moment of brilliance was leaving Paul Volcker at the Federal Reserve (who was initially appointed by Jimmy Carter, by the way). I don't think that Volcker gets enough credit for fixing our economy - especially given the hard decisions he had to make.
Hope all is well with you and yours, SaturnNeptune, it's been a while.
BiR
