Who was the best US president?

[Dacarbatia]

The obvious answer is Abraham Lincoln, though i might also say that George Washington is the best too as he is responsible for America's birth.

[Imperial-Octavia]

Darn, they are everywhere.

Ignore what this person says, deepstate isn't real, and Nixon was a horrible person/president

All politicians are horrible people. At least you know Nixon didn't do anything really bad, because the entire Nixon administration was hit with trumped up charges like the milk money case. Also, the Deep State is real in the sense that bureaucracies are interested in perpetuating themselves and this may be at odds with the public interest. Take the military, which is the biggest bureaucracy in the US. In countries with weaker elected governments, if you try to cut the military down to size, they execute a coup against you. They can't do that in the US, but they can influence and undermine the elected government to secure funding and power. The withdrawal from Afghanistan went inexplicably poorly, and both party establishments and the top brass hated Biden for attempting it. Nixon not only went against the MIC, but wanted to bring the entire administrative state under the control of the elected government. We all know that politicians are crooked, so why did Nixon land in such deep shit for doing the same thing as everyone else? Hell, he wasn't even half as crooked as LBJ.

[The Lazarene Republic]

All politicians are horrible people. At least you know Nixon didn't do anything really bad, because the entire Nixon administration was hit with trumped up charges like the milk money case. Also, the Deep State is real in the sense that bureaucracies are interested in perpetuating themselves and this may be at odds with the public interest. Take the military, which is the biggest bureaucracy in the US. In countries with weaker elected governments, if you try to cut the military down to size, they execute a coup against you. They can't do that in the US, but they can influence and undermine the elected government to secure funding and power. The withdrawal from Afghanistan went inexplicably poorly, and both party establishments and the top brass hated Biden for attempting it. Nixon not only went against the MIC, but wanted to bring the entire administrative state under the control of the elected government. We all know that politicians are crooked, so why did Nixon land in such deep shit for doing the same thing as everyone else? Hell, he wasn't even half as crooked as LBJ.


Mass deportations of legal immigrants and American citizens on a far larger scale than Trump, severe persecution of communists and homosexuals, and ultimately ceding too much power to the MIC and CIA in spite of his rhetoric. I mean, who ended the Vietnam War, initiated détente, and opened up to China? On more than one issue, Nixon did what needed to be done and it cost him dearly.

Given the specific shit he pulled in 1968(or at best merely intended to do), and all the shit he enabled the CIA to do, this isn't really saying much.

Yes, but the PRI stole more! LBJ was one of the worst riggers in recent American history and a sort of mobster, really. He had a sheriff murdered over the very blatantly rigged 1948 Senate primary in Texas. There's no way Texas wasn't rigged in 1960, but Nixon, being a rare honorable thief, refused to push the issue despite the insistence of other Republicans. By which I mean, Nixon was cheating too, so he didn't want to rock the boat by engaging in lawfare because that would've been a dick move (pun not intended). It's like how snitching on other gangs is considered unsportsmanlike conduct. Not for ethical reasons, but because it's just generally better for everyone if law enforcement isn't involved.

[TomKirk]

FDR, excluding his racism toward Japanese.

Andrew Jackson: ended the banking cartel and removed usury.
So it's not even close.

Right, who cares what he did to native americans...

And it might be pointed out that we have, actually, had some problems with banks and usury despite Jackson "ending" all that.

[Kasdados]

Best President? George Washington.

Best President we never had (beyond the obvious GOAT)? Henry Clay.

Best Unofficial President? Alexander Hamilton.

[Tmutarakhan]

There's no way Texas wasn't rigged in 1960, but Nixon, being a rare honorable thief, refused to push the issue despite the insistence of other Republicans.

This is not just untrue, it is anti-true, 180 degrees opposite of the facts. Nixon did file lawsuits challenging Illinois, where there really was some funny business, New Jersey, where some voting machines broke down, and Texas, where Nixon never had a chance of winning but had a vague feeling that "no way Texas wasn't rigged"; he had to win two out of three to overturn the results. In New Jersey his case was examined and while the problem was real, the number of votes that could have been affected was found to be way too small to affect the outcome. In Texas the judges indignantly dismissed the suit, pointing out that Nixon had not provided any evidence of anything. So he finally withdrew the Illinois suit as pointless.
He was a thoroughly dishonest thief, and it was other Republicans who told him not to do this in the first place. The lie later told that Nixon refused to go to court about it out of a sense of honor originated, of course, with Richard Nixon.

[The Mercenary Syndicate]

One that wasn’t controlled by Israel

[TRUMP ALMIGHTY]

This is tough. Apart from our current administration, I would have to say President William McKinley made our country very rich through tariffs and through talent. He was a natural businessman. Strong believer in Tariffs, and we were actually probably wealthiest of any time, relatively speaking, at any point in the history of our country, because of these tariffs. You can see what's happening now and why the "Crooked" Establishment hates tariffs, and how they probably would have voted for that Deranged, Lunatic, William Jennings Bryant. He needs to spend less time on crosses and gold, and more time getting the hell out of Politics!

[The Bordirigist Republic]

One that wasn’t controlled by Israel.

So the ones before Truman.

[Proslav States]

Likely Lincoln for his efforts against slavery, followed by maybe FDR. Surprised I'm not seeing JFK much. None of those were really good, but they're the best of the worst.

[Proslav States]

Actually, now that I think of it, I think OP should make a poll with the most likely candidates and an "Other" option. Or just a poll with every president, if that many options are allowed.

[The Archregimancy]

It depends on what the metric is.

If it's 'did the least harm during his term in office', then William Henry Harrison is the clear choice.

If it's 'most positive impact during their term in office', then Washington, Lincoln, and FDR are all near the top of the list.

If it's 'most impactful career after being president', then Carter and Taft* are worth a look.

If it's 'most fundamentally decent man to hold the presidency, irrespective of impact', then Carter and Lincoln, probably.

If it's 'best name', then Millard Fillmore.

If it's 'most fluent speaker of Dutch' - a vital criterion for half of the Moderation team - then we can only choose Martin Van Buren, also the only president not to be a native speaker of English.



*indifferent president; but one of the more important Chief Justices of the Supreme Court, and only person to hold both offices.

[Poolanxi]

Lincoln, FDR and Truman, Eisenhower and JFK are high on the list. Washington, Madison and Obama aren't behind.

In my opinion it is Trump.

[Ethel mermania]

It depends on what the metric is.

If it's 'did the least harm during his term in office', then William Henry Harrison is the clear choice.

If it's 'most positive impact during their term in office', then Washington, Lincoln, and FDR are all near the top of the list.

If it's 'most impactful career after being president', then Carter and Taft* are worth a look.

If it's 'most fundamentally decent man to hold the presidency, irrespective of impact', then Carter and Lincoln, probably.

If it's 'best name', then Millard Fillmore.

If it's 'most fluent speaker of Dutch' - a vital criterion for half of the Moderation team - then we can only choose Martin Van Buren, also the only president not to be a native speaker of English.



*indifferent president; but one of the more important Chief Justices of the Supreme Court, and only person to hold both offices.

Make New York New Amsterdam again

[The Archregimancy]

It depends on what the metric is.

If it's 'did the least harm during his term in office', then William Henry Harrison is the clear choice.

If it's 'most positive impact during their term in office', then Washington, Lincoln, and FDR are all near the top of the list.

If it's 'most impactful career after being president', then Carter and Taft* are worth a look.

If it's 'most fundamentally decent man to hold the presidency, irrespective of impact', then Carter and Lincoln, probably.

If it's 'best name', then Millard Fillmore.

If it's 'most fluent speaker of Dutch' - a vital criterion for half of the Moderation team - then we can only choose Martin Van Buren, also the only president not to be a native speaker of English.



*indifferent president; but one of the more important Chief Justices of the Supreme Court, and only person to hold both offices.

Make New York New Amsterdam again

If I'm familiar with President Van Buren's proclivity for speaking Dutch, it's because I spent a short period living here in 1992 while working on an archaeology project.

[Ethel mermania]

Make New York New Amsterdam again

If I'm familiar with President Van Buren's proclivity for speaking Dutch, it's because I spent a short period living here in 1992 while working on an archaeology project.

I got a speeding ticket there about 6 years ago. Very pretty area.

Dutch history in the New York - Albany area is an interesting topic. The Roosevelts if I remember right were an old Dutch family predating the British invasion of 1664

[The Cerberus Union]

Theodore Roosevelt, Need I say more.

[Kyoto Noku]

I can’t support William Henry Harrison given his appointment of John Chambers as governor of Iowa. That man couldn’t even negotiate a single treaty with the Lakota.

In all seriousness, it’s hard to pick anyone other than Lincoln, but I don’t think Madison has got enough credit in this thread. He essentially wrote the Bill of Rights, and his arguments in the Federalist Papers helped promote an actually effective government instead of the crap in the Articles of Confederation. He also led us to victory in the War of 1812. Someone will respond to this with “but he was a slaveowner!” if I don’t mention it, and I think that is a valid point against Madison, but you can’t just say that to completely shut down an argument. Otherwise you’re limited to the like six presidents who weren’t racist or sexist or something, and that makes this whole discussion a bit silly.

Nixon was also definitely a great president, but you can’t really say he’s the best given his corruption and paranoia. If he had won in 1960 he may have been the best president in U.S. history though.

[Christ the Lord and Savior]

The one that fought capitalism, imperialism, and settler-colonialism.

Oh, wait, that’s none.

Capitalism and colonialism is based

[Islas Malvinas y Antartida Argentina]

I would say JFK but he did mess up on some parts. It's probably one of the earlier presidents. I don't like any US president.

[Ifreann]

The one that fought capitalism, imperialism, and settler-colonialism.

Oh, wait, that’s none.

Capitalism and colonialism is based

That's not very Jesus of you.

[Kriegsreich of Iron]

I would have to say George Washington, Father of Our Nation.

[Lusitanic]

This could go so many ways
I think the best is George Washington, I don’t think anybody has influenced the world as much as him in the past 500 years.
I think the most underrated one is Calvin Coolidge he was a great president but doesn’t get a lot of Credit

The obvious answer is Abraham Lincoln, though i might also say that George Washington is the best too as he is responsible for America's birth.

Overrated, now I know what might be controversial but in my opinion presidents like John f Kennedy actually made greater benefit to the black community, and Abraham Lincoln also ruled kind of like a dictator but he did do many positive things and was probably the only US president born into poverty so he’s still top 10.

[Lusitanic]

The one that fought capitalism, imperialism, and settler-colonialism.

Oh, wait, that’s none.

I believe Lincoln had certain sympathies for Marx actually.

[Lusitanic]

Theodore Roosevelt, Need I say more.

Yes you do, while he’s a top 10 president you should consider that the other “big 5” did significantly more stuff. His entire reputation is being a bad boy.