What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

The 100 Greatest American political figures of the modern era: #1. Franklin D Roosevelt (1 Viewer)

timschochet

timschochet

Footballguy
Hi everyone, glad to be back after a lengthy suspension, and I thought I’d have some fun going into this holiday seasons. Since I love countdowns, I thought I would do one of the greatest American political figures. Hopefully this will generate some good discussion and debate. All are welcome. I will begin my countdown in the morning with #100. But first, some definitions: 

1. I define “the modern era” of politics as beginning in 1933. There are two reasons for this. First, it’s the year that the New Deal began, and that’s the cutoff point for what we now regard as government’s role in our society, which is of course the central issue of politics. Basically ever since 1933, our political debate has essentially been whether or not to increase the New Deal or shrink it down. 

Second, 1933 was the first year that mass communication was used for political purposes, in the form of FDR’s “fireside chats” on the radio. This completely altered the power of media in shaping public opinion, forevermore. Politicians prior to 1933, and post 1933, are like night and day. It is fair to suggest that, to offer two examples of our greatest Presidents, that Abraham Lincoln could never have been elected post 1933, and Ronald Reagan could never have been elected prior to 1933. 
 

2. The term “political figure” includes almost anyone who has had a major impact on politics. On this list, in addition to famous politicians, I have included writers, talk show hosts, activists, journalists, statesmen, Cabinet members, justices, broadcasters, and campaign managers. The one notable category I have deliberately left out are assassins and terrorists. It can be argued that Lee Harvey Oswald had as much impact as nearly anyone on this list, but it’s my list and I don’t want him on it. 

3. The term “greatest” is really a combination of “great” and “most impactful”. There are a few really bad people on this list, and some that I despise and have no respect for, but it’s impossible to ignore their significance. I have tried to leave my own politics out of this analysis as much as possible though my preferences will show up, no doubt from time to time. 

100. Ralph Nader 

99. Upton Sinclair 

98. Charles Coughlin 

97. Angela Davis 

96. Mario Cuomo 

95. Jerry Falwell 

94. Jane Fonda 

93. Robert Taft 

92. John Kerry 

91. Spiro Agnew 

90. Tucker Carlson 

89. Jim Clyburn 

88. Rudy Giuliani 

87. Richard J. Daley

86. Sarah Palin 

85. Norman Thomas 

84. Kamala Harris 

83. Alger Hiss 

82. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 

81. Pat Buchanan 

80. Ross Perot 

79. Robert McNamara 

78. Mitt Romney 

77. Madeleine Murray O’Hair 

76. Nancy Reagan 

75. Dean Acheson 

74. Clarence Thomas 

73. Harvey Milk 

72. Hubert Humphrey 

71. Al Gore 

70. Nelson Rockefeller 

69. Joe Biden 

68. Ron Paul 

67. James Carville 

66. Ted Kennedy 

65. John Lewis 

64. John Foster Dulles 

63. John McCain 

62. Daniel Patrick Moynihan 

61. Colin Powell 

60. Abbie Hoffman

59. George Marshall

58. Bob Dole 

57. Karl Rove 

56. George Kennan 

55. Tip O’Neil 

54. Phyllis Schlafly 

53. George Wallace

52. Strom Thurmond

51. Margaret Chase Smith 

50. Gerald Ford 

49. Muhammad Ali 

48. Cesar Chavez 

47. Henry Kissinger 

46. Donald Trump 

45. Douglas MacArthur 

44. Bill O’Reilly 

43. Joe McCarthy 

42. Bernie Sanders 

41. Charles Lindbergh 

40. J. Edgar Hoover

39. Newt Gingrich 

38. Jimmy Carter 

37. Edward R. Murrow 

36. Thurgood Marshall 

35. Ayn Rand 

34. Sean Hannity 

33. Walter Reuther 

32. Huey Long 

31. George W Bush 

30. Jesse Jackson 

29. Henry Luce

28. Gloria Steinem 

27. Malcolm X 

26. Adlai Stevenson 

25. James Baker 

24. Walter Cronkite 

23. Bill Clinton 

22. Roger Ailes 

21. Sam Rayburn 

20. Barry Goldwater 

19. Earl Warren  

18. **** Cheney

17. Bobby Kennedy 

16. William F. Buckley 

15. Hillary Clinton 

14. George H. W. Bush 

13. Mitch McConnell

12. Nancy Pelosi 

11. Rush Limbaugh 

10. Lyndon Johnson 

9. Eleanor Roosevelt

8. Barack Obama 

7. Richard Nixon 

6. John F. Kennedy 

5. Ronald Reagan 

4. Dwight Eisenhower 

3. Harry Truman 

2. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

1. Franklin D Roosevelt 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
100. Ralph Nader 

The only difference between the Republican and Democratic Parties is the velocity in which they fall to their knees when corporations come knocking at the door. 
 

If this were simply a lost of most impactful Americans, Ralph Nader would be much higher on it. His  campaign against the auto industry essentially changed our society, creating consumer protection. 
In terms of politics Nader’s influence is far less though still significant enough to make this list. He ran for office, especially President, several times and failed to ever make a dent (although famously he may have affected the outcome of the 2000 election). But Nader was one of the first and foremost purveyors of the viewpoint, expressed in the above quote, that there is no major difference between our two major political parties. I strongly disagree with this viewpoint but it does seem to be spreading. 

 
99. Upton Sinclair 

End Poverty In California 

Like Ralph Nader, Upton Sinclair was most influential for his writings: in particular The Jungle (1903) changed American society, though not the way he intended. He’s on this list solely for his campaign for Governor of California in 1934. Sinclair lost that election, but his campaign is one of the most significant political events in modern American history, for  couple of  reasons: 

First and foremost, Sinclair’s candidacy was a strong but failed attempt to reshape the Democratic Party as a socialist party. Sinclair had been a socialist for years but, much like Bernie Sanders decades later, ran for office as a Democrat believing that the time was ripe for a rebranding of the Democrats. Liberals were skeptical of the New Deal; it was considered too slow, too full of compromise. Sinclair offered much more direct wealth redistribution and was a direct challenge to FDR. Had Sinclair won there is every reason to believe that either he or another socialist type would have seriously challenged FDR in 1936 from the left, and that might have changed history as we know it.

Second, the campaign against Sinclair was the first modern political campaign in American history. Financed largely by Hollywood (particularly Louie B Mayer) and run by a husband and wife team called Campaign, INC., it featured all sorts of lies and dirty tricks (the most infamous was a short commercial, played at every movie theatre in the state, featuring a dirty looking foreigner with a long black beard who stares at the camera and says he hopes “Mr. Sinclair vill brink to California vhat ve gott in Rooshia!”)

 
timschochet said:
99. Upton Sinclair 

End Poverty In California 

Like Ralph Nader, Upton Sinclair was most influential for his writings: in particular The Jungle (1903) changed American society, though not the way he intended. He’s on this list solely for his campaign for Governor of California in 1934. Sinclair lost that election, but his campaign is one of the most significant political events in modern American history, for  couple of  reasons: 

First and foremost, Sinclair’s candidacy was a strong but failed attempt to reshape the Democratic Party as a socialist party. Sinclair had been a socialist for years but, much like Bernie Sanders decades later, ran for office as a Democrat believing that the time was ripe for a rebranding of the Democrats. Liberals were skeptical of the New Deal; it was considered too slow, too full of compromise. Sinclair offered much more direct wealth redistribution and was a direct challenge to FDR. Had Sinclair won there is every reason to believe that either he or another socialist type would have seriously challenged FDR in 1936 from the left, and that might have changed history as we know it.

Second, the campaign against Sinclair was the first modern political campaign in American history. Financed largely by Hollywood (particularly Louie B Mayer) and run by a husband and wife team called Campaign, INC., it featured all sorts of lies and dirty tricks (the most infamous was a short commercial, played at every movie theatre in the state, featuring a dirty looking foreigner with a long black beard who stares at the camera and says he hopes “Mr. Sinclair vill brink to California vhat ve gott in Rooshia!”)
Click to expand...
Would have Huey Long also been a serious challenge in 36? although not socialist per say ( i know he was a populist) his Share our Wealth plan certainly was. I'm sure Long will be somewhere on your list, but I often wonder if Long wasn't assassinated, could he have challenged as a 3rd party Candidate?  Also thanks for doing this list. I  look foreword to reading it.

 
timschochet said:
100. Ralph Nader 

The only difference between the Republican and Democratic Parties is the velocity in which they fall to their knees when corporations come knocking at the door. 
 

If this were simply a lost of most impactful Americans, Ralph Nader would be much higher on it. His  campaign against the auto industry essentially changed our society, creating consumer protection. 
In terms of politics Nader’s influence is far less though still significant enough to make this list. He ran for office, especially President, several times and failed to ever make a dent (although famously he may have affected the outcome of the 2000 election). But Nader was one of the first and foremost purveyors of the viewpoint, expressed in the above quote, that there is no major difference between our two major political parties. I strongly disagree with this viewpoint but it does seem to be spreading. 
Click to expand...
On 50th Anniversary of Ralph Nader’s ‘Unsafe at Any Speed,’ Safety Group Reports Auto Safety Regulation Has Saved 3.5 Million Lives

>>The issue is not the size of government but how a smart democracy can successfully save millions of lives.<<

There was a big difference between the 2 parties in mandatory seat belts and airbags in cars.  Carter pushed for airbags and Reagan and Republicans tried to slow walk such regulations. BTW, I just left beautiful San Francisco and an Uber driver told me that government should get out of regulating the industry, insurance requirements and the like. 

 
IvanKaramazov said:
Can't wait to see Hillary Clinton in the top 10. 
Click to expand...




Hillary is just like the Tom Brady of politicians.  You can make the case Brady had four Hall of Fame careers.  Similarly, you can make the case for Hillary to occupy four spots in the top 10.   Hillary, the first lady.  Hillary, the Senator.  Hillary, the Secretay of State.  And Hillary, the Presidential candidate.  

 
Last edited by a moderator:
tuffnutt said:
Would have Huey Long also been a serious challenge in 36? although not socialist per say ( i know he was a populist) his Share our Wealth plan certainly was. I'm sure Long will be somewhere on your list, but I often wonder if Long wasn't assassinated, could he have challenged as a 3rd party Candidate?  Also thanks for doing this list. I  look foreword to reading it.
Click to expand...
We will get to the Kingfish later, but yes I think he would have been a serious challenge in 1936. 

 
98. Charles Coughlin 

When we get through with the Jews in America, they’ll think the treatment they received in Germany was nothing. 
 

Quite possibly the worst human being on this list, Father Charles Coughlin of Detroit, Michigan was the first political figure, aside from FDR, to truly understand and manipulate the power of mass media. At his height (around 1936-1938) he had an astounding 30 million listeners (even more amazing when you consider that the population of the USA was then 130 million.) Every Sunday evening millions of families would faithfully tune in to Coughlin and listen, transfixed, to his political message, which was one of hate. Aside from being anti-Semitic, Coughlin was anti-immigrant, racist, and xenophobic, and he spoke in favor of fascism. 
During World War II Coughlin was censored and disappeared into obscurity. But during his heyday no broadcaster, and very few other Americans, were as powerful. 

 
timschochet said:
98. Charles Coughlin 

When we get through with the Jews in America, they’ll think the treatment they received in Germany was nothing. 
 

Quite possibly the worst human being on this list, Father Charles Coughlin of Detroit, Michigan was the first political figure, aside from FDR, to truly understand and manipulate the power of mass media. At his height (around 1936-1938) he had an astounding 30 million listeners (even more amazing when you consider that the population of the USA was then 130 million.) Every Sunday evening millions of families would faithfully tune in to Coughlin and listen, transfixed, to his political message, which was one of hate. Aside from being anti-Semitic, Coughlin was anti-immigrant, racist, and xenophobic, and he spoke in favor of fascism. 
During World War II Coughlin was censored and disappeared into obscurity. But during his heyday no broadcaster, and very few other Americans, were as powerful. 
Click to expand...
I had never heard of this person. Read a bit about him because of this.

Great thread.

 
timschochet said:
98. Charles Coughlin 

When we get through with the Jews in America, they’ll think the treatment they received in Germany was nothing. 
 

Quite possibly the worst human being on this list, Father Charles Coughlin of Detroit, Michigan was the first political figure, aside from FDR, to truly understand and manipulate the power of mass media. At his height (around 1936-1938) he had an astounding 30 million listeners (even more amazing when you consider that the population of the USA was then 130 million.) Every Sunday evening millions of families would faithfully tune in to Coughlin and listen, transfixed, to his political message, which was one of hate. Aside from being anti-Semitic, Coughlin was anti-immigrant, racist, and xenophobic, and he spoke in favor of fascism. 
During World War II Coughlin was censored and disappeared into obscurity. But during his heyday no broadcaster, and very few other Americans, were as powerful. 
Click to expand...
Interesting choice.

Is it just the audience size? I ask because if that is the thing here (granted the topic too but you know what I mean) then I wonder if you gave any consideration to Dr. Charles Stanley? At one point, for awhile, he was basically heard on TV, radio, or short rage radio just about everywhere in the world where they had the tech to do it. Granted he never moved a politic needle directly, but he led a massive congregation and audience and is probably the grandfather of the southern Baptist sect if my tribe which was incubator for what is now evangelicalism (you can argue for purposes of my point).

 
timschochet said:
98. Charles Coughlin 

When we get through with the Jews in America, they’ll think the treatment they received in Germany was nothing. 
 

Quite possibly the worst human being on this list, Father Charles Coughlin of Detroit, Michigan was the first political figure, aside from FDR, to truly understand and manipulate the power of mass media. At his height (around 1936-1938) he had an astounding 30 million listeners (even more amazing when you consider that the population of the USA was then 130 million.) Every Sunday evening millions of families would faithfully tune in to Coughlin and listen, transfixed, to his political message, which was one of hate. Aside from being anti-Semitic, Coughlin was anti-immigrant, racist, and xenophobic, and he spoke in favor of fascism. 
During World War II Coughlin was censored and disappeared into obscurity. But during his heyday no broadcaster, and very few other Americans, were as powerful. 
Click to expand...
His Church, National Shrine of the Little Flower, is in Royal Oak and is a really cool looking church. He's also an interesting person to engage in the conversation of being "cancelled". The government took over control of the airwaves declaring it a natural resource for the first time. They did it very much with the intention of denying him the ability to broadcast.  When he turned to writing, the government made it extremely difficult for him to distribute via US mail. It became expensive to keep up his work and he wasn't able to reach as large of an audience. He was also being threatened with sedition charges. However, being a priest, he did have to answer to his Bishop. This Bishop cut a deal with the US that they would back off if Coughlin dropped politics. The Archbishop of Detroit gave the orders to drop all politics and just stick to running his Church. Coughlin complied. The thing about the Catholic Church is they have total control over the lives of their priests and the punishment for disobedience can be harsh. 

 
Yankee23Fan said:
Interesting choice.

Is it just the audience size? I ask because if that is the thing here (granted the topic too but you know what I mean) then I wonder if you gave any consideration to Dr. Charles Stanley? At one point, for awhile, he was basically heard on TV, radio, or short rage radio just about everywhere in the world where they had the tech to do it. Granted he never moved a politic needle directly, but he led a massive congregation and audience and is probably the grandfather of the southern Baptist sect if my tribe which was incubator for what is now evangelicalism (you can argue for purposes of my point).
Click to expand...
Well, audience size plus political influence. 

 
timschochet said:
Hi everyone, glad to be back after a lengthy suspension, and I thought I’d have some fun going into this holiday seasons. Since I love countdowns, I thought I would do one of the greatest American political figures. Hopefully this will generate some good discussion and debate. All are welcome. I will begin my countdown in the morning with #100. But first, some definitions: 

1. I define “the modern era” of politics as beginning in 1933. There are two reasons for this. First, it’s the year that the New Deal began, and that’s the cutoff point for what we now regard as government’s role in our society, which is of course the central issue of politics. Basically ever since 1933, our political debate has essentially been whether or not to increase the New Deal or shrink it down. 

Second, 1933 was the first year that mass communication was used for political purposes, in the form of FDR’s “fireside chats” on the radio. This completely altered the power of media in shaping public opinion, forevermore. Politicians prior to 1933, and post 1933, are like night and day. It is fair to suggest that, to offer two examples of our greatest Presidents, that Abraham Lincoln could never have been elected post 1933, and Ronald Reagan could never have been elected prior to 1933. 
 

2. The term “political figure” includes almost anyone who has had a major impact on politics. On this list, in addition to famous politicians, I have included writers, talk show hosts, activists, journalists, statesmen, Cabinet members, justices, broadcasters, and campaign managers. The one notable category I have deliberately left out are assassins and terrorists. It can be argued that Lee Harvey Oswald had as much impact as nearly anyone on this list, but it’s my list and I don’t want him on it. 

3. The term “greatest” is really a combination of “great” and “most impactful”. There are a few really bad people on this list, and some that I despise and have no respect for, but it’s impossible to ignore their significance. I have tried to leave my own politics out of this analysis as much as possible though my preferences will show up, no doubt from time to time. 

100. Ralph Nader 

99. Upton Sinclair 

98. Charles Coughlin 
Click to expand...


I thought you were on a self imposed hiatius.    What did you get suspended for this time?

 
timschochet said:
99. Upton Sinclair 

End Poverty In California 

Like Ralph Nader, Upton Sinclair was most influential for his writings: in particular The Jungle (1903) changed American society, though not the way he intended. He’s on this list solely for his campaign for Governor of California in 1934. Sinclair lost that election, but his campaign is one of the most significant political events in modern American history, for  couple of  reasons: 

First and foremost, Sinclair’s candidacy was a strong but failed attempt to reshape the Democratic Party as a socialist party. Sinclair had been a socialist for years but, much like Bernie Sanders decades later, ran for office as a Democrat believing that the time was ripe for a rebranding of the Democrats. Liberals were skeptical of the New Deal; it was considered too slow, too full of compromise. Sinclair offered much more direct wealth redistribution and was a direct challenge to FDR. Had Sinclair won there is every reason to believe that either he or another socialist type would have seriously challenged FDR in 1936 from the left, and that might have changed history as we know it.
Click to expand...


Maybe but FDR was really popular at that moment and famously win the '36 election in a 523-8 EC win. I don't think socialism was catching on that quickly against a very popular leader at a National level in 1930s America. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
This thread is going to be delicious. I'm not very good at shtick, but those of you that are better be sharpening your barbs. I have high comedic expectations from you.

Cool idea for a thread, Tim. I've already learned about people I had no or very peripheral knowledge of. Thanks.

 
Ilov80s said:
Maybe but FDR was really popular at that moment and famously win the '36 election in a 523-8 EC win. I don't think socialism was catching on that quickly against a very popular leader at a National level in 1930s America. 
Click to expand...
I do know that there was a lot of concern from the FDR administration that Huey Long could siphon off enough of the vote that the republican might have a chance. Enough so that they commissioned a secret poll that said if long ran he could get up to 10% of the vote. 

 
97. Angela Davis 

The word “radical” means “grasping at the root” 

Angela Davis is currently 77 years old and an honored professor at UC Santa Clara. Although officially retired she continues to speak, receive awards, and engage in protests. She is consistently listed as one of the most admired women in this nation, and she is highly regarded as one of the great feminist and intellectuals of our times. Only last year there was a petition from a majority of students at my daughters’ university, Chapman, to replace the current bust there of Ronald Reagan with Angela Davis (the chancellor wisely ignored this petition.) 

Angela continues to be an unrepentant hater of the United States as she has been her entire life, as well as an extreme radical who has always pushed for violence and murder as a means to achieve political change. She is a Marxist of the Trotsky variety. As a young woman she aided in robbery and murder for her cause; she was tried and acquitted on technical grounds. Her boyfriend was shot and killed by police. She was never regretted this activity; to this day she continues to speak out in favor and full throated defense of the murder of innocent people so long as it is committed for leftist purposes or, in her words “on behalf of the dispossessed” (her term for Hamas, al-Qaeda, and pretty much any terrorists who hate the USA as much as she does.) While many of her criticisms of our society, especially in terms of racism, sexism, class economics, and homophobia, have been quite reasonable over the years, they have always been accompanied by an irrational defense of leftist regimes, from Cuba to Venezuela to a host of countries in Africa and the Middle East where she has visited and been treated like traveling royalty by the various murderous dictators in charge. She is also worshipped in much of Western Europe as one of our greatest Americans. 
On a side note, Mick Jagger wrote a song for her, years ago, “Sweet Black Angel”, that has always been one of my most favorite Stones’ tunes. 

 
timschochet said:
97. Angela Davis 

The word “radical” means “grasping at the root” 

Angela Davis is currently 77 years old and an honored professor at UC Santa Clara. Although officially retired she continues to speak, receive awards, and engage in protests. She is consistently listed as one of the most admired women in this nation, and she is highly regarded as one of the great feminist and intellectuals of our times. Only last year there was a petition from a majority of students at my daughters’ university, Chapman, to replace the current bust there of Ronald Reagan with Angela Davis (the chancellor wisely ignored this petition.) 

Angela continues to be an unrepentant hater of the United States as she has been her entire life, as well as an extreme radical who has always pushed for violence and murder as a means to achieve political change. She is a Marxist of the Trotsky variety. As a young woman she aided in robbery and murder for her cause; she was tried and acquitted on technical grounds. Her boyfriend was shot and killed by police. She was never regretted this activity; to this day she continues to speak out in favor and full throated defense of the murder of innocent people so long as it is committed for leftist purposes or, in her words “on behalf of the dispossessed” (her term for Hamas, al-Qaeda, and pretty much any terrorists who hate the USA as much as she does.) While many of her criticisms of our society, especially in terms of racism, sexism, class economics, and homophobia, have been quite reasonable over the years, they have always been accompanied by an irrational defense of leftist regimes, from Cuba to Venezuela to a host of countries in Africa and the Middle East where she has visited and been treated like traveling royalty by the various murderous dictators in charge. She is also worshipped in much of Western Europe as one of our greatest Americans. 
On a side note, Mick Jagger wrote a song for her, years ago, “Sweet Black Angel”, that has always been one of my most favorite Stones’ tunes. 
Click to expand...




The USA did not seem to suit Davis and her lifestyle.  Always wondered if she would have been happier in a place like Venezula, Sudan, Somalia or Haiti where she could have ran for office on her beliefs. Of maybe Or would she have hated those countries as well?

 
Summer Wheat said:
The USA did not seem to suit Davis and her lifestyle.  Always wondered if she would have been happier in a place like Venezula, Sudan, Somalia or Haiti where she could have ran for office on her beliefs. Of maybe Or would she have hated those countries as well?
Click to expand...
Oh she loves to visit. And when she does she is treated like royalty as I mentioned. But in the end she returns to America, where she can complain while living a civilized lifestyle, drinking her espressos and attending new art exhibits. 

 
timschochet said:
Oh she loves to visit. And when she does she is treated like royalty as I mentioned. But in the end she returns to America, where she can complain while living a civilized lifestyle, drinking her espressos and attending new art exhibits. 
Click to expand...


Of course.  They always treat Anti-Americans like royalty.

 
Yankee23Fan said:
Interesting choice.

Is it just the audience size? I ask because if that is the thing here (granted the topic too but you know what I mean) then I wonder if you gave any consideration to Dr. Charles Stanley? At one point, for awhile, he was basically heard on TV, radio, or short rage radio just about everywhere in the world where they had the tech to do it. Granted he never moved a politic needle directly, but he led a massive congregation and audience and is probably the grandfather of the southern Baptist sect if my tribe which was incubator for what is now evangelicalism (you can argue for purposes of my point).
Click to expand...


Interesting post - I've heard Stanley since I was in diapers and I'm not sure I ever heard him make a political statement.  Deep theologian.  I realize this isn't a religious list and we are talking about impact but for me Andy Stanley >> Charles Stanley.

 
96. Mario Cuomo 

You campaign in poetry; you govern in prose. 

In the summer of 1984 Mario Cuomo gave the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention that was considered one of the greatest speeches of the era. It consisted of a resounding defense of the New Deal and Great Society which Ronald Reagan was so eager to weaken. It made Cuomo the biggest star of the party- far bigger than the chosen candidate, Mondale, whom everybody seemed to know was going to get crushed. And it put Cuomo, then the Governor of New York (just as FDR had once been), in the perfect position to be our next President…

…And then he chose not to run. The Democrats almost in desperation chose a pseudo Cuomo to replace him in Dukakis, but voters may have wanted the real thing and rejected the Duke. It was believed that Cuomo, having learned his lesson, would certainly run in 1992 and be a shoo-in…

And then he chose not to run again. Who knows? Perhaps he didn’t want the responsibility. In any case he ends up on this list as almost a cipher, one of those great “what-ifs” in American politics. He did sire two sons, each of which have played a certain role in the current political scene, but probably the less said about them, the better. 

 
95. Jerry Falwell 

Christians, like slaves and soldiers, ask no questions. 

I originally considered placing Falwell much higher on this list: after all he was the leader of the Moral Majority, a key figure in the conservative movement for over two decades, and arguably the single most visible member of the Christian Right in the history of this country. 

But a more in depth analysis suggests that Falwell’s actual influence upon events was pretty limited. He claimed responsibility for the election of Ronald Reagan, which is certainly untrue; the movement of evangelical Christians to conservatism had begun prior to Falwell’s ascent and his presence made very little difference. Like many others on this list, Falwell was primarily an attention seeker. He began his political career as an activist for segregation and then moved on from there to whatever issue became “hot”- although roundly condemned for his comments that AIDS was God’s punishment against homosexuals, and later for claiming that 9/11 was Gods punishment against America for tolerating homosexuals, it’s important to recognize that in both of these instances it was Falwell himself who pushed these statements on the media, knowing the outrage they would cause. He wanted the controversy. 
Falwell famously sued Hustler publisher Larry Flynt for defamation, a case which went to the Supreme Court. But in later years Falwell and Flynt went on a speaking tour together. Which suggests that the whole thing was for show. And I think this statement also defines Jerry Falwell’s entire career. 

 
@timschochet - I like the thread.  If I may make a suggestion, however...  Slow down a bit, at least during typical work hours?  You're cranking them out at a fast pace without leaving much time for discussion or reflection.  I was stuck on work stuff all day and there are already several new entries.

Regarding Cuomo, it was a lifetime ago and I don't remember now.  What is/was the speculation on why he never ran for POTUS?

 
Another request. Is it possible to link the people as you list them in the OP to the post where you put their write-up? 

 
Rich Conway said:
@timschochet - I like the thread.  If I may make a suggestion, however...  Slow down a bit, at least during typical work hours?  You're cranking them out at a fast pace without leaving much time for discussion or reflection.  I was stuck on work stuff all day and there are already several new entries.

Regarding Cuomo, it was a lifetime ago and I don't remember now.  What is/was the speculation on why he never ran for POTUS?
Click to expand...
I’m doing 3 a day. But I can slow that down if people want. 
 

Regarding Cuomo, he just didn’t want it. Kept teasing it for about 10 years but never jumped in. 

 
timschochet said:
97. Angela Davis 

The word “radical” means “grasping at the root” 

Angela Davis is currently 77 years old and an honored professor at UC Santa Clara. Although officially retired she continues to speak, receive awards, and engage in protests. She is consistently listed as one of the most admired women in this nation, and she is highly regarded as one of the great feminist and intellectuals of our times. Only last year there was a petition from a majority of students at my daughters’ university, Chapman, to replace the current bust there of Ronald Reagan with Angela Davis (the chancellor wisely ignored this petition.) 

Angela continues to be an unrepentant hater of the United States as she has been her entire life, as well as an extreme radical who has always pushed for violence and murder as a means to achieve political change. She is a Marxist of the Trotsky variety. As a young woman she aided in robbery and murder for her cause; she was tried and acquitted on technical grounds. Her boyfriend was shot and killed by police. She was never regretted this activity; to this day she continues to speak out in favor and full throated defense of the murder of innocent people so long as it is committed for leftist purposes or, in her words “on behalf of the dispossessed” (her term for Hamas, al-Qaeda, and pretty much any terrorists who hate the USA as much as she does.) While many of her criticisms of our society, especially in terms of racism, sexism, class economics, and homophobia, have been quite reasonable over the years, they have always been accompanied by an irrational defense of leftist regimes, from Cuba to Venezuela to a host of countries in Africa and the Middle East where she has visited and been treated like traveling royalty by the various murderous dictators in charge. She is also worshipped in much of Western Europe as one of our greatest Americans. 
On a side note, Mick Jagger wrote a song for her, years ago, “Sweet Black Angel”, that has always been one of my most favorite Stones’ tunes. 
Click to expand...


These are very good...I am enjoying them, excellent effort...question about this one, she has a long extremist history but what exactly was her impact?  

 
The General said:
timschochet said:
I’m not too good at this. 
Click to expand...
100. Ralph Nader - test
Click to expand...
Ok, Tim. If you care to do this I think it would make the thread more easily readable. 

1. Tap the "..." in the top right corner of the post you want to link.

2.  Select "Share".

3. There you find the link that goes to this post.

Edit 1st post, use the "link" option in top bar of the post next to Underline option, drop the link in there, name as you are, and there you go.

 
The General said:
Ok, Tim. If you care to do this I think it would make the thread more easily readable. 

1. Tap the "..." in the top right corner of the post you want to link.

2.  Select "Share".

3. There you find the link that goes to this post.

Edit 1st post, use the "link" option in top bar of the post next to Underline option, drop the link in there, name as you are, and there you go.
Click to expand...
Seems like a lot of work. 
 

I hate this sort of stuff. I will try it later though. 

 
The General said:
It is very simple once you do it once...is as simple as cut and paste (as long as you are familiar with the link function in the top ribbon) but no worries.
Click to expand...
Sorry I’m having trouble with it. It’s not your instructions, it’s just that I’m really lame at this stuff. 
I will leave the thread as it is. I don’t really think it’s hard to read. 

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

glvsav37
Hulu and the Political Ads Issue
2
Replies
67
Views
2K
Desert_Power
Desert_Power
Captain Cranks
"FBG Research" Political Typology Project
Replies
30
Views
550
Bottomfeeder Sports
Bottomfeeder Sports
GordonGekko
The Hill: Almost 20% Polled Say "Politics" Has Hurt/Ended Friendships & Family Relationships (10/18/22 19:43 PST)
Replies
2
Views
333
tymarsas
T

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Top