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

[SoBeDad]

Many good things happened under Reagan. But he tripled the national debt, which he regretted. Also, the bombing of the marine barracks in Beruit killing 241 US personnel happened under his watch. He made the right decision to leave. Ben Linder's family of Iran-Contra connection might have something to say.

Over-rated president mainly due to the huge increase in the national debt.

I'm seeing many parallels with Biden. Both had military withdrawals, and 2 years into office, each have or may have a recession, and have low popularity. Can Biden pull off a Reagan? 80 is the new 70.

 

[Stoneworker]

Many good things happened under Reagan. But he tripled the national debt, which he regretted. Also, the bombing of the marine barracks in Beruit killing 241 US personnel happened under his watch. He made the right decision to leave. Ben Linder's family of Iran-Contra connection might have something to say.

Over-rated president mainly due to the huge increase in the national debt.

I'm seeing many parallels with Biden. Both had military withdrawals, and 2 years into office, each have or may have a recession, and have low popularity. Can Biden pull off a Reagan? 80 is the new 70.

Lol. Such a bizarre way to evaluate a president.

If national debt % increase is your primary criteria for rating someone's reign in the Oval Office, then I can't wait for your thoughts on FDR.

President [Franklin D.] Roosevelt increased the national debt by $236 billion, a 1,048% increase from the $22.5 billion debt at the end of Hoover's last budget.

https://www.thebalance.com/us-debt-by-president-by-dollar-and-percent-3306296

 

[SoBeDad]

Lol. Such a bizarre way to evaluate a president.

If national debt % increase is your primary criteria for rating someone's reign in the Oval Office, then I can't wait for your thoughts on FDR.

President [Franklin D.] Roosevelt increased the national debt by $236 billion, a 1,048% increase from the $22.5 billion debt at the end of Hoover's last budget.

https://www.thebalance.com/us-debt-by-president-by-dollar-and-percent-3306296

FDR had the great depression and WWII. There's also lots of infrastructure to show for FDR's spending, such as Hoover Dam, LaGuardia, Lincoln Tunnel, SF Bay Bridge and many others. Reagan himself was disappointed in the big increase in the deficit.

 

[Stoneworker]

FDR had the great depression and WWII. There's also lots of infrastructure to show for FDR's spending, such as Hoover Dam, LaGuardia, Lincoln Tunnel, SF Bay Bridge and many others. Reagan himself was disappointed in the big increase in the deficit.

FDR did some great things with his public spending, which was 3x even Reagan's. Just another reason why FDR is #1 and Reagan is only #2.

And Reagan's humility in being critical of his own performance vs. touting all his achievements is just another example of his great leadership qualities.

 

[timschochet]

4. Dwight Eisenhower 

Plans are nothing, planning is everything. 

In 1948 and in 1952,  both the Democratic Party and Republican Party begged Dwight Eisenhower to run for President. He was the last major figure equally desired by both parties, and that’s fitting because he was perhaps the greatest bipartisan President we’ve ever had. And his 8 years in office were truly extraordinary: our longest period of peace and economic expansion (there was a recession at the very end which helped JFK get elected, but most of the Ike years were extremely smooth.) 

Some of Eisenhower’s greatest achievements involved doing nothing. Pressed by his advisors and much of Congress to increase our involvement in Vietnam after Dien Bien Phu, he wisely chose not to do so, deciding that after Korea (a war he quickly got us out of) that extending the Cold War to Asia was problematic. Eisenhower also pulled the plug on British and French attempts to retake the Suez Canal, because he correctly perceived it would lead to a nuclear confrontation with Soviet Russia. With Harry Truman having effectively won the Cold War (I’ll get to that) Ike began the process of detente, which stabilized the world order for another 50 years. 

Ike is criticized by some historians for using the CIA to overthrow Mossedegh in Iran and re-installing the Shah, which helped lead to the 1979 revolution. But Mossedegh was a socialist, perhaps a Communist, who would have seriously threatened our oil supply, so the move was defensible at the time. 

Ike disapproved of the Brown vs Board of Education decision- not because he was a racist or segregationist, but because he didn’t believe the southern states were ready for such a move and that it would lead to great strife (as it did.) Nonetheless he carried out his duties to enforce the new law of the land, notably in Little Rock in 1957. 

All in all one of our greatest Presidents and leaders. And yes, greater than Reagan. 

 

[Mister CIA]

Since the final three are stone-cold locks, there are a few senators missing that I would have guessed were in your top 100, namely Robert Byrd, John Glenn, and Jesse Helms; especially Helms as it feels like his vision for America is coming to fruition.

 

[Stoneworker]

Meh.

I like Ike...but he neither inherited any major crises nor solved any.

For example, Eisenhower inherited an incredibly healthy economy whose inflation was only 0.4% and unemployment at 2.7%.

In contrast, when certain other "greater" presidents took office in 1981 the economy was literally in crisis with inflation at 13.9% and unemployment at 7.2%. However, after eight years of stellar economic policies, the #2 greatest political figure of all-time had triumphed over evil Democratic political resistance and created a booming economy with inflation and unemployment down dramatically to 5% and 4%, respectively.

And while the comment about "beginning the process of detente" is perhaps technically accurate, it certainly didn't "stabilize" anything for very long. If that were true, then we wouldn't have had the Cuban missile crisis with our Russian friends only a year and a half after Eisenhower left office.

But I agree that Ike's greatest achievements as president involved doing nothing. 

 

[timschochet]

Since the final three are stone-cold locks, there are a few senators missing that I would have guessed were in your top 100, namely Robert Byrd, John Glenn, and Jesse Helms; especially Helms as it feels like his vision for America is coming to fruition.

Considered two out of the three. But neither Byrd nor Helms had lasting impact. Helms’ vision, anti- gay. anti-black, is certainly NOT coming to fruition. 
Glenn was a famous man who became a Senator. 

 

[Bottomfeeder Sports]

In contrast, when certain other "greater" presidents took office in 1981 the economy was literally in crisis with inflation at 13.9% and unemployment at 7.2%. However, after eight years of stellar economic policies, the #2 greatest political figure of all-time had triumphed over evil Democratic political resistance and created a booming economy with inflation and unemployment down dramatically to 5% and 4%, respectively.

There is still room for Paul Volker to make the list.  I doubt he will.  Oh, and those evil Democrats corrected the horrible mistakes of 1981 in 1982 and just about every year after.

 

[SoBeDad]

There is still room for Paul Volker to make the list.  I doubt he will.  Oh, and those evil Democrats corrected the horrible mistakes of 1981 in 1982 and just about every year after.

Great point about Volcker. Another reason Nixon should be rated higher than Reagan. Nixon was a jerk, but he had a bigger impact on today's world than Reagan.

 

[Monty Burns]

Ike also warned: 

Our toil, resources, and livelihood are all involved. So is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.

 

[timschochet]

3. Harry Truman 

The reward for suffering is experience. 
 

Its always been disappointing to me that when most people remember Truman, they think of his decision to drop the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That was an easy, though extremely consequential decision which any President in that situation would have made. It’s not why he’s so high on this list: Truman comes in at #3 because he won the Cold War. He won it with 4 moves: 

1. The Marshall Plan 

2. The Truman Doctrine (specifically our support of Greece) 

3. The Berlin Airlift 

4. The insistence that Soviet Russia pull all military forces out of northern Iran.

I could spend hours writing about any one of these 4 actions (and indeed thousands of pages have been written about each) but what’s important to mention here is that these events did not just occur on Truman’s watch; he was the central decision maker in all 4. And without them it is no exaggeration to suggest that Russia would have won the Cold War and the world, and our country, would have been quite different and far worse. 
 

Of course the Cold War continued for 40 years following this period, and there were many important confrontations to come, but Truman’s victories were the key battles. They were the equivalent of Gettysburg and Stalingrad. Without Truman at the helm we lose. That’s why he comes in at #3. 

 

[timschochet]

2. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

I’ve been a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness. 
 

I won’t insult this man’s memory by attempting to offer any kind of bio here. 
 

But I am always fascinated by the question of how important single individuals are to history. If MLK had never lived, would the Civil Rights movement have happened anyway? Do these sorts of profound cultural changes occur simply because society is ready for them to happen, or do individuals make them happen? I don’t know the answer but it’s a question I often think about. 

 

[Rich Conway]

Do these sorts of profound cultural changes occur simply because society is ready for them to happen, or do individuals make them happen?

Combination of both.  Without a specific individual, the changes would take place eventually, just not necessarily at the same moment or pace.

 

[squistion]

It is pretty obvious who #1 is. 

 

[Rich Conway]

It is pretty obvious who #1 is. 

"We The People", obviously. 

 

[AAABatteries]

Romanowski!!

 

[timschochet]

1. Franklin D Roosevelt 

This generation  has a rendezvous with destiny. 
 

I’ve never been a huge fan. FDR prevented thousands of Jewish refugees from coming here, which costs many lives during the Holocaust. And he signed executive order 9066, which imprisoned hundreds of thousands of innocent Japanese Americans. 

Nonetheless he is easily the #1 person on this list, as he is the main figure in this country for both the Great Depression and World War II, probably the two most seminal events in modern American history. 
 

This concludes the list. Hope you guys enjoyed it. 

 

[jon_mx]

I'm seeing many parallels with Biden. Both had military withdrawals, and 2 years into office, each have or may have a recession, and have low popularity. Can Biden pull off a Reagan? 80 is the new 70.

One of the worst takes in the history of the this PSF.  Congrats.  

 

[Grace Under Pressure]

1. Franklin D Roosevelt 

This generation  has a rendezvous with destiny. 
 

I’ve never been a huge fan. FDR prevented thousands of Jewish refugees from coming here, which costs many lives during the Holocaust. And he signed executive order 9066, which imprisoned hundreds of thousands of innocent Japanese Americans. 

Nonetheless he is easily the #1 person on this list, as he is the main figure in this country for both the Great Depression and World War II, probably the two most seminal events in modern American history. 
 

This concludes the list. Hope you guys enjoyed it. 

Thanks, nicely done. Enjoyed seeing Eleanor at 9. 

 

[waiver wire]

1. Franklin D Roosevelt 

This generation  has a rendezvous with destiny. 
 

I’ve never been a huge fan. FDR prevented thousands of Jewish refugees from coming here, which costs many lives during the Holocaust. And he signed executive order 9066, which imprisoned hundreds of thousands of innocent Japanese Americans. 

Nonetheless he is easily the #1 person on this list, as he is the main figure in this country for both the Great Depression and World War II, probably the two most seminal events in modern American history. 
 

This concludes the list. Hope you guys enjoyed it. 

@timschochet Thanks for this 
As a Canadian , lots of names and history I didnt know and found it very interesting and informative 

How long did it take you to do the list and how did you come up with the rankings ?
 

 

[timschochet]

@timschochet Thanks for this 
As a Canadian , lots of names and history I didnt know and found it very interesting and informative 

How long did it take you to do the list and how did you come up with the rankings ?
 

I don’t know. About a week I think. 

I tried to explain my reasoning the rankings whenever I posted one. Obviously it’s quite subjective and many people here took strong issue with some. Which is fine; it was nice to have a political discussion removed from current events. 

Appreciate the kind words. 

 

[ignatiusjreilly]

Interesting list, and thanks for taking on this project, Tim!

I haven't been following the whole thing super closely, but I've popped in a few times to see where the list was at. Hard to find too much to disagree with in your Top 5. I totally get FDR at No. 1, and I can't come up with any counter to the fact that, as you say, he managed the two most significant events of the past century.

But if I had to make a case for MLK in the top spot, it would be this: Since the country's founding, there have been two events (and two people) that fundamentally redefined what the Constitution meant. The first was Lincoln and the Civil War, which cemented the notion of the United States as a single, indivisible political entity. (The historian Gary Wills has argued that the Gettysburg Address was effectively a new founding document on par with the Declaration and Constitution).

The second was MLK and the Civil Rights Movement, which forced America to live up to the ideals it had declared at its founding but had often honored in the breach. Langston Hughes put it best: "O, let America be America again—The land that never has been yet— And yet must be." When you read the "I Have a Dream" speech, it is amazing how frequently -- and how brilliantly -- King grounds everything in America's constitutional tradition. It is a testament to how successful he was at his project that his ideas, which were considered dangerously radical at the time, are now accepted as not-even-remotely controversial.