Although he did do something to endear himself to some of the current generation. He was the last president to pay off the national debt.

 

Had any of the presidents before him did so?

Had any of the presidents before him did so?

 

I don't think so. If my memory of American History classes serves, the US was essentially in a constant state of war or conflict of some sort from 1775 when the Revolutionary War broke out until there was a 3 or 4 year "lull in the action" briefly previous to 1835. The biggest debts ovbiously came from the Revolutionary War and the War Of 1812, but there were also numerous wars with the Native American Tribes throughout the continent, there was the Whiskey Rebellion, there were both Barbary wars... We never sat down and stopped fighting long enough to start paying back some money. (Sound familiar??)

From the History series The Presidents it was stated that Jackson was the only president to have a debt free portion of his presidency.

I don't think so. If my memory of American History classes serves, the US was essentially in a constant state of war or conflict of some sort from 1775 when the Revolutionary War broke out until there was a 3 or 4 year "lull in the action" briefly previous to 1835. The biggest debts ovbiously came from the Revolutionary War and the War Of 1812, but there were also numerous wars with the Native American Tribes throughout the continent, there was the Whiskey Rebellion, there were both Barbary wars... We never sat down and stopped fighting long enough to start paying back some money. (Sound familiar??)

 

With our debt today, to make a healthy dent in it would take several decades of war free prosperity where any recessions were short and mild along with discipline in spending and tax cuts. Don't see it happening.

Don't forget the hair factor with the rise of TV circa 1960. Can't be follicly challenged like Ike or Adlai and run for president today. Which means lots of good statesmen fall short because they don't "show well" on TV.

Carter earned the #2 spot - pretty far behind Obama.

What do you folks think Obama could/could have done to be considered a better President ?

What do you folks think Obama could/could have done to be considered a better President ?

 

Very little. He was elected promising to do certain things. He did his darndest to do those things, many of which are exactly the things a lot of people hate him for.

 

Ramming the ACA (a very flawed bill even in the minds of many Democrats) through so quickly is his current legacy. The collapse of Iraq now sits at the feet of both Bush and Obama.

I have never felt it is fair to judge a President until at least 25-30 years after they are out of office.

What do you folks think Obama could/could have done to be considered a better President ?

 

Resigned.

Biggest issue was nationalizing health care when he had neither enough private or public sector support . You don't make moves of that grand a fashion without at lest some minimal support from the opposing party . Yes something needed to be changed , certainly not Obamacare .

Very little. He was elected promising to do certain things. He did his darndest to do those things, many of which are exactly the things a lot of people hate him for.

 

...

 

And he has failed to do things that he said he would do.

 

- Close Gitmo. Still open - but it seems to make this promise he is willing to just cut the detainees loose - while we still have soldiers in theater and dying at the hands of the Gitmo detainees groups.

- End the war in Iraq. Boots are back on the ground. So its not over.

- Be the most transparent administration in history. Pleading 5th and losing emails?

- Gain respect of foreign nations. Does any country respect the US more today?

 

I will say he did promise to bankrupt coal companies and drive up energy costs - the EPA is certainly working on that.

Would Nixon even have to resign if the same things happened today?

Would Nixon even have to resign if the same things happened today?

 

Unquestionably, yes.

Would Nixon even have to resign if the same things happened today?

 

Yes.