Imperial Presidents....any thoughts?

[statmanhensley]

Hey guys and gals, I'm almost NEVER in this forum but thought I would visit because of an assignment that I have to do for my HIS 103 course.

 

The professor wants us to find one source and talk about it for two separates "imperial presidents" and then find four sources onn my George Bush is an "imperial president" and talk about that. The assignment is supposed to be between 4-6 pages in length and is due in by Jan. 31 BUT the kicker here is that the sooner you get it to him, the better because he will add TWO bonus points for every class day that it is turned in early. If I were to be able to get it to him by this Tuesday, that'll means 6 extra bonus points that could go a lond way for the rest of the semester.

 

If anyone has anythoughts. I would greatly appreciate them. Oh and if you can find any links to a good article that talks about "imperial presidents", please send that my way as well.

 

THANKS!!!

[rockcastleraiders]

Best of luck, I will be looking for some stuff. I have thoughts in my head but no sources.

[AcesFull]

My thought is that President Bush is not an "imperial president." Liberating oppressed people and turning control over to their democratically elected governments is no way to build an empire.

[titletownclown]

Wrong George. The Washington one is the better choice. Andrew Jackson would be another to consider.

[AcesFull]

As for real imperial American presidents, I would nominate James K. Polk, who started the war in which we won California and the American southwest.

 

My second nomination is William McKinley, who was in office when the Spanish American War resulted in our acquisition of Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, etc.

 

Andrew Jackson might warrant some consideration because of the brutal treatment of the Cherokee Nation during his watch.

[youknowme]

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/2470/

 

http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/01/the-first-imper.html

 

http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=4395

 

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0116-11.htm

 

http://www.historynewsnetwork.com/roundup/entries/46203.html

[statmanhensley]

As far as George Bush goes, we have to find articles that say he is OR he isn't an imperial president and write what we think about the article. The paper isn't necessarily what we think of the individual but more of a reaction to what has been written about them. Hope that clears things up for some folks.

 

Oh and _Scarface_, thanks for the links. I'll be taking a better look at them tomorrow cause I'm gonna go watch the NFL games here in a bit then go to GameWorks at Newport On The Levee for a small birthday celebration for one of my friends but from what I've been able to view from just quickly reading a paragraph or two from each one, it sounds like this is going to be an easy paper to write. I'll probably print them out tonight and read them tomorrow morning and then write the paper tomorrow.

 

If anyone has any other links that you would like to send me, please feel free to do so. THANKS!!!

[youknowme]

As far as George Bush goes, we have to find articles that say he is OR he isn't an imperial president and write what we think about the article. The paper isn't necessarily what we think of the individual but more of a reaction to what has been written about them. Hope that clears things up for some folks.

 

Oh and _Scarface_, thanks for the links. I'll be taking a better look at them tomorrow cause I'm gonna go watch the NFL games here in a bit then go to GameWorks at Newport On The Levee for a small birthday celebration for one of my friends.

 

Your welcome.

 

Links about Bush being an Imperial President

 

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/76988_helen3.shtml

 

http://www.democracynow.org/2006/1/6/an_imperial_president_bush_claims_right

 

http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/01/the-first-imper.html

 

http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0703-05.htm

 

http://nyenevada.blogspot.com/2007/07/bush-imperial-president.html

 

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110002835

[75center]

Don't know if most of those would be considered valid resources as I'm not sure if opinion pieces and blogs are now considered good sources; although from the sounds of it his professor would accept them as proper. Sad in my opinion.

[ladiesbballcoach]

Considering I don't know what the term Imperial President means, I am no use in this thread.

 

Probably like many of the threads I go ahead and post in.:thumb:

[statmanhensley]

Don't know if most of those would be considered valid resources as I'm not sure if opinion pieces and blogs are now considered good sources; although from the sounds of it his professor would accept them as proper. Sad in my opinion.

 

My professor did say that he would allow them only if I either emailed a link or brought in a copy of the blog articles that I was going to use so he could approve it first.

[rockmom]

Don't know if most of those would be considered valid resources as I'm not sure if opinion pieces and blogs are now considered good sources; although from the sounds of it his professor would accept them as proper. Sad in my opinion.

 

 

I would say he'd have to accept opinion pieces, at the very least. The term "Imperial President", especially relative to GWB, is subjective, IMO.

 

I mean, I may personally think it's a fact, but I'm sure someone here would be happy to tell me why I'm wrong.....not that I'd believe them.

[AcesFull]

I would say he'd have to accept opinion pieces, at the very least. The term "Imperial President", especially relative to GWB, is subjective, IMO.

 

I mean, I may personally think it's a fact, but I'm sure someone here would be happy to tell me why I'm wrong.....not that I'd believe them.

If you believe that GWB is an imperial president, then what does that make four-term president FDR? In addition to remaining in the presidency until death did them part, FDR also attempted to gain control over the Supreme Court by simply adding his own justices until he gained a majority and he threw American citizens into interment camps.

 

No modern American president (including Nixon) showed as much disrespect toward the US Constitution and presidential tradition as FDR did.

[rockmom]

If you believe that GWB is an imperial president, then what does that make four-term president FDR? In addition to remaining in the presidency until death did them part, FDR also attempted to gain control over the Supreme Court by simply adding his own justices until he gained a majority and he threw American citizens into interment camps.

 

No modern American president (including Nixon) showed as much disrespect toward the US Constitution and presidential tradition as FDR did.

 

 

Hey...the subject was GWB...I was sticking to the topic.

[AcesFull]

Hey...the subject was GWB...I was sticking to the topic.

Me too. FDR was an imperial president.