Tom Roeser: How 14 presidents rank

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | November 22, 2003 | THOMAS ROESER

[Chi-townChief]

With the nation drowned in media JFK reminiscences, I bring good news. On this 40th anniversary of his assassination, there will be no lachrymose eulogy from me -- but a rating of the 14 presidents I've lived under, including him. We've already seen examples of youngish academics fawning over liberal presidents they've only read about, which run high in political correctness. Here's one man's star system that differs widely from academia's run-of-the-mill:

Calvin Coolidge (****). Totally unappreciated now, his revenue acts of 1924-26 sharply reduced income, inheritance and gift taxes and most excise taxes from World War I, freeing up private investment to produce a booming prosperity. Immigration quota cut to 150,000 yearly. Gutsy veto of veterans' bonus (but here I disagree). Kellogg-Briand Peace Pact renouncing war was an idealistic effort that may, God willing, someday be re-kindled.

Herbert Hoover (no stars). A superb individual but as president, awful. Totally failed to confront the Great Depression; worsened it with Smoot Hawley tariff from which a global trade war ensued. London Naval Treaty gave impetus to Japan to increase its navy, which started a naval arms race ending in World War II.

Franklin D. Roosevelt (**). Jaunty salesmanship, rhetorical spins instilled confidence that was important for the nation after Hoover, with Social Security and other social legislation needed; but higher taxes (a jump from 3.5 percent in 1933 to 6.9 percent in 1940) worsened things. Even with workfare, joblessness never dipped below 14 percent until WW II. Failure to anticipate Pearl Harbor despite our goading Japan to war was a grave error; gullible belief in "Uncle Joe" Stalin produced a Cold War legacy that lasted almost two generations.

Harry Truman (**). Better than expected but despite myth-makers, not great. Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, NATO saved Europe but bungling that produced the loss of China to communism stays with us yet. Korean War "police action" unnecessary, caused by Dean Acheson's well-publicized failure to include South Korea in our defense perimeter. Unparalleled domestic scandals, internal revenue fixes, red infiltration certified by Venona papers documentation; unconstitutional seizure of steel mills mar his record.

Dwight Eisenhower (***). Bringing peace to Korea, working with John Foster Dulles to keep the peace via Eisenhower Doctrine by walking the brink, yet avoiding dangerous excursions. Early civil rights effort at Little Rock a needed step. Bad Supreme Court appointments of Earl Warren and William J. Brennan led to runaway activist court, a problem that bedevils us today.

John F. Kennedy (*). Charisma aside, the Bay of Pigs with JFK shrinking from use of air cover was the most reckless gaffe in foreign policy history, which his exemplary Cuban Missile Crisis negotiation didn't erase, leading to humiliation with Khrushchev, face-saving Vietnam buildup to show "manhood." But tax cut of $10 billion, puny by today's standards, spurred prosperity and is cited today by GOP supply-siders (but some Republicans opposed it then as "the biggest gamble in history").

Lyndon B. Johnson. (no stars). Disastrous Vietnam expedition and ineffective "war on poverty" helped the poor marginally, spurred unrealistic expectations, prompting widespread urban discontent.

Richard Nixon (*). Ineffective handling of economy, implementing of more intrusive government and the Watergate scandal. Only saving grace: the "journey of peace" to China.

Gerald Ford (**). A brave but politically disastrous pardoning of Nixon; Helsinki agreement eased East-West tensions; Mayaguez Incident where U.S. forces rescued vessel and all 39 crewmen from Cambodian pirates. His "Whip Inflation Now" plan fizzled.

Jimmy Carter (no stars). Well-meaning ineptitude: no saving grace.

Ronald Reagan (****). Stunning economic success: taxes cut by 25 percent across the board; top marginal tax rate slashed from 70 to 50 percent, while Fed tight-money approach stifled inflation. Joblessness grew at first, then 5 million new businesses and 20 million new jobs were created, unleashing prosperity. He ignored deficits to grant defense buildup by more than 50 percent. His SDI wins the Cold War in estimate of Alexander Bessmertnykh, former USSR foreign minister; bold strategy leading to overthrow of USSR.

George H.W. Bush (*). Nicaragua victory with fall of Sandinistas. Some good Supreme Court appointments. Broken pledge on tax hikes a disaster. Economy dipped, started to pick up, but he gets no credit for it.

Bill Clinton (no stars). Good economy a Bush legacy but overshadowed by weak foreign policy, vacillating defense, impeachment.

George W. Bush. (**, incomplete). Superb leadership qualities; anti-terrorism program guts, but Iraq remains to be seen. Tax cuts starting to work, producing beginnings of prosperity.

[Maria S]

Pretty much in agreement with ratings. Thanks for giving Clinton such a sweeelll one!

[Cicero]

Very nice. The only point I would disagree on is that clinton benefited not from the economic policies of the first President Bush, but from the Reagan tax cut, which took a while to work itself into the miserable economic mess Reagan inherited from Jimmy Carter.

[DeFault User]

Surprisingly, a fairly straightforward assessment. Calvin Coolidge gets credit. FDR and Truman rightfully downgraded.

[onyx]

I've always liked silent Cal and of course RWR is supreme. I'm in total agreement with the writer --- both Coolidge and Reagan merit 4 stars.

Fabulous catch and post, Chi-townChief.

[bigeasy_70118]

You gotta give Dubya a third star. He has handled the most turbulent international and domestic scene since FDR. I realize with a year left the jury is still out on this term but as a guy who held his nose when he voted for him, I am incredibly pleased and will be actively supporting him in 2004.

[gitmo]

Well done. I agree with Cicero about the Clinton economy being handed down from President Reagan. It's too early to rate GWB. I hope he will rate much higher.

[kittymyrib]

We were so blessed by having President Reagan. If only he had won in '76, but I guess we needed the pathetic Carter to knock some sense into the voters.
My son was 6 in '76 and watched that very disappointing convention with us in which Ford beat Mr. Reagan. In '80, when he was 10, he helped us mail out campaign literature and celebrated that sweet victory on election night. When dear Pres. Reagan passes on, we have a pact that we will go stand by the side of the road wherever his funeral cortege passes to pay our respects to the greatest president since George Washington. I hope that millions of US patriots will do the same in the most overwhelming display of love and admiration this nation has ever seen. There should be no need to inflate all the phony numbers of the left's ticky-tacky marches and even the NYT and Washington Post should have to acknowledge it.

[Tacis]

I'm sorry, but the neocommunists and traitors can not accept this analysis.

[onyx]

Thnak you for addressing your heart-felt comments to me. Your post is the nicest and most touching I've read here in a long while.

Hug you son for me --- he's a fine young Republican. I think your 'pact' is grand. I'll be honored to join you when the sad event comes to pass.

[Reagan Man]

Of the President's you rate, I'd have to agree with you.

To simplify: Reagan, Coolidge and Eisenhower where the best of the 20TH century.

If Nixon had followed the model set by Eisenhower, instead of being so distrusting and at times psychotic, he could have been a giant.

Considering the strong opposition coming from the leftwing and its liberal media bullhorn, PresBush`s efforts in the WoT have been quite remarkable. And his tax cuts have been proper conservative fiscal policy. Now, if PresBush can grow some cojones, demand that the GOP Congress limit spending and use his veto power to control spending even more, he could go down as one of our greatest President's. Time will tell.

[onyx]

Had JFK and his corrupt family (Joe Sr.) not cheated Nixon out of the '60 election, I doubt that Nixon would have so distrustful and insecure.

[curmudgeonII]

Sounds like you've heard too much of the liberal dogma denigrating Hoover. Take a look at what he proposed [and couldn't accomplish because of the Democrats and his own party.]

[Conservateacher]

Calvin Coolidge

He was born in Vermont and lived in Massachusetts. The home states of Dean, Jeffords, Kennedy, Frank, Kerrey,....

Today, Calvin Coolidge would be despised in those areas. My have they fallen. For shame!!

[ReleaseTheHounds]

Excellent piece... My only disagreement would be on the low rating (admittedly "incomplete") for W. Other than Reagan, no president inherited more messes and a big an instant challenge than W. Clinton's "vacation from history" was a "vacation from reality." His "Bridge to the 21st Century" was built with the "cans kicked down the road" to President Bush.

Of course: Reagan was by far the best of the 20th Century. Until Clinton, I thought Carter was the worst of my lifetime (yes, even worse than Nixon). 0 Stars for both is an appropriate grading. And clearly Kennedy was the most over-rated of our lifetime (although FDR is ALWAYS over-rated).

Thanks for posting. God Bless the great Ronald Wilson Reagan.

[xzins]

Those in my lifetime have been Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush1, Clinton, Bush2.

I would rank them as follows:

1. Reagan fiscal/social conservative
2. GWBush fiscal conservative, social moderate, guts

6. Eisenhower, Bush1, Kennedy, Ford (Fiscal conservatives)

9. Johnson, Nixon, Clinton (Socialists)

10. Carter (Incompetent socialist)

[Verginius Rufus]

George H. W. Bush made two Supreme Court appointments, one terrible and one excellent, so the "some" is unwarranted.

China fell to the Communists mainly because of Chiang Kai-shek's incompetence. Could Truman really have prevented the fall of China? If someone is more knowledgeable about this subject, I'd like to hear how.

Apart from the Vietnam War and the War on Poverty, LBJ will be remembered for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. No doubt there were flaws in the details, and the same worthy goals (ending segregation and second-class citizenship for black Americans) might have been better achieved in some other way, but that is certainly more important than Nixon's trip to China.

[stop_fascism]

China fell, in part, because our state department was full of useful idiots and worse who harped on the shortcomings of Chiang while trumpeting Mao as an agrarian reformer.

[stop_fascism]

No serious disagreements. I'd take one star away from Roosevelt and give an extra one to Bush I and Nixon. I'd like to give three to Nixon, just to drive dems crazy, but as pointed out elsewhere, he was a socialist who was responsible for the worst excesses of the Great Society. Bush II is impossible to tell at this point.