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Was John F. Kennedy the flat-out absolute worst U.S. president of the 20th century?
Foreign Policy ^ | 07/15/2011 | Thomas Ricks

Posted on 07/17/2011 5:32:01 PM PDT by izzatzo

As I studied the Vietnam war over the last 14 months, I began to think that John F. Kennedy probably was the worst American president of the previous century.

(Excerpt) Read more at ricks.foreignpolicy.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: kennedy; worst
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To: donozark
One of the first things JFK did upon taking office was to

Let us not forget The Bay of Pigs.

41 posted on 07/17/2011 6:12:26 PM PDT by itsahoot (--I will vote for Sarah Palin, even if I have to write her in. --He that hath an ear, let him hear.)
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To: bigbob

Wilson, FDR, LBJ really really expanded the Fed Gov, JFK not so much, and he did do the United States Notes.


42 posted on 07/17/2011 6:14:04 PM PDT by truthfreedom
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To: sillsfan
0 is gonna really reset the standard for worst presidents.

He may actually be the last president, if the people of this country don't wake up.

43 posted on 07/17/2011 6:16:02 PM PDT by itsahoot (--I will vote for Sarah Palin, even if I have to write her in. --He that hath an ear, let him hear.)
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To: truthfreedom; bushbuddy; bigbob

“In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed Executive Order 10988. This order permitted federal workers to engage in collective bargaining and opened the door for states and cities to do the same. In my opinion, it is the biggest single act that has led America to our current financial nightmare. Why? I agree with the Roosevelts.

President Teddy Roosevelt vehemently opposed such a decision and extended policies prohibiting federal union workers from even talking to Congress. In 1902, he issued Executive Order 163 prohibiting union workers from,”individually or through associations, [soliciting] an increase of pay, or to influence or to attempt to influence in their own interest any legislation whatever, either before Congress or its Committees, or in any way save through the heads of the Departments in or under which they serve, on penalty of dismissal from the government service.” He twice issued Executive Orders expanding the restrictions on collective bargaining for federal workers.

Even President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said allowing government employees to organize and strike against the taxpayers was “unthinkable and intolerable.” In 1955, George Meany (what a great name for a union leader), President of the AFL-CIO said, “It is impossible to collectively bargain with the government.” When you permit weak, self-interested, voter-loving politicians and self-interested, dues-loving labor leaders in the same room with taxpayers’ money, only bad things will happen.”


44 posted on 07/17/2011 6:16:58 PM PDT by ansel12 ( Bristol Palin's book "Not Afraid Of Life: My Journey So Far" became a New York Times, best seller.)
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To: rabscuttle385

Yup, Wilson, and for those reasons. Tack on Prohibition and the first Federal Drug Laws. But you got the big 3.


45 posted on 07/17/2011 6:17:31 PM PDT by truthfreedom
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To: izzatzo

Worst Dems in my lifetime....
Obama, Carter, LBJ, Clinton and a distant last JFK. Who knows how Vietnam war would have ended if JFK lived for another term.


46 posted on 07/17/2011 6:19:30 PM PDT by tflabo ( to have been selected)
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To: steelyourfaith

I agree. Wilson and FDR battle for the top two slots in the “Worst Presidents of the 20th Century” list.


47 posted on 07/17/2011 6:21:04 PM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: apillar

Someone recently told me JFK was assassinated by the powers that be because he was getting ready to mint gold coins to use as legal tender. Just sayin...


48 posted on 07/17/2011 6:21:21 PM PDT by Rennes Templar
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To: truthfreedom; rabscuttle385

You guys are naming things that you don’t like and that were bad, but that could be changed, JFK actually destroyed the nation, and made it to where we can never recover.

JFK’s presidency actually destroyed the nation.


49 posted on 07/17/2011 6:23:33 PM PDT by ansel12 ( Bristol Palin's book "Not Afraid Of Life: My Journey So Far" became a New York Times, best seller.)
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To: izzatzo

No that would be Woodrow Wilson. Then FDR. Followed by LBJ. Then BHO. Then Jimmy Carter. Then Hubert Hoover. Then JFK.


50 posted on 07/17/2011 6:24:17 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (I have no time to worry about turbot, a parrot is eating my house)
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To: delacoert
There’s little disagreement that Warren G. Harding was the worst president of all.

The worst? He was basically the architect of the Roaring Twenties, along with Andrew Mellon. I think that Harding should be given a second look. That is, beyond what text books and progressives have to say about him (and Mellon).

Think about it. The people that rate Harding the worst are the same people who think FDR was the best president in the 20th century.

51 posted on 07/17/2011 6:24:36 PM PDT by OA5599
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To: Army Air Corps

A lot like OBAMA..to young...no experience as governor..

The press loved him

But I think Carter takes first place

He did not hate his county...and he cut taxes and got the economy going


52 posted on 07/17/2011 6:25:20 PM PDT by Hojczyk
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To: izzatzo

JFK was an awful president, this is true. However, his assassination makes it hard to beat up on him too much. Just like John Lennon’s mostly awful post-Beatles musical output was hailed as genius after his assassination, JFK’s presidency will always be held in higher regard than it deserves to be.


53 posted on 07/17/2011 6:27:01 PM PDT by SamAdams76
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To: SeeSharp

Did you know that Herbert Hoover and Richard Nixon, who were distant Quaker cousins, were always extolling Woodrow Wilson, and both must have mean it.


54 posted on 07/17/2011 6:31:13 PM PDT by Theodore R.
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To: izzatzo
Worst Presidents --

19th Century: Andrew Jackson, James Buchanan
20th Century: FDR, LBJ, Carter
21st Century: Obama

All time: Obama

55 posted on 07/17/2011 6:32:28 PM PDT by Brandonmark (2012: Our Hope IS Change!)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

That’s a good list. Wilson really piled on the destruction.


56 posted on 07/17/2011 6:33:49 PM PDT by truthfreedom
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To: OA5599

I would imagine that people even in Marion, OH, consider Harding a failure. I wonder what the ‘’Marion Star’’ says about him now. People in OH probably hardly know him, and he was the last OH president, even the last OH nominee, I believe too.


57 posted on 07/17/2011 6:34:36 PM PDT by Theodore R.
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To: truthfreedom

Bad presidents is a very long list, as the American voters don’t make good choice, too uninformed and unimaginative.


58 posted on 07/17/2011 6:35:44 PM PDT by Theodore R.
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To: izzatzo

Evidently JFK’s immigration law was OK with most everyone on this thread, I guess it helps keep labor costs down.


59 posted on 07/17/2011 6:37:09 PM PDT by ansel12 ( Bristol Palin's book "Not Afraid Of Life: My Journey So Far" became a New York Times, best seller.)
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To: truthfreedom

Even the list of bad nominees is very long; the people just can’t make good decisions.

Landon, Willkie, Dewey, McGovern, etc.

Al Smith would not be on the list though.


60 posted on 07/17/2011 6:38:14 PM PDT by Theodore R.
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