Republican Presidents

Republican Vice Presidents Since 1969—Vance The Worst Of The Worst Since Spiro Agnew! :(

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In the past 56 years, we have had six Republican Presidents—Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H W Bush, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump.

In that same period, we have had eight Republican Vice Presidents—Spiro Agnew, Gerald Ford, Nelson Rockefeller, George H W Bush, Dan Quayle, Dick Cheney, Mike Pence, and JD Vance.

It is well recognized that three of these six Republican Presidents are rated higher than the other three—meaning Ronald Reagan, George H W Bush, and Gerald Ford.

George W. Bush, Richard Nixon, and Donald Trump are in the bottom third, with Trump nearly at the total bottom.

When one looks at the eight Republican Vice Presidents, only Gerald Ford, Nelson Rockefeller, and George H W Bush are seen as above average.

Ranking the remaining five is ranking as much lower and far worse in performance, with Spiro Agnew seen as the bottom, but with Dan Quayle and Dick Cheney seen as not much better, and with Mike Pence just slightly above them.

And then, there is the present Vice President, JD Vance, who in seven months has managed to cause outrage by his utterances and his actions, making one fear the thought that he might be the successor to Donald Trump.

At age 41, if Vance became President by succession before the summer of 2027, he would be the youngest President in American history, as Theodore Roosevelt was 42 years and 10 and a half months of age when he succeeded the assassinated William McKinley in September 1901.

Compared to his predecessor, Mike Pence, Vance has managed to be much more controversial, and makes one at least admire Pence for having strong convictions, including refusing to accept Donald Trump’s assertion that he should support a rejection of the Electoral College results in the Presidential Election of 2020.

This led to the threatened hanging of Mike Pence by the January 6, 2021 US Capitol Insurrectionists, who had set up a noose outside the building.

One cannot be sure that Vance would be any improvement on Donald Trump, as he is clearly totally unprincipled and insensitive in his statements and actions, and therefore, cannot be trusted as a potential future Commander in Chief.

Vance should be promoting the preservation of American democracy, but seems more interested in supporting the authoritarianism of Donald Trump, which presents a dire threat to the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.

By comparison, the Democratic Party has had four Vice Presidents since 1969—Walter Mondale under Jimmy Carter; Al Gore under Bill Clinton; Joe Biden under Barack Obama; and Kamala Harris under Joe Biden.

While the view of Harris is too recent to be reliable, any estimation of the significance of Mondale, Gore, and Biden makes it clear that they are the top three Vice Presidents of modern times, and arguably, of all time!

Ronald Reagan On Tariffs And Immigration Totally Diametrically Opposite From Donald Trump!

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Ronald Reagan, the 40th President (1981-1989), was the most conservative President of the 20th century, who most Republicans have modeled themselves on, regarding his beliefs and record in office.

But today, most Republicans are subservient to Donald Trump, the 45th (2017-2021) and 47th (2025- ) President, and it is very clear that the two men have very little in common, despite both technically being Republican Presidents.

Reagan, for all of his faults, and the criticisms that have been made of his record in office, and his beliefs, was diametrically opposite from Trump on two key issues that now dominate the Trump Presidency.

Reagan made clear his opposition to high protective tariffs, while Trump is promoting a national and world wide crisis with his “Tariff Wars” against all nations, with many nations being assessed a totally insane level of tariffs on their goods.

Reagan also signed immigration reform in 1986, legitimizing many undocumented immigrants, perceving their positive contributions to the American economy and society, while Trump is determined to deport, if he is successful in doing so, ten or more millions of immigrants, despite the dire need for their labor, and the contributions most of them have made to the nation!

Republican Presidential candidates since Reagan, including the two Bush Presidents, but also John McCain and Mitt Romney, supported further immigration reform, as did some Republicans in Congress, but now most Republicans remain silent as Trump declares war on immigration.

So it seems quite obvious that if Ronald Reagan were alive today, he would be a vehement opponent of Donald Trump!

Fact: Democrats Clean Up Republican Economic Disasters Since 1933!

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It is historical fact, whether Republicans and conservatives believe it or not, that Democratic Presidents clean up Republican Presidents’ economic disasters since 1933.

Franklin D. Roosevelt with his “New Deal” helped to resolve the Great Depression that occurred under the watch of President Herbert Hoover.

John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson brought about great economic prosperity in the 1960s after three recessions in the 1950s under President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Jimmy Carter had to deal with the economic recession in 1974-1975 under Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, and the economy revived in the first three years of his term in the late 1970s.

While Jimmy Carter had to deal with a brief six month recession in 1980, a contributing factor in his defeat for reelection that year, successor Ronald Reagan had to deal with a much more damaging recession in 1982, and later again with a stock market crash in 1987.

Bill Clinton brought about great economic prosperity after the recession that occurred under President George H. W. Bush in 1992, which led to his defeat for reelection. And Clinton brought about a balanced budget in his second term in the late 1990s.

Barack Obama brought about a recovery from the Great Recession that began under President George W. Bush, leading to the greatest economic recovery in American history.

Joe Biden brought about a recovery from the COVID 19 Pandemic under Donald Trump, which caused a massive loss of employment, but economic growth in the stock market and lowering unemployment made Biden a success.

Now, with Donald Trump, second term, undermining the American economy with his lunatic Tariff Wars against the entire world, the stock market has had massive losses, and unemployment is rising, and inflation is occurring, and it wil be up to the next Democratic President in 2029 to work to overcome the massive damage being wrought!

Trump Use Of Executive Orders At All Time High, And Way Beyond The Norm!

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Donald Trump is setting records for the use of the power of Executive Orders, and the use of this tactic is seen as leading the nation toward an authoritarian dictatorship, with Congress and the Courts unable or unwilling to intervene to halt, or control the use of that tactic.

The all time record of Executive Orders is with Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served longer than any other President, 12 years and 39 days, and utilized executive orders a total of 3,721 times.

Woodrow Wilson was second with 1,803, followed by Calvin Coolidge with 1,203; Theodore Roosevelt with 1,081; Herbert Hoover with 968; Harry Truman with 907; William Howard Taft with 724; Warren G. Harding with 522; Dwight D. Eisenhower with 484; and Ronald Reagan with 381, closing out the top ten.

Recent Presidents—Bill Clinton with 364; George W. Bush with 291; Barack Obama with 276; and Donald Trump first term 220.

Notice that Executive Orders have been used much more often by Republican Presidents, who, except for Theodore Roosevelt, tend to be more conservative.

So far, in two months of his second term, Donald Trump has issued at least 100 Executive Orders, the fastest clip in American history, and may end up surpassing all Presidents, except possibly FDR and Wilson, if the rate continues at the same clip!

Just today, Trump has issued an Executive Order attempting to have the President control federal elections, an abuse of the right of state and local governments to do so!

Talk Of A Trump Third Term And Putting Trump On Mount Rushmore Pure Lunacy!

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The lunacy and craziness around Donald Trump continues, with talk of a Trump third term, which will never happen, as it would require a new constitutional amendment and a repeal of the 22nd Amendment!

Both would need a two thirds vote in the House of Representatives and in the US Senate, followed by three fourths of the states (38) ratifying by a majority in both houses of the state legislatures in 49 states plus the one house legislature in Nebraska.

Additionally, Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna has, crazily, proposed that Donald Trump be put on Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, alongside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt!

First of all, putting anyone else on Mount Rushmore is a massive job, and highly unlikely ever to occur!

But if such a suggestion was to be followed through on over time, it should be Franklin D. Roosevelt, not Donald Trump!

And if one was to propose a Republican President, it would be more reasonable to put Dwight D. Eisenhower or even, although not something this author and blogger would promote, Ronald Reagan!

As it is, Mount Rushmore has a Federalist (Washington); a Democratic-Republican (Jefferson); and two Republicans (Lincoln and TR), so the argument for an additional President should be for a Democratic President, with FDR clearly the major example, or possibly Harry Truman!

All this is silliness, as there will never be additions to Mount Rushmore!

And with Trump rated either number 45 or at best number 43 tied with Franklin Pierce and above James Buchanan and Andrew Johnson, in surveys of historians and political scientists, it is truly delusional to consider him worthy of being on Mount Rushmore!

The way Trump is beginning his second Presidency will only insure that he will be number 45 in all rankings of intelligent, educated scholars, and with any American who has a brain, and ethics and morals!

Day One Of Trump: Executive Orders On Mass Deportation And Tariffs, Insuring Economic Disaster!

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Every indication is that Donald Trump will make a dramatic, negative Inaugural Address on Monday January 20, 2025.

It is also, ironically, the celebration of Martin Luther King Day, with announcement of executive orders that will promote economic deterioration, and insure that the opposition Democrats will gain the edge for the 2026 Midterm Congressional elections and the Presidential Election of 2028.

Executive orders promoting mass deportation, and announcement of high protective tariffs on all foreign goods, will create a massive economic crisis in 2025.

There will be a great shortage of workers in many industries, including agriculture, education and health services, construction, wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing and mining, and leisure and hospitality,

There are over 28 million immigrants who work hard, pay taxes, and most obey the law, even if they came undocumented, for a chance at a better life, and to have the American dream.

It will be heartbreaking if many of these people, who add a great deal to the national economy, and have children who have lived and grown up in America, suddenly have their lives uprooted in an unjust and immoral manner.

And the prospective loss of their employment, as well as their consumption of goods and paying of taxes, will undermine the American economy in a massive way.

Tariffs, as in the Great Depression of the 1930s and the Panic of 1893 in the Gilded Age, under earlier Republican Presidents Herbert Hoover and Benjamin Harrison, respectively, will again prove to be destructive and undermine the lives of Americans.

They were fooled by Donald Trump to believe he would provide a prosperous economy, when his only intention is to benefit the rich with further tax cuts, as under Republicans Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump in his first term, adding massively to the national debt.

Harris Has Promoted Idea Of Prominent Republican For Her Cabinet If She Wins Presidency

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Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris stated in her joint CNN interview with Tim Walz last week that she intended to select a prominent Republican to be part of her Cabinet if she is elected President.

As this author and blogger indicated a couple of days ago, this has been a common trend in Presidents, with every President since the 1960s doing so.

The most common decision has been for Democratic Presidents to select Republicans to be Secretary of Defense, as national security is a prime issue at all times.

So John F. Kennedy selected Robert McNamara; Bill Clinton picked William Cohen; and Barack Obama chose Robert Gates and then Chuck Hagel–all to be Secretary of Defense.

So therefore, it would seem appropriate for Kamala Harris to select Adam Kinzinger to be her Secretary of Defense if she enters the Oval Office!

APSA Presidential Greatness Poll 2024: Significant Rises In Rankings

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The American Political Science Association 2024 Presidential Greatness Survey reveals dramatic rises in rankings for a few Presidents, from earlier APSA surveys in 2015 and 2018.
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The most dramatic rise is Barack Obama, up 9 in rankings to number 7 since 2015; and an equal rise up 9 of Ulysses S. Grant to number 17 over the same period.

The next most dramatic rise is up 4 in rankings for John F. Kennedy from 14 to 10; and an equal rise up 4 for Jimmy Carter from 26 to 22.

Also, up 3 in rankings is Lyndon B. Johnson from 12 to 9.

Note that all of these 5 Presidents mentioned, except for Grant, are Democrats!

APSA Presidential Greatness Poll: Top 10 Presidents In 2024 Survey

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The American Political Science Association Presidential Greatness project has published its findings, just in time for Presidents’ Day today.

This is the first in a number of days of discussion of the results.

The top 10 Presidents in the Survey demonstrates the rise of Democratic Presidents, who now number five of the group—with Franklin D. Roosevelt as number 2, behind Abraham Lincoln, surpassing George Washington who is now number 3; Harry Truman remaining number 6; Barack Obama amazingly rising to number 7, the highest he has been on any Presidential scholarly survey; and Lyndon B. Johnson surpassing John F. Kennedy, with Johnson number 9 and Kennedy number 10.

Additionally in the top ten is Truman successor Dwight D. Eisenhower as number 8, making five presidents in a row from FDR through LBJ part of the top ten.

Theodore Roosevelt as number 4 and Thomas Jefferson as number 5 remain consistently in their positions in the top 10.

So besides five Democrats in the top 10, there are three Republicans (Lincoln, TR, Ike), along with Federalist George Washington and Democratic-Republican Jefferson.

Two Decent, Compassionate Men: Jimmy Carter Asks Joe Biden To Give Eulogy When Carter Dies!

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It is so hard these days to find a news story that can bring tears to one’s eyes, but the news that former President Jimmy Carter, who is in hospice, and nearing the end of his life, at this point, 98 years and 5 and a half months and counting, has asked President Joe Biden to give the eulogy for him at his funeral, whenever that occurs.

These are two of the most decent, compassionate, empathetic men we have ever seen in the Presidency, and one must recall that young Senator Joe Biden, at age 33, was the first US Senator to endorse the “dark horse” Jimmy Carter for President on a political trip to Wisconsin on March 25, 1976.

Biden had foresight, but clearly saw a connection with the then 51 year old Carter, which has lasted a half century.

And one must recall that Carter, with no hate in his heart, became fast friends after his Presidency, with the man he defeated, Gerald Ford, who also was a uniquely decent and compassionate man, more than any Republican President in memory.

So the Carters and the Fords became great friends, and it was arranged whoever died first, the other one would give the eulogy at his funeral, which Carter did for President Ford after his death on December 26, 2006.

So these three men, who have shared the office of the Presidency, have this unique connection which should inspire people!

And while one never knows how long anyone shall live, it would seem appropriate when President Biden passes on, hopefully after his second term in office, that his companion, President Barack Obama, give the eulogy for Biden, as Obama shares the decency, compassion, and empathy of Presidents Carter, Biden, and Ford!