This list grew out of an earlier thread, and is an approach to the problem of defining political orientation. The web is full of various “political spectrum tests” but I thought it might be interesting to simply list politicians who strike in a positive and negative way.
Hopefully this will be fun. The intent is not to start arguments about the merits and demerits of each one (I am hardly a political scholar anyway), but to create a revealing picture and hopefully to see the picture created by other bloggers.
Looking at my own list I am already struck by one thing: how parochial it is. For a guy who has visited most of the states in the Union and lived in several, this list is heavy on Illinois. This means there must be a lot of really good or bad politicians about whom I am ignorant, and that alone will make other blogger’s lists interesting to read.
I’m inviting everyone to try this – and send me a link back to your list. I’ll add the link to the bullet-list at the end of this post. Here are the “rules”:
Make a similar list on your own blog and send me a link to it. Choose your 5 favorite and 5 least favorite American politicians dating back through your parents’ generation. Give a short explanation – about three sentences – for each one. The politicians need not be well-known. If you’re really an incurable political junkie, you can go 10 and 10 with the same limitation on explanation length. I’ll probably go with 5 and 5.
When you get your post ready, email me, or leave a link back to it in the comments this post. I’m looking forward to reading what everyone comes up with! Hope several people will decide to participate.
My five faves:
Adlai Stevenson was a model of virtuous and intelligent government servant. A gifted speaker, legislator, and diplomat, he did a great deal to build international community and raise the level of political discourse at home. Branded an “egghead” by Richard Nixon, he lost to Dwight Eisenhower in a presidential bid – one of the few elections where we’d have probably been OK with either candidate.
Dwight Eisenhower was a fiscal and social conservative, but he recognized the need for racial equality and took some important early steps to bring it about. He viewed connective infrastructure as the road (pun intended) to economic development and was an intelligent strategist of US power abroad.
Bill Clinton raised US standing abroad, adroitly strengthening alliances while making right choices on the economy at home. Fiscally conservative he shared with Eisenhower the distinction of having made difficult corrective budget choices and making them stick. (He actually knew how to veto spending bills, and often did) He worked inclusively with a hostile legislative branch, and weathered attacks on his personal flaws without giving in to Nixonian paranoia.
Paul Simon was a “pay-as-you-go Democrat” whose fiscal conservatism lay at the heart of his political liberalism. Like Stevenson, he exemplified the intelligent public servant model of political representation (all too rare), and made a wide range of political connections on issues. He felt that presidents were all too likely to follow when they should be leading, relying on the trust he had built with voters to carry him through disagreements with them.
Barack Obama, a protege of Paul Simon, has consistently stood for discourse over division in our country. He identifies the danger to our republic from deep division and uses his considerable charisma to find national common ground instead of taking endless potshots at his opponents. It’s probably too early for him to be president but we need him badly.
…and 5 not so good:
Ronald Reagan was a gifted speaker whose strong anti-government and anti-environmentalist ideology went a long way toward ideologically-driven government growth and budget deficits. His likability masked disastrous foreign policy and corruption at home. He seriously damaged our country, and looked great doing it. He is exhibit number one on the importance of communication skills.
Richard Nixon almost made both my lists, because he (belatedly) ended the Vietnam war, signed the EPA into existence, and normalized relations with China. These are non-trivial accomplishments but in the end his administration was overshadowed by his paranoid personality, paving the way for a dysfunctional Democratic party to sweep to victory. In short, we got Carter because we had Nixon. (And we got Reagan because we had Carter).
Rick Santorum is actually not all that remarkable among his religious-right band of smarmy hypocrites but as an example he’ll do. Given his performance in the whole Terri Shaivo debacle as a negative example, at least he’s consistent. He’s anti-gay rights, he opposed science-driven policy at every turn, advocating “Intelligent Design” and trying to torpedo NOAA on the preposterous basis that we could all just watch the weather channel, and pitched for WMD’s in Iraq. He’s a piece of work, that one.
Newt Gingrich put the “hip” in hypocrite as he led the charge against Bill Clinton. A seriously smart guy, he’s authored several works on morality themes while displaying no personal ethics. But he is not a lock-step tool of the party, and may turn out to be just the person to introduce some semblance of ecological responsibility to Republicans.
George W. Bush has just been a disaster. He has undermined science-based policy, pumped crippling deficits, politicized otherwise nonpolitical agencies, plunged our country into a disastrous and completely unnecessary war that has made us far less secure, alienated our allies and destroyed our international moral credibility. He has acted at the exclusive call of the wealthy, and damaged constitutional protections for individuals while weakening the checks and balances of our government. He’s opposed equal rights for gays, chipped away at the wall separating church and state, and mangled public education with his ignorant hand at policy. While I am not a historian, I am hard-pressed to think of a more incompetent and destructive president.
OK, now it’s your turn…
LINKS TO OTHER BLOGGERS’ LISTS:
- Your list linked here, soon as you send me a link. Here are the lists that have been sent in already, with a teaser quote from each one:
- Woo-Hoo! Here’s Les Jenkins’ List over at SEB…
Carl Levin – A Michigan Democratic Senator, Levin has been in office for as long as I can remember. He was elected in 1978, I was 11 years old at the time, and he’s managed to hold onto his job ever since. He’s probably the politician I know best and his work on government transparency — he has pushed to have many documents declassified — and his votes against sending troops to Iraq and to have a timetable for withdrawal declared are just some of the reasons he’s a favorite. There’s very few issues on which he and I disagree.
- Here’s a sample of GUYK’s very interesting list:
The last time the politicians were that far apart it resulted in the emergence of a third party..the Republican party, the election of Lincoln to the White House, and the civil war. Those of us who have read some history send an alarming trend on both the right and the left of the political spectrum towards another refusal to compromise. Will it lead to a third party and another civil war? Maybe. My hopes are that it will lead to a third party just to avoid a civil war..a revolution at the polls.
- And Webs05’s list contains a few surprises:
- Arnold Schwarzenegger: ever since his victory moronic leftists have been crying about his corporate ties. Funny thing is, he is one of the few politicians that has not pandered to them. In fact he has actually called some of them a bunch of girly men which I find hilarious. I would love to see the constitution changed so he could be vice prez under Obama’s administration…
- ***Dave has some thoughts about Obama and Jesse Helms:
I’m not as sanguine (yet) about Obama (and, honestly, it’s too early for him to appear on lists like this), and any list like this that omits Jesse Helms is missing a frisson of…
Favorites (for now):
1. Paul Wellstone
2. Ronald Reagan (1984-1988)
3. Jimmy Carter (now, not then)
4. Dennis Kucinich
5. Bernie Sanders
I probably have an unhealthy obsession with some of the Jewish-Eastern Europeans in the bunch, but for now they’re on the correct side of the ditch.
I met RR and JC. Nice guys each in their own way. I like RR solely on the personal level—when he met you, even for a a very brief moment, he exuded an unnatural charm and charisma. The charisma and charm were not fake though and that’s why I think a great many people would take a bullet for him if necessary. He destroyed the unions and by consequence, the American Middle Class, but he did it with the willing collusion of the self-same complacent middle class.
JC was not much of a president, but turned into a first class human being afterwards.
I pretty much don’t hate most of the politicians—they seem to be representative of the people that put them into power. I hate the lobby abuse, but the lobby abuse and corruption is part and parcel of a two party system. I’m not keen on Bill and Hillary, but it doesn’t rise to contemptuous dislike.
Lets just say I don’t have very high expectations of politics in general, and when I run into nice people it’s a pleasant and memorable surprise
Favorites.
1. Ronald Reagan
2. Harry Truman
3. Richard M Daley
4. J.C.Watts
5. John F. Kennedy
RR launched the greatest growth in GDP by lowering tax rates. He ended the stagflation of the 1970’s. The most influential figure in ending the cold war (with all due respects to Mikail Gorbachev).
HT made some incredibly tough decisions despite being left out of the loop as VP. He was a visionary when it came to regulating atomic energy. He ended WWII by saving many americans lives by choosing to use the Atmoic Bomb. He also ended segregation in the military
Richard M Daley – One of the first politicains to successful realize that the government is better off privatizing certain elements of the public sector. He has greatly improved Chicago Public Schools. He has also used the private sector to create new public areas in Chicago – mainly Millenium park. He also has been instrumental fixing the problems caused by his father and other politicians when they created the Chicago Housing Authority high rises. He has created new mixed income places that are affordable for many CHA residences but do not create the ghettos and segregated communities that earlier generations had.
J C Watts – One of the classiest, bright, and well-spoken politicians of the last 25 years or so. He understood what it meanss to be a public servant. I also respected him for being a conservative and not giving in to the race warlords. I also had the pleasure to meet him so I am probably a little biased towards him.
JFK – One of the last democrats to understand that when the tax rate is lowered, government revenues actually increase as spending by consumers increases. I also give him kudos for his accomplishments towards imrpoving racial equality – even though much of it occured following his death.
Least favorites.
1. Franklin Delano Roosevelt
2. Bill Clinton
3. Jimmy Carter
4. Tom Daschle/Harry Reid
5. Richard Nixon
FDR – I know most history books say that the New Deal programs were meant to be “temporary” or that Social Security was meant to be a supplement to people’s savings. However, I believe that he really intended to keep people reliant on the government. I think he created multiple generations worth of people who rely solely on government for their well-being. He created a state where we now ask what is the governmnet going to do for me or how is the government going to fix my problems. He is given WAY too much credit for ending the great depression – which he most likely made worse through these programs. I don’t think the reconstruction of Europe following WWII would have been nearly as successful had FDR served his entire 4th term.
Bill Clinton – Began his 1st term by rasing taxes and slowing the economy. He was the big beneficiary of the Contract With America as he claimed credit for many of the issues such as welfare reform. The tax cuts passed by the Republican Congress allowed him reap the benefits of a strong economy. His main job, national security, he was horrible at. He simply ignored terrorist activity. To top it off he influenced a generation of young people by telling them sexual activity with no actual intercourse does not count.
Jimmy “I never met a dictator that I didn’t like” Carter was simply the worst president of the last 50 years – with all due respect to GW Bush.
Tom Daschle / Harry Reid – to me they are the same person. I think everything they do is about power – how can they get more.
Richard Nixon – I know, it is an obvious choice. My biggest problem with him is the level of cynacism people now have when referring to the government. I believe it started with watergate and it will probably always be there.
My list…
Rather than taking my word for it on this issue I point you here… Richard Clarke’s book Against all Enemies.
Thanks for the link Webs!
Fave: Pierre Trudeau.
Ooops, this seems to be an American thread.
I would add Everett Dirksen to the favorites.
No prob for the link, thanks for putting it up!
Hey WeeDram, who’s “Jim Thompson”. I forgot to ask on my blog when I left a comment. You can answer here or there. Thanks!
I have no site to link to, so will be brief.
Favorite: John F. Kennedy – unique combination of idealism, pragmatism, and charisma. Both challenged and inspired our nation to be better. If he had only lived.
Least Favorite: George W. Bush – Funny, I had always thought that no one could top LBJ in the evil department, but LBJ at least did a few good things.
Great thread, but there are a few notably missing above that I would add:
In the Favorite column:
Fiorello LaGuardia whose best known position was Mayor of New York 1934-45 (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiorello_LaGuardia for details)
In the least favorite column I would enter:
George Wallace: Interestingly as I refresh my understanding of him I read that he started out as a moderate running for Alabama Governor supported by the NAACP but then after losing to a Klan backed opponent (1958) he reformed his way and became a rabid racist for the remainder of his political career
Joe McCarthy: Generally undistinguished senator from Wisconsin who ruined countless careers and fear mongered by labeling people communists
Webs: Jim Thompson, Governor of Illinois 1976-1990(?)
Ah, that explains that! I was 8 when he was out of office. I’m a young pup.
Favorites (these are not all great people, but I think they all have something to teach politicians.)
1. Eisenhower – An all around smart and capable guy whose final address on the military industrial complex *should* be one of the most influential speeches of the last 50 years, but it isn’t.
2. Elliot Spitzer – Aggressively fought corruption in both government and business.
3. Ron Paul – While I don’t agree with everything he does, he is certainly one of the few principled politicians we have nowadays. And those principles include reducing government spending, opposing the drug war, and opposing the war in Iraq from the start.
4. Gerald Ford – Restored some measure of dignity to the office of president, and introduced the first serious arms reduction treaties.
5. George Ryan (former governor of Illinois) – Corrupt, and in general a horrible politician. But then he *really* redeemed himself in my book by effectively ending the death penalty in Illinois singlehandedly. An act of great moral courage.
Least favorites
1. Ronald Reagan – he stepped up the drug war to “war.” He started massive deficits by increasing defense spending, funded terrorist organizations in Latin America and Afghanistan, disobeyed congress in the Iran-Contra scandal. On the other hand, he also introduced sound macroeconomic policy to the Federal Reserve. Maybe he did some other good things, but nothing springs to mind.
2. Richard Nixon – too obvious to mention?
3. George W. Bush – The man who has betrayed the public trust more than any president in history, including Nixon. An awful person, an awful president, a liar, a warmonger, and the worst “fiscal conservative” big spender since Reagan.
4. Ted Stevens – Even before the recent scandal, his entire political career was corrupt. He is, admittedly, the worst of a bad bunch, but his entire career has been devoted to stealing as much as possible from the rest of America to shovel largess on a state so rich in oil that the state government gives most citizens a yearly check.
5. Dick Cheney – The worst example of how the technocracy in Washington has produced a completely unaccountable group of people who don’t even seem to feel the need to pay lip service to democracy or citizen control.
I myself was toying with this one as well. George Ryan did an excellent job his final years.
Interesting side note, my Dad got to talk to George right when he was getting in trouble with the scandals and on the level he said he was thinking about ending the death penalty. He has said, not publicly, from the beginning it was something that always bothered him. Having to go against his own morals by sentencing people to death.
done.
http://charmingjustcharming.blogspot.com/2007/08/politician-game.html
Rep. Sali from Idaho just made my personal list of worse current politicians for his recent attack on non-Christians. He’s one of those nuts who believes despite all the evidence to the contrary that the Founders wanted a theocracy. He’s such an idiot that at one point, people in his own party were threatening to throw him out the window. Then, he got the Republican nomination, and they all got behind him.
So many choices. Your list is quite impressive. I think that Dwight Eisenhower was the last great Republican president. He did not live up to the expectations of the Military-Industrial chronies that helped to elect him, did he? Dick Cheney, on the other hand, has exceeded all their expectations. Ronald Reagan had built-in smarm, but was just one of a series of “clay pigeon” candidates (others include Dan Quale and “Dubya”). He was the front man for the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/etc. cabal that we have been cursed with for so very long. Each Republican regime has spent like drunken sailors and borrowed their way into fiscal hell that won’t be apparent in their lifetimes.
Does the list have to be current, or can we throw an honorable mention to Thomas Jefferson? I’d also consider John Anderson, Dennis Kucinich, and Bella Abzug in the Honorable category, and Lester Maddox, Jesse Helms, and George Wallace in the Dishonorable category.
OK, I’ve done my list and posted it to my blog. Not sure how good it is, but it’s what I came up with.
lion: Thanks for mentioning John Anderson … a noble man indeed, and I agree with you listing him. And I agree on Jesse Helms … Despicable.
[Reagan] seriously damaged our country, and looked great doing it.
Thank you.
I’ve always found it puzzling that most Americans put Reagan in the good president column. Indeed, all the adulation in the media after his death was simply stunning. Everyone forgot about his incompetence (Star Wars?), his corruption, his blatant disregard for the rule of law (anyone remember Iran-Contra?), and his royal screw-up of the AIDS crisis. Reagan was the worst president in my life, prior to G.W. Bush.
And the fact that anyone thinks Reagan had anything to do with the collapse of the Soviet Union is stunning. He may have hastened their fall by a week or two, but ultimately, their fall was due to a messed up economy (sped slightly by the arms race). The fact that their disintegration was (mostly) peaceful was to the credit of Gorbachev. Reagan just happened to be there when it happened.