And we lead off with Number 7
And of course, as I pointed out in the Jefferson bit I did for Best President, John Adams, and his Vice President, Thomas Jefferson, broke the damn government, to the point a constitutional amendment was needed to change how the Vice President and President were elected so as to ensure fighting of the level those two had could never happen again. Jefferson dodged the blame in my Best Presidents ranking because he wasnt president when that happened......Adams was though so he's gonna take the hit.
The one positive to come out of Adams sole term as president was the appointment of Chief Justice John Marshal to the Supreme Court, as Marshal was likely the best Chief Justice in history, and certainly the most important for designed the roll the Court should play in the government.
But that one shining spot does not a great president make and it should be no surprise that John Adams was 1 of only 2 presidents in the countries first 40 years not elected to a second term (the other was his son....Ouch talk about a disliked family)
Number 4:
Now if you answered "Yes" at any time you are correct. If you answered "No" at any time you are also correct.
See turns out no one really wants to take credit for this guy. He was a Democrat who was nominated to be Vice President at the Republican convention on the Constitutional Union ticket. Meaning any of those groups could claim him.....and had he not been a total fuck up, likely would. Instead each party claims he really belongs to the other.
Johnson is most famous for being the 1st president to be successfully impeached by the House.....although I hate to tell you this, it was even more bullshit than the Clinton impeachment, as in order to impeach Johnson the Congress had to pass a law to make illegal something Johnson had already said he was going to do (replace a member of his cabinet) that all presidents had done.....and then they repealed the law when his successor came in.
But there is a reason they wanted to get rid of him that badly, he was still a shit president. Mostly because unlike Lincoln, Johnson didnt see the enfranchisement or even the rights as citizens of African American's as remotely relevant to readmitting states, and basically turned a blind eye to state after state enacting "Black Codes" which were basically a predecessor to Jim Crow, but also in many cases happened to reduce blacks to a situation very similar to slavery. Most included a provision that made it illegal for a black person to not be working, and anyone caught doing so could be arrested. In order to avoid this black folks had to have a contract to work the land of a nearby farmer.....and the contract could prohibit them from leaving without permission. They could also restrict the rights of African Americans to own land or other property, including firearms (second amendment anyone?) or make it legal to not allow blacks to vote....(which is why the 15th amendment was later needed)
Basically, Johnson gives Wilson a run for his money as America's most racist president, has none of Wilson's positives, and was more despised by congress that Tyler or even Obama. Hence his winding up at #4 on our worst presidents list.
Which raises an interesting question.......how much of a fuck up do you have to be to get the Number 3-1 spots? You'll have to come back next time to find out.
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| Herbet Hoover. 31st president |
Hoover draws the short straw on this list. You see he's mostly here because of the Great Depression which started 4 months into his term. The thing is, 4 months into your term means your still working with the last presidents final budget. Which means their is a good argument to be made the blame should rightly go to Calvin Coolidge or Warren Harding, the two previous presidents, who economic policy likely did cause the collapse, but thats not how the rules work so we have Hoover.
And actually to be fair to Hoover, he did alot more to combat the depression than he usually gets the credit for, including laying the groundwork for a minimum wage, and 8 hour work day, which were expanded on to much greater affect by his successor. He also signed the Glass–Steagall act, which was designed to regulate banks and keep them disconnected from the stock market. By the way it should be noted that not long after Glass-Steagall was repealed by president Clinton, the Great Recession started, so maybe Hoover was on to something.
Now that said, Hoover would still make this list in his own right, because of the Bonus Army.
For those who dont know the Bonus Army was a group of WWI vets whod been promised a Bonus for their service by the Federal government that was supposed to be paid in 1945, but due to Depression wanted their money early.
Hoover responded by sending the US army, under the command of General Douglass MacArthur after them. Hoover had given strict orders to only push the protesters out of the city, but not to disturb their encampment, orders MacArthur, who believed the real purpose of the Bonus Army was to take over the government, refused to follow, and had his army charge the camp, injuring over 50 veterans and family's, arresting over 130 more, and two deaths. Hoover's reaction to his orders being openly disobeyed and the resulted arrests, injuries and deaths was basically "its not what I wanted, but hey shit happens" and he did nothing about it. That alone would get him a spot on this list.
Next up Number 6:
And actually to be fair to Hoover, he did alot more to combat the depression than he usually gets the credit for, including laying the groundwork for a minimum wage, and 8 hour work day, which were expanded on to much greater affect by his successor. He also signed the Glass–Steagall act, which was designed to regulate banks and keep them disconnected from the stock market. By the way it should be noted that not long after Glass-Steagall was repealed by president Clinton, the Great Recession started, so maybe Hoover was on to something.
Now that said, Hoover would still make this list in his own right, because of the Bonus Army.
For those who dont know the Bonus Army was a group of WWI vets whod been promised a Bonus for their service by the Federal government that was supposed to be paid in 1945, but due to Depression wanted their money early.
Hoover responded by sending the US army, under the command of General Douglass MacArthur after them. Hoover had given strict orders to only push the protesters out of the city, but not to disturb their encampment, orders MacArthur, who believed the real purpose of the Bonus Army was to take over the government, refused to follow, and had his army charge the camp, injuring over 50 veterans and family's, arresting over 130 more, and two deaths. Hoover's reaction to his orders being openly disobeyed and the resulted arrests, injuries and deaths was basically "its not what I wanted, but hey shit happens" and he did nothing about it. That alone would get him a spot on this list.
Next up Number 6:
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| John Tyler. 10th President |
Of all the presidents on this list, Tyler is probably the most important based on his impact on the Presidency. See Tyler was the first Vice President to become President after the death of his predecessor and therefore set the standard for all future Vice Presidents, with his insistence that he WAS in fact THE president, and not the Acting President, as many at the time saw him to be, and that a new election wasnt needed and he was entitled to finish out his predecessors term.
But that aside Tyler was horrible president. In theory he was a Whig, until they voted him out of the party after he became president and vetoed their entire agenda. In fact he was so bad, his entire cabinet, save one, resigned, not out of scandal, but simply because they refused to work with him. He was also the first president the House ever tried (and failed) to impeach.
All in all, he is well deserving of his spot on this list.
Next up, Number 5:
But that aside Tyler was horrible president. In theory he was a Whig, until they voted him out of the party after he became president and vetoed their entire agenda. In fact he was so bad, his entire cabinet, save one, resigned, not out of scandal, but simply because they refused to work with him. He was also the first president the House ever tried (and failed) to impeach.
All in all, he is well deserving of his spot on this list.
Next up, Number 5:
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| John Adams. 2nd President. |
Alright, no one can deny that John Adams is likely one of the most important and great people in american history.....the thing is, all of that is for shit he did before becoming president, as president he kinda sucked ass.
For starters he requested congress to pass, and signed into law the "Alien and Sedition acts", which basically made it a crime to speak out against the government (What First Amendment?) and increased the wait time for Citizenship for first generation immigrants to 14 years......and keep in mind this was at a time in which there were almost no 2nd generation Americans. Side note, it should be noted Thomas Jefferson beat adams for reelection by pledging not to enforce these laws....even when still on the books (so thats how that tradition of selective enforcement got started, although it doesnt really weigh into an evaluation of Adams)
Then there is the Quasi-war, which was actually America's first war as a recognized country. But its called the Quasi-war because Congress never actually voted to go to war. So yea if your wondering where that tradition that the President can unilaterally declare war started.....well here you go.
For starters he requested congress to pass, and signed into law the "Alien and Sedition acts", which basically made it a crime to speak out against the government (What First Amendment?) and increased the wait time for Citizenship for first generation immigrants to 14 years......and keep in mind this was at a time in which there were almost no 2nd generation Americans. Side note, it should be noted Thomas Jefferson beat adams for reelection by pledging not to enforce these laws....even when still on the books (so thats how that tradition of selective enforcement got started, although it doesnt really weigh into an evaluation of Adams)
Then there is the Quasi-war, which was actually America's first war as a recognized country. But its called the Quasi-war because Congress never actually voted to go to war. So yea if your wondering where that tradition that the President can unilaterally declare war started.....well here you go.
And of course, as I pointed out in the Jefferson bit I did for Best President, John Adams, and his Vice President, Thomas Jefferson, broke the damn government, to the point a constitutional amendment was needed to change how the Vice President and President were elected so as to ensure fighting of the level those two had could never happen again. Jefferson dodged the blame in my Best Presidents ranking because he wasnt president when that happened......Adams was though so he's gonna take the hit.
The one positive to come out of Adams sole term as president was the appointment of Chief Justice John Marshal to the Supreme Court, as Marshal was likely the best Chief Justice in history, and certainly the most important for designed the roll the Court should play in the government.
But that one shining spot does not a great president make and it should be no surprise that John Adams was 1 of only 2 presidents in the countries first 40 years not elected to a second term (the other was his son....Ouch talk about a disliked family)
Number 4:
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| Andrew Johnson. 17th President |
Alright folks, pop quiz time; Was Andrew Johnson a Democrat? a Republican? or a 3rd party President?
Now if you answered "Yes" at any time you are correct. If you answered "No" at any time you are also correct.
See turns out no one really wants to take credit for this guy. He was a Democrat who was nominated to be Vice President at the Republican convention on the Constitutional Union ticket. Meaning any of those groups could claim him.....and had he not been a total fuck up, likely would. Instead each party claims he really belongs to the other.
Johnson is most famous for being the 1st president to be successfully impeached by the House.....although I hate to tell you this, it was even more bullshit than the Clinton impeachment, as in order to impeach Johnson the Congress had to pass a law to make illegal something Johnson had already said he was going to do (replace a member of his cabinet) that all presidents had done.....and then they repealed the law when his successor came in.
But there is a reason they wanted to get rid of him that badly, he was still a shit president. Mostly because unlike Lincoln, Johnson didnt see the enfranchisement or even the rights as citizens of African American's as remotely relevant to readmitting states, and basically turned a blind eye to state after state enacting "Black Codes" which were basically a predecessor to Jim Crow, but also in many cases happened to reduce blacks to a situation very similar to slavery. Most included a provision that made it illegal for a black person to not be working, and anyone caught doing so could be arrested. In order to avoid this black folks had to have a contract to work the land of a nearby farmer.....and the contract could prohibit them from leaving without permission. They could also restrict the rights of African Americans to own land or other property, including firearms (second amendment anyone?) or make it legal to not allow blacks to vote....(which is why the 15th amendment was later needed)
Basically, Johnson gives Wilson a run for his money as America's most racist president, has none of Wilson's positives, and was more despised by congress that Tyler or even Obama. Hence his winding up at #4 on our worst presidents list.
Which raises an interesting question.......how much of a fuck up do you have to be to get the Number 3-1 spots? You'll have to come back next time to find out.
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