I was referring to the fact that he was the best duelist …
..was a slave owner. Try again ?
Yes, he was. That wasn’t the point, though. I am sorry you chose to look at my post in this light. It had far more to say.
I thought your point was that the founding fraudsters, were, well, fraudsters ?
Yes. But maybe I am missing your point then, sir?
Best one was Coolidge simply because he kept out of the markets and allowed them to regulate themself to a large extent. He also signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact, which was a noble effort, though flawed. Ultimately, he is the archetype of good governance. Grover Cleveland is also up there too.
Vladimir Putin?[:P]
Who was the best president? Why the first one no less…and no it isn’t Washington. It was John Hanson. President of the Articles of Confederation.
I actually think that Martin Van Buren was the best president ever. He kept America out of not one, but three potential wars with two different countries (Mexico and England/ Canada). Domestically, he took steps to remedy the mess that Jackson left when he halfway fixed finances by defunding the central bank. Martin Van Buren was instrumental in creating the Independent Treasury, which ushered in what could be considered the closest thing that America ever had to a free banking system. He was more decisive in cutting tariffs and also ended state aid for the purposes of internal improvements. Jeffrey Rogers Hummell wrote an article here on Mises about him, and since he is a historian, he has done his research on Van Buren.
I’d have to say Grover Cleveland because Martin Van Buren was known for supporting Lincoln’s War, even though that had nothing to do with his Presidency. Grover Cleveland had an unwavering support for the Gold Standard and he vetoed every statist bill he didn’t believe in. What prevents him from being perfect, IMO, is his intervention in the Pullman Railroad Strike.
Harding was good, as he smashed the GD of 1921 by letting bad banks fail, but he installed a high tarriff.
I don’t know much about Coolidge other than he was the last good President.
Jackson did the trail of tears and was hostile towards secession. He had some good vetoes though, as they were mostly against public works projects.
Jefferson would have to be one of my favorites because he founded the nation. It’s a shame George Clinton (his and Madison’s VP who really ended the 1st B.U.S.) never became President, but rather Madison did.
I also have to respect JFK for being the last President (nine Presidencies ago) who tried to get rid of the Federal Reserve.
I must not know a whole lot about early American history, I have no idea who that is :S
Starts typing in Google search bar
Anyone know where I can get some good information about the Articles of Confederation?
I know almost nothing about it.
He went on to funkier parliament-related callings.
Politics aside… I always like Nixon.
Politically I would have to say Ben Franklin, because he had better things to do with his time.
Ok, I admit it. We realy haven’t had much to work with yet.
That is a link to the full text of the Articles of Confederation.
Not long ago I would have been inclined to say Thomas Jefferson –– that is –– until I read further into events of his Presidency. First, we have an undeclared war against the Pasha of Tripoli Jefferson wins but, nonetheless, continues to pay tribute to the other barbary states for his entire eight years. Then we have the Louisiana Purchase which violates not only the Constitution but his own principles when he imposes a tax on the inhabitants entirely without their consent (where have we heard that before…?). Furthermore, he inexplicably ignores a clear mandate to ‘de-federalise’ the government and even retains some Hamiltonian appointments.
Later Jefferson enacts one of the most despotic acts committed against Americans outside of the civil war, his great embargo! Not only does the number of federal government employees skyrocket; it cripples American international trade overnight; threatens war with Britain and Canada and the looming press-ganging of 100,000 Americans into military service; drives many neutral states into the arms of Hamiltonian federalists and, worst of all, effectively morphs Jefferson into King George III’s American doppleganger until he’s ejected from the office.
So our great libertarian founder almost single-handedly crushes the flowering tree of liberty under his own jackboot…
(Read ‘Reassessing the Presidency’ by John V Denson. There’s a pdf of it somewhere on the site.)
All that said, Jefferson’s troubled Presidency doesn’t dimmish his extensive writings on libertarian philosophy. It’s just a shame the man’s principles didn’t stand the ultimate test in office. Jefferson really should have remained the yeoman farmer he always aspired to be, I think.
And to answer the thread question, either Martin Van Buran or Grover Cleeveland –– they didn’t do as much damage as others might have.
None of them, they are all participants of a Statist systems. The only good rulers are the people who rule themselves.
I think being in power just turns you into a statist, no matter how good your intentions. I fear this happening with Ron Paul.
haha Homer is a lot better than the clowns we had/have now