Most libertarian US presidents

Miscellaneous History
41

There are only three presidents I can mention as good example of laissez faire and limited government: Van Buren, Coolidge and Cleveland.

Others like Jackson and Jefferson had some good points but failed terribly on others.

As for the worst I am surprised nobody mentioned the easiest target together with both Roosevelts, Wilson and Lincoln: Richard Nixon. Creation of the EPA alone (allegedly he said “Let’s stick this up the flagpole and see if anybody salutes it” while signing the papers) should put him on that list.

42

grover cleavland and ronald reagan are the pnly remoetley libertarian presidents that i know of .I have not researched the others enough to know.

43

Reagan? Have you looked up Reagan’s name on here?

44

Five of the best:

  1. Jefferson

  2. Jackson

  3. Cleveland

  4. Harding

  5. Coolidge

Five of the worst:

  1. Lincoln

  2. Teddy Roosevelt

  3. Wilson

  4. Il Duce…I mean FDR

  5. Reagan

45

Jefferson and Jackson screwed the Indians big time. And Jefferson always seemed to me like he was a hypocrite.

And Harding? Why?

46

And Harding? Why?

Because he kept us out of the League of Nations, responded to the depression of 1921 by actually reducing federal spending and taxes, and otherwise didn’t do much, which means he didn’t do much damage. Same with Cool Cal.

47

I see.

48

…I believe Tom Woods had some favorable things to say about Harding in this lecture

49

This type of discussion is important by the fact that the it highlights why these obscure presidents were so good in contrast to why the most famous president are mostly so bad.