Is James K. Polk Underrated?

[courts]

actually yes. his detractors forget that even the missouri compromise was better than *nothing at all.* which he could very well have done. and he fought against a lot of the more ridiculous speculation and financial excesses of the time. arguably much more so than a lot of the people liberals tend to gush over now on this forum.

(of course given my background i'm particularly leery over actual, sincere belief in imperialism as opposed to just cynical resource grabbing. the former is much worse...)

[courts]

Yes, I think many here just think imperialist = automatic HP. I'll forgive his imperialist foreign policy at that time because expanding land was very important.

so you're anti imperialist except when it benefits you