Worst president in 50 years

[paul718]

It's between Johnson, Carter, and Bush 43.  Carter and Bush inherited a lot, and had more to deal with than other presidencies (i.e., Eisenhower and Clinton).  

Bush wasn't a great President but he was right on the economy most of the time.  And I say that by meaning he knew how NOT to do things (I don't think a President can actively make the economy "better".  He can only actively make it worse).  So he came into office during a recession (not Clinton's fault, IMO, just a natural cycle) and for the better part of his administration we've had economic prosperity.  My only economic gripe with him is the fact that he couldn't control the Congress in his first term, hammering all the discretionary spending they wanted right through.   And still, Iraq and the conduct of his primary agents (Cheney and Rumsfeld) were a huge error on his part and should not be easily forgiven.

Carter gets a bad rap.  The world handed him a lot of garbage during his term.  Economically, he faced significant challenges, but it seems as though every move he made was the wrong move and only made things worse.  But I do believe he made those moves on principle, so I won't call him the "worst" President, but more of the wrong President at the wrong time.  

LBJ, however, doesn't get a pass from me.  Not only did he prosecute a war as incompetently as Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld, but he also decided it was the perfect time for massive social programs.  

It's difficult to compare presidencies because they haven't all dealth with the same level of challenges, but my rankings going back to Ike would go something like this...

1. Reagan
2. Kennedy
3. Clinton
4. Eisenhower
5. Bush 41
6. Ford
7. Nixon
8. Bush 43
9. Carter
10. Johnson

[paul718]

Truman, for his idiotic handling of the Korean war. JFK is a close second, although maybe I just think he wasn't as good as most claim.

Kennedy's tax policy was on point.