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Who did the most damage of the last 6 Republican Presidents?

Who did the most damage of the last 6 Republican Presidents?

  • Richard Nixon

    Votes: 90 2.3%

  • Gerald Ford

    Votes: 12 0.3%

  • Ronald Reagan

    Votes: 1,466 37.8%

  • George H.W. Bush

    Votes: 30 0.8%

  • George W. Bush

    Votes: 903 23.3%

  • Donald Trump

    Votes: 1,380 35.6%
  • Total voters
    3,881

Deleted member 31923

User requested account closure
Banned
Nov 8, 2017
5,826
I had to include Bush 41 in terms of completeness, but I don't think anyone should pick him. Same with Gerald Ford, who I honestly forgot about for one second when making the poll. This is really a race between Nixon, Reagan, Bush 43, and Trump. In fairness, Trump hasn't even completed one term, but I think he's done enough damage to be included and even more than Bush 41 and Ford by a good margin.

I'll vote for Reagan, he busted the New Deal, brought Evangelicals into the Republican party (and no Bush 43 or Trump without Evangelicals), make racism normal, proved that charisma mattered more than political positions, and basically ruined America.
 
BarcaTheGreat

BarcaTheGreat

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
4,041
GWB.. Trump is a worse human being for sure but boy the Project for New American Century fucked the world up for a century or so.
 
Aaronrules380

Aaronrules380

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
22,427
I really don't think we can accurately assess Trump's damage since we've yet to know what long term effects, if any, his presidency will bring
 
BDS

BDS

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
13,845
Certainly a race to the bottom here, it's hard to pick. I'm leaning towards Reagan for a variety of reasons in that he basically solidified America as a heavily capitalist, bootstrap libertarian culture at a time when a stronger government and social safety net could have pushed us in a different direction. Reagan's influence is still being felt across both parties and the American electorate. He is responsible for countless abhorrent crimes, from the AIDS crisis to the War on Drugs to Iran-Contra and so on.

Unlike Trump, who is an obvious dumpster fire and vile creature, Reagan did a good job of disguising his nature to white moderate middle-class America, and that's why he was more dangerous. But hey, Donald, it's still early days, you can make a comeback!

Another strong contender is obviously Bush 43 and the massive loss of life caused by his illegal wars.
 
Nostremitus

Nostremitus

Member
Nov 15, 2017
7,772
Alabama
Reagonomics decimated the middle class and the American Dream. He gave power to Osama Bin Laden, and strengthened cartel power in Central and South America.

Basically, most of the bad things in our modern America were born during his presidency.
 
Kill3r7

Kill3r7

Member
Oct 25, 2017
24,386
Domestically, Reagan is the right answer. Bush with his 18 year war has really done a number internationally.
 
Poltergust

Poltergust

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,819
Orlando, FL
It depends on how you define "damage".

Long-term damage? Reagan's is clearly present with the whole Southern Strategy basically making 40% of the population vote against their best interests, but the result of Trump's actions may be even worse but can't be observed yet.
Corruption? Nixon and Trump, for obvious reasons.
Domestic? All of them are terrible, but Trump has eroded our system of checks & balances and has actively and directly made lives worse for minorities between the trans military ban and the expansion of ICE.
Foreign relations? GWB basically destroyed the Middle East, but Trump has nearly completely ostracized America from its allies and is now saber-rattling with Iran.

...Actually, going over all of these it seems that Trump is a consistent quantity in each one, so I guess he gets my vote.
 
PAFenix

PAFenix

Unshakable Resolve
Member
Nov 21, 2019
14,586
I was going to say Trump but people reminding me how much Reaganomics fucked up anyone not in the upper class is making me second guess myself.
 
excelsiorlef

excelsiorlef

Bad Praxis
Member
Oct 25, 2017
73,315
Easily Reagan because he fucked everything up and is why all the others that came after were able to succeed at fucking up
 
DJ_Lae

DJ_Lae

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,857
Edmonton
Trump has turned the entire US government into (more of) a clown show, which is pretty impressive.

It's more soft power stuff, though. Racism and bigotry rather than wars and killing. And if nothing else, he is by far the least likeable and least human of the other options.

Probably Dubya.
 
Mekanos

Mekanos

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 17, 2018
44,109
I'd go Reagan, then W Bush. Reagan did more damage to the home country, W did more damage overseas. I think the overall inertia of Reagan's actions are worse than W's on a global scale as well.
 
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ned_ballad

ned_ballad

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
48,216
Rochester, New York
Reagan is the root of the modern Republicans. His legacy is what the GOP is now.

So he's the one to blame. He's the worst. The rest wouldn't have even gotten anywhere without how fundamentally Reagan changed America
 
jml

jml

Member
Mar 9, 2018
4,783
George W Bush directly, but I think you can make an argument that Nixon set the stage for what the modern Republican party is today and that influence is what got everything to spiral out of control.
 
JusDoIt

JusDoIt

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 25, 2017
34,633
South Central Los Angeles
Trump is the dumbest person to ever sit in the White House, but Reagan and W were much more effectively evil than Donald (so far).

Reagan's Cold War operations turned our cities into anarcho-capitalist crack warzones and empowered Osama bin Laden (among other things). Meanwhile, the constant state of war, migration crises, and an entire generation of people living a lifelong Great Depression are all things we can thank Dubya for.
 
Zed

Zed

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,544
This is a really tough call. I'm having a hard time between deciding between Reagan propping up the rich and destroying the middle class with voodoo economics and GWB's massive endless wars.
 
TheShampion

TheShampion

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,214
In my eyes, Reagan paved the way for the other horrible presidents, so he was the worst. The suffering these men have caused is almost incalculable so it is hard to choose statistically.
 
VileZero

VileZero

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
438
Maryland/DC
Trump.

Yes, Reagan and Bush had major issues - but they acted like they were the president of an entire country. Trump's behavior has been devastating for the office moving forward. He has normalized disgusting behaviors that we at least used to hide from public view. I've never been more disgusted than I am right now.
 
Temascos

Temascos

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,499
It's really between Reagan, W Bush and Trump. Reagan started the rot that's poisoned your country's politics (And our world by extension), W Bush pushed for greed and war for his religious beliefs and of course, Trump's a total fuckhead who should be spending his years in prison.

It feels like America chooses a moderate democrat who's popular in office, then completely flips out and elects the worst possible option every single time.
 
Damaniel

Damaniel

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
6,535
Portland, OR
Reagan. The modern Republican party (and the related 'fuck you got mine' philosopy of boomers) is primarily his fault.

Trump is a close second. I guess Republicans just really like electing senile celebrities.
 
H.Cornerstone

H.Cornerstone

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,701
Poltergust said:
It depends on how you define "damage".

Long-term damage? Reagan's is clearly present with the whole Southern Strategy basically making 40% of the population vote against their best interests, but the result of Trump's actions may be even worse but can't be observed yet.
Corruption? Nixon and Trump, for obvious reasons.
Domestic? All of them are terrible, but Trump has eroded our system of checks & balances and has actively and directly made lives worse for minorities between the trans military ban and the expansion of ICE.
Foreign relations? GWB basically destroyed the Middle East, but Trump has nearly completely ostracized America from its allies and is now saber-rattling with Iran.

...Actually, going over all of these it seems that Trump is a consistent quantity in each one, so I guess he gets my vote.
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The more i learn about Reagan the more awful he is. His economic and foreign policy were horrendous and he has a lot to do with the unrest in South America and the banking crisis of 2008.
 

Deleted member 4783

Oct 25, 2017
4,531
It's Reagan, and it's not EVEN close.
 
_Karooo

_Karooo

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
4,029
Trump because at least with other presidents we didn't think and hear about them all day. Fuck the clown show.
 
Davilmar

Davilmar

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,264
Damaniel said:
Reagan. The modern Republican party is his fault.
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This. He left the path that has lead to the evisceration and contempt of government, disregard for minorities and the disadvantaged, economic inequality, deregulation, expansion and militarization of law enforcement, decline of civil liberties, rise of the religious right, etc.
 
MrHedin

MrHedin

Member
Dec 7, 2018
6,810
Reagan, everything the Republican Party has become in the last 40 years has its genesis with him. We might have a different kind of awful without him but our current kind of awful all started with him.
 
Tuppen

Tuppen

Member
Nov 28, 2017
2,051
It's a tough competition but I think if Trump gets a second term the damage to the climate and international relations and how divisive he is to the American public will make him the worst. However if he is ousted this fall perhaps the damage will be somewhat less and the trophy can go to "den där jävla texasgubben" GWB.
 
zero_suit

zero_suit

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,564
ned_ballad said:
Reagan is the root of the modern Republicans. His legacy is what the GOP is now.

So he's the one to blame. He's the worst. The rest wouldn't have even gotten anywhere without how fundamentally Reagan changed America
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Damaniel said:
Reagan. The modern Republican party (and the related 'fuck you got mine' philosopy of boomers) is primarily his fault.

Trump is a close second. I guess Republicans just really like electing senile celebrities.
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Septimus Prime said:
Reagan, as he made Dubya and Trump possible by courting evangelicals.
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You all said it well.
 
thewienke

thewienke

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,928
W. Bush because a lot of what Reagan did might have been inevitable as a strategy for the entire Republican party.

Bush didn't have to invade Iraq and felt a whole lot more avoidable.
 
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