Who did the most damage of the last 6 Republican Presidents?
- Thread starter Deleted member 31923
- Start date
W destabilized the entire Middle East for the indefinite future over a lie, also Cheney was literally a comic book super villain come to life as the shadow president for 8 years
not sure what anyone can do to top that
not sure what anyone can do to top that
For non-white people in America (and Central and South America): Reagan
Internationally: Bush
In terms of America's general perception: Trump
Internationally: Bush
In terms of America's general perception: Trump
Ronald Regan started the modern Republican party, he's on top of Shit Mountain. Trump's incompetence domestically is surging him past GWB for me, even if GWB has the greater body count due to his bullshit war.
But man oh man have Republican presidents been shit for basically my whole life.
But man oh man have Republican presidents been shit for basically my whole life.
I voted Reagan, back before the bump, but in truth, this is a hard question. They each caused damage in their own personalized manner.
Reagan is the easy answer. Every vile piece of rot in our country's political culture can be traced right back to Reagan. And some further, of course. But Reagan was a very popular president, and as such, he was able to accomplish a lot. And most of it was incredibly damaging. And most of it persists to this day.
Bush Jr. invaded Iraq for no reason, that's his claim to fame in this contest. His domestic damage was mostly just a continuation of the same failed GOP policies that Reagan started, or cemented.
Trump is a whole other animal. His damage is directed at the ability of our government to function at all. It's been non-stop Constitutional crises since he took office. He's had countless scandals that would have defined any other administration. This while dramatically understaffing federal agencies, mainstreaming the worst anti-government conspiracy theories, wildly and overtly personally profiting from his position, antagonizing ally nations, and of course let's not forget pushing a bizarre pro-Russia agenda at every turn. This is truly potentially existential damage for our government.
I think I still have to give it to Reagan. His 2 terms in office are demonstrably the turning point for any number of measures of the quality of life in this country. If Reagan had used his power for good, the US could have among the highest standards of living in the world. Instead, we have steadily fallen and now rank below our international "peers".
Reagan is the easy answer. Every vile piece of rot in our country's political culture can be traced right back to Reagan. And some further, of course. But Reagan was a very popular president, and as such, he was able to accomplish a lot. And most of it was incredibly damaging. And most of it persists to this day.
Bush Jr. invaded Iraq for no reason, that's his claim to fame in this contest. His domestic damage was mostly just a continuation of the same failed GOP policies that Reagan started, or cemented.
Trump is a whole other animal. His damage is directed at the ability of our government to function at all. It's been non-stop Constitutional crises since he took office. He's had countless scandals that would have defined any other administration. This while dramatically understaffing federal agencies, mainstreaming the worst anti-government conspiracy theories, wildly and overtly personally profiting from his position, antagonizing ally nations, and of course let's not forget pushing a bizarre pro-Russia agenda at every turn. This is truly potentially existential damage for our government.
I think I still have to give it to Reagan. His 2 terms in office are demonstrably the turning point for any number of measures of the quality of life in this country. If Reagan had used his power for good, the US could have among the highest standards of living in the world. Instead, we have steadily fallen and now rank below our international "peers".
Bush set the climate movement back decades and led to the sharp rise in emissions that started in the early 2000's. That's about as permanent of damage that a president could do.
Reagan killed over 300,000 people with the AIDS epidemic alone. 89,843 of which had died during his Presidency and his refusal to do anything about it because he didn't care if it killed gay men.
I think the Trump shouts are from people who are focused on domestic issues, ignore the immeasurable harm caused by Bush abroad, and are unaware of all the damage done by Reagan in numerous areas.
There is also recency bias. We can talk all day long about how Trump has utterly failed in his response to the coronavirus. But the world is ignoring how the virus is ripping through the middle east.
Can anyone remind me who destabilized the region? That destabilization is affecting them all now, years after the man left office. Bush's damage will subsist for generations.
There is also recency bias. We can talk all day long about how Trump has utterly failed in his response to the coronavirus. But the world is ignoring how the virus is ripping through the middle east.
Can anyone remind me who destabilized the region? That destabilization is affecting them all now, years after the man left office. Bush's damage will subsist for generations.
PATRIOT. ACT. It has pretty much legitimized the government spying on its population without any regards. The consequences of this alone (in the age of social media) cannot be fully quantified yet. I don't understand why people overlook this.
Trump for the western world, probably Bush Jr. for the rest of the world.
Specifically for the US, maybe Reagan but I'm German and not really that educated in American domestic history.
Specifically for the US, maybe Reagan but I'm German and not really that educated in American domestic history.
I think it's simpler than that. For the most part Trump isn't measurably worse in action or inaction than his ideological predecessors; he just lacks any subtlety about what he's doing and uses bullhorns instead of dogwhistles.
And that really grates on the large subset of people who value civility more than justice.
Bush for the simple macro reasons. Drone strikes. Torture. Cheney. Iraq & Afghanistan. Reagan because his administration and rhetoric was really the beginning of the modern GOP.
Trump's impact will depend on how or if things change after he's gone. He's doing great damage, but a lot of it is stuff that will leave office with him because he was so terrible at actually championing lasting legislation. His judicial nominations will do lasting damage, but that's more McConnell's doing than his. Trump is just the guy rubber stamping names given to him by the Heritage Foundation.
Trump's impact will depend on how or if things change after he's gone. He's doing great damage, but a lot of it is stuff that will leave office with him because he was so terrible at actually championing lasting legislation. His judicial nominations will do lasting damage, but that's more McConnell's doing than his. Trump is just the guy rubber stamping names given to him by the Heritage Foundation.
I think Reagan is what allowed for GWB and Trump. Would Bush Sr. have even been Pres. if not for Reagan? If Bush was President, would his son have been? Would Trump have the kind of wealth he did/does without Reagan?
Exactly this. The scariest implication undercutting threads like this and other discussions revolving around Trump is that his biggest detractors wouldn't even care what he was doing if he wasn't so boisterous about it.
As an '80s kid, it's definitely Reagan.
- Reagan Tax Cuts - highest tax rate went from 70% to 28% during his two terms. Corporate tax rate went from 46% to 35%, paving the way for wage inequality and start of the middle-class squeeze.
- During his 1976 presidential campaign, Reagan used the infamous "welfare queen" term, which was often used to describe black, single mothers.
- AIDS epidemic - Reagan didn't even publicly acknowledge the crisis until four years later after the first AIDS cases were reported in 1981. In 1987 was Reagan's first speech about AIDS.
- "War on Drugs" - a bill signed in 1986 to "help" fight the war on drugs, which included a mandatory minimum penalty on drug offenses. This significantly increased the minority population in the prison system and was widely criticized for the differences in sentencing for cocaine vs crack.
- Union buster - Reagan was vehemently anti-union and used policies to weaken union rights. Air traffic controllers went on strike in 1981, and Reagan fired them, while also banning the strikers from federal service for life.
- Massive increase in military spending
- Cut federal spending for education in half - 12% during his first term to 6% when he left office.
- During his two terms, individualism went into overdrive and can be argued is the U.S.' worst export.
In the grand scheme of things, I find it hard to believe that's worse than Watergate itself, Reaganomics/War on Drugs/AIDS epidemic, Bush's invasion of Iraq, or like 90 things that Trump did. But hey only 0.3% of people seem to hold that opinion which is barely anybody so I guess its not a big deal.
this has been something pointed out by many over the last 4 years. that for as bad as Trump is he's also such an ineffectual incompetent that he's been unable to do the damage of a Reagan or Bush 43. you have to be able to go more than 4 minutes without ranting about how your sink doesn't make the water no more and how grayden carter was very nasty to you once in 2003 in order to slaughter millions actively/passively via war/sanctions like Bush 43. 45 is a dumb-as-shit racist clown. 43 is a dumb-as-shit bloodthirsty ghoul.
Carter installed solar panels on the Whitehouse, Reagan made it a big deal to get them back off. Again his administration is the root of the issue. The man signed so many pacts with the devil that he rules in hell by now.
He and his racist ilk supported extreme Christian terrorist/racist groups, to get an actual Christian out did the Whitehouse. This man and his administration are literally responsible for the deaths of millions, the deaths of trust in state services, the death of the services, the hatred for science, the hatred for the green movement, the hatred of anything more progressive than him...and I can go on for ever.
The man became a deity for the asshole right, and from him forward every Republican sought to emulate him. He IS Trump!
As of now, I vote Reagan easily.
Given time to see Trump's impact post-presidency (which depends a lot on how much damage can be reversed), he could give Reagan serious competition though. If Trump wasn't such a lazy incompetent self-absorbed hack of a human, I think his legacy could have been even worse.
Given time to see Trump's impact post-presidency (which depends a lot on how much damage can be reversed), he could give Reagan serious competition though. If Trump wasn't such a lazy incompetent self-absorbed hack of a human, I think his legacy could have been even worse.
Yuuup:
Where Did the Carter White House's Solar Panels Go?
One of the 32 solar-thermal panels that captured energy on the roof of the White House more than 30 years ago landed this week at a science museum in China
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter Built a Solar Farm in His Hometown That Powers Half the City
“I am encouraged by the tremendous progress that solar and other clean energy solutions have made in recent years and expect those trends to continue.”
mymodernmet.com
Jimmy Carter, the Christian these religious nuts should be, but can't be.
(Not a fan of Christianity per se, but at least Carter practiced what he preached!).
Obama Administration Becomes The Third To Install Solar Panels On White House Grounds
archive.thinkprogress.org
Reagan everybody! His administration was just plain.. EVIL! Hidden behind a actors fake face.
Last edited:
I am soooo fucking angry right nowYuuup:
Where Did the Carter White House's Solar Panels Go?
One of the 32 solar-thermal panels that captured energy on the roof of the White House more than 30 years ago landed this week at a science museum in Chinawww.scientificamerican.com
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter Built a Solar Farm in His Hometown That Powers Half the City
“I am encouraged by the tremendous progress that solar and other clean energy solutions have made in recent years and expect those trends to continue.”
Jimmy Carter, the Christian these religious nuts should be, but can't be.
(Not a fan of Christianity per say, but at least Carter practiced what he preached!).
Obama Administration Becomes The Third To Install Solar Panels On White House Grounds
Reagan everybody! His administration was just plain.. EVIL! Hidden behind a actors fake face.
What the actual fuck is wrong with Republicans
I feel like this thread is highlighting to me some of the age differences in this site, or at least understanding of political history in the US. There is no doubt in my mind that Trump's cabinet will have some long term ramifications (Tillerson gutting the state department, other agency roll backs, all the judge appointments) but the direct harm that Nixon, Reagan and Bush did to people in the US and across the world is just on a whole other level.
Well, he was paid by industry, and Reagan did whatever got him to be president. He fucked over his own friends to get there, there is a Behind the Bastards two parter about how he handled the HIV crisis, it's a good listen.
Part one:
Part One: Ronald and Nancy Reagan: The Bastards Behind the AIDS Crisis - Behind the Bastards | iHeart
<p>In Episode 25, Robert is joined by comedian Andy Beckerman (Couples Therapy Podcast) to discuss Ronald Reagan, Nancy Reagan and the AIDS crisis. When Robert started researching for this episode, he expected it would be a fairly straightforward episode about how homophobia and religious...
Part Two: Ronald and Nancy Reagan: The Bastards Behind the AIDS Crisis - Behind the Bastards | iHeart
<p>In Part Two: Part Two: Ronald and Nancy Reagan: The Bastards Behind the AIDS Crisis, Robert is joined again by Andy Beckerman (Couples Therapy Podcast) and they continuing discussing The AIDS epidemic and how the Reagans were involved. </p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a...
Last edited:
There is a case to be made with Reagan but it's George W Bush:
Half a million Iraqi civilians dead over falsified reports
Katrina
CIA Black Sites (sanctioned torture)
No Child Left Behind
Illegal domestic spying
Historic bank deregulation
Innocent/illegal Guantanamo Bay detainees
Bush v Gore corruption
Aggressive anti-gay propaganda election strategy (Marriage Amendment)
Patriot Act
Muzzled scientists from NASA, NOAA, and CDC (amongst others) regarding global warming
Also - everyone knew he was the bumbling puppet whose father's old cabinet and Saudi friends were really calling the shots. We voted him in anyhow.
Half a million Iraqi civilians dead over falsified reports
Katrina
CIA Black Sites (sanctioned torture)
No Child Left Behind
Illegal domestic spying
Historic bank deregulation
Innocent/illegal Guantanamo Bay detainees
Bush v Gore corruption
Aggressive anti-gay propaganda election strategy (Marriage Amendment)
Patriot Act
Muzzled scientists from NASA, NOAA, and CDC (amongst others) regarding global warming
Also - everyone knew he was the bumbling puppet whose father's old cabinet and Saudi friends were really calling the shots. We voted him in anyhow.
Last edited:
Bush just continued what Reagan started. Reagan lay the ground work for it all, including taking the teeth out of all the federal services that could have bitten back. It is all one long process really, GOPpers played the long game.
Was tempted to say Regan for making the Republican as prodigal son of the party and his fucked up 80's policies.
But I'll say Trump for his handling of the pandemic alone, but also for galvanizing the nationalists and right-wing zealots. He called COVID-19 a left-wing hoax and dismantled the previous president's countermeasures for a crisis just as this (potentially killing thousands and putting millions at risk come next school year).
But I'll say Trump for his handling of the pandemic alone, but also for galvanizing the nationalists and right-wing zealots. He called COVID-19 a left-wing hoax and dismantled the previous president's countermeasures for a crisis just as this (potentially killing thousands and putting millions at risk come next school year).
Yeah.
And neoliberalism, which Bush and his father (and Clinton) inherited. I'd even go so far as to say the Iraq War was a desperate remedy to a quickly bursting dot-com bubble, owing to decades of post-Reagan centrist/neoliberal economic deregulation-style policy.
We are only beginning to imagine the long term damage from the Trump admin.
That said, based on what we know, this thread has convinced me it's Reagan. For now.
That said, based on what we know, this thread has convinced me it's Reagan. For now.
As others have stated, Reagan's AIDS response is a counter to this.
Reagan introduced neoliberal ideology in the US and worked towards spreading it across the globe.
Pretty much every major problem we face today is directly or indirectly caused by this decision.
Pretty much every major problem we face today is directly or indirectly caused by this decision.
Reagan takes the cake, followed closely by Trump and GWB. Reagan basically weaponized the Evangelical vote while pushing alot of the Capitalist bullshit rhetoric the GOP love to quote today.
Nixon tho...he basically fucked the Middle East and has probably had the longest negative impact of any President in the modern era.
GWB had at least some semblance of law and wasn't completely a narcissistic shitbag. Trump is and he continues to shred every part of the constitution in ways no President has in the past. GWB, even with all the blood on his hands, is a saint in comparison to Trump.
Nixon tho...he basically fucked the Middle East and has probably had the longest negative impact of any President in the modern era.
GWB had at least some semblance of law and wasn't completely a narcissistic shitbag. Trump is and he continues to shred every part of the constitution in ways no President has in the past. GWB, even with all the blood on his hands, is a saint in comparison to Trump.
We're talking about the same GWB who pushed through the Patriot Act, who created the modern surveillance state as well as DHS and ICE, who never hesitated to hand out a lucrative no-bid defense contract (in an already unjustifiable war) to his private contractor cronies at every opportunity, whose vice president outed undercover intelligence officials as political revenge, who nominated a thoroughly unqualified personal lawyer of his to the Supreme Court before the religious right revolted at the idea and forced him to pick Alito instead, and who institutionalized literal fucking torture.
A shining beacon in the lineage of "law and order" Republican presidents, truly.
This is why I have no faith in the future. If a monster like GWB has already had his image softened this much by those with the memory of a goldfish, then we're never going to un-fuck the overton window.