We can. It's called impeachment. And if come november the democrats can truly recover the house and senate, don't be surprised if they do to Bush what Newt did to Clinton. Although Clinton was impeached about lying about blow-jobs. Bush would have to be impeached for the gross-incompetence he's shown. My god...I don't think I've ever seen a poorer leader then Bush in my life.
Here is where [insert new england accent here:] "smart" people rank presidents... # President Political Party Average ranking Noted For: 1 Abraham Lincoln Republican 1.58 Emancipation Proclamation, American Civil War leadership, Homestead Act, Gettysburg Address 2 Franklin D. Roosevelt Democrat 2 Leadership during World War II and Great Depression, New Deal, rural electrification, Social Security, Japanese American internment, Lend-Lease program 3 George Washington Federalist-leaning non-partisan 2.83 First President; founder of the republic; establishment of many precedents through acts such as Judiciary Act of 1789, Residence Act of 1790, Bank Act of 1791, Coinage Act of 1792, Naval Act of 1794 and the establishment of the United States Cabinet, response towards the Whiskey Rebellion 4 Thomas Jefferson Democratic-Republican 4.42 Set precedent for peaceful transfer of power between rival political parties, Intellectual leadership, Louisiana Purchase, states-rights 5 Theodore Roosevelt Republican 4.83 Charisma, conservationism, trust-busting "Square Deal," Panama Canal, Great White Fleet, negotiation of peace in Russo-Japanese War 6 Woodrow Wilson Democrat 6.58 World War I leadership, major legislation including (reluctant) support for women's suffrage, creation of the League of Nations and creation of Federal Reserve 7 Harry S. Truman Democrat 7.18 World War II and Cold War leadership, Marshall Plan, desegregation of armed forces, ordered the use of an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, Korean War. 8 Andrew Jackson Democrat 9 Enhanced power of executive, handling of Nullification crisis, Bank War, Indian Removal Act, eliminated national debt, balanced budget 9 Dwight D. Eisenhower Republican 10.73 Cold War leadership, interstate highway system, economic prosperity 10 James K. Polk Democrat 11.08 Mexican-American War leadership, acquisition of Mexican territories (California, Texas, etc.) and much of the Oregon Territory 11 John Adams Federalist 12.17 Set precedent for peaceful transfer of power between rival political parties, XYZ Affair, established Department of the Navy, support for Alien and Sedition Acts 12 John F. Kennedy Democrat 12.5 Cold War leadership, proposed Civil Rights legislation, defused Cuban Missile Crisis, early death left impression of unfulfilled promise 13 James Madison Democratic-Republican 12.67 Blamed for failing to prevent the War of 1812, presided over post-bellum Era of Good Feelings 14 Lyndon B. Johnson Democrat 13.6 Vietnam War failure, Civil Rights, Great Society 15 Ronald Reagan Republican 13.88 Cold War leadership, economic expansion, increased national debt, personal charisma, mishandling of the AIDS crisis, increased poverty, Iran-Contra scandal 16 James Monroe Democratic-Republican 14.08 Monroe Doctrine, admission of five states to the Union 17 Grover Cleveland Democrat 15 Creation of both the American Federation of Labor and the Interstate Commerce Commission, violent suppression of strikes 18 William McKinley Republican 16.33 Spanish-American War, Philippine-American War, and the Annexation of Hawaii 19 John Quincy Adams National Republican/Whig 16.9 Presided during the end of the Era of Good Feelings 20 William Howard Taft Republican 19.67 Admittance of New Mexico and Arizona, trust-busting, strengthening of Interstate Commerce Commission, belief in world peace (pacifism) 21 Bill Clinton Democrat 20.67 NAFTA, welfare reform, deregulation of telecommunications industries, economic expansion, impeachment, worked with Congress to balance federal budget, Americorps, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the Defense of Marriage Act, military intervention in Kosovo and Somalia, "The era of 'Big Government' is over" speech, Oklahoma City Bombing, Waco Siege, botched attempt on health care reform, perceived power of First Lady Hillary Clinton. 22 George W. Bush Republican 21 September 11 Terrorist Attacks, War on Terrorism, PATRIOT Act, Invasion of Iraq, Hurricane Katrina response, federal budget and trade deficits, intelligence reform, Guantanamo, increased national debt, Marriage Protection Act, refusal to sign Kyoto Agreement and pull-out of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, use of presidential veto to block the federal funding of stem cell research in the United States, expansion of executive power, warrantless wiretapping program 23 Martin Van Buren Democrat 21.58 Panic of 1837, enforcement of Treaty of New Echota led to displacement of Cherokees 24 Rutherford B. Hayes Republican 22 Compromise of 1877 and Desert Land Act of 1877 25 George H. W. Bush Republican 22.14 Gulf War, Dissolution of U.S.S.R., economic recession, "No New Taxes" pledge, NAFTA trade treaty 26 Chester A. Arthur Republican 25.5 Revitalization of US Navy, Civil Service reform 27 (tie) Jimmy Carter Democrat 26.3 Handling of Iranian hostage crisis, energy crisis, poor economy, Camp David Accords 27 (tie) Gerald Ford Republican 26.3 Lack of charisma, pardoned Richard Nixon, Whip inflation now 29 Herbert Hoover Republican 26.17 Handling of onset of the Great Depression, handling of Bonus Army demonstration 30 Benjamin Harrison Republican 27.33 Failure to convince country of his leadership capabilities, tariff issue handling, loss of party leader support 31 Calvin Coolidge Republican 28.42 Lack of interest in exerting executive or federal power (regarded as a strength by some) 32 Richard Nixon Republican 29.2 Normalization of relations with China; withdrawal from Vietnam War; Clean Water Act; Wage and Price controls; corruption, notably the Watergate scandal; resignation to avoid impeachment 33 James A. Garfield Republican 29.57 Brief administration (six months), death prompted the Civil Service Act and modern bureaucracy (limiting the spoils system) 34 Zachary Taylor Whig 29.58 Short term, did not support Compromise 35 John Tyler Whig/none 31.75 Lack of support from any political party 36 Millard Fillmore Whig 32.41 Fugitive Slave Act, lack of leadership during growing sectional divisiveness 37 Ulysses Grant Republican 33.42 Corrupt administration, failure of Reconstruction, alcoholism 38 William Henry Harrison Whig 33.57 Briefest administration (30 days) 39 Andrew Johnson Democrat 34.67 Impeded Reconstruction, impeachment 40 Franklin Pierce Democrat 34.92 Failure to avert Civil War, intimidated into allowing Kansas-Nebraska Act, overall weak leadership 41 James Buchanan Democrat 36.58 Failure to avert Civil War, ruined his party, weak leadership, prone to frequent bouts of depression which invariably affected his leadership abilities 42 Warren G. Harding Republican 37.33 Corrupt and short administration, Teapot Dome Scandal, presided over beginning of the "Roaring Twenties"
Hitler, Khomenie, stallin are also put in power by the Public. it's upto them not to abuse the public trust and support. obviously i'm not comparing bush to the likes of cold blooded killers like khomenie, but you get the drift?.. the public are not at fault here.
Ranking presidencies that just occured is pointless. Truman was initially judged as one of the worst presidents in history only to later rise up the rankings substantially. Time will eventually create more permanent rankings for Clinton and Bush but until we see the full impact of both of their policies, there's no reason to rank them now.
Well he has'nt got off to the greatest starts. he started a bogus war which has infact done the opposite to what it was started for. now the real terrorist godfathers like the mollah's are controlling iraq and there powerbase in the region has been more emboldened.
23 Martin Van Buren Democrat 21.58 Panic of 1837, enforcement of Treaty of New Echota led to displacement of Cherokees careful, fellas. careful. the Van Buren Boys protect their own.
Public is always, public, sitting there and waiting to be fooled, ready to rally around any loud voice. Therefore, an interest driven check and balance system is most important. If you have opposition monitor you closely, maybe things are getting done slowly, more political smarts and compromise required, but total catastrophe will be prevented. A healthy system is always much more important than a smart/strong leader. Everyone is greedy. Maybe there should be something in place to prevent any party to control all branches. A pure opposition monitoring group is what I can think of.
No doubt. Just look at what the Cherekee Veterans for Truth did to the standing of William Henry Harrison and the Whigs.
i have no idea what you just said. i was just referencing a seinfeld episode. let the smart people continue and i'll slink back to the gordito threads
Sorry I have seen a lot of Seinfeld's but I missed the reference. I was just carrying out the metaphor that seinfeld made. What I said has no basis in reality except for the names used.
Something like a Guardian counil holding the president accountable?....well the senate is there to that. but since the Republican dominate the house, it's impossible to hold this cowboy gun slinger accountable.
you need to come to Houston and let me buy you a beer! i mean that in the strictist heterosexual context.
That's why I am saying a group consists of only non-ruling party members and independants, renewed after every election. Not to give them the power to over-rule anything, but rather the oversight to what's going on. So that they can bring it to public attention, mainly a different voice. Let's face it, human beings are all greedy. Once you have unchecked power, you will be corrupted for sure.
Seriously I was just messing with you...I'd love to have a beer with you and almost everyone else, but I don't drink alcohol very often at all...
i knew you were..i am too. we could go for caramels. they're just as arbitrary as coffee...or beer, for that matter.
