Presidents are not ‘ranked’ until a full twenty years has passed from their remittance of office. This first ranking is more of a ‘hold-over’ then an actual placement in history.
Many Presidents remitted office as ‘Great Men’ but over time, as their legacy is revealed, as their actions are reflected in more modern events, the place changes.
“Greats” may become not so Great, and those who were slapped aside move into the top spots.
For the past one hundred years, four Presidents three held top positions; Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, moving from one ranking to another, but not dropping out of the top ten.
With ratings it depends on who is doing the ranking, and there are a number of different agencies which take it upon themselves to set the scores, as well as those with different political leanings.
Basically, one has to know a President by what he did, or didn’t do. Whether the Country prospered or didn’t.
The first President who has been re-ranked is one called Martin Van Buren. He was the 8th President, of the United States.
In 1949 he was rated 15th in field of 33.
In 2008 he was rated 40th in a field of 42.
This change is due to the re-examination of what actually transpired during his Presidency.
He took office after the highly popular Andrew Jackson, and stated that he would “to follow in the footsteps
of his illustrious predecessor”, and retained all but one member of the cabinet.
People had a lot of confidence and expected so much from Van Buren who was a rather ineffectual person, without any ability.
When the Panic of 1837 occurred he hadn’t a clue what to do. He denied the formal request of Texas to join the United States.
Significantly he flew in the face of most Americans by siding with Spain in the case of the ship Amistaad. He agreed that the Africans who had taken control and reached America were property and should be returned to Spain.
Most infamously, Van Buren oversaw the “Trail of Tears,” which occured in 1838. This was the expulsion of the Cherokee tribe from Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and South Carolina and relocation in the Oklahoma territory.
Due to these things, Van Buren only served one term. All that remains of his ‘legacy’ is the expression; “O.K.“ which stands for ‘Old Kinderhook’. That was his nickname and has come to mean, contrarily that everything is alright.
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We are all just ordinary people trying to live our lives. Some of us don't aspire to do anything of “historical import”, but find ourselves in a situation or circumstances and it happens. Some of us actually do set out to leave a mark in the historical records. Either way, those who leave their marks behind may have had good intentions and did “works” or “acts” that people choose to remember them for and call them “great”.
As far as I'm concerned, regards “nation building”, there are really no “great” leaders, thinkers, visionaries, etc., in the history of the nations. But some of them said and did things, and the resulting benefits that accrued to the citizens of that country years after they died, make them people that other people are not likely to forget!
The Presidents I will deal with had a particular image which changed. Until people heard of Amistaad or the Trail of Tears, they had Van Buren as just peachy. Looking back, one sees the flaws that were ignored at the time.
Observers warn of an outpouring of hate that might exceed post-Brexit racism, as some Trump supporters revel in video telling 'leftist' immigrants 'The wolves are coming ... And you are the hunted'
The racism began the day he won. A lot of things have been done but are not in Newspapers or on news. People have seen certain things, experienced them. Trump is a racist, his people are racist, and he was supported by racists. Shockingly, some supporters are black.
That's trifling nonsense. It better be. Because if it isn't, the horrific irony would amount to total lunacy or stupidity. (???) I can't figure out which word to use. But the bottom line is:
A POTUS wanting to offer an “olive branch” to Russia if Putin agrees to help fight terrorists (ISIS) who are terrorizing U.S. citizens; but the same POTUS is going to allow terrorists (his supporters, U.S. citizens) to terrorize U.S. citizens. That don't even make sense! So it better be nonsense you're talking!
The “observers” need to move in a little closer so they can a better view.
@kaylar - Hope you don't me mind “inserting” my observations to @mosesatua321.
I think this is the moderated post.
Let me start from pre-Trumpian; America is a racist country. It is a place that I have to be conscious of the colour of my skin as I get off the plane. I make a lot of mistakes, talking to people... but...
The day Trump won, there were a number of racist incidents in NYC. I have family there who told me what they saw and heard, so this isn't any 'media' hype. A bit of the racism has popped into newspapers, but there's a lot more. And will be a lot more.
Trump ran on the platform of "Make America White" again. Oh, that might not be what you heard, but this is what white ears heard.
It is not going to be business as usual in America, and those of us in the 3rd and 4th world are making alliances with other nations, just in case.
Yep. It was this one. Let's continue the conversation.
To say “America is a racist country” need not be said to me. I'm not ignorant about living in America. I have no expectations of “greatness” that will be seen as a result of actions and decisions made by Trump, during the Trump administration.
I have no illusions and anything that happens won't surprise me. Unfortunately, there's an expression “crap rolls downhill”.
Being realistic and also having worked as a civil servant in our nation's capital, I know for a fact that decisions made and actions taken by a person sitting at a desk in the Oval Office can have severe adverse painful impact on the AAC (average American citizen).
I have NO FAITH in the people who will be “in charge” for the next 4, possibly 8 years. I just hope the citizens can survive them, hope the “damage” is not too extensive, and once they're “no longer in charge”, we can keep on building this nation UP!!
Is Trump “draining the swamp”? (RE: “Will 'drain the swamp' be Trump's first broken promise?” - politico.com) Hmmm …? Let me answer that. What goes around come around. IF one administration can come in and repeal and replace work of a previous administration, THEN another administration can come in right behind them and repeal and replace their work too! This is America. God bless America!! :)
I am very concerned because he's erratic. He doesn't seem to be sane. He is supposed to be the President and he behaves like some 9th grade loud mouthed punk. I wish we could put an umbrella over Jamaica so that he doesn't remember we exist. For who knows what evil plots in his pin brain.