Survey of 154 scholars places 45th president behind even ‘historically calamitous chief executives’ linked to civil war

Donald Trump finished 45th and rock bottom of a list ranking US presidents by greatness, trailing even “historically calamitous chief executives” who failed to stop the civil war or botched its aftermath.

Worse for the likely Republican nominee this year, his probable opponent, Joe Biden, debuted at No 14.

“Biden’s most important achievements may be that he rescued the presidency from Trump, resumed a more traditional style of presidential leadership and is gearing up to keep the office out of his predecessor’s hands this fall,” Justin Vaughn and Brandon Rottinghaus, the political scientists behind the survey, wrote in the Los Angeles Times.

  • GladiusB@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    Reagan can be next to last. He’s done more damage to modern America than all others but Trump

    • iopq@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      He was tough on the USSR, at least. Obama and Biden not arming Ukraine enough before the conflicts caused Russia to be more successful than it has any right to be

      • AbsentBird@lemm.ee
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        9 months ago

        Obama tried, they passed multiple aid packages. Trump withheld the aid, which was the cause of his first impeachment.

        • iopq@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          Obama could have directly slapped Russia down in 2014, but didn’t do shit. Russia was not punished enough and got more bold in 2022

        • frezik@midwest.social
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          9 months ago

          Because for once, America is helping against an imperialist aggressor rather than encouraging it. It also happens to be in our best interest to show to other dictators how bad an idea it is.

            • frezik@midwest.social
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              9 months ago

              OK. Now we get directly involved and Russia goes nuclear, or we don’t get involved at all and Russia takes over Ukraine.

                  • FontMasterFlex@lemmy.world
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                    9 months ago

                    FIght your own fight. This war by proxy shit is bunk. If he’s bad enough to stop, then let’s go fucking stop him. If he’s not then why waste our money and their lives? It could be over tomorrow if we really wanted it to be, but we’ll just string it along, drag it out. Fuel the war machine.

        • iopq@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          Because the US disarmed Ukraine in exchange for security promises. Time to actually live up to your promises

            • iopq@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              Well, it’s still shitty since everyone bullied Ukraine to disarm and then Russia invaded and the arm shipments are not enough to stop Russia from continuing to take land

              Iran and North Korea are better allies than the US and that sucks for global diplomacy

          • FontMasterFlex@lemmy.world
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            9 months ago

            oh so why don’t we ACTUALLY DEFEND instead of just sending fuck tons of money are arms? like i said, this shit could be over tomorrow if anyone really wanted it to be. to many people are making too much money off of it. war is good for business incase you haven’t noticed.

            • iopq@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              I’m not saying we shouldn’t, I’m saying it’s better to send arms than not to send them

    • OpenStars@startrek.website
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      9 months ago

      Except Republicans were polled as well, and then the rankings combined, whereas e.g. Trump is more universally hated by all sides (independents too).