What Makes A President "Great" (My Top 10 Most Conservative Presidents)

You have probably heard the old saying that "anybody can grow up to be President." But, not everybody is cut out to be President. It takes a special kind of person, someone tough, smart, and driven, just to run for the job. It takes still more talent and character to hold up under the pressures of life in the White House. With Presidents Day coming up, I thought that I would talk and debate on just what it takes to be a great "Commander In Chief" This is very subjective as you know, we all have different views and perspectives on what makes this country great. We elect our leaders based upon our core values that we share with them in hopes that they will apply our values to govern for the good of the citizens. However, that doesn't always pan out the way we want it. Americans expect a lot from their Presidents. Understandably, they want the President to take quick action on problems facing the nation, such as crime and the economy. However, the U.S. Constitution limits the President's power to act. Only Congress can pass legislation, and Congress sometimes moves slowly. The President can only approve or veto (reject) legislation that Congress passes. Even then, Congress can override a veto and make it the law. The Supreme Court can also limit the President's power by ruling that a law or action violates the U.S. Constitution. The President has less power than the average voter thinks he does. He can't simply by himself make major domestic policies. In dealing with foreign countries, the President has more freedom. That is because he must react quickly to threats and opportunities from other countries. Even so, Congress and the courts can limit the President's actions. Also, the President must get Congress to approve any big decision, such as declaring war or approving a treaty. Despite these limitations, Presidents have incredible power. Much of that power is informal, meaning it is not spelled out anywhere in the U.S. Constitution or laws. For instance, President Theodore Roosevelt (in office 1901-1909) said that his office gave him a "bully pulpit" a powerful platform that lets him draw attention to key issues. Theodore Roosevelt was an expert at using the bully pulpit to drum up support for his policies. So was his cousin, President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945). Franklin Roosevelt led the U.S. through two of its greatest crises: the Great Depression of the 1930s and World War II. His radio addresses, called "fireside chats," drew huge audiences. Before one speech, Roosevelt asked people to buy maps so that they could follow his explanation of World War II events. His request produced a nationwide run on maps, and about 80 percent of Americans listened to his speech. Character. Charisma. These are certainly two big attributes to have when your the "Big Kahuna". The President must be that mediator who can bring us all together especially during crisis. I have been studying our U.S. History and the Presidents who have served for most of my life and I really find it fascinating. This is by far my best subject to discuss, but I must tell you that I am very biased when it comes to picking the best Presidents that our country has ever had. It is no secret that I label myself as a Constitutional Conservative. I believe that our country was intended to be governed the way our fore-fathers intended. I believe that the Bill Of Rights are non-negotiable, and that our U.S. Constitution was one of the greatest pieces of literature ever written. Our framers were nothing short of genius. Many of you who read my blog probably agree with my political philosophy, and with most of what I have to say. (181 subscribers!- but I'm not bragging or anything) And if you don't agree, but still are compelled to read my conservative rants, then that is even better! Maybe my common sense ideas might just turn some of you around? If not, I am always up for a good political debate! (but I will have to warn all my liberal friends out there that they better do their homework if they want to get in the ring with me!) I pull NO punches, so get your facts straight. Now like I have stated before, my top 10 POTUS are going to come as close to my epitome as I could possibly research. Obviously anyone else would have a different opinion on how they would line up, so let me start by giving you my best definition on what I believe is a Conservative. (There is just way too many new definitions out there ie: Neo-Cons ect. and I just want to keep it simple.) Conservatives believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values and a strong national defense. Believe the role of government should be to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals. Conservative policies generally emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems. NO GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE! Now I could get more specific by diving into the major issues in this country, but I save that for other posts. However, we cannot define conservatism by the policies we think are best in this particular moment. Rather, we must define the policies we think are best as those which flow from the principles of conservatism. Policies follow from principles, not vice versa. The most significant feature of American politics today is the chasm that divides our government officials and the resulting failure of our government to achieve meaningful progress on the looming fiscal issues that threaten our generation and future generations. The conventional wisdom is to blame the politicians. This is the easy way out, since it involves blaming someone other than ourselves. The fact is that we, not our politicians, are to blame. Our elected representatives, now more than ever, are held accountable by a system of hyper-democracy where a single misstep can doom a career. During the 1950s, political histories have shown, politicians were giants on Capitol Hill. They wielded immense power. This power was often abused, but politicians were also able to exercise discretion, to work with opponents to make compromises, and had fewer incentives to sling mud. Today, our representatives are little more than mirrors of the most rabid and best organized constituencies powerful enough to hold them hostage. Political contests are now about power and mobilization, not cooperation and compromise. That being said I believe that President Trump, if anything, will go down in history as the one who actually tried to bring compromise and cooperation to D.C. Trump didn't make my list though we will see if I need to revise this in seven years. So, without further eloquence, here is my top 10 most conservative Presidents who will range form conservative(ish) to the greatest ever to serve. 10. George W. Bush (2001-2009) He certainly has a mixed record by allowing spending to soar, but conservatives can applaud the Bush tax cuts, Supreme Court nominees, and strong response to 9/11. 9. William McKinley (1896-1901) Reduced taxes, encouraged growth of domestic industry, was definitely a business friendly administration. Helped Cuba to gain their independence from Spain. 8. James Monroe (1817-1825): The Monroe Doctrine in 1823 was a warning to the European powers to stay out of the New World and it kept the United States from becoming involved in foreign entanglements for most of the rest of the century. Monroe opposed excessive government spending and vetoed a bill to make repairs on the national Cumberland Road, saying that “Congress does not possess the power under the Constitution to pass such a law.” 7. Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809): Jefferson served the country better before he became President as author of the Declaration of Independence. His troubled second term left the nation’s military unprepared for the ensuing battle with the British in the War of 1812. But he favored states’ rights and a limited federal government, repealed many federal taxes, and was a fierce opponent of government debt. If a tenet of conservatism is getting the best bang for the taxpayers’ buck, then Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase qualifies as one of history’s great bargains. 6. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961): America’s postwar economy boomed during the Eisenhower presidency. Ike stood firm in opposition to the menace posed by the Soviet Union and repeatedly warned against deficit spending. After two decades of turmoil marked by the Depression and war, the Eisenhower Era of peace and prosperity was just the tonic America needed to emerge as a global superpower. The building of the interstate highway system is one of the few massive federal projects that conservatives can applaud. 5. Grover Cleveland (1885-1889, 1893-1897): Cleveland was a pro-business Democrat who supported lower tariffs and battled government corruption, patronage, and high taxes. He broke the Pullman Strike of 1894, which was threatening to paralyze the nation’s transportation system. He vetoed 584 bills in his eight years mostly to cut excessive spending, yet had only seven vetoes overridden. 4. Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865): Abraham Lincoln saved the Union and freed the slaves. For that alone, he should be celebrated by conservatives. But Lincoln also tied together the principles of the Constitution and the Declaration into a shared group of principles — the antecedent of today’s conservative ideology. Conservatives may not like his suspension of habeas corpus during the Civil War or his disregard of states’ rights, but preserving the Union warrants Lincoln’s inclusion on this list. Few have been as eloquent as Lincoln when he said at the hallowed ground of Gettysburg, “That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.” 3. George Washington (1789-1797): After leading the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolution, Washington was instrumental in setting the United States on a course of liberty and limited government. By eschewing attempts to make him a monarch, Washington ensured the American experiment would indeed be democratic. His words, “The Constitution is the guide, which I never will abandon,” should be the motto of every U.S. President. 2. Ronald Reagan (1981-1989): Reagan stared down the Soviet Union, bringing the Cold War to an end at long last. He championed free markets and limited government, and his across-the-board tax cuts breathed new life into a faltering economy. The Gipper’s constant reminder that the United States was a “shining city on a hill” gave rebirth to the notion of American exceptionalism. Presidents’ Day offers us an opportunity to learn from the examples of great presidents who offer guidance for today’s challenges. For conservatives, the most important president to re-examine is Calvin Coolidge. Coolidge was the most effective, most eloquent, and most conservative American president since the Civil War. And his ideas have a great deal of meaning for us today. Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929): “Silent Cal” presided over a booming economy as he slashed income and corporate taxes, limited regulations on private business, and retired a major part of the national debt. He once astutely said, “Nothing is easier than spending the public money. It doesn’t appear to belong to anybody,” and his presidency was a testimony to that philosophy of government thrift. From 1921-1924 annual federal spending was reduced by a remarkable 43 percent, from $5.1 billion to $2.4 billion (That’s not a misprint: a 43 percent reduction in federal spending!). Tax measures passed in 1921, 1924, and 1926 reduced the top marginal income tax rate from 73 percent to 24 percent (Again, not a misprint). Such reductions in income tax rates are unimaginable today. Thanks to his fiscal conservatism, Coolidge was able to reduce tax rates and still reduce the national debt by almost a third, from $24 billion to $16.9 billion. Much of this work was accomplished by the Bureau of the Budget, which imposed extensive cost savings in government. Given these accomplishments, it is surprising that Coolidge has been neglected by historians. Compared to many of the more highly-ranked presidents in historians’ rankings, Coolidge’s administration was far more peaceful and consequential. Though he would likely have won a second full term in office in 1928, he declined to run. His reasoning was simple: “We draw our presidents from the people. It is a wholesome thing for them to return to the people. I came from them. I wish to be one of them again.” He did not envision a president as someone who stood above the people, godlike, towering over them. He came from the people, and returned quietly to engage in self-government alongside them. I almost put Reagan at the top of this list as I grew up in this era and grew quite fond of his philosophy as well. All of these former leaders have such compelling backgrounds and I encourage anyone interested to research yourselves and enjoy! Like I have stated earlier, your lists may be quite different from mine as everyone's definition of greatness will mainly depend on the values that you- the individual- hold most dear. I thank you for your time. E Pluribus Unim!