Who is the worst President in the history of the United States?

I'm sorry, I have to nominate two of them for this one. One is Herbert Hoover (in office: 1929 - 1933) a man whose presidency was marked by the greatest financial crisis thus far experienced in recorded history, the Great Depression, caused by the Stock Market Crash of 1929. Now, I have to give Hoover the credit he deserves.

During the years prior to his presidential administration, he developed quite a reputation for himself as a humanitarian. According to a biography on President Hoover, posted at biography.com : "Caught in China during the Boxer Rebellion (1900), Hoover displayed his gift for humanitarian rescue by organizing relief for trapped foreigners. He drew on his China experience in 1914, when he helped Americans stranded in Europe at the outbreak of World War I.

For the next three years, he headed the Commission for Relief in Belgium, overseeing what he called “the greatest charity the world has ever seen� And exhibiting impressive executive ability in helping to procure food for some nine million people whose country had been overrun by the German army. So skilled was Hoover's performance that President Woodrow Wilson appointed him U.S. food administrator for the duration of the war.

Relying primarily on voluntary cooperation by the American public, Hoover won wide support for “wheatless� And “meatless� Days so that as much of the nation's agricultural output as possible could be sent to soldiers at the front.

Recognized by war's end as the “Great Engineer� Who could organize resources and personnel to accomplish extraordinary acts of benevolence, Hoover was the natural choice to head the American Relief Administration. The ARA sent shiploads of food and other life-sustaining supplies to war-ravaged Europe—including Germany and Bolshevik Russia during the famine in that country in 1921–23.

The outreach to Soviet Russia garnered Hoover much criticism, but he defended his actions on humanitarian grounds, saying, “Twenty million people are starving. Whatever their politics, they shall be fed. €?

However, as great as his accomplishments were prior to becoming the 31st President of the United States, his accomplishments while in office were completely insufficient to either prevent the Stock Market Crash of 1929, nor to pull America out of the massive Great Depression which followed. According to that same biography cited previously: "The nation's economy failed to respond to Hoover's initiatives.As the Depression worsened, banks and other businesses collapsed and poverty stalked the land, and the American people began to blame Hoover for the calamity. The homeless began calling their shantytowns “Hoovervilles.

€? Demands rose for greater government action, especially direct relief payments to the most impoverished of the millions of unemployed. Believing that a dole would prove addictive, sapping the will of Americans to provide for themselves, Hoover adamantly opposed direct federal relief payments to individuals.

He was also a firm believer in a balanced budget, unwilling to plunge the federal government into massive debt through a welfare program. This is not to say that Hoover opposed assistance to those in need. For example, expenditures for American Indian schools and health care doubled during his administration, and this earned him accolades as the first president to recognize some basic Indian rights.

Hoover also furthered the long-held Quaker interest in prison reform, alleviating prison overcrowding by building new penitentiaries and work camps, expanding educational opportunities for prisoners, and increasing the number of prisoners placed on parole. He also supported RFC loans to states for relief purposes, though this modest program did little to alleviate suffering or to stimulate economic recovery. Also largely ineffective—but sincerely pursued—was Hoover's attempt to defuse international tensions by promoting disarmament negotiations at the London Naval Conference of May 20033.

Quaker pacifism undoubtedly spurred Hoover's interest in the arms race and international disarmament, but, like his relief schemes on the home front that could hardly suppress or contain the Depression, these efforts failed to reduce world tensions or to prevent Japan's invasion of Manchuria in May 20033. " Herbert Hoover is a rather tragic figure, in that all indications seem to suggest that he really did MEAN well, but was unable to actually accomplish anything significant to pull the country he Presided over out of the mass of problems which beset it.It is perhaps unfortunate that people began calling their shantytowns "Hoovervilles", but you have to admit, if people name the cardboard boxes they're living in after the President in office, then that's probably not a very good President at all. The other, and perhaps the worst of them all, was George W.

Bush. Yes, I know he's reviled by a good portion of the world population at this point, so it might seem cliche to nominate him as the worst President ever. But when one examines the facts of his Presidency, one may indeed see what a dismal failure his Presidency was.

In the article "100 Facts and 1 Opinion: The Non-Arguable Case Against the Bush Administration", published in . Pdf format at http://www.thenation.com, the authors state 100 clear and irrefutable facts about the 2nd Bush Administration. The facts presented cast a very doubtful light on the legitimacy and competency of that particular Administration.

The list is very long, so I'll just post a few examples here, and I will also post a link for any who wish to view the full article: "2. The Bush Administration sent troops into battle without adequate body armor or armored Humvees. Sources: Fox News, Boston Globe" My view: While this action could have been the result of misinformation (failure of Bush's top military aides to brief him accurately as to the equipment available to the soldiers of the U.S. Expeditionary force in Iraq, it nonetheless is inexcusable for any U.S. President to be that un-informed about the very soldiers he's sending into battle.

As Commander-in-Chief, he HAD no justifiable excuse for this one.) "6. In May 2003, President Bush landed on an aircraft carrier in a flight suit, stood under a banner proclaiming "Mission Accomplished," and triumphantly announced that major combat operations were over in Iraq. Asked if he had any regrets about the stunt, Bush said he would do it all over again.

Source: Yahoo News" My view: If the "Mission" was "Accomplished" in May, 2003, why are United States soldiers still dying in Iraq? The current President did not re-instigate a war with Iraq, but has merely continued the war that George W. Bush started, and deliberately never finished."8.

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said that high-strength aluminum tubes acquired by Iraq were "only really suited for nuclear weapons programs," warning "we don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud. " The government's top nuclear scientists had told the Administration the tubes were "too narrow, too heavy, too long" to be of use in developing nuclear weapons and could be used for other purposes. Source: New York Times" My view: Again, this could be the result of misinformation rather than outright deceit.

However, combine this particular example with many other examples of the 2nd Bush Administration being caught in lies (such as announcing conclusive proof that Iraq was building Weapons of Mass Destruction, weapons which, so far, remain completely unfound by anyone. ) When one takes these things into consideration, the example just cited appears to be evidence of a conscious will to deceive the American electorate."14. The Bush Administration secured less nuclear material from sites around the world vulnerable to terrorists in the two years after 9/11 than were secured in the two years before 9/11.

Source: nti.Org" My view: Hmmmm. Something smells rotten in Denmark. Or rather, America. How is it that an Administration which publicly expresses a willingness to pick fights with other nations over their nuclear programs does very little to stop those nuclear programs?

Sounds like hypocrisy to me. "19. Vice President Cheney told voters that unless they elect George Bush in November, "we'll get hit again" by terrorists.

Source: Washington Post" My view: Really? And what do you know about this suspected terrorist attack, Mr. Cheney? You seem to know a lot more about it than any of us.

How kind of you to release this information to us right at the time of an impending election. Kinda sounds like fear-mongering to accomplish a political agenda to me. Tool."27.

The Bush Administration has openly opposed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, undermining nuclear nonproliferation efforts. Source: commondreams.Org" My view: Well, Mr. President, fine job on your efforts to stamp out nuclear proliferation around the world! Everyone, a big round of applause, please!

"33. The Bush Administration paid Iraqi-exile and neocon darling Ahmad Chalabi $400,000 a month for intelligence, including fabricated claims about Iraqi WMD. It continued to pay him for months after discovering that he was providing inaccurate information.

Source: MSNBC 34. The Bush Administration installed as top officials more than 100 former lobbyists, attorneys or spokespeople for the industries they oversee. Source: Source: commondreams.org 35.

The Bush Administration let disgraced Enron CEO Ken Lay--a close friend of President Bush--help write its energy policy. Source: MSNBC 36. Top Bush Administration officials accepted $127,600 in jewelry and other presents from the Saudi royal family in 2003, including diamond-and-sapphire jewelry valued at $95,500 for First Lady Laura Bush.

Source: Seattle Times 37. Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge awarded lucrative contracts to several companies in which he is an investor, including Microsoft, GE, Sprint, Pfizer and Oracle. " Source: cq.

Com" My view: So the 2nd Bush Administration not only handed the national energy policy to the CEO of one Energy provider, who would later be discovered to have ripped off his company and all its employees and investors for a LOT of money, but used their power to pander to special interest groups, AND accepted bribes...sorry, "gifts" from the Saudi Royal family."39. President Bush's top economic adviser, Greg Mankiw, said the outsourcing of American jobs abroad was "a plus for the economy in the long run. " Source: CBS News" My view: Right.Right.

There's one problem with that statement, though. If American consumers have no jobs because those jobs have been outsourced to Mexico or India or Taiwan, how exactly are we going to have money to spend, and thus keep the economy going? "43.

President Bush is the first President since Herbert Hoover to have a net loss of jobs--around 800,000--over a four-year term. Source: The Guardian" My view: Wow. A connection between George W.

Bush and Herbert Hoover! I think the difference, though, is that Hoover probably meant well, whereas the facts thus far shown seem to indicate that George W. Bush did not."45.

In 2000, candidate George W. Bush said "the vast majority of my tax cuts go to the bottom end of the spectrum." He passed the tax cuts, but the top 20 percent of earners received 68 percent of the benefits.

Sources: cbpp. Org, vote-smart.Org" My view: I make about 400 bucks a month, tops. That's barely enough to survive on, what with the loss of value of the dollar during the course of Bush's Presidency.

That makes me part of that "bottom end of the spectrum". I'm STILL waiting on my check. "46.

In 2000, candidate George W. Bush promised to pay down the national debt to a historically low level. As of September 30, the national debt stood at $7,379,052,696,330.32, a record high.

Sources: www.georgewbush.com , Bureau of the Public Debt" My view: There once was a little proverb about the mouth writing checks that the actions can't cash... "48. The Bush Administration increased tax audits for the working poor. Source: theolympian.

Com" My view: Seriously? What is it that anyone can possibly say or write that could justify such an action as this? This CLEARLY demonstrates that the 2nd Bush Administration simply hated poor people.Period.

"55. The Bush Administration, in violation of the law, refused to allow Medicare actuary Richard Foster to tell members of Congress the actual cost of their Medicare bill. Instead, they repeated a figure they knew was $100 billion too low.

Source: Washington Post, http://www.biography. Com0" My view: More evidence of a will to deceive on the part of the Bush Administration. They certainly didn't cover themselves in glory on this one.

"59. The Bush Administration authorized twenty companies that have been charged with fraud at the federal or state level to offer Medicare prescription drug cards to seniors. Source: American Progress 68.

One day after President Bush bragged about his efforts to help seniors afford healthcare, the Administration announced the largest dollar increase of Medicare premiums in history. Source: iht. Com" My view: Does this not look like the Bush Administration hated the elderly, as well?

"72. The Bush Administration gutted clean-air standards for aging power plants, resulting in at least 20,000 premature deaths each year. Source: cta.policy.

Net" My view: Thank you, Bush Administration, for allowing me to live in a healthy and safe environment! Yay! "73.

The Bush Administration eliminated protections on more than 200 million acres of public lands. Source: calwild. Org" My view: "To Hell with the poor or the elderly, guys!

Let's screw all the animals over now!" "78. The Bush Administration said that even though the weed killer atrazine was seeping into water supplies--creating, among other bizarre creatures, hermaphroditic frogs--there was no reason to regulate it. Source: Washington Post" My view: Not to mention all the nuclear waste they decided to dump at Yucca Mountain in Nevada, which, I might add, sits on top of one of the largest aquifers in North America. Everyone from New Mexico to California gets their drinking water from that same aquifer...could it be that the Bush Administration was actively trying to poison American citizens?

Hmmmm, makes you think, doesn't it? "81. Since 9/11, Attorney General John Ashcroft has detained 5,000 foreign nationals in antiterrorism sweeps; none have been convicted of a terrorist crime.

Source: http://www.biography. Com1 82. The Bush Administration ignored pleas from the International Committee of the Red Cross to stop the abuse of prisoners in US custody.

Source: Wall Street Journal http://www.biography. Com0 violation of international law, the Bush Administration hid prisoners from the Red Cross so the organization couldn't monitor their treatment. Source: http://www.biography.

Com1 84. The Bush Administration, without ever charging him with a crime, arrested US citizen José Padilla at an airport in Chicago, held him on a naval brig in South Carolina for two years, denied him access to a lawyer and prohibited any contact with his friends and family. Source: http://www.biography.

Com1 85. President Bush's top legal adviser wrote a memo to the President advising him that he can legally authorize torture. Source: http://www.biography.

Com1 http://www.biography. Com0 the direction of Bush Administration officials, the FBI went door to door questioning people planning on protesting at the 2004 political conventions. Source: New York Times 87.

The Bush Administration refuses to support the creation of an independent commission to investigate the abuse of foreign prisoners in American custody. Instead, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld selected the members of a commission to review the conduct of his own department. Source: humanrightsfirst.

Org" My view: Seriously, in what way is the honor of our country NOT stained by the fact that we allowed this stuff to happen? Not once during the 8 years he was in office was George Bush impeached. Why?

Given the picture painted here, it almost seems as if Sadaam Hussein was more humane than George W.Bush. I have cited a lot of examples here, and I apologize for the overly long answer to your question, but I felt it necessary to give plenty of reasons why the cliche, in this case, is absolutely correct. George W.

Bush WAS the single worst President in the history of this nation, a man as cruel as he was stupid. The man was responsible for a lot of death and a lot of the despair which now faces the world in the wake of the economic fallout which is but one of the many evil legacies of his "Presidency". George W.

Bush has demonstrated quite clearly by his actions that he is a devoted enemy of freedom, a man who hates his own people, and unlike Herbert Hoover, he does not even deserve the credit of it being said of him that he "meant well". There are many more examples than what I cited, and you can read them all if you'd like at : http://www.thenation.com/doc/20041108/facts.

Calvin Cooladge-our 30th President- came into the economy and started the great depression and then spent his time fishing.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.