Ranking The Presidents
But Franklin D. Roosevelt has since joined the four Rushmore presidents in historical greatness; he’s consistently rated among the top three commanders in chief. So, if Bolgrum were working today and could only feature four presidents, who would get the ax?
The most likely choice is Jefferson. In choosing FDR over the third president, Bolgrum would be switching one Democrat for another. Jefferson also rates the lowest of the original four on Mount Rushmore in the aggregated president’s rankings. And in polls of the public taken by Gallup and Washington College in the past 10 years, he was rated the lowest of the original four. Lastly, consider the controversy Jefferson has sparked centuries after his presidency — he was clearly racist — and we can make a good case that he might be gone if Mount Rushmore were built today.Overall, though, Mount Rushmore is backed up by the stats. It’s set in stone that its presidents are among the best four we’ve had.
Meanwhile Matthew Yglesias goes even farther and ranks all 43 (Obama comes in 10th).
Click here for reuse options!Copyright 2015 Liberaland
By: Stuart Shapiro
Stuart is a professor and the Director of the Public Policy
program at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers
University. He teaches economics and cost-benefit analysis and studies
regulation in the United States at both the federal and state levels.
Prior to coming to Rutgers, Stuart worked for five years at the Office
of Management and Budget in Washington under Presidents Clinton and
George W. Bush.
37 responses to Ranking The Presidents
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Obewon February 17th, 2015 at 21:38
Mount Rushmore needs a POTUS Obama update for reversing GWB’s Great global Recession, record low everything since (R) Hoover’s Great Depression free market failures.
Merely proposing Obama on Mt. Rushmore will drive the loony tunes even crazier!
Mike February 17th, 2015 at 22:37
Yea, swap him for Teddy and watch heads explode.
Obewon February 17th, 2015 at 22:38
Mount Rushmore needs a POTUS Obama update for reversing GWB’s Great global Recession, record low everything since (R) Hoover’s Great Depression free market failures.
Merely proposing Obama on Mt. Rushmore will drive the loony tunes even crazier! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68xjjR5ztoQ
Mike February 17th, 2015 at 23:37
Yea, swap him for Teddy and watch heads explode.
Jake February 17th, 2015 at 21:45
Either Obama or Ritchie Blackmore would suit me.
Tim Coolio February 18th, 2015 at 17:35
There’s a billboard on I-80 showing Obama on Mt. Rushmore, or was it I-90?
Mike February 17th, 2015 at 22:36
Revise 8,9,10 to Obama, HW, then LBJ.
O gets the bump for undoing the economic disaster Dubya left after two unfunded wars…one against the wrong country.
Mike February 17th, 2015 at 23:36
Revise 8,9,10 to Obama, HW, then LBJ.
O gets the bump for undoing the economic disaster Dubya left after two unfunded wars…one against the wrong country.
granpa.usthai February 18th, 2015 at 00:43
Washington looks a lot like Obama if he’d been painted with an Excellent Maui tan. I’d say knock out Mt. Rushmore, construct a huge bust of Obama and list the other Presidents on a plaque below.
Obewon February 18th, 2015 at 01:53
Two Mt. Rushmoore upgrades including the tan, can be privately kickstarted adding a simple remodel morphing Theodore Roosevelt to instead honor Hillary Clinton! The plethora of exploding heads will soon become passé.
John Tarter February 18th, 2015 at 08:11
A huge carving of Obama’s face next to a copy of the Constitution ripped in half would be more appropriate for your “Dear Leader”. Surrounding that would be carvings of adoring crowds made up of union thugs, illegals, and other radicals to show the true picture of the man.
Scopedog February 18th, 2015 at 23:32
So Obama’s the “Dear Leader” now? I didn’t know he was from North Korea!
granpa.usthai February 18th, 2015 at 01:43
Washington looks a lot like Obama if he’d been painted with an Excellent Maui tan. I’d say knock out Mt. Rushmore, construct a huge bust of Obama and list the other Presidents on a plaque below.
Obewon February 18th, 2015 at 02:53
Two Mt. Rushmoore upgrades including the Obama tan, can be privately kickstarted adding a remodel morphing Thomas Jefferson to instead honor Hillary Clinton! The plethora of exploding heads will soon become passé.
John Tarter February 18th, 2015 at 09:11
First of all, Obama’s monument should be carved in the rugged mountains just inside the Mexican border. A huge carving of Obama’s face next to a copy of the Constitution ripped in half would be more appropriate for your “Dear Leader”. Surrounding that would be carvings of adoring crowds made up of union thugs, illegals, college kids and other radicals to show the true picture of the man.
Scopedog February 19th, 2015 at 00:32
So Obama’s the “Dear Leader” now? I didn’t know he was from North Korea!
Tim Coolio February 18th, 2015 at 17:32
OBAMA HAS TWO MORE YEARS LEFT IN HIS PRESIDENCY,
I hope he doesn’t cut unemployment in half again,
or almost triple the stock market again,
or topple any more dictators,
or wipe out Al Qaeda’s leadership again,
or save any more American industries,
or send Russia’s economy into the tank again,
or cut gas prices in half again,
or give the middle class another tax cut,
that would really hurt……..the republicans!
John Tarter February 18th, 2015 at 20:27
You mean
make more people permanently leave the workforce,
or keep increasing the debt so the rich go into the stock market and the rich get richer,
or inflame more of the middle east because he does away with stable governments,
or not fight Al-Qaeda since they ARE NOT ON THE RUN,
or not fight ISIS,
or funnel tax dollars to his Union buddies,
or let the Russians get away with taking the Crimea, Eastern Ukraine, or any other of the Baltic states,
or actually let us drill on public lands because it has been the private sector on private land that has caused low gas prices,
or let his business cronies pay NO TAXES,
Yep, all that would hurt……. all Americans!
Tim Coolio February 18th, 2015 at 22:19
He’s not increasing debt with illegal wars and tax cuts for the rich and Medicare part D, ALL OFF BUDGET AND LET THE NEXT PRESIDENT WORRY ABOUT PAYING FOR IT!
Scopedog February 18th, 2015 at 23:31
Whatever, dude…whatever….
burqa February 19th, 2015 at 18:59
There once was a time when we had a few conservatives around here who could make reasonable arguments and could engage in point-counterpoint debate on issues, rather than just hurl tropes they heard on Hannity.
Hmm.
Hannity – that reminds me.
Has Hannity kept his word and been waterboarded yet?
jybarz February 21st, 2015 at 00:55
I’ll give you 11 for your 10: BS, BS, BS, BS, BS, BS, BS, BS, BS, BS, BS, BS!
Oops, I’ve given you 12. Never mind, keep the change, BS-Artist!
burqa February 19th, 2015 at 19:06
You left out cutting the deficit in half again….
Tim Coolio February 19th, 2015 at 19:56
I’ll add it to my copy & paste note.
Tim Coolio February 18th, 2015 at 18:32
OBAMA HAS TWO MORE YEARS LEFT IN HIS PRESIDENCY,
I hope he doesn’t cut unemployment in half again,
or almost triple the stock market again,
or topple any more dictators,
or wipe out Al Qaeda’s leadership again,
or save any more American industries,
or send Russia’s economy into the tank again,
or cut gas prices in half again,
or give the middle class another tax cut,
that would really hurt……..the republicans!
John Tarter February 18th, 2015 at 21:27
You mean
make more people permanently leave the workforce,
or keep increasing the debt so the rich go into the stock market and the rich get richer,
or inflame more of the middle east because he does away with stable governments,
or not fight Al-Qaeda since they ARE NOT ON THE RUN,
or not fight ISIS,
or funnel tax dollars to his Union buddies,
or let the Russians get away with taking the Crimea, Eastern Ukraine, or any other of the Baltic states,
or actually let us drill on public lands because it has been the private sector on private land that has caused low gas prices,
or let his business cronies pay NO TAXES,
Yep, all that would hurt……. all Americans!
Tim Coolio February 18th, 2015 at 23:19
He’s not increasing debt with illegal wars and tax cuts for the rich and Medicare part D, ALL OFF BUDGET AND LET THE NEXT PRESIDENT WORRY ABOUT PAYING FOR IT!
Scopedog February 19th, 2015 at 00:31
Whatever, dude…whatever….
burqa February 19th, 2015 at 19:59
There once was a time when we had a few conservatives around here who could make reasonable arguments and could engage in point-counterpoint debate on issues, rather than just hurl tropes they heard on Hannity.
Hmm.
Hannity – that reminds me.
Has Hannity kept his word and been waterboarded yet?
jybarz February 21st, 2015 at 01:55
I’ll give you 11 for your 10: BS, BS, BS, BS, BS, BS, BS, BS, BS, BS, BS, BS!
Oops, I’ve given you 12. Never mind, keep the change, BS-Artist!
burqa February 19th, 2015 at 20:06
You left out cutting the deficit in half again….
Tim Coolio February 19th, 2015 at 20:56
I’ll add it to my copy & paste note.
Tim Coolio February 18th, 2015 at 18:35
There’s a billboard on I-80 showing Obama on Mt. Rushmore, or was it I-90?
burqa February 19th, 2015 at 19:04
FDR would have to be in any top 4 presidents. He was able to apply Keyesian economics on a large scale and not just saved us from the hole the Republicans put us in with their supply-side Great Depression, but his policies resulted in economic growth well over twice that of anyone since. In his first 2 terms, GDP rose at a rate of over 8.5%
I don’t see why Jefferson should be deleted, I’d drop Teddy Roosevelt first, especially if we’re including what these presidents did outside of their presidency. That would argue for the inclusion of Jefferson.
I likes me a Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt lineup.
.
burqa February 19th, 2015 at 20:04
FDR would have to be in any top 4 presidents. He was able to apply Keyesian economics on a large scale and not just saved us from the hole the Republicans put us in with their supply-side Great Depression, but his policies resulted in economic growth well over twice that of anyone since. In his first 2 terms, GDP rose at a rate of over 8.5%
I don’t see why Jefferson should be deleted, I’d drop Teddy Roosevelt first, especially if we’re including what these presidents did outside of their presidency. That would argue for the inclusion of Jefferson.
I likes me a Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt lineup.
.
Pokthecat February 20th, 2015 at 03:07
I think HW Bush was too high in the rankings.
Pokthecat February 20th, 2015 at 04:07
I think HW Bush was too high in the rankings.