Simple thread, name your favorite U.S. presidents and explain why.
Before I list down my top 10 favorite U.S. presidents list, I must warn you that it's an unorthodox list. It contains those who are either forgotten or villified by historians. Don't expect to see the most of the revered American presidents of history, such as Lincoln and FDR. This is from the perspective of a Libertarian, meaning I'll be flamed to death for it.
1. John Tyler: Peacefully ended the "Second Seminole War", negotiated free trade with China, vetoed the national bank twice, favored a hard money policy, and ran as an independent after being expelled by his own party (Whig) for following the Constitution. But: Annexed Texas.
2. Grover Cleveland: Stood for the "gold standard", opposed U.S. imperialism, fought against protecionist tariffs, refused to annex Hawaii, and vetoed over hundreds of welfare bills. But: created the "Interstate Commerce Commission", stopped the "Pullman Strike", and signed the "Dawes Act".
3. Martin Van Buren: Avoided War with Canada, avoided war with Mexico, didn't interfere in the "Panic of 1837", advocated a hard money policy, and lowered tariffs. But: implemented the "Trail of Tears".
4. Calvin Coolidge: Decreased the national debt, signed the anti-war "Kellog-Briand Pact", gave Native Americans citizenship, minimized small buisiness regulations, and opposed the "League of Nations". But: Mishandled the "Great Mississippi Flood of 1927", supported the Mexican governmenti in the "Cristero War", and continued military occupation in Nicaragua and Haiti.
5. Chester A. Arthur: Signed the "Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act", supported hard money, opposed "pork barrel" projects, revoked excise tax, and reduced tariffs. But: signed the "Edmunds Act".
6. Warren G. Harding: Ratified peace treaties to end "World War I", cut government spending, cut the income tax, pardoned Woodrow Wilson's prisoners, and called for worldwide naval disarmament. But: Signed the "Fordney-McCumber Tariff", passed the "Grain Futures Act", and appointed those who were involed in the "Teapot Dome Scandal".
7. Rutherford B. Hayes: Withdrew troops from the South, ended radical reconstruction, vetoed the inflationary "Bland-Allison Act", opposed a central bank, and decreased taxes. But: Crushed the "Great Railroad Strike of 1877", supported the "Dawes Act", and wanted to take control of the Panama Canal.
8. James Monroe: Vetoed corporate welfare, ratified the "Monroe Doctrine", improved relations with Britain, did nothing during the "Panic of 1819", and oversaw the "Era of Good Feelings". But: Supported Andrew Jackson's war against the Seminoles.
9. Zachary Taylor: Ended the "Manifest Destiny", prevented Narciso Lopez's filibustering expedition to Cuba, peaceful treatment of Native Americans, opposed the "Compromise of 1850", and opposed Henry Clay's "American System". But: Opposed state succession.
10. Andrew Johnson: Rightly fired Edward Stanton, vetoed the "14th Amendment" for honorable reasons, vetoead military occupation of the South, gave Confederates amnesty, and opposed radical reconstruction. But: Intervened with the French in Mexico.
- Thomas Jefferson: Reduced taxes, reduced government spending, reduced the national debt, repealed the "Alien and Sediction Acts", and banned slavery in Northwestern territories. But: signed the "Embargo Act of 1807", advocated for the removal of Native Americans, and unconstitutional "Louisiana Purchase".
- Ulysses S. Grant: Ratified the "15th Amendment", avoided war with Spain, lowered taxes, vetoed the inflation bill, and restored the gold standard. But: signed the "Civil Rights Act of 1875", passed the "Poland Act", intended to annex the Dominican Republic, passed the "Comstock Laws", and supported corporate welfare.
- George Washington: Neutral foreign policy, examplified constitutional veto, and served only two terms. pardoned the prisoners of the "Whiskey Rebellion", and signed the "Judiciary Act of 1789". But: forcefully crushed the "Whiskey Rebellion", created the first U.S. national bank, and supplied arms to the French during the "Haitian Slave Uprising of 1791".
- John Quincy Adams: Non-interventionist foreign policy, opposed slavery, endorsed women's suffrage, lowerd the national debt, and protected Native Americans. But: passed the "Tariff of Abominations", supported the "American System", and stole the "Election of 1824".
- Andrew Jackson: Dismantled the second national bank, paid off the national debt, believed in hard money, reduced the "Tariff of Abominations", and vetoed extensively. But: created the "Indian Removal Act", created the "spoils system", and threatened war against South Carolina during the "Nullification Crisis".
- Millard Fillmore: Abolished slave trade in the District of Columbia, remained neutral in European affairs, and appointed Brigham Young for govenor of Utah. But: passed the "Fugitive Slave Act of 1850", threatened to bomb Japan, and lead the "Know Nothing" movement.
