Coolidge
Reagan, Washington, Monroe, Polk, Coolidge.
I would think that the objective answer would have been George Washington. He wasn’t willing to become a king when it was offered him and, if another had been in his position, you might have had a monarchy, instead of the Republic.
George Washington
I would say George Washington was the greatest overall, as he was a modern-day Cincinnatus: a man who could have easily been King had he so desired, but chose otherwise.
In my lifetime (being born in 1969), I would say Ronald Reagan, and also Richard Nixon, for his foreign policy achievements (as the Vulcan proverb goes, “Only Nixon could go to China”). Sadly, Nixon’s foreign policy achievements (and let’s face it, a Cold Warrior like Nixon sitting down with Mao.....that’s a watershed moment in latter 20th Century history) were forgotten owing to the Watergate scandal, which according to my father, was really not such a big deal on the surface, as political parties pull these shenanigans all the time; it was the cover-up that did him in.
I've never understood why so many are enamored with Lincoln. As for Washington, he was indispensable at the time because of how the public viewed him, and rightly so, for his performance in the war. As president he relied very heavily on the Sage of Monticello, and, unfortunately, Alex Hamilton.
For me outside of Reagan this is a tough question. Even with the founding presidents. The legacy of Thomas Jefferson founded the Jeffersonian democrats which became the current democrat party. John Adams was with the federalists which were against the then republican-democrat party which ran Jefferson. So I am not sure which party was the most conservative of the two. But Washington was the first and his legacy in creating the country is to be noted, plus he was independent of a party.
But the fact is, prior to the civil war, nearly all of the US presidents were far more conservative than most in the last 150 years. They believed in a government of limited powers. But among the most conservative of our early presidents would probably be Washington, Madison, Monroe, the second Adams, and Polk.
From the perspective of business and economic impact the best conservative president was Calvin Coolidge, who ushered the roaring twenties.
From the perspective of the last 150 years then the answer is Ronald Reagan, who was the most self-consciously conservative President ever. Helped end the Cold War and collapse Communism.
From a broader perspective, the answer might be Grover Cleveland, who mercilessly used his veto power (vetoing 414 bills in 8 years) to cut pork-barrel spending and maintain his conception of limited government.
From the perspective of modern social conservatism, George W. Bush and George H. W. Bush were the most social conservative, although this is largely a function of the fact that modern “social conservative” issues have only been around for the past few decades.
So I’d say based on quick research:
1. George Washington
2. James Madison
3. Ronald Reagan
4. Calvin Coolidge
5. Grover Cleveland
6. John Adams
7. John Quincy Adams
8. James Monroe
9. Warren G. Harding
10. Thomas Jefferson
Washington. Nobody else comes close. He gave up absolute power....twice.
Washington, J. Adams, Coolidge, Reagan, Monroe, Polk, J.Q. Adams, Jefferson, Eisenhower.
Great Presidents of a Republic are great not just for what they do, but for what they restrain themselves from doing. I know many will have issue with my inclusion of the Adams so high on the list, but my esteem for them has grown enormously with the more I have read about the founding and the early years of the Republic.
invalid....re 0’pinhead...
Washington first followed by Davis.
George Washington.
O’Reilly’s new book about Lincoln must be elevating Abe to sainthood status (as most Northerners do). (I haven’t read it and don’t intend to, as his promos indicate it will be skewed to the views of those of the North East US.)
He was a brutal tyrant that permitted his Union Generals to wipe out the Confederate States’ abilities to own properties and engage in commerce. He is held up as the man who “did away with slavery”. Hah! He only did away with slavery in the States that had joined with the Confederacy. Slaves in Union States were still legal, and many were owned by blacks. ....He permitted his Union soldiers to raze Southern cities and then allowed carpet baggers to claim properties and wealth because the legal documents of ownership had been destroyed by the soldiers. ....I have none of the “worship” of Lincoln that so many others do. I feel the same about JFK. Neither of the two deserve the attention they now enjoy.
Washington — and it’s not even close. Soldier to statesman effortlessly. Passed on king/emperor. Walked away after two terms. Defined the role of President.
Polls= Wasting valuable time reading about and participating.
We will be discovering “firsts” established by Washington for centuries to come. First to give medals to enlisted men (previously awarded only to officers), first to swear with hand on the Bible, first to use mules in farming (don’t laugh, this was a biggie in agricultural progress), first to create the American legend of character triumphing over power and riches which so impressed Europeans that both King George III and Napoleon declared him the greatest man of the age. It just goes on and on.
Why in the world would anyone even be interested in BOR’s opinion about anything.
Did you see him begging to pay higher taxes last night on his show? I believe he was standing behind the door when brains were being given out.
Over the years I’ve come to the point that I can’t stand the guy. I was going through the channels last night and accidentally made the mistake of hitting his show as I passed through.
Palin! Oh, wait, that hasn’t happened...yet!