Posted on 05/28/2017 3:23:09 PM PDT by blam
I am a sucker for lists.
A few weeks ago, sparked by reading yet another claim that Donald Trump is the most "fill in the blank" in American history, I Googled "the worst American in history." I thought there was a list for everything some where in Googleland, but there was no decent list for this.
So I decided to construct a respectable ranking of the five worst Americans in history. I surveyed a group of about 30 academic and popular American historians, political scientists and law professors, asking them to nominate five figures from American history. Contemporaries were eligible, but had to earn their place against over 200 years of stiff competition.
I purposefully sketched only loose criteria for being the "worst." I asked that nominations include only people who held positions of public responsibility or power -- elected officials, business magnates, judges, polemicists, generals and so forth. I was not looking for the most evil people such as serial killers and sex criminals.
Lists are fun but also edifying. They reflect both the times in which they are made and the stories, not always the truths, that endure. You can be the judge of what this list suggests.
The list is not mine. It reflects the results of my little highly unscientific survey.
--Richard M. Nixon: Nixon was the clear winner (or loser). His nominations often included remarks such as "obvious" or "of course." However, several people noted they didn't include Nixon because he had many redeeming accomplishments (opening relations with China, domestic initiatives that are now considered liberal).
(snip)
--Donald J. Trump (tie for second): I tried and failed to steer the survey panel away from contemporary figures. As one historian wrote, "No, it is not too early to tell." We'll see.
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at arcamax.com ...
Howard Zinn would have to be on any list worth its salt
This list is disingenuous and is predicated in a way that steers the reader into focusing on Republican Presidents only.
Saul Alinsky !
.
Add Jimmah Carter to your list, please!!
When you look at the list of people they polled, you see why they answered the way they did.
Normal Americans would probably list the following people, not necessarily in this order.
1. The Rosenbergs
2. Alger Hiss
3. LBJ
4. Jimmy Carter
5. 0bama
No list is complete without Ted Kennedy.
I see Margaret Sanger has already been mentioned...how ‘bout Rachel Carson and her book “Silent Spring,” which led to the banning of DDT and resulted in the deaths of millions from malaria.
Here is a more realistic list of the most disgusting, traitorous Americans:
The Rosenburgs for stealing the A-Bomb secrets for Russia and the Clintons for selling our MIRV technology to China.
I nominate DICK Meyer.
Correction to my post 28:
Rosenburgs should be Rosenbergs.
And don’t forger FDR
How ‘bout Dick Meyer?
Yep, Sanger wanted all babies killed for a period of ten years.
A woman’s choice is not in her agenda or interest.
Ted Kennedy needs to be on that list.
Barack 0bama, Hillary Clinton, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Roger Taney - that’s my five worst.
Did you forget Charles Manson and Richard Speck?
However,as despicable as they were, they do not belong on this list. Their reach was rather limited. Politicians on the other hand have a much broader and longer lasting impact.
Timothy McVeigh - 168 victims
Gary Ridgway (Green River Killer) - 49+ victims
Ted Bundy - 35
John Wayne Gacy - 33
Dean Corll - 29
Margaret Sanger - unknown, in excess of 51 million
If death isn't your benchmark, how about pure, unadulterated hatred?
Saul Alinsky
Cornel West
Angela Davis
Susan Brownmiller
Andrea Dworkin
Lots of categories. Espionage:
Aldrich Ames
John Walker
Julius / Ethel Rosenberg
Harry Dexter White
Alger Hiss
Gangsters:
Capone
Anastasia
Costello
Luciano
Buchalter
Liberal Americ-hating Journalists:
Oh, go ahead, try and pick only five.
I don’t know about “worst” but the graves I’d like to piss on list Ted Kennedy has been on my bucket list for a long time. Been waiting for Jimmy Carter to fill a hole so I can go there and relieve myself too.
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