President Approve

[Private Doctors]

Simple question. Simple answer.

[0scar Wilde/ATT]

No. There a manifold reasons. His policies have greatly exaggerated the rich poor divide. His minions are apparently always working for political purposes, to the detriment of the nation. He has made no efforts to be the president for all Americans. He lies often about Iraq, and whatever pet bill he is working on. He has the sincerity of a sociopath. Seriously. Who smirks like an @$$ even when talking about civilian deaths? Not to mention the faux cowboy thing. Really? A cowboy? A cowboy that is afraid of horses and went to Yale, and comes from a prominant East Coast family. I just don't get it. Then again, I never understood what he had to offer in the first place. By the way, am I the only one that thinks Al Gore only looks good in comparison to Bush. I mean, if Gore become president, does any really think he's that great? Or does America just have the most profound case of buyers remorse ever.

[Bad Infinitum]

Eh. Not so simple answer here. Leave it to me to overcomplicate it.

He's a good president in the fact that he knows what he's doing. As far as the duties of the president, he's got those down pat. He knows how to play the game, he knows where to sign, he knows how to read, all that.

However, as far as his actions as president...that's a big no. With regards to keeping the will of the people, acting on the will of the people, and keeping the people safe and educated, he has failed miserably on all accounts.

He's like the perfect soldier that never follows orders. Well trained, but rebellious and lazy, and therefore ineffective.

I voted no.

[Private Doctors]

Good answer!

[Glock 17]

I agree ! ! !

[Anime Daisuki]

I haven't seen a 'good' president since 1945.

They should've preserved FDR's DNA, cloned him, and make him president for life.

[0scar Wilde/ATT]

FDR was a remnant of something that does not much exist anymore, and except in the most romantic views of history probably never did to any great extant. FDR was a very wealthy well educated man, inculcated in the ideas of classical thought and the enlightenment. FDR could I think be considered a Philosopher King, and I'm not sure a leader can have greater praise. There are other examples of those that are born very wealthy and yet by dint of their education hold very progressive views. To my way of thinking though, FDR had a unique personal strength to back up his convictions, and a personality that shone through with compassion for his fellow men. Not since George Washington had Americans been so enamored with a president. He surely could have been elected 20 years longer if he had lived that long. The wealthy today are willing to pay lip service only to the great ideas of classical thought and the enlightenment, neglecting their education and wallowing in the plainest forms of materialism. The compassionate, iron-willed humanist may not be dead, but he sure as hell isn't running for office any more.

RIP FDR. Sorry for the Eulogy. He just happens to be one of my favorite historical figures.

[Mandali]

I agree with the above. I sincerely believe that FDR is the best president in American history.

At the risk of inciting a rebellion, I believe that only one man could rival him for that title: Al Gore. Sadly, I don't think that dream will ever be reached.

[Bletheropolis: the cat sleeps]

d'ya think that most nations will have only one or two GREAT leaders and the others just follow his SOP or let the country down like Bush is doing?

(and by that last part of the question, you KNOW how I answered!)

[0scar Wilde/ATT]

If you are asking for my general sense of history, I would have to say no. I tend to believe in Plato's view of society, where the government and leaders tend to mirror the people. When Washington, and Jefferson, Adams, and Monroe were president America was a very different nation in terms of national character. It was an era of learning, where liberal education was held up as an ideal.

The society we live in is just not capable of supporting the great types of individuals. I am sure they exist, but perhaps they don't look good enough on Tv. Or maybe they take unpopular but principled stands, and must stand for days before a media echo chamber that works 24-7 to destroy anything except the status quo. We are today too shallow. We think too little. We dream too little. We are reduced to consumers. That is our tragedy as a society. It is our burden to bear for not being better people.

We will have great leaders once we elevate ourselves to being great people. I don't see that happening any time soon. We would have to completely abandon both major parties which are rotten to the core. Which cynically manipulate small groups of supporters to abuse the trust of the nation. We would have to vote for individuals.
We would have to shake off our popular culture. Which is nothing but a hollow wasteland. Our popular culture is worthless. We must work on what truly matters. Personal development. Until that happens, there will be no more FDR's. We should not so much weep for the fact that FDR is gone, but that we have gone. FDR's legacy remains, it is us that have left.

[The Colonial Fleet]

It's hard to rate Bush as the president, when he spent most of the time in the role of the clown vice president and Cheney spent most of the time in the role of the sinister president.

[Private Doctors]

85% is an extreme amount! I guess no we know more about the people on this forum!

[Bletheropolis: the cat sleeps]

according said:

The society we live in is just not capable of supporting the great types of individuals.

amen to that. *sniff*

and there I was not even speaking of FDR. the era of great leaders and good people for Singapore is also past. I look at our politicians today and a) yawn (same old, same old) b) cringe at the opposition for their stridency.

and it's because we the people are rather more concerned about our own small lives than the nation as a whole.