Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] Worst. President. Ever?

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On Fri, 4 Apr 2008, Jack Smith wrote:

> The worst president ever? That's easy- Warren Harding. He was extremely 
> corrupt and himself stated that he never should have gotten the job of 
> President of the United States. I'm surprised that he wasn't impeached 
> as a Teapot Dome today would land a sitting President out on their butt 
> in a jiffy.

Was he worse than Buchanan?  A lot of people seem to think Buchanan was 
the worst.


> Number two would be FDR.

Second worst president?  You're not kidding?


> He had far too much influence over the country- an unprecedented four 
> terms and probably would have run yet again if he'd been alive to do so. 
> That alone was dangerous.

So it is a sign of something wrong with a president if he is re-elected a 
third time?  That is counterintuitive.


> But the real worst part is that his administration almost 
> single-handedly set up the current "big government" template we're still 
> following to this day. And it also started many of the problems that are 
> becoming particularly poignant today. Social Security started on his 
> watch.

And Social Security is the most popular government program.


> He full well knew that it depended on consistent huge economic or 
> population growth as it is effectively a pyramid scheme.

That's not true.


> Also, the wage ceilings he instituted during the Great Depression led to 
> employers having to offer other benefits other than wages (health 
> insurance, non-contributory pensions) to attract any workers.

I didn't know about the wage ceilings.


> Those two things are absolutely huge liabilities for U.S. companies, but 
> the worst part is that those liabilities can sink companies and then the 
> benefits go away, leaving everybody screwed as they were led to believe 
> that they'd always be around.

How does that make any sense?  If they handed the money out in wages, they 
wouldn't be screwed, but giving the money in the form of health care 
screws them?  Aren't you saying that wage ceilings are causing problems 
today?  But there are no wage ceilings, are there?


> You have to hand it to FDR as it's not many Presidents that enact policy 
> that affects people more 70 years down the line than it did in their 
> day.

We need more of FDR's policies today, not less.

I don't think I'm understanding you though -- there are no wage ceilings 
today, so what are you complaining about?

Mike

_______________________________________________
discussion mailing list
EMAIL:PROTECTED
http://mlug.missouri.edu/mailman/listinfo/discussion