Dez Prez Rankings: Unlikely Icon

#2 of 39:
Abraham Lincoln (16th president)
1861-65
Republican


ABOVE: "He is a barbarian, scythian, yahoo. A gorilla in respect of outward polish, but a most sensible, straight-forward old codger." - Lawyer George Strong on colleague Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was a complex personality. An engaging conversationalist and a man with a natural curiosity about a host of things, he was also beset with bouts of severe depression and anxiety.

Lincoln is #2, so you can now figure out who is #1. I will explain why #1 is who it is on his post, and why he edged out Abe.

Abraham Lincoln is the only president who had his entire administration framed by and defined by war. In fact, he gave his life in that war, just as a soldier on the battlefield. The Union's victory in the Civil War was far from guaranteed, and at several points the Confederacy could have possibly secured its independence. The actions and decisions made by Lincoln saved the United States. Many other Northern leaders of the time had the attitude of "if they want to go, let them go." But Lincoln believed that this people could only survive as one, not two. He recognized that the co-existence of a United States of America and a Confederate States of America could not be geographically sustainable. The very fact that our major mountain ranges and rivers flowed north to south instead of east to west made separability impossible. "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

No other president took office under such stressful conditions, not even Washington or FDR. By the time he was sworn in, seven states had already seceded from the Union, and four more would secede soon after. He was an unlikely hero. Gangly and shy, he was a goofy looking man. But he was also a shrewd politician, brilliant mind, and had a wonderful self-deprecating sense of humor that served him well.


ABOVE: Lincoln at Antietam

Lincoln skillfully walked a tightrope when dealing with slavery and emancipation. While he always personally found slavery abhorrent, he also knew that he had to keep the Border States of West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Missouri and Kentucky within the Union. He is quoted as saying "I hope that God is on our side, but I have to have Kentucky." Some of the border states had slavery, and so Lincoln initially had to tread lightly. Had the teetering border states seceded, the Confederacy would have doubled its manpower and manufacturing capacity. He had to keep them in line, and he did it both with the carrot and the stick. This is why Lincoln initially stated that the Civil War was fought to preserve the Union. It wasn't until Antietam that he felt he could shift the focus to ending slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation itself only proclaimed to free slaves within the Confederacy, not the border states or conquered southern territory. In other words, it only freed the slaves that it could not free, and did not free the slaves that it could free.

Lincoln was also a gifted military strategist. He was central in developing the Northern strategy of: 1. naval blockade of Southern ports, 2. cutting the South in two vertically by controlling the Mississippi River, 3. cutting the South in two horizontally with Sherman's March, 4. taking the capital of Richmond, 5. using superior numbers and supplies to wear down the Confederacy in a brutal war of attrition that cost over 600,000 lives (more American lives were lost in the Civil War than all other wars fought by the U.S. combined), and 6. ending slavery and disrupting the Southern economy. He manipulated the South into drawing first blood at Ft. Sumter. Plagued by inferior generals, he also boldly fired a string of incompetent generals (McClellan twice) until he settled on Ulysses S. Grant. Lincoln also violated the Constitution several times in this extraordinary time, raising an army without congressional approval and suspending habeas corpus.

It is a great "what if" of history to contemplate how he would have handled Reconstruction and a defeated South. His plan was very conciliatory towards the South, and as a conquering president he would have had the moral authority to see it through. Imagine no Andrew Johnson, no Radical Reconstruction by a vengeful Congress. It is telling that initially Southerners were jubilant at the news of his assassination, but later came to regret his death, because they came to understand that Honest Abe would have indeed dealt with them fairly.


ABOVE: Lincoln was assassinated by embittered actor and Southern sympathizer John Wilkes Booth five days after Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox to Grant.

Historian James McPherson summed Lincoln up thus: "Without Lincoln's determined and skillful leadership, the North might have lost the war, and the United States as we know it today might not exist. Instead, Union victory resolved two festering problems left unresolved by the Revolution of 1776 and the Constitution of 1789: whether the Republic would 'long endure' or 'perish from the earth' and whether the 'monstrous injustice' of slavery would continue to mock a nation 'conceived in liberty.' The Republic endured, and slavery perished. That is Lincoln's legacy."


ABOVE: "We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature." - Abraham Lincoln, ever the optimist. One of my favorite spots to visit in Washington D.C. is the Lincoln Memorial at night. It is beautifully lit, and there is always a decent crowd of people there, it is an unofficial national hang-out spot at night. Always a diverse crowd, it is one of the most peaceful and moving places to sit in the evening hours. No wonder that was where Richard Nixon impulsively drove one night during his embattled presidency at the peak of the Vietnam War protests and engaged protestors in a fascinating and calm conversation and exchange of perspectives.

Pros:
* Took office during the most stressful time of our history, and immediately took charge
* Skillfully manipulated the South into firing first at Ft. Sumter instead of the North, starting the War off on the moral "high ground," a crucial issue in keeping the Border States from seceding
* Throughout the War, he prevented the Border States from seceding, which might have turned the tide. He used the carrot (holding off on emancipation, a host of what we would call "pork barrel" projects) and the stick (sending Federal troops to "monitor" their elections). Lincoln was also not beyond a little election shenanigans, such as giving the entire Union Army a "break" so they could come back home and vote (for him) in his re-election
* Recognized early that separation was impossible and fought to keep the U.S. united
* Came up with the complex and multi-faceted Northern strategy for victory, including keeping an agitating Britain and France from aiding the Confederacy
* Had a conciliatory Reconstruction Plan that, had it been implemented, may have made the Reconstruction period and the century after a very different and more positive time for the South

Cons:
* None

Dez Prez Rankings: 20th Century Giant

#3 of 39:
Franklin D. Roosevelt (32nd president)
1933-45
Democrat



This is actually a rather controversial choice this high up. Depending on your political persuasion, FDR was either a saint or (an unwitting) devil for the future of this country. I’m generally a moderate politically, so naturally I don’t fall in either camp. But there are several things that you cannot deny. FDR had an unparalleled rapport with the American people when they really needed someone to look to. Winning an unprecedented four terms in a row (a Constitutional impossibility now with the 22nd Amendment), he obviously connected with the people unlike almost anyone before. Also, FDR guided us through two of the most defining events of the 20th Century, The Great Depression and World War II. So his impact is absolutely undeniable. At least on that we can all agree.

The Depression was already in full swing when FDR first took office in 1933. The cautious approach of Herbert Hoover did not seem to be working (although he was not as bad as history has painted him), and the country was desperate for more decisive and daring leadership. FDR’s New Deal was not a carefully planned roadmap, instead it was rather like throwing a lot of things at the wall and seeing what sticks. Roosevelt himself said “I have no expectation of making a hit every time I come to bat. What I seek is the highest possible batting average.”

Once he took office, he immediately took charge. One of the most effective things he did was not really policy at all. He hit the radio airwaves with his weekly “fireside chats,” talking through his ideas with the American people and giving pep talks. Sounds a bit hokey nowadays, but you cannot underestimate how effective these chats were. When unemployment peaked at 25%, FDR was a lifeline to a government that gave the appearance of actively trying to make things better. This is the blueprint of Clinton’s “feeling your pain” or Reagan’s equally effective use of television in the 1980’s. Probably more important than anything else, Roosevelt inspired a confidence when it was most needed (“the only thing to fear is fear itself”), exemplified by his own heroic struggle against polio which had paralyzed his legs (the media environment was such that the average American had no clue that their president was actually a cripple. He masterfully disguised his condition, and was either discreetly propped up at podiums or conveniently seated when photographed).



ABOVE: FDR giving one of his fireside chats. Doesn't look all that cozy, does it?

As far as the substance of the New Deal itself, it was a mixed bag of an alphabet soup of programs. My students groan as I make them memorize at least 20 or so acronyms, from the AAA to the TVA. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) brought electricity to the dark ages of Appalachia, built needed dams throughout the region, and employed many workers on these projects. It is the best example of internal improvements both being beneficial in themselves and also helping to employ out of work folks. He had many other less spectacular public works programs, but they did give many workers employment, albeit temporary (kind of like census workers?) Much needed banking reform was enacted, most notably the FDIC protecting our savings from bank bankruptcies. Of course, we also have Social Security thanks to the New Deal. His one real misstep during this period was his attempt in 1937 to pack the Supreme Court with New Deal-loving judges. The conservative Court had struck down several New Deal programs as unconstitutional (such as the AAA), and so Roosevelt proposed, with a straight face claiming he wanted to lighten the workload for elderly Justices, to expand the Court from 9 to 15 justices. As president, he of course would get to appoint all of the additional justices. Congress struck it down as a blatant attempt to pack the Court with friendly Justices, and it was a rare political disaster for the president.


ABOVE: Appalachia received much needed help from the TVA. Look at them now.

Alas, the New Deal did not end the Great Depression. I know some argue that it actually prolonged it, but I don’t buy that argument. The Depression was the result of rampant speculation, a concurrent agricultural crisis, an unregulated stock market plagued by margin buying, a crumbling international economic system, unregulated speculative banks, lack of deposit protection for the consumers, consumer credit run wild, and other factors. It was due in order to correct these problems. The New Deal, at best, enacted some policies that helped fix some problems, eased some of the symptoms of the Depression, and inspired some hope when it was needed. But what got us out of the Depression was World War II.

Nothing like a world war to end unemployment and spur industry. The country still had a strong isolationist streak in the late 30’s as the rest of the world burst into chaos, but FDR wanted to get involved from the beginning. He was savvy enough to know that the American people were not there yet. But his Lend-Lease program saved Great Britain, and in turn saved the Allied cause against Hitler and fascism. Britain was the lone bastion against Hitler in the West after the rest of Western Europe fell like dominoes to Hitler’s Blitzkrieg, and our money, supplies and weapons kept them alive in those crucial months before we got directly involved.

Once the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, we were ready to dive in. (The theories that FDR knew ahead of time of the Pearl Harbor attack and let it happen to get us into the War are intriguing). FDR’s leadership during the incredibly complex WWII was as vigorous as his New Deal had been at home. He didn’t always make the right decisions, but he guided us through a War like no other and was intimately involved in strategy every step of the way.


ABOVE: The Manzanar internment camp in the Southwest U.S.

His WWII decisions are not without controversy. He and Churchill delayed for a long time opening their second front in Europe (D-Day), probably too long, allowing the Russians to bear the brunt of Nazi might. This is something that forever embittered Stalin and the Soviets, and is one of the key roots of the Cold War. FDR and other Allied leaders knew of the horrors of the Holocaust much earlier than the general public, yet instead of bombing key rail lines leading to Auschwitz and other camps, they focused on destroying Hitler’s industrial capacity to make war. The thinking was that industry had to be priority to most quickly end Hitler's reign. Also, the internment of Japanese-Americans on the west coast is definitely a stain on his legacy. There were fears, but little to no proof, that Japanese-Americans on the west coast would aid the Japanese Empire through sabotage and espionage, and so hundreds of thousands were rounded up and placed in prison camps in the interior of the country. They lost their homes, jobs, everything. This is not comparable to Hitler’s death camps (which some people stupidly compare them to), but it was still a horrible thing to do. And this was done by direct Executive Order from FDR himself. Nearing the end of his life and in frail health, it is generally acknowledged that FDR was taken advantage of by Stalin at Yalta. Stalin steamrolled and got way too many concessions from a sick FDR and politically desperate (at home) Churchill in planning out the postwar world (but to be fair, we were thinking that we would need Soviet help to defeat Japan).

These sound like serious criticisms, and they are, but what he did right in World War II far outweighs these missteps. The War could have been even more devastating than it was if we had had weaker leadership.

Alright. Disagree on FDR? Fire away.


ABOVE: FDR's landmark "day of infamy" speech the day after Pearl Harbor

Pros:
• Provided confident leadership during the darkest days of the Depression (fireside chats)
• Vigorous attempts to fix the symptoms, if not the causes, of the Depression
• Some New Deal programs have a lasting legacy like TVA, FDIC, Social Security
• Lend-Lease
• WWII leadership

Cons:
• Court Packing
• Japanese-American Internment
• Yalta

NOTE: I know that it is shocking that this has come down to Lincoln and Washington for the top spot, but that is where we are. Who will I choose? Stay tuned.

Dez Prez Rankings: Contradictions

#4 of 39:
Thomas Jefferson (3rd president)
1801-09
Democratic-Republican


“I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House - with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.” – John F. Kennedy to a gathering of Nobel laureates

Scientist, politician, architect, farmer, slaveowner, philosopher, Founding Father and author of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson was the purest American example, along with Ben Franklin, of the Renaissance Man. Jefferson was a fascinating study in contrasts. He firmly believed in a nation of citizen-farmers and a small federal government that would stay out of the business of the people (an early hero of conservativism), yet he ended up exercising as much executive power as any president that we have ever had (more in line with liberal leaders). He tried to bring order to the young country with a firm hand, yet he also once famously said that “every generation needs a revolution” and was a supporter of the bloody French Revolution longer than most. He signed legislation ending the importation of slaves, yet was also a slaveowner. Even further, he openly acknowledged his contradictions, because above all else, he was a pragmatist.

I already wrote about the crucial Election of 1800, which was the first election where an opposition party won the office of president. John Adams performed a great service for this country by not resisting the transition of power, and Thomas Jefferson was the other side of that transaction. He was as crucial in that power transition as Adams. Instead of seeking retribution on his political enemies, he declared in his inaugural address that we are “all Democrats, we are all Federalists.” Mortal enemies Adams and Jefferson must be honored for setting the precedent of peaceful transition of power, far from a given in the world of 1800. (Adams and Jefferson would later mend their differences in old age through an extraordinary exchange of letters, and both died on July 4, 1826, with Adams desperately trying to hold on in order to outlive rival Jefferson, even if only by hours).


ABOVE: Jefferson saw himself as a man of the people, and quickly dispensed with the more formal traditions that had been established by Washington and Adams before him. He had frequent dinner parties at the White House, but allowed seating to be first come, first serve, regardless of rank. He would often greet diplomatic visitors to the White House wearing slippers and his pj’s

The defining moment of Jefferson’s administration was the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the size of the United States and was, frankly, unconstitutional. Napoleon Bonaparte was in a desperate struggle to conquer Europe, and he needed quick cash and did not want to have to worry about protecting France’s vast holdings in North America. He unexpectedly offered the French territory from the Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains to the Americans for $15 million. Jefferson, and many others, strongly believed that Westward expansion was crucial to grow and preserve this young, agrarian Republic. He personally took over negotiations, but time was of the essence before the unpredictable Napoleon changed his mind. Jefferson could not wait for Congress to meet and approve the purchase, so he authorized it himself, acknowledging that “the less that is said about my constitutional difficulty, the better. It will be desirable for Congress to do what is necessary in silence.”


ABOVE: Lewis & Clark (with Indian guide)

After the Purchase, he authorized the controversial Lewis & Clark expedition to explore the newly acquired territory. The boundaries of the Louisiana territory were always vague and approximate, so he instructed Lewis & Clark to be generous in their definition of what was the Louisiana territory, thereby grabbing even more territory than he had purchased. He illegally sent them into Spanish territory all the way to the Pacific, claiming it was only a “scientific” expedition. He then got Congress to authorize almost dictatorial powers to where Jefferson himself ran the territorial government. Historian Joseph Ellis calls Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase actions “the most dramatic and far-reaching executive decision ever made by an American president.” The irony here is that Jefferson sincerely believed in limited federal power and distrusted a centralized government, yet he exercised it more grandly and expansively than almost any other president we have had. He rightfully saw the opportunity of a generation, and he took it, constitutional scruples be damned.


ABOVE: The Louisiana Purchase

Jefferson’s one huge mistake was the Embargo Acts. Trying to stay out of the world war between the French and the British, he imposed the ridiculous Embargo Act of 1807, closing off American trade internationally, thinking that it would bring the French and British to their knees and force them to deal more favorably with us. Vastly overestimating our importance to world economics at that point, he brought on an economic catastrophe for the U.S. and ended up not avoiding the war with Britain, although that came under his successor and acolyte, James Madison.

Pros:
• Smooth transition of power from one party to another
• Ended the importation of slaves
• Louisiana Purchase
• Willing to allow pragmatic opportunities override strict principles
• Probably the most brilliant man to ever hold the office

Cons:
• Embargo Act of 1807
• Willfully kicked the slavery issue down the road for successors to deal with, especially by not addressing it in the new Louisiana Territory

Dez Reviews Tin Can Trust by Los Lobos, 2010

Yes, this blog is about more than presidential history. We will wrap that list up soon, just needed to take a breather.

I've long been a booster of this great band from East L.A. Since their debut in 1978, Los Lobos has masterfully blended their Hispanic cultural heritage with rock and roll and musical experimentation. Their 1992 release Kiko is a masterpiece, in my Top 10 of all time. For the next ten years after Kiko, they tried to recapture that record's elusive magic and failed rather disappointingly. But starting with 2002's Good Morning, Azatlan, they found a comfortable, if unremarkable groove, releasing good records with a couple of standout tracks each surrounded by pleasant filler. The new Tin Can Trust is their strongest record since Kiko, and while not reaching Kiko's peaks, it is nice to hear that the Lobos still have it in them to make engaging records that can grab you from start to finish.

Tin Can Trust mines similar territory as 2006's The Town and the City, taking a complex look at working class life in these hard times from a particularly Southwestern point of view. Think of Hispanic Springsteen or Mellencamp, but a little more trippy and less straightforward. But whereas The Town and the City was musically muted and had a sameness about it, Tin Can Trust really stretches out musically with enough variety to keep your interest. In fact, it is the most natural and relaxed attempt at capturing some of Kiko's musical textures that they have been able to pull off. I've got to say that the guitar playing from David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas here is some of their tastiest and best on a studio record. From the blistering solo that closes "Burn It Down" to the spacy jams on "Jupiter or the Moon" to the bluesy riffs on the instrumental "Do the Murray," this record should be particularly satisfying to fans of great guitar playing.



There is not a bum track here, really. Even the unnecessary Grateful Dead cover "West L.A. Fadeaway" is a groovy listen. Cesar Rosas gets his requisite cumbias and Mexican folk tunes with the spirited "Yo Canto" and "Mujer Ingrata." But the highlights remind me of older Los Lobos records like 1987's By the Light of the Moon, gritty acoustic/electric tunes of Americana (again, Southwestern style) like opener "Burn It Down," "All My Bridges Burning," "The Lady and the Rose" and the haunting "27 Spanishes," but with light Kiko-like touches added to them to make them more interesting.

***1/2 out of *****


ABOVE: This is not from this record, but it is a great clip nonetheless. It is from Los Lobos's appearance on 'Sesame Street,' where they adapted their tune "Kiko and the Lavendar Moon" to be "Elmo and the Lavendar Moon." Good stuff. Who knew Elmo took acid?

Dez Prez Rankings: The Imperial Presidency

#5 of 39:
Theodore Roosevelt (26th president)
1901-09
Republican


“Now look! That damned cowboy is president of the United States!”-Republican power broker Mark Hanna.

Teddy Roosevelt was a scary prospect to Republicans and Democrats alike. He was an impulsive, charismatic, independent, unpredictable, uncontrollable force of nature. The Republicans had been so alarmed at his popularity within their own ranks that they neutralized him by making him William McKinley’s vice-president (a political dead-end job where troublemakers could often be set aside where they would do little damage). Unfortunately for the powers-that-were, McKinley got shot. TR may have had the justly earned reputation as a cowboy ruffian who was always ready to step in the ring for a boxing match (one of his favorite pastimes), but he was also one of the most intelligent men with the most diverse interests to ever inhabit the White House, with the possible exception of Thomas Jefferson. He was the kind of man who would indeed slog it out with you in a boxing ring, but after showering off in the locker room, he could sit down with you and engage in a discussion of taxidermy, political theory or religion.

The fears of party leaders were well founded. Teddy served more as a dictator than a president, but always claiming to be ruling through the will of the people. He once said, “I think it [the presidency] should be a very powerful office, and think the President should be a very strong man who uses without hesitation every power that the position yields; but…he should be sharply watched by the people and held to a strict accountability by them.” Well, he actually practiced the first part of that statement. Not so much the second part. He used what he called the president’s “bully pulpit” to rage against power unchecked, be they powerful monopolistic corporations, uppity unions or uncooperative foreign allies and enemies. TR saw his job as forcing justice upon all of these disparate elements, whether they wanted it or not. Fortunately, though, he actually did a fine job while in office, so despite his dictatorial tendencies, he still has a high ranking. The precedent was dangerous, though.


ABOVE: “When Theodore attends a wedding, he wants to be the bride. And when he attends a funeral, he wants to be the corpse.” – a Roosevelt relative

He completely dominated his era, making his name leading the Rough Riders up San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War. TR was a bold reformer in a time that needed reform badly, and he defined both the Progressive and Imperialist Eras in the United States.

Domestically, Big Business finally met its match in Teddy Roosevelt. The Carnegies, Rockefellers and J.P. Morgans of the country had called the shots for too long, and Roosevelt was here to wrest some of the power back from the private sector. Although much has been made of Teddy as a trustbuster, he was still a capitalist at heart, working for regulation and oversight, not destruction of these companies. Basically, he wanted to bring them to heel and show them that they did not have complete free reign over the economic life of this country. He decided to use the previously anemic Sherman Anti-Trust Act and set up a showdown with J.P. Morgan’s Northern Securities Company. In a landmark 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court sided with Roosevelt and the Company was split up. This set the groundwork for all future antitrust regulation. He created the Department of Labor, and urged Congress to pass child labor laws and worker’s comp regulation. But Roosevelt was equally willing to go after unions. While he threatened to nationalize the coal mines unless management came to agreeable terms with labor, he also used federal troops to bust many other strikes.


ABOVE: The teddy bear was, of course, named after Teddy Roosevelt. The story goes that Roosevelt was hunting with a group of friends in Mississippi. Some of his buddies captured a Black Bear and tied it to a tree in order for Roosevelt to bag a kill on the trip. Roosevelt refused to shoot it, claiming that it was unsportsmanlike to shoot the bear while tied down. He did order the bear killed to put it out of its misery, though (it had been wounded when it was captured). A political cartoon publicized the incident, a toy maker starting making the "Teddy Bear," and Teddy gave his blessing to the use of his name.

Like the rest of the nation, Roosevelt was shocked by Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, and so he pushed through the Meat Inspection Act as well as the Food and Drug Act. TR was an avid outdoorsman and hunter, and so he became the first environmental president. Previous presidents had set aside some token land for national parks, but Roosevelt set aside an astonishing 200 million acres of land for protection. He was an avid protector of our national resources, and it was Teddy Roosevelt who brought environmental protection into the national conscience. He also wanted to bring the Progressive spirit to Civil Rights, controversially inviting civil rights leader Booker T. Washington to the White House for dinner. But the country was not ready to embrace real civil rights at this juncture, and so Teddy backed away after the backlash for the Booker T. dinner.


ABOVE: TR and another one of his victims. Ironically, it is the Republican elephant. In the election of 1912, after failing to wrest the Republican nomination from sitting president William Taft, he bolted the party and formed his own 3rd party, the Progressive (Bull Moose) Party, and ran for a 3rd term, splitting the Republican vote and ensuring Woodrow Wilson's election

TR was just as vigorous on foreign policy. He famously took personal control over the Dominican Republic’s treasury when they defaulted on debts to European banks. The Europeans were still looking for excuses to reassert their power over their former Latin American colonies, but Roosevelt would have none of it. European powers, also stretching their Imperialist muscle during this time, saw an opportunity to use Latin American loan defaults as an excuse to take control of these countries. TR announced his Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, stating that the United States would “oversee” Latin American debt problems with Europe. Translation: this is still our neighborhood, and TR will use the military to protect our domain from European influence. He sent the Great White Naval Fleet around the world on a “goodwill” tour, stopping at major ports of call. Translation: we are now a naval badass, so don’t screw with us. Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905 when he mediated the treaty ending the Russo-Japanese War (although some historians say that this laid the roots for Japanese Imperialism in the Pacific, leading to that Theater of World War II).

Of course, his crowning Imperialist achievement was the Panama Canal. This was pure Teddy Roosevelt. Colonial powers had dreamed for decades of building a canal across Central America to cut the Atlantic to Pacific trip down by thousands of miles. Teddy offered money to Colombia for a lease to build the canal across the Panamanian Isthmus, then a province of Colombia. Colombia refused. Teddy then decided to back the Panamanian “Revolution,” and sent warships to prevent the Colombians from putting down the Revolution. The newly recognized nation of Panama, naturally, granted the United States the desired lease for the Canal. As Congress dithered over whether we should do this, TR commenced with building the Canal, saying later “I took the Canal Zone and let Congress debate, and while the debate goes on, the Canal does also.”


ABOVE: Roosevelt's famous policy of "speak softly but carry a big stick" served him well in Latin American dealings

Pros:
• Strong use of the Bully Pulpit
• Dept. of Labor
• Regulation of trusts
• Labor laws
• Environmental policies
• Panama Canal
• Meat Inspection and Pure Food and Drug Acts
• Expands America’s power across the world
• Mediates Russo-Japanese War treaty
• Roosevelt Corollary and actions keep Europeans from re-colonizing parts of Latin America
• Great White Fleet

Cons:
• Dangerous precedents set for an Imperialist Presidency (a precedent that cousin Franklin Roosevelt would use later with gusto)
• Backs down on Civil Rights, though he personally felt strongly on the issue

Dez Prez Rankings: Under or Overrated?

#6 of 39:
Harry S. Truman (33rd president)
1945-53
Democrat


When Harry S. Truman met with Winston Churchill in 1950, Churchill reminisced with Truman about their first meeting at the Potsdam Conference soon after Franklin Roosevelt died. Churchill candidly admitted: “I must confess, sir, I held you in very low regard then. I loathed your taking the place of Franklin Roosevelt…I misjudged you badly. Since then, you, more than any other man, have saved Western civilization.” Likewise, when Harry Truman left office in 1953, his poll numbers were in the gutter (mainly due to the Korean War.) But we have also come around. It may have taken us longer than it did Sir Winston, but starting in the 1970’s, a peculiar thing happened with Truman’s reputation. Upon historical reassessment, it started to skyrocket (some feel, like ANCIANT, that it has perhaps swung too far in the other direction). Also peculiar is who was singing his praises the loudest. In recent presidential polls where they are able to divide the results by conservative and liberal voters, Truman actually ranks higher with conservatives. Ronald Reagan was one of his biggest fans and often said that he modeled his leadership style after Truman’s. Odd, since Truman was a New Deal Democrat.


ABOVE: Truman plays piano with Lauren Bacall looking on

First of all, you’ve got to sympathize with poor Harry S. As with most vice presidents, Truman was generally ignored by his president and kept out of the loop. It wasn’t until after FDR died and Truman became president that he was even informed of the existence of the atomic bomb. (Imagine that meeting! “We have what?”) Truman had to follow one of the most beloved presidents in history, a president who had served for 14 years. The U.S. had been involved in World War II for about four years, and suddenly wrapping it up is thrown into Truman’s lap. Germany was pretty much done, and realistically so were the Japanese, but the Rising Sun was refusing to set quietly. It became clear that the only way to defeat Japan was to defeat them totally, and so preparations were made for a massive invasion of Japan. It was estimated that the Japanese would die in the millions, and the Allies (mostly Americans) might lose upwards of a million men. But wait. There’s this bomb. Maybe we ought to use it instead? Thus one of the most controversial decisions of the 20th Century was made by the new president. It was the right call. The Japanese were not giving up and more people would have died in a full out invasion vs. the bombs (also, we killed more civilians firebombing Tokyo than died at Hiroshima and Nagasaki).

So, that’s just for starters. For better and for worse, Truman set the stage (on the American side) for how the Cold War would unfold and be "fought." The Truman Doctrine committed the United States to protecting nations across the globe threatened by the Soviets and communism with military, economic and political aid. Whatever it takes. It was this Doctrine that was behind the monumental Marshall Plan which rebuilt Western Europe from the ashes of World War II. The U.S. performed a similar miracle for postwar Japan, where former conqueror Douglas MacArthur became beloved military governor. NATO was formed, and when Stalin tried to choke West Berlin by literally starving them to death with the Blockade, Truman ordered the daring Berlin Airlift, consisting of thousands of planes dropping supplies to the West Berliners. He resisted more hawkish elements in his administration who wanted to go to war with Stalin over the crisis. Truman also pushed for the National Security Act, unifying the armed forces into a single Department of Defense, and creating the CIA and NSC.


ABOVE: One of the most famous photos in political history. The Chicago paper jumped the gun in prematurely (and wrongly) calling the election of 1948, much to Truman's delight

Truman was also behind the G.I. Bill of Rights, providing affordable home loans and free college education for returning veterans. This incredibly generous Bill, more than anything else, contributed to the growth of suburban culture and an educated middle class in the 1950’s.

Harry Truman was a pioneer in Civil Rights, even if most of his proposals did not come to pass. He at least established an example of presidential leadership in Civil Rights. This was all the more remarkable considering his background, growing up in Missouri and in a deeply racist environment. One initiative that he was able to accomplish, through Executive Order, was the desegregation of the military. This was the first step in desegregation generally (the Supreme Court would order desegregation in schools in the 50’s, and LBJ would accomplish desegregation in public places in general in 1964…but it started with Truman and the military).


ABOVE: Truman and Gen. Douglas MacArthur all smiles for the camera (they really did not like eachother. At all.)

Truman’s popularity suffered, however, as the Korean War dragged on. The Korean War was the deadly result of his Containment Policy, which simply stated that we will fight to contain the spread of the virus of communism across the globe. Ostensibly a UN action, most of the fighting on our side was done by American soldiers. This is the same policy that would later get us embroiled in Vietnam. A fascinating battle of wills emerged during the Korean War between president Truman and his commander in Korea, the popular and egotistical Gen. Douglas MacArthur. Truman and MacArthur disagreed bitterly over strategy in the war, and MacArthur really left Truman with little choice but to relieve him of his command when Doug blatantly disobeyed orders. It is probably a good thing Truman prevailed, as MacArthur wanted to bring the fight into China and even suggested the use of atomic weapons on the Chinese. Public opinion at the time was in MacArthur's favor, but Truman, as with most decisions during his administration, did what he had to do.

Pros:
• Firmly took command after FDR’s death in the midst of World War II
• Atomic bombs used on Japan
• Desegregate the military
• G.I. Bill
• National Security Act
• Marshall Plan and rebuilding Japan
• Berlin Airlift
• NATO
• Relieved MacArthur of command
• Containment Policy and Truman Doctrine did help prevent the expansionist Soviets from dominating Europe and other parts of the world

Cons:
* Korean War
• Containment committed us to involvement with many problem areas, including Korea and later Vietnam

Dez Prez Rankings: Should Not Be Forgotten

#7 of 39:
James K. Polk (11th president)
1845-49
Democrat


This is a sexy pick amongst historians (as sexy as discussing presidential history can be), although the general public has mostly forgotten James K. Polk (unless they are They Might Be Giants fans.) Polk was handpicked by Andrew Jackson to run for president for the Democrats in 1844 on promises of securing Texas and taking Oregon all the way up to Alaska.

Polk entered office with four goals, and he accomplished them all within four years, choosing to serve only one term as president. Now that is efficiency. First, he wanted to lower tariffs. Check. Secondly, he wanted to reestablish the independent treasury that the Whigs had destroyed. Check. The other two were a little more complicated.

At one time, the vast Oregon territory had been claimed by the British, the Russians, the Spanish and the United States. Eventually it came down to a showdown between the Americans and the British, and war was on the horizon. But Polk skillfully negotiated with the British, backing off the 54-40 demands, and offering the 49th parallel as the boundary between American and British territory. After first rejecting the offer, the British returned to the table and accepted it. The boundary remains today, and Polk avoided a war that we could ill afford to fight at the time.


ABOVE: Polk was responsible for adding about 1/3 of the continental United States to our territory. He secured Texas once and for all, won the Mexican Cession from Mexico and got the Oregon territory from Britain through treaty.

The Mexican War was brilliantly fought by Polk. Manifest destiny demanded that we occupy this land coast to coast, and we wanted California from Mexico. The Mexicans still did not acknowledge that Texas had won its independence, constantly threatening to take it back. After offering the Mexicans $25 million for California, which they quickly rejected, Polk sent troops down to the disputed border area in Texas. Mexican troops crossed the Rio Grande and attacked, giving Polk the excuse he needed to declare war (of course, from the Mexican point of view, much of Texas was still Mexican territory.) Polk was a very hands-on commander in chief, trusting nobody and devising military strategy on his own. We took California and New Mexico easily, and Gen. Winfield Scott marched all the way to Mexico City fighting superior numbers, disease, mountainous enemy terrain and mutinous troops in one of the most spectacular military campaigns in American history. The treaty signed with Mexico forced them to acknowledge U.S. title to Texas down to the Rio Grande and to cede the entire Southwest to the U.S. for $17.25 million.

The Mexican War had important consequences beyond adding lots of real estate to the United States. It was a training ground for Civil War leaders, it enhanced our military reputation worldwide, and brought the slavery issue front and center once again (would slavery be allowed in this vast new territory?), bringing the Civil War ever closer.


ABOVE: They Might Be Giants appreciates Polk’s accomplishments, as demonstrated by their song, “James K. Polk.” Here they are performing it at a Border’s Bookstore. If you listen to the lyrics, they actually summarize Polk’s accomplishments perfectly.

By all accounts, Polk was one of the hardest working presidents we’ve ever had. He was a man of detail, and did not delegate. He worked himself so hard that it brought him to an early grave. As a president, we've had few finer. Only six, in fact.

Pros:
• Lowered tariffs
• Re-established the independent treasury
• Settled the Oregon dispute with Britain
• Successfully fought the Mexican War, securing Texas and gaining all of the Southwest United States, including California
• Set four distinct goals and accomplished them all within one term

Cons:
• None