Joe Biden is an example of a politician who changed when he represented a different constituency. I never had any use for him when he was a senator from Delaware. In fact I pretty much loathed him. The way he treated Anita Hill, the way he prioritized credit card companies over ordinary people. I … Continue reading The Presidents – No 46 Joe Biden 2021 –

I think the Former Guy is well enough known that I don’t have to repeat that he didn’t receive a majority of the popular vote and it was the stupid electoral college—that outdated holdover from the founding of our nation—that put him into office. I really hate it when I hear people say that he … Continue reading The Presidents – No 45 Donald Trump 2017 – 2021

He gave a speech and Democrats creamed all over themselves. He was going to save the world. He was going to transcend politics. He was going to—  Unless you lived through that insane period you can’t believe the nonsense otherwise sensible people were spouting about what Barack Obama was going to do. My sister couldn’t … Continue reading The Presidents – No 44 Barack Obama 2009 – 2017

When Bill Clinton picked Al Gore as his Vice-Presidential running mate, Frank Scott and I had one of our disagreements. Frank thought it made no sense because Gore didn’t bring anything different to the ticket, whereas I thought it was brilliant because for once both the nominees were on the same page. If Clinton became … Continue reading The Presidents – No 43 George Bush Junior 2001 – 2009

Here we have another case of a governor with no federal experience running for president. When will they ever learn? I’m talking about both the egomaniacs who run for office who aren’t prepared to deal with Washington politics, as well as the voters who put them there. That’s a rhetorical question, of course. They’ll never … Continue reading The Presidents – No 42 Bill Clinton 1993 – 2001

We have Senior Bush to thank for Clarence Thomas, arguably the worst and most cynical nomination to the Supreme Court. That alone is enough to sink him in my book. But wait.  Shouldn't I give him credit for pushing through the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990?  Yes, I should, and that was a huge … Continue reading The Presidents – No 41 George Bush Senior 1989 – 1993

In Robert Heinlein’s novel Stranger in a Strange Land he depicted a world leader whose wife routinely consults an astrologer, and then manipulates her weak husband to do whatever the astrologer told her to do. When I read the novel in 1962, I thought that was one of the most outrageous ideas I had ever encountered, … Continue reading The Presidents – No 40 Ronald Reagan 1981 – 1989

  I’ll say it right off the bat. Jimmy Carter is a decent man. In fact, he’s probably been the best ex-president that we’ve ever had. But oh, what a mess his term in office was. I’ll also say at the start that while as far as I'm concerned his religion was his own business, … Continue reading The Presidents – No 39 Jimmy Carter 1977 – 1981

He pardoned a criminal before he could be brought to trial, thereby setting a terrible precedent. Supposedly he was a decent man who did it for what he thought was the good of the country. Maybe so, or maybe it was really a genuine Corrupt Bargain. Whatever. It was the wrong thing to do.   … Continue reading The Presidents – No 38 Gerald Ford 1974 – 1977