Teddy Roosevelt in IMO.
George Washington, a very close if not tied second.

What do you guys think.

I'll let you know when he shows up. . .

For now, I'll give Regan a vote.

Teddy Roosevelt, the original neo con, and a true conservationist.

Oh, sorry I forgot about Reagan.

He turned this country around too...

Jefferson Davis

Neck in neck for me between the three mentioned. I'd give a slight edge to Washington the reluctant politician.

r/s

Dan

It's a coin toss between Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan

It depends.  Washington was the man who could have been King of the United States.  Yet, he chose to be an elected servant.  On the other hand, there were other Presidents who would be King.  Lincoln actually waged war against democratically elected governments and was responsible for radical changes in our government.  Some believe it was a War he had to wage, and that the changes were unavoidable if the coun try were to be a viable republic.  I'm sure many citizens would herald Abraham Lincoln as the greatest President.  Franklin Delano Roosevelt steered the country through the Great Depression and World War 2.  However you feel about the New Deal, his Presidency must be given respect.  Doubtless, many would vote for him.

Unfortunately, John F Kennedy's name often arises in such conversations.  After all, his Adminstration was heralded as "Camelot."  In fact, he was no King Arthur.  He won election by fraud and deceit.  Both Illinois and Texas had rampant voter fraud, and Kennedy's campaign over a "missile gap" was a lie.  The United States had a missile advantage over the USSR until the Cuban Missile Crisis convinced the Soviets that they must build up their nuclear forces so they would never have to back down again.  Still, he had his moments, such as his visit to Berlin.  Kennedy definitely was not one of the better Presidents.

Reagan pandered to victim's rights groups and signed into law a gun control bill which banned civilian ownership of automatic weapons, although they had not been a problem.  he engaged the United States into Lebanon, then retreated after destruction of a barracks and massive loss of life.  It was a show of weakness which inspired Islamists.  Still, he had the backbone and vision to face down a declining Soviet Union, deploying Pershing Missiles in western Europe despite massive peace protests.  His must be one of the better Presidencies.

Teddy Roosevelt was a pulp fiction President.  What did he accomplish, other than to split the Republican Party and let Woodrow Wilson get elected?  Wilson led the US into a War which otherwise would have stalemated into a brokered peace.  The infamous Treaty of Versailles, which led to the rise of Nationalist Socialism in Germany, can be directly attributed to American intervention in WW1.

Harry Truman guided the country through the final phases of WW2.  He was the man who said "the buck stops here," and indeed it did.  He made the decision of whether to drop the atomic bomb on Japan, not once, but twice.  He engaged communism in the Cold War with steely determination.  Truman is one of my favorites.  

Andrew Johnson is the Rodney Dangefield of Presidents.  He had one hell of a tough job.  The country was dominated by the Radical Republican, whose quest for vengence and conquest was not stilled by Appamatox.  His efforts to quell retribution and heal the country deserve study.

My vote?  George Washington, the President who steered the country down the road of democratically elected leaders.  None of the others could have accomplished that.  It's too bad we haven't followed his warnings about foreign alliances, etc.

Quoted: Reagan pandered to victim's rights groups and signed into law a gun control bill which banned civilian ownership of automatic weapons, although they had not been a problem.

The law of which you speak, FOPA '86, rolled back quite a few abuses introduced in GCA '68. We can once again import a wide varity of surplus rifles and pistols, as well as ammunition, and ammunition can now be purchased via mail order. This is way more significant than the ability to register new MGs for all but a few wealthy hobby shooters.

Further, the Democrats are the ones who tacked on the MG ban, and the NRA continued to support FOPA after tha ban was added. And I, for one, think that that was the correct decision.

Quoted: . . . Still, he had the backbone and vision to face down a declining Soviet Union, deploying Pershing Missiles in western Europe despite massive peace protests.  His must be one of the better Presidencies.

The idea that the USSR was declining seems clear now, but it wasn't so clear in 1980. In fact, Reagan publicaly said we should engage the USSR in an arms race and bankrupt their system as early as 1963--about the same time John Kennith Galbrieth was saying that the USSR's economic system was superior and would eventually prevail.

www.reason.com/0311/cr.gg.the.shtml

Quoted: Teddy Roosevelt was a pulp fiction President.  What did he accomplish, other than to split the Republican Party and let Woodrow Wilson get elected? Wilson led the US into a War which otherwise would have stalemated into a brokered peace.  The infamous Treaty of Versailles, which led to the rise of Nationalist Socialism in Germany, can be directly attributed to American intervention in WW1.

Some interesting points on Teddy's & Wilson's foreign policy:

www.reason.com/0306/cr.mm.teddy.shtml

Quoted: Harry Truman guided the country through the final phases of WW2.  He was the man who said "the buck stops here," and indeed it did.  He made the decision of whether to drop the atomic bomb on Japan, not once, but twice.  He engaged communism in the Cold War with steely determination.  Truman is one of my favorites.

He also stated that the decision to use the bomb in Korea was one for the army! And it wasn't like he brought us to any real success against the communists.

And Stalin saw him as weak.

How about Grover Cleveland?

www.mises.org/freemarket_detail.asp?control=141&sortorder=articledate

I think it was Cleveland who said, when presented with some sort of relief bill for a natural disaster that struck Texas: "The great state of Texas supports the United States, but the United States doesn't support Texas". Then he vetoed the bill.

washington, he turned down the offer to be king, what other president would do that?

Abraham Lincoln

And he's GW Bush's favorite president too.

Quoted: Quoted: How about Grover Cleveland? I think he was just fat.

He was also perhaps the last one who hasn't tread on the Constitution.

I will say "Honest Abe" Lincoln.  He ended slavery, fought so we could win the Civil War, was a champion debator and also went from rags to riches as well.  

Washington.  The more I read about him, the more I admire him.  He saved the remainder of Braddock's Army after it was defeated.  He held together some pretty sorry soldiers who were the US Army and kept it together during most trying times.  He was a true servant of the people.  He had a noble bearing that would shame today's politicians.

Lincoln is another good one.  Had he not been assassinated, the reunification would have been a lot less better for the South.   He led the US through its second most difficult period in history.

Modernly, I like Truman.  Why?  He dropped the bomb - twice.