Who had a more difficult presidency: George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan
- Thread starter Hongfan91
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Realpolitik
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Reagan. Reagan had the Cold War for starters, but Bush II was a kid who destroyed everything he was given. Even 9/11 could have turned to our advantage, sad to say.
Although I will say, Bush II showed a really good initial response to 9/11, and I always liked him having Thanksgiving with the soldiers.
Although I will say, Bush II showed a really good initial response to 9/11, and I always liked him having Thanksgiving with the soldiers.
So damn fucking true...Bush had tons of good will...and he pissed it all down the toilet afterwards...
Him invading Iraq was so dumb, to say the least...
In my opinion, I think it's Bush, but some, if not most of his problems were his fault. Such as Iraq, which would affect his presidency later, were as Ronald Reagan had created some problems, like arming the Mujaheddin or Reaganomics, which would come back to bite the US later, after his presidency.
Dubya, no doubt. Launched the War on Terror after the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history, had to deal with a not-so hot economy that took a nose dive his last few years, massive anti-Bush protesters, the incompetently run Iraq War and the fallout from invading it in the first place. Reagan pretty much loved every-minute of being President, I think the happiest Bush was in office was when he first left and when Obama became President.
Hard to tell.
Reagan came in with a lot on his plate, but there were some trends heading in the positive direction.
For Bush things seemed alright. but there was the economy slowing, the end of the to com bubble and beginning of the housing bubble, and the rumblings of terrorism. That being said, I think the worst case scenario for Reagan was much worse than for Bush, so I have to say Reagan
Reagan came in with a lot on his plate, but there were some trends heading in the positive direction.
For Bush things seemed alright. but there was the economy slowing, the end of the to com bubble and beginning of the housing bubble, and the rumblings of terrorism. That being said, I think the worst case scenario for Reagan was much worse than for Bush, so I have to say Reagan
Terrorists vs USSR
Given that Reagan had to deal with a collapsing superpower that posed an existential threat to the US and Bush had to deal with a bunch of guys in tents who, media hysteria notwithstanding, don't pose anything close to that level of threat...
I'm going to have to go with Reagan.
Given that Reagan had to deal with a collapsing superpower that posed an existential threat to the US and Bush had to deal with a bunch of guys in tents who, media hysteria notwithstanding, don't pose anything close to that level of threat...
I'm going to have to go with Reagan.
I see your ahem and raise you an http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_holocaust. Reagan spent his entire presidency under the shadow of this, and it nearly happened on more than one occasion thanks to Abel Archer, an ill advised joke, an arms race that could've easily escalated, and the general instability of the Soviet Union at the time. Any one of those could've led to an exchange that would've made 9/11 look like a miracle salvation compared to what would happen to the rest of the planet.
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Yeah, but Reagan and the US were prepared for such a potential contingency, and were on the offensive against the Sovs, from Day One.
Bush and the US were completely surprised by an ACTUAL surprise attack, and with the need to invade Afghanistan and the diffuse nature of Terrorism was going to have a hard time of it no matter what.
I voted Bush.
Considering that Bush got a memo titled 'OSAMA BIN LADIN DETERMINED TO ATTACK THE UNITED STATES' a full month before 9/11 I don't think he was all that surprised.
Paul V McNutt
Banned
I agree with you. 9/11 was a bigger crisis than anything Reagan had to deal with.