“Robert Spencer has applied a cogent, clearly-explained standard for rating the presidents: ‘How good were they for America?’ His rankings are consistent, fair, and in my view, appropriate (we might differ strongly about Old Hickory, whom I think was a long-term disaster for the United States, but that’s just me). No list that has anyone but Washington as number one should ever be considered, and appropriately that’s where Spencer has him. Likewise, Lincoln rates a ten as ‘great for America.’ Agree with his ratings or not, no one can say that Spencer has been flippant or casual in his effort to portray all presidents in light of the single issue of how they made America greater.” —Larry Schweikart, author of A Patriot’s History of the United States and Reagan: The American President
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JS says
A 10 for Lincoln? Professor Tom J DiLorenzo, author of ‘Lincoln Unmasked’ and ‘The Real Lincoln’ would like a word with you.
Something to consider: the Founders created the union in order to prevent a civil war, Lincoln started a civil war in order to preserve the union.
gravenimage says
Lincoln saved the Union and freed the slaves, bringing the promise of America to its realization.
DiLorenzo condemns Lincoln on the basis that he did not come out for full racial equality–something that even the greatest abolitionists rarely did–so this is ahistoric claptrap.
Meanwhile, DiLorenzo himself has lauded the Confederacy and their efforts to maintain enslaving their victims. Just appalling.
DiLorenzo has strong links with the League of the South, where he lectured. They are a white surpemacist, neo-Confederate group that has claimed that Blacks were better off enslaved. They have celebrated John Wilkes Booth’s assassination of Abraham Lincoln,
JS says
Yes, he violated the reason why the Founders created the union in the first place: to prevent a civil war. I don’t understand how you don’t understand this.
gravenimage says
The idea that the only purpose of the founding of the United States was preventing a civil war is a *very* odd claim.
gravenimage says
“A cogent, clearly-explained standard for rating the presidents: ‘How good were they for America?’”
…………….
This is the only real yardstick for leaders.