THE MESSAGE:
Have the presidents of the USA served as the inspiration for the expression 'the good, the bad and the ugly'? A look at some of the presidential records, allegations and stories is presented for your consideration. In each case examples of the 3 concepts can de seen. I have included a table below that gives popularity rankings for some of the Presidents.
THE BLURB:
JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY #35
1961 to 1963
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was a fervent believer in containing communism. In his first speech on becoming president he made it clear that he would continue the policy of the former President, Dwight Eisenhower, and support the government of Diem in South Vietnam. Kennedy also made it plain that he agreed with the ‘Domino Theory’ and was convinced that if South Vietnam fell to communism, then other states in the region would follow suit. The war in Vietnam grew to be a huge problem that led to much protesting in the USA.
Kennedy became convinced that Diem could never unite South Vietnam and he agreed that the CIA should initiate a programme to overthrow him. A CIA operative, Lucien Conein, provided some South Vietnamese generals with $40,000 to overthrow Diem with the added guarantee that the US would not protect the South Vietnam leader. Diem was overthrown and killed in November 1963. Kennedy was assassinated three weeks later.
Marilyn Monroe was one of the most glamorous and sought-after stars of her time. After Marilyn performed a steamy rendition of "Happy Birthday" at JFK.s 45th birthday party in May 1962, rumors of an affair were propelled and have persisted throughout history. His rumoured affair with Marilyn Monroe has never been substantiated.
LYNDON B. JOHNSON #36
1963 to 1969
Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the nation’s 36th president on November 22, 1963, just after John F. Kennedy’s shocking assassination. Some conspiracy theorists believe that LBJ was in someway involved in the assassination. Kennedy’s death and the numerous investigations that followed were simultaneously some of the most secretive and public events in modern history. In the Texas motorcade, LBJ's car was the third, not directly, behind Kennedy's. Was this a safety precaution?
One witness observed LBJ ducking down in his car before any shots were fired.
Johnson’s influence had been limited as vice president, as Kennedy’s advisers, his brother and attorney general Robert Kennedy, made sure to keep him on the sidelines during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Although Johnson was a member of the group convened to advise the president, he was excluded from the meeting at which the final decision about the American response was made.
He would manage the difficult transition that followed with calm and courage. His mandate saw the passage of sweeping civil rights legislation and the creation of major social programs like Medicare, Medicaid, Head Start and food stamps.
On November 27, 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson addressed a joint session of Congress, calling on them to honour the martyred Kennedy’s memory by passing the major civil rights bill that was stalled in congressional committees.
RICHARD NIXON #37
1969 to 1974,
The creation of the Environmental Protection Act, the passage of the Endangered Species Act, and the integration of Southern public schools happened during his presidency. Nixon's administration saw the end of the military draft and the beginning of the Apollo program, which successfully landed Americans on the Moon.
Nixon's primary focus while in office was on foreign affairs. His achievements included altering the nature of the Cold War, by signing the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and SALT I, two landmark arms control treaties with the Soviet Union.
Nixon was caught up in the Watergate scandal and the U.S. Congress began its case against him. Faced with impeachment and a possible criminal indictment, Nixon resigned on Aug. 9, 1974 and retreated to his native California. The following month he was granted a pardon by President Gerald Ford. He remains the only president to ever resign from office.
RONALD REAGAN #40
1981 to 1989
Historians said the world was headed into a communist era but Reagan believed in America and freedom. He ended the Cold War, referred to the Soviet Union as the "evil empire." and convinced the Russians to "tear down the Berlin Wall".
Reagan was determined to keep the Russians out of Central America and provided support for the opposition forces (Contras) in Nicaragua to stave off the communist influence.
In order to provide money for the Nicaraguan Contras, that were fighting to overthrow their socialist government, the Reagan administration engaged in covert arms sales to Iran. The resulting Iran–Contra affair led to the conviction or resignation of several administration officials.
The CIA allegedly became involved in cocaine trafficking during the Reagan years. These claims have led to investigations by the United States government, including hearings and reports by the United States House of Representatives, the Senate, the Department of Justice, and the CIA's Office of the Inspector General. The subject remains controversial.
A 1986 investigation by a sub-committee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee found that the Contra drug links included payments to drug traffickers, by the U.S. State Department.
Charges of CIA involvement in Contra cocaine trafficking were revealed in a newspaper series by reporter Gary Webb in the San Jose Mercury News. He claimed that the trafficking had played an important role in the creation of the crack cocaine drug problem in the United States and particularly amongst the black communities of Southern California. Webb's series led to three federal investigations, none of which found evidence of any conspiracy by the CIA or its employees to bring drugs into the United States.
G H W BUSH (Poppy) #41
1989 to 1993
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Bush postponed his university studies and enlisted in the U.S. Navy on his 18th birthday. After the war and his graduation from Yale U. in 1948, he moved his family to West Texas and entered the oil business. He became a millionaire at age 40 in 1964. Bush was elected to the House of Representatives in 1966. In 1971, President Richard Nixon appointed him Ambassador to the United Nations, and in 1973, he became the Chairman of the Republican National Committee. He moved on to appointments as Ambassador to China and as head of the Central Intelligence Agency.
In 1980 Bush ran for president but was defeated in the primaries by Ronald Reagan. Some critics warned of the dangerous precedent in elevating someone (Bush) who had led the CIA, with its legacy of dark secrets and covert plots, blackmail and murder, to become involved in the United States government. In spite of the criticisms, Reagan appointed Bush as his running mate for Vice President.
It is rumoured that Poppy was involved in the assassination of JFK for the following reasons.- Although he does not recall when asked, George (Herbert Walker) Bush was in Dallas the day JFK was assassinated.
- Bush lies about the fact that he was a high-ranking CIA official at the time of JFK's death.
- Bush allowed the escape of a convicted terrorist from prison to go to work for him as an undercover CIA asset in Iran-Contra.
- Bush had released another convicted terrorist.
- Both these terrorists were present on Dealey Plaza on 11/22/1963.
BILL CLINTON #42
1993 to 2001
During Clinton’s time in the White House, America enjoyed an era of peace and prosperity, marked by low unemployment, declining crime rates and a budget surplus. Clinton appointed a number of women and minorities to top government posts, including Janet Reno, the first female U.S. attorney general, and Madeleine Albright, the first female U.S. secretary of state.
In 1998, the United States achieved its first federal budget surplus in three decades (the final two years of Clinton’s presidency also resulted in budget surpluses). In 2000, the president signed legislation establishing permanent normal trade relations with China. Additionally, the Clinton administration helped broker a peace accord in Northern Ireland in 1998. That same year, America launched air attacks against Iraq’s nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs. In 1999, the United States led a NATO effort to end ethnic cleansing in Kosovo.
Then there was The situation surrounding a relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
"Just four years ago, in an essay for a magazine, I wrote the following: 'Sure, my boss took advantage of me; however, I will always remain firm on this point: it was a consensual relationship. Any 'abuse' came in the aftermath, when I was made a scapegoat in order to protect his powerful position.' I now see how problematic it was that the two of us even got to a place where there was a question of consent. Instead, the road that led there was littered with inappropriate abuse of authority, station, and privilege," Lewinsky wrote. |
| Oh sh*t |
But allegations made by four other women that Clinton either sexually assaulted or harassed them have done little to discredit him among his supporters. Clinton has denied all of the allegations against him, including those made by the four other women who allege they had consensual extramarital relationships with him over the years. In 1998, the House of Representatives impeached Clinton on charges related to a sexual relationship he had with a White House intern. He was acquitted by the Senate.
GEORGE BUSH #43
2001 to 2009
When he took office, Bush pushed through a $1.3 trillion tax cut program and the No Child Left Behind Act, a major education bill. He also promoted the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act and faith-based welfare initiatives.
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Bush declared a global war on terrorism and, in October 2001, ordered an invasion of Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban, destroy al-Qaeda, and capture Osama bin Laden.
He signed into law the controversial Patriot Act in order to strengthen security and allow for greater surveillance. In 2003, Bush ordered an invasion of Iraq, asserting that Iraq possessed stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.
Bush's second term was highlighted by several free trade agreements and a strong push for offshore and domestic drilling. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq continued, and in 2007 he launched a surge of troops into Iraq.
Looking back at the catastrophe that was the Bush administration, many things are evident:
- the tragedy of the Iraq war
- the shame of Guantánamo and Abu Ghraib
- the erosion of civil liberties
- the damage to the economy
- A tax code that has become hideously biased in favor of the rich
- a national debt that is estimated to have grown 70% in his tenure as president
- a swelling cascade of mortgage defaults
- a record near-$850 billion trade deficit
- oil prices that were higher than ever before
- a terribly weak U.S.dollar
BARAK HUSSEIN OBAMA #44
209 to 2017
He has the highest rating, among Democratic supporters of the Democratic presidents; however, he has the lowest rating of any presidents from the opposition party and independents. Obama believes that diversity isn't about charity or political correctness, it's just common sense. He claims that is why his White House was scandal-free. "We didn't have a scandal that embarrassed us," he said. The former president admits that his team made mistakes; however, no massive screw-ups occurred.
Today Obama stresses that the 'MeToo' movement should be a top priority for companies to make women feel safe and respected at work. They should be given equal pay for equal work, and an effort should be made to actually listen to what they are saying. 
Barack Obama campaigned for the presidency on a platform of change. After eight years of Obama, the USA is undeniably different. His election had raised hopes that race relations in the U.S. would improve, especially among black voters. But by 2016, following a spate of high-profile Black deaths during encounters with police and public protests, many Americans, including blacks, described race relations as generally bad.
On the economic front, a steady hollowing of the middle class continued during Obama’s presidency, and income inequality reached its highest point since 1928.
Eight states and the District of Columbia legalized marijuana for recreational purposes, a legal shift accompanied by a striking reversal in public opinion: For the first time on record, a majority of Americans now support legalization of the drug.
In March of 2010, Obama signed into law the Affordable Care Act. Anywhere from 12 to 18 million Americans acquired health insurance who previously did not have coverage.
Other accomplishments of President Obama include the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010; American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012; ending the Iraqi War; and ordering the military operation that killed Osama bin Laden.
Obama was 27 when he met his future wife, Michelle LaVaughn Robinson.Another Harvard Law graduate, she was assigned as his mentor when he became a summer associate at the same corporate law firm she worked for. They married on October 3, 1992.
DONALD TRUMP #45
2017 to --
DONALD TRUMP #45
2017 to --
Trump was born and raised in Queens, New York City, and earned an economics degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He took over his family's real estate business in 1971 and expanded it to involve constructing and renovating skyscrapers, hotels, casinos, and golf courses.
 |
| Melania Trump |
Accomplishments to date:
- partially reversed the Cuban situation
- signed tax reform legislation which cut rates
- eliminated the Affordable Care Act insurance mandate
- called a protectionist because of his criticism of NAFTA
- opted out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact
- opted out of the Paris Agreement on climate change
- pressured North Korea over the acceleration of their missile tests and nukes program
- pissed off a lot of women
- hated by the CNN panels of no-it-alls
- created a war with the media over 'Fake News'
- created controversy with his 'Tweets'
- makes racially charged statements
Gallup’s most recent weekly survey, conducted from Feb. 5 to 11, showed President Trump’s job approval rating among self-identified Republicans at 86 percent.
SurveyMonkey polling from the first week of February shows a similar pattern: 89 percent of Republicans said they approve of Trump’s handling of his job as president. And the number of Republicans who strongly approve, in the mid-50s fr much of last year, is now up to 61 percent.
- Trump is already the most successful U.S. president since Ronald Reagan
- The Canadian media has failed in its coverage of the biggest political news in the world in many years.
- It is distressing to read and listen to the nonsense in the Canadian media about Donald Trump.
THE QUESTION:
In time, will people act kindly to the Rule of Trump?
THE LEMON KICKER:
THE QUOTE:
THE CLIP:
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