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Which US President was most significant? (Heat 5)

This poll is closed

Which US President was most significant? (Heat 5)

George H W Bush0%

Donald Trump24%

George Washington41%

Harry Truman35%

John Tyler0%

Total votes: 17

Saracen's Fez

20

TSR is asking the question: Which US President was the most significant?

We're holding a tournament of US Presidents and asking you to vote to determine which was the most significant in history. We are currently in the heats of this tournament, and this is Heat 5.

All the other heats are linked at the bottom of this post, and there's a hub thread here if you're interested in reading more. :smile:

In Heat 5 are:

George HW Bush (R, 1989–1993)
George Herbert Walker Bush (1924–2018) was a Texas oil magnate before entering politics. He was Ronald Regan's vice-president before succeeding Reagan, and was elected on a platform of 'red my lips: no new taxes', a promise that he failed to keep. Bush oversaw the end of the Cold War, including the reunification of Germany and the breakup of the Soviet Union, followed by the Gulf War, liberating Kuwait from the Iraqi invasion. In a recession and having raised taxes, Bush failed to beat Bill Clinton and win re-election, famously because 'it's the economy, stupid'.

Donald Trump (R, 2017–2021)
Also known at thicc orange, Donald John Trump (1946–) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States. Born and raised in Queens, New York City, Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor's degree in 1968. He became president of his father Fred Trump's real estate business in 1971 and renamed it The Trump Organization. Trump expanded the company's operations to building and renovating skyscrapers, hotels, casinos, and golf courses. He later started various side ventures, mostly by licensing his name. From 2004 to 2015, he co-produced and hosted the reality television series The Apprentice. Trump and his businesses have been involved in more than 4,000 state and federal legal actions, including six bankruptcies.

George Washington (Ind, 1789–1797)
George Washington (1732–1799) was the first US President and the namesake of the state of Washington, and the national capital. Washington was a general during the American Revolutionary War and then took up the presidency during the birth of the USA. Every president since has been in this man's legacy.

Harry Truman (D, 1945-1953)
Harry S Truman (1884–1972) served as a senator for the state of Missouri before becoming president, Truman served as vice-president before becoming the president after the death of Roosevelt but won of his own accord in 1948. Truman is perhaps known for implemting the Marshall Plan and the Berlin Airlift, the rebuilding of Europe after WW2 and submitting the first civil rights legislation. However his intervention in the Korean War did not gain congressional aprroval and his popularity fell, while alleged corruption caused his polls to fall. Despite this, several landmarks occured during his tenure, such as the atomic bomb, China becoming communist and Israel becoming a state.

John Tyler (Ind, 1841-45)
John Tyler (1790–1862) was vice-president under William Henry Harrison until he died a month into his term, he set the precedent of the vice president taking the office of president in the event of the sitting president's death, which has happened 7 times since. Believing that only the president should set policy, he fell out with Congress and was expelled from the Whig party. He is perhaps best known now for having (at time of writing) a living grandchild.

Once you have decided, please vote in the poll attached to the thread. This poll will close on 13th February. The top three presidents will move through to the semi-finals, with an extra spot for the most popular president outside the top three.

If you like this idea and want to see more from the History forum. Let us know by posting in this thread.

P.S. Don't forget to check out the polls for the other heats here:

Heat 1
Heat 2
Heat 3
Heat 4
Heat 5

(edited 2 years ago)

John Tyler having a living grandson is WILD.

Reply 2

AngryJellyfish

Chat Forum Helper, Entertainment Forum Helper

18

#1 for #1

Original post by Sandtrooper

John Tyler having a living grandson is WILD.

It really is!

Reply 3

04MR17

Volunteer Section Leader

22

I'm going to play the dangerous game of assuming that Washington will cruise through this, and back camp Truman since I feel Harry is responsible for the frostiness in US foreign policy in the 1940s. Causing future decades of tension.

Reply 4

Napp

22

I'm inclined top go with Truman to be honest, simply due to the effect on the cold war and thus modern life. Washington being an important historical figure but thats it really, from my perspective he has little influence in the modern world outside of the odd mention about foundation of the nation.

Reply 5

Mesopotamian…

21

Original post by Napp

I'm inclined top go with Truman to be honest, simply due to the effect on the cold war and thus modern life. Washington being an important historical figure but thats it really, from my perspective he has little influence in the modern world outside of the odd mention about foundation of the nation.

Agree with this, these were more or less my thoughts.

Reply 6

Saracen's Fez

OP

20

Initially I voted Truman just to try and stop Washington getting all the votes and it causing issues with who goes through, but as a devotee of Konrad Adenauer, the social market economy and the Western liberal alliance I feel like I made a good choice! :yep:

Reply 7

Sinnoh

22

Original post by 04MR17

I'm going to play the dangerous game of assuming that Washington will cruise through this, and back camp Truman since I feel Harry is responsible for the frostiness in US foreign policy in the 1940s. Causing future decades of tension.

Ah yes the ol' "this one is going to win anyway so I'll vote for just whoever" and then...

Reply 8

Starship Trooper

15

Obviously Washington is the most significant as he founded the country.

Truman (perhaps tied with FDR) is the Most significant of the 20th century.

Trump is the most significant of the 21st century and depending on what happens on the future has the possibility of being the most significant ever.

Truman marks probably as the point where the US became fully corrupt and Trump's marks the point people became increasingly aware of it - with the Trump presidency in many ways being a people's revolt against that.

But I think it's too soon to say really. Anyway I chose Trump because I'm an optimist.

Screenshot_2022-01-06-10-39-39-90_92b64b2a7aa6eb3771ed6e18d0029815.jpg

Screenshot_2022-01-06-10-39-39-90_92b64b2a7aa6eb3771ed6e18d0029815.jpg

Reply 9

Starship Trooper

15

Pre Trump, the most significant* presidents of the last 100 years would probably be

1: Truman
2: FDR
3: GW Bush

(All in these 3 cases for the worse)

Reply 10

04MR17

Volunteer Section Leader

22

Original post by Starship Trooper

Obviously Washington is the most significant as he founded the country.

Truman (perhaps tied with FDR) is the Most significant of the 20th century.

Trump is the most significant of the 21st century and depending on what happens on the future has the possibility of being the most significant ever.

Truman marks probably as the point where the US became fully corrupt and Trump's marks the point people became increasingly aware of it - with the Trump presidency in many ways being a people's revolt against that.

But I think it's too soon to say really. Anyway I chose Trump because I'm an optimist.

Screenshot_2022-01-06-10-39-39-90_92b64b2a7aa6eb3771ed6e18d0029815.jpg

You may have a hard time convincing eople that Trump's administration was anti corruption.

Reply 11

Starship Trooper

15

Original post by 04MR17

You may have a hard time convincing eople that Trump's administration was anti corruption.

I'm not even saying it was really. I'm more talking about his rhetoric in terms of "draining the swamp" and beginning to lay out how corrupt the system is in its totality. Not just the democrats, but the gop, the media, the Intelligence agencies, big tech...

Of course, Nixon did this too to some extent but not too Trump's level. In many regards the Trump admin was a failure in large respects (although I'm very sympathetic)

What makes Trump significant is what he represented and what he may still represent which is the greatest threat to the current status quo/ elite in a lifetime. If as I expect, he wins in 2024 the consequences will shape the direction of the country (for the better in my view) for the next century.