This is in response to the Ron Paul thread where the author listed JFK as one of our great leaders. Can someone explain to me exactly what he did to be considered a great leader? Thanks.
Why is JFK considered a great leader?
Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by BaptistBarb, May 2, 2008.
Page 1 of 2
-
-
He was assasinated before he could really do our country damage.
Think about it, if "W" would have been assasinated between the 9/11 and the beginning of the Iraq war, he would have went down in history as a great president...
but a few yrs later, and look what happened. -
BTW, what harm would JFK had done if he had lived? -
Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
-
-
Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
-
2. He proposed a tax cut that was signed into law after his death.
3. He backed down the Soviet Union with the blockade of Cuba.
4. He became the First Catholic president of the USA. -
1. Great speech but does that make one a great leader?
2. Tax cuts are always good.
3. True but I have always felt that whole situation was a little over rated. Maybe I am missing something.
4. His religious status means nothing. -
I think that JFK is imbedded in the nation's memory because he was a photogenic president at a time when television ascended as the dominant medium as a source for news. For the generation alive at that time, he seems more important because the images of his life and his death are so ingrained in the memory. We all know that Washington and Lincoln were greater presidents, but we cannot image them in our minds because of the limits of photography in their day.
As the generation passes that was alive when he was president, the next generation will not have such an emotional attachment to the images of him and his actual accomplishments as president will play a greater role in his evaluation. When that happens his perceived greatness will recede. -
exscentric Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
"He backed down the Soviet Union with the blockade of Cuba."
I caught the middle of a tv commentary on this and it was indicated that he procrastinated almost to the point of allowing things to go too far.
However, I think that is the one thing that most blew his legacy up with. -
Thanks. -
Hardsheller noted some things Kennedy did, the best of which was to stand against the USSR during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and you made light of it.
People like you post a question acting like you want an honest answer when all you want is a platform to criticise. Therefore I, for one, will not feed your disingenuous request. -
Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
-
Started the Peace Corps
WWII Hero
Leadership by setting goal of sending a man to the moon and returning him safely to the earth
Faced down Nikita Krushchev during the Cuban Missile Crisis
Worked for civil rights for black Americans -
I think he was being cynical.
His point still stands. Most presidents get hammered the most in their last year of their term...particularly the two term presidents. Even popular (approval rating) presidents such as Reagan and Clinton slid their last year. Kennedy didn't live long enough to have to endure the tough year(s).
I would also propose that JFK was far more conservative than many in the democratic party now...he was far more conservative than his not-so-revered brother who continues to serve.
One more thing: Kennedy was idolized because he was followed by a dishonest dolt of a president. Except for the Civil Rights act, Johnson didn't to a thing right....that makes Kennedy look even better by comparison. -
Furthermore...he was the first photogenic, "celebrity" president...and Jackie helped a bunch there. That certainly didn't hurt the perception of him.
One other thing...in the first 120 years of our republic, we had several assassinations of presidents. When Kennedy was gunned down, the only people who would remember the previous assassination (McKinley) would have been in their nineties. Our country didn't know how to deal with it. (that is not meant to say because he was killed we view him unrealistically) -
He stood up to the joint chiefs when they wanted to kill their own citizens then blame it on Cuba for a pretext for war. He understood that the Federal Reserve is one of the biggest threats to our nation. He understood the CIA was engaged in false flag terrorism and wanted to end it. I think he also understood how misguided the American people were/are about their government's activities and he tried to warn us.
He was a real leader and American patriot because he bucked the established order with it's criminal enterprises and stood up for the common man. Imho.
We still have the established order with it's criminal enterprises but we no longer have JFK don't know what says to you but it seems pretty plain to me. We do have Ron Paul trying to warn us though and I think we're starting to listen now after all these years. -
When I was a teenager, I read Profiles in Courage, and thoroughly enjoyed and was fascinated by the heroes JFK wrote about. I still recommend it.
-
-
Committed adultery in office [if Clinton was a bad guy for that, so was he].
Bungled the Bay of Pigs invasion.
Did not get a major civil rights bill through Congress.
The cost/benefit analysis of sending men to the moon was enormously negative. We were the hare in that race, and haven't made much real
progress (considering 45 years) since.
But because of his assassination at such a young age for a president, he is attributed peace, progress, and civil rights, much of which were eventually achieved in honor of his delusional legacy. So maybe taking those bullets was the best thing he did for America, in that sense.
Page 1 of 2