Forums → WEPR → James K. Polk: The Greatest President of All Time
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I don't want to hear your Washington's, your FDR's, your Eisenhower's or your Lincoln's, 11th President of the United States, James K. Polk, was the greatest man to ever lead the young Republic.
Let's talk about the first things the citizens of the USA, circa 1844, learned about what Polk would do during his term.
Polk put down few goals key to the success of the nation, all in a little list.
1. He would make the then-independent Republic of Texas part of the Union
2. He would add California and New Mexico the the Union
3. He would add the Oregon Territory to the nation
4. The tariff would be severely lowered
5. All above would be completed in one term
Everything above was completed in his four years, along with him overseeing the opening of the U.S. Naval Academy, giving the OK on the construction of the Washington Monument, and issued the first American postal stamps.
Let's go into detail, shall we?
At this point in 1845, the British Empire was the dominant global force. With land on every continent (excluding Antarctica) the English-speaking empire was noted as unusual for its recent global "cleansing" of slavery. It also had a weird relationship with its previous colony, the USA. They were on the right track towards the Special Relationship, but not quite.
The British co-owned the Oregon Country, land that stretched from Oregon to British Columbia, with the US, yet the former had a considerable more settlers in the region. Polk mustered his strength, called for a meeting with Queen Victoria, and demanded the entire territory be given to the United States.
Imagine a country like Germany demanding Puerto Rico from the US today, and you'll get the picture. It would be a long, bloody war, the third within the span of 100 years that no one really wanted, so Polk got what he actually wanted, to expand the already straight border of the US and the Dominion of Canada.
one down, three to go.
In 1846, he finally lowered the tariff to next-to-nothing, to great praise.
These are going by fast...
And so we meet the dual, adding Texas, California and New Mexico to the Union.
The Empire of Mexico was led by a maniac, and was within spitting distance of similarities to Facist Germany's policies. The people in Texas were forced to be Catholic, speak Spanish, and pay taxes to the Emperor of Mexico. The Southern Americans that moved into the new land were okay with the taxes, but no one tells an American how to live his life! When Mexico banned slavery, Texas revolted, and became its own country. Annexing the territory was controversial in the United States, it would surely mean war with the 2nd largest force in the Americas, and for nearly ten years, The Republic of Texas waited.
So swings in our hero Polk, who annexed the country. The Mexicans quickly closed their embassy in Washington, and the US army prepared for war. What followed was the greatest war America ever fought, it may had not had the greatest of outcomes in terms of where it left the nation, but in terms of execution, skill of the Generals, and overall technological superiority, America left the war with land that would become California, Oregon, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Arizona.
It is also worth noting that had California (who in term revolted and made its own Republic a month or so before the Americans came in and annexed it) revolted on its own and stayed an independent country, it would have the 6th largest economy in 2011.
And so ends the presidency of Polk, the greatest man to ever enter the White House. Even though he was begged for a second term, he declined humbly. In a surprising twist, it seems as if he was born to be President, as after 3 months out of the White house, he died of cholera. The man did his duty to his country and left it a hero.
So, discuss! Am I flawed in my reasoning, or do you agree that Polk deserves his Chilly Title as Greatest President?
-Chillz
- 27 Replies
Yes, the reasons may not always be very good, but there is always a reason.
stupid BULLSH!T. how ignorand can you be? ow wait nothing can be more ignorand as americans. thats why the most stupid reasons are seen for normale in the usa.
bounce of f*cked up people thats all you are.
It's just different bits from it. I know who he is but we haven't learned a thing about him. I'm honours in history, so i'll go with the third :P
Honours... Europeans and their freaky spelling.
learn your own history please. usa did start 26 wars after ww2.
So instead of actually defending your viewpoint, you chose to tell me to try to find evidence of the crap you refuse to defend. Instead of proving what you mean, your only proof is that I should take your word for it. What a load of crap. I think I've learned quite enough history, I just find it sad that your best argument is that you choose to whine and repeat the things you've said before when someone confronts your information instead of actually defending your views in question.
Yes, the reasons may not always be very good, but there is always a reason.
Of course there is a reason. The interpretation of whether the reason is good or not is entirely up to the person that is studying the outcomes of the war.
stupid BULLSH!T. how ignorand can you be? ow wait nothing can be more ignorand as americans. thats why the most stupid reasons are seen for normale in the usa.
bounce of f*cked up people thats all you are
This is why this does not make any sense. It is not stupid, nor is it an act of ignorance. In fact, in terms of War, Americans are the least ignorant people out of any other. Not only are we asked to help out from different sides, but we are leading factors in military operations through organizations such as the UN and NATO. This is not the result of an ignorant and/or stupid society, you're just a jerk that is very pacifist. There's nothing wrong with being pacifist, but you seem to think that all America is about is starting wars to kill people, and all of our ideas to defend the wars are actually reasons for our ignorance.
Chill out.
what does it matter if i'm going to defend that on a site like this?
what does it matter if i can make 1 american see how f*cked up his country is? there is still millions more f*cktards left in the usa that do not want to know their own history. (only the good parts ofcours)
i have no need here to keep talking about this. especialy not because this topic is actualy about befor ww2 when the usa was a normale and good country as any other.
usa started 26 wars in 65 years since THE END of ww2
Name them or they didnt happen.
i'm referencing the horrors that our troops faced down there
In mexico? We kinda kicked donkey down there.
I won't argue about Polk, he did do a remarkable amount during his Presidency, but the greatest American president without question is Jefferson. Without Jefferson by the way, Polk would have had much much less to work with.
i'm referencing the horrors that our troops faced down there
disease was rampant. the civil war could have been very different if officers weren't keeling over left and right.
disease was rampant. the civil war could have been very different if officers weren't keeling over left and right.
Ah I thought you meant the mexican war. Yeah surgery was an ugly business and sanitation was low but I dont see how it could have been avoided.
Ah I thought you meant the mexican war.
He did. He was pointing out that a lot of the good leaders who would've done well in the CW died in the MW.
Washington was the greatest president of all time
I adore Washington and everything he stands for, but AS A PRESIDENT he only has two notable features.
1. Setting many presidential "recedents" that many leaders of the USA would come to follow (being called Mr. President, two terms, smart Cabinet, VP becoming P, etc.)
2. He gave up power when it was time for Adams to run the country. Before, when a nation revolted and tried to start a democratic government, the first leader would maintain power through military means. Washington was on very good terms with the military, he could have easily administered himself King of America and threaten to burn any state that got in his way (much like Jackson threatened to do to South Carolina years later) but he didn't he did the right thing and gave up power to the next man. It was a huge slap in the face to Britain, who thought our nation would fail quickly, but we continued and subsequently succeeded, and never stopped.
Of course, if we're accounting the actions Washington employed BEFORE Presidency into a list called "Greatest Americans," then he's at the top.
-Chillz
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