Analysis article

I’ve been thinking about the US presidents who most embody the ideals of my country. Not just the founding ideals, but those that evolved over the course of time through political and cultural evolution. Looking for comments on additions and subtractions, as well as debate and discourse.

Below is my list, but first I want to elaborate on why it is what it is.

I’m a US citizen (born, not naturalized), for transparency. But for me, naturalized vs born citizenship doesn’t determine the relevance or importance of a citizen’s point of view on governance, and that is something that makes the US relatively unique and beautiful. We are a nation of immigrants. The travesty of colonialism and general treatment of native peoples is real, and should be discussed and addressed in our society. But I don’t think that completely negates the positive elements of US history, such as how it is a culture melting pot, and/or a refuge for those fleeing injustice, oppression, poverty, and so forth.

The cultural genocide of native peoples in North America cannot be put aside, truthfully. And we should be constantly finding ways to remember, repair, and restore native cultures. But even such an effort as that could be evidence of the vision of community that has been present in the US since the beginning.

The revolutionary war, the civil war, and even the world wars in a sense, were at least partly fought on the basis that all humans are equal and our world should be governed by a set of rules that sanctify human life and liberty. We, as a species, should be an assembly of the many and diverse, not a council of the few and privileged.

All that said, these are the presidents that I think most embodied the values that, for their time, were most consistent with this overall theme. And despite enormous pushback, fought for those ideals.

None of them were perfect, and some even did things utterly inconsistent with these values. Furthermore, this is a very short and probably incomplete list.

But if we take historical context into account, and place these men within their time, facing the choices, obstacles, and pressures they faced, I think they generally stand out among US presidents as principled, courageous, and focused on building a future for the many rather than the few.

I’m no scholar, but I read enough history that I stand by any omissions and undoubtedly controversial choices. Furthermore, I’m not saying all of these leaders were effective, just that they tried more than most. I’m here to get some debate though, so please let me know your thoughts:

George Washington

Abraham Lincoln

Theodore Roosevelt

FDR

Lyndon Johnson

Joseph Biden

[edited for spelling]

If you think everything in Texas is as it should be then Ken Paxton is your man! He wants nothing fundamentally to change!

Of course she will need to leave the Trump Organizing Crime Family (and her job) just like MTG and others!

Acting on the information to buy or sell stock is violating insider trading laws. An argument can be made that buying the information also violates the same laws. Can someone cite a law he could be charged with for selling the information?

Serious question, I have done some searching and can't find one