Who is seen as a ‘bad guy’ in history but was actually ok?

He didnt start another war but bombed more and spent more...

Can't disagree with you there.

But you can agree that Trumps presidency was in hindsight wayy worse than a status quo democrat presidency right?

I'm gonna prevaricate, because I'm honestly not sure. I think he was middling as far as presidents go. He said and did some stupid things, and did himself no favours. I'm not convinced he outright encouraged the capitol whatever-it-was (certainly Dems have outright and explicitly said worse than 'go fight'), but nor do I think his post-election shenanigans helped. But on the other hand, the media was caught out in outright lies about things the man said ('very fine people' as a good example, as is the lab leak theory, as is the 'he tear gassed protesters for a photo op' message). He did bungle covid, inasmuch as most other western nations did, too. So he's no fucking saint. But on the flip side, it's undeniable that, before covid, the US economy was the best it had been in at leasat a generation, and according to BLS, poc employment was the best it had ever been.

So I don't think he was the fascist autocrat he was made out to be (he had the opportunity in Feb/Mar of 2020 when people were screaming at him to do it, and could have easily declared martial law on the blm whatever-they-were/'free' zones last year). But nor is he God's gift to politics. I think we're still a little bit too close to things (and things maybe still to come) to have a true sort of impartial ranking. His fans will continue to be his fans, and his detractors will continue to do so. We'll see where things stand in a decade or so.

Ditto for Biden, by the way. I have some concerns about the job openings vs. jobless claim numbers, and I'm really worried about the debt he's planning to run up, and I'm not convinced he'll make it the full 4 years (nor am I at all excited for a Harris presidency). But I can't really say right now how he's doing. I could be completely wrong and everything he does works out for the best. Or my concerns could be founded, and the US is in for some sort of serious consequences. We'll see what the next 3 years brings.

/r/AskReddit Thread Parent