John F. Kennedy

APSA Presidential Greatness Poll: Top 10 Presidents In 2024 Survey

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The American Political Science Association Presidential Greatness project has published its findings, just in time for Presidents’ Day today.

This is the first in a number of days of discussion of the results.

The top 10 Presidents in the Survey demonstrates the rise of Democratic Presidents, who now number five of the group—with Franklin D. Roosevelt as number 2, behind Abraham Lincoln, surpassing George Washington who is now number 3; Harry Truman remaining number 6; Barack Obama amazingly rising to number 7, the highest he has been on any Presidential scholarly survey; and Lyndon B. Johnson surpassing John F. Kennedy, with Johnson number 9 and Kennedy number 10.

Additionally in the top ten is Truman successor Dwight D. Eisenhower as number 8, making five presidents in a row from FDR through LBJ part of the top ten.

Theodore Roosevelt as number 4 and Thomas Jefferson as number 5 remain consistently in their positions in the top 10.

So besides five Democrats in the top 10, there are three Republicans (Lincoln, TR, Ike), along with Federalist George Washington and Democratic-Republican Jefferson.

Presidential Inauguration History Since 1937

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The 20th Amendment to the Constitution established January every four years since 1937 as Presidential Inauguration Day.

So there have been a total of 22 Inauguration Days on January 20 since 87 years ago.

This includes historic inaugurations, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama—the most dynamic and memorable such moments.

Today also marks three years of the Joe Biden Presidency, with the next inauguration precisely a year from today, falling on a Monday.

Let us hope that the next Presidential Inauguration will occur after a peaceful election and transition!

Supreme Court Could Be Repealing The 20th Century In Challenge To 1984 Chevron Case Decision

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Conservative right wing groups are now attempting to repeal the 20th century concept of federal government regulation of the environment, financial markets, public health, and the workplace, in a challenge to the Chevron USA vs National Resources Defense Council case of 1984, decided by a unanimmous 6 member court of Republicans and conservatives.

The decision was written by Associate Justice John Paul Stevens, and agreed with by Chief Justice Warren Burger, and Associate Justices William Brennan, Lewis Powell, Harry Blackmun, and Byron White. All but White were appointed by Republican Presidents. And three Justices did not participate, Sandra Day O’Connor, William Rehnquist, and Thurgood Marshall, with only Marshall appointed by a Democratic President.

So the Court of 1984 had SEVEN Republican appointments, but reasonable Justices, as compared to the present Supreme Court of six Republican appointments.

So the case now being considered is an attempt to wipe out the federal regulatory state–in effect wiping out the Progressive Era of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson; the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt and followup by Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy; the Great Society of Lyndon B. Johnson, and followup by Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton; and the commitment to further reforms by Barack Obama and Joe Biden! Notice that Richard Nixon is included with this list of Democratic Presidents who promoted federal regulation and reforms, the one Republican, who despite his shortcomings, actually added to federal regulation!

We are at a turning point, where our federal government could be weakened and go back as far as the Gilded Age of the late 19th century by an extremist Supreme Court. This is a constitutional crisis of massive proportions, and puts American democracy at risk!

Donald Trump’s Threat To Utilize The Insurrection Act Of 1792 To Establish A Military Dictatorship

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Hard to believe, but a law passed under George Washington in 1792 to promote a stable American Republic could destroy the Republic under a demagogue such as Donald Trump 233 years later in 2025 if Trump is able to regain the Presidency a year from now!

The purpose of the law was to overcome internal rebellion, best exemplified by the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania in 1794, but also used by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War; by Presidents Rutherford B. Hayes and Grover Cleveland in labor disputes; by Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy to promote Southern integration of schools during the Civil Rights Era ; and by President George H. W. Bush during the Los Angeles riots in 1992.

It is NOT designed to crack down on legal, constitutional right of dissent, including marches, demonstrations, and other displays of nonviolent action, but Trump has stated he would promote mass arrests and deportations upon taking the oath of office on January 20, 2025!

Something must be done to prevent such an outrageous movement toward Fascism, and the destruction of the Bill of Rights, and the first step would be to insure that Donald Trump never gets near the Oval Office again!

60th Anniversary Of JFK Assassination: It Still Reverberates Through America!

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It is now 60 years, six decades, three generations, since our youngest elected President, John F. Kennedy, was taken from us by the tragedy of political assassination.

No event has so affected American history as much as this horrifying bloodshed, since the Abraham Lincoln Assassination a century earlier.

The impact of this assassination changed the course of the future of American history, mostly in a negative fashion, including the assassination of his brother, Robert Kennedy, less than five years after the shocking event of November 22, 1963!

This author and blogger wrote on these assassinations in his book–ASSASSINATIONS, THREATS, AND THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY: FROM ANDREW JACKSON TO BARACK OBAMA, Rowman Littlefield, 2015, Paperback Edition 2017–well recommended to all who read my blog and this entry!

One Year To Presidential Election Of 2024, And Joe Biden Looks In Bad Shape!

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With one year to the Presidential Election Of 2024, President Joe Biden looks in bad shape, based on a New York Times-Siena College poll.

According to the poll, Donald Trump is ahead of Joe Biden in five of six swing state—4 points in Pennsylvania; 5 points in Michigan and Arizona; 6 points in Georgia; 10 points in Nevada; and with Biden ahead of Trump in Wisconsin by 2 points.

These statistics are stunning and worrisome, but one must realize that the history of polling shows one year out is no judgment of what will occur on Election Day.

One year ahead, there were no predictions that Harry Truman would win a full term in 1948; or that John F. Kennedy would win in 1960; or Richard Nixon would win in 1968; or Jimmy Carter (an unknown) would win in 1976; or Ronald Reagan would win in 1980; or Bill Clinton would win in 1992; or George W. Bush would win in 2000; or that Barack Obama would win in 2008; or that Donald Trump would win in 2016.

Also, one must realize that never has a President lost reelection to an opponent he had first defeated since Benjamin Harrison lost reelection to Grover Cleveland in 1892.

And with Donald Trump likely to be convicted on some of the 91 charges over four indictments in the next year, to believe that he will be able to defeat the man who defeated him, for the first time in 132 years, is to be living in an era of delusion.

Assuming that the economy will continue to do better, and with international crises a major factor, the President in office is, historically, highly likely to win reelection, particularly against someone who represents chaos, corruption, and incompetence, and as a threat to the American democratic system and to international stability!

But it is also clear that the message and the efforts to reelect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and insure a Democratic controlled House of Representatives and Senate must move full scale ahead, as there is no time for any sense of relaxation about the future of the nation and the world at large!

From Danger Of Cuban Missile Crisis 1962 To Israel-Hamas War Crisis In 2023!

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Six decades ago, America and the world faced the news of the greatest crisis since World War II–the Cuban Missile Crisis under the Presidency of John F. Kennedy.

Now, the world faces the greatest crisis in the history of the Jewish people and the nation of Israel, the Hamas massacre of 1,400 Israelis and foreigners on October 7, the greatest loss of Jewish lives since the Holocaust 80 years ago!

It is also the equivalent of 14 September 11’s, as if more than 40,000 Americans had been killed!

The leadership of President Kennedy was a great strength then, and now the leadership of President Biden has been a great boost to the Israeli government, as it plans for an ultimate war that could become, potentially, a regional and world conflict. It could be as dangerous if not more so, than the Cuban Missile Crisis was 61 years ago!

There is also a growing threat to Jews around the world, including the United States, with all Jewish institutions on an alert for antisemitic statements and threats!

The Longevity Of Presidents Analyzed

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There is a lot of debate and discussion about Joe Biden’s age.

One needs to examine the history of Presidents and longevity.

In the 20th and 21st centuries, the time of modern America, 40 percent of Presidents (8) have had a short life span, as witness:

Theodore Roosevelt 60
William Howard Taft 72
Woodrow Wilson 67
Warren G. Harding 57
Calvin Coolidge 60
Franklin D. Roosevelt 63
John F. Kennedy 46
Lyndon B. Johnson 64

Other Presidents, 60 percent, (12), have had very long life spans, including

Herbert Hoover 90
Harry Truman 88
Dwight D. Eisenhower 78
Richard Nixon 81
Gerald Ford 93
Jimmy Carter 99 on the coming October 1
Ronald Reagan 93
George H W Bush 94
Bill Clinton 77 and counting
George W. Bush 77 and counting
Donald Trump 77 and counting
Joe Biden 81 on the coming November 20

Then, in a classification by himself, is Barack Obama (62), and seemingly in great health and physical shape!

My conclusion: Presidents and people in general are living longer and healthier, and one cannot deduce from the problems of Senator Diane Feinstein and Senator Mitch McConnell that President Joe Biden will be unable to finish his time in office.

But if, sadly, that becomes an issue, there is absolutly nothing wrong, and a lot very positive, about the ability of Vice President Kamala Harris to take over the Presidency.

When one considers Vice Presidents who succeeded their Presidents during a term, three of them—-Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Lyndon B. Johnson excelled—-while the other six who succeeded were far from outstanding.

But we managed to survive all of the time, and Kamala Harris is 59 years old, the general age of most Presidents upon taking office, and perfectly capable of being Chief Executive if an emergency arises!

Should There Be A Second Mount Rushmore, And Which Presidents?

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Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, constructed between 1927 and 1941, is world famous with 60 foot head sculptures of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.

Millions have visited Mount Rushmore, and there has been discussion at times about the concept of a second Mount Rushmore, although not clear where it would be, but likely location might be in Colorado in the Rocky Mountains, a massive undertaking if ever agreed upon to do!

The question beyond whether there should be a second such monument to four more Presidents is what Presidents should grace such a monument.

In this author’s and blogger’s view, the likely choices should be the following:

Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945)

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969)

John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)

Barack Obama (1961- )

FDR, Ike, and JFK have been seen as highly deserving, and Obama was a turning point, for sure, in Presidential history.

Not everyone would be contented with these choices, but it would seem that these four Presidents would make the best combination.

Joe Biden And The Kennedy Family Connection

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President Joe Biden has long had a close connection with the Kennedy family.

He and former Attorney General, NY US Senator, and 1968 Democratic Presidential contender Robert F. Kennedy share the same birthday 17 years apart—November 20—1925 and 1942.

Biden was a supporter of RFK in his 1968 run for the Presidency before his tragic assassination.

When Biden, newly elected to the US Senate from Delaware, lost his first wife and a daughter, and severe injuries to his two sons in December 1972, and was ready to give up the seat he had just won, Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy befriended him, and convinced him to be sworn in to the Senate from the hospital room of his two injured sons early in 1973.

The two men became fast friends and allies over the next 36 years in the Senate, until Ted Kennedy’s death in 2009, when Biden had just become Vice President.

Biden’s connection to the Kennedys was much more than Ted Kennedy, including other relatives, such as the widow of RFK, Ethel Kennedy, who lives on at age 95, and close to many other Kennedy relatives.

Biden has a bust of RFK on his desk, always photographed in any photo of Biden sitting at his White House desk.

Additionally, Biden has four Kennedy family members as part of his administration:

Caroline Kennedy, daughter of John F. Kennedy is Ambassador to Australia, after having been Ambassador to Japan under the Presidency of Barack Obama.

Joseph P. Kennedy III, former Massachusetts Congressman and grandson of RFK, is Special Envoy to Northern Ireland.

Victoria Reggie Kennedy, widow of Senator Ted Kennedy, is Ambassador to Austria.

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, formerly Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, is advisor on retirement in the US Department of Labor.

Sadly, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is running against President Biden for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2024, backed by Donald Trump acolytes, and spewing conspiracy theories about the COVID 19 Vaccines, and besmirching the great reputation of now retired White House Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci, who served every President since Ronald Reagan to Joe Biden.

His own family members have condemned him for his behavior, including John F. Kennedy grandson Jack Schlossberg (son of Caroline Kennedy); and it is a sad family tragedy, including for his mother, Ethel Kennedy, still surviving 55 years after her husband’s tragic assassination!