Who was worse as president- Obama or Trump?

[shocky192]

Obama

Trump

[nightdrot]

This I write as a Republican who has worked in Washington, DC - mostly Capitol Hill - since the late 1980s. So take it for what it is worth. However, the answer is former President Trump.

Not because Mr. Trump's policies were especially consequential. In fact, neither President Obama nor President Trump was a particularly consequential figure viewed with any historical perspective.

In the case of Mr. Obama, he left no particularly lasting legacy. His singular policy success was Obamacare. However, that has proved in time to be far less than anticipated measured in terms of access to care. More to the point, it fell far short of what Mr. Obama had hoped to achieve - specifically a British style "cradle to grave" health care for all system. This notwithstanding that Mr. Obama had a Democrat controlled Congress through the key phases of his presidency.

Further, much has been made of the fact that, in terms of style, Mr. Obama was the first African-American President. While it his true that his personal approval rating - as against his job approval rating - stayed reasonably high throughout his tenure, it had no enduring effect. This best seen in the current rancid state of race relations.

As to Mr. Trump, he is a populist and had no really specific policy agenda. He tended to support an array of random policies that were popular in the moment but largely forgettable - and have largely been forgotten.

Indeed, good populist that he is, in the space of a year, Mr. Trump has gone from pro-life to mildly pro-choice and back to pro-life again. The old line applies: "I'm a man of no convictions. At least I think I am."

In foreign policy, Mr. Trump lacked any broad strategic vision. However, he tended to be tactically brilliant. Thus, while American interests were not really advanced, Trump managed, for example, to keep Russia and China divided from each other. Trump had no vision in the tradition of Henry Kissinger, but his business instincts served the nation well enough.

However, neither man really set the tone of their times, but Mr. Trump played to the nation's worst populist instincts. The result has been a destructive politics and a rancid culture from which it may take decades to recover and the effect of that has been - and will continue to be - a vicious and unhealthy politics.

Mr. Obama inherited the basically mild tone of the Reagan-era - an era that lasted until the advent of the Trump presidency. There were divisions - often heated ones - but on the whole the national mood was mild and tolerant.

(It may be recalled the cartoon that came out during Reagan's tenure:

A pollster asks a voter what he thinks of Reagan's policies. The voter angrily replies: X#$%#$%!!!

The same pollster asks the same voter what he thinks of Reagan personally. The voter replies: "Oh great guy!! Really like him!! Friendly!! Affable!!!")

Reagan calmed the social waters after the turbulent 1960s and 70s, improved the economy in the bargain and won the Cold War. He achieved a 71% job approval rating that neither Mr. Obama, let alone Mr. Trump, ever managed.

Mr. Obama did not impact the social mood much one way or the other. Indeed, although he could be somewhat sanctimonious. On the whole, he did not leave much of a mark even in the African-American community.

Mr. Trump, on the other hand, represented the end of the Reagan era. He roiled the social waters and, to the extent that he had singular policy achievements, they have largely been forgotten in a deluge of vitriol and bitterness.

In that sense, Mr. Trump left the nation worse off than he found it. To be sure, Mr. Trump is, in many ways, a symptom and not the cause of his times. Still, he did nothing, good populist that he is, to influence the public toward its' better nature.

Suffice to add that the differences between Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump could measured with a micrometer. It being astonishing that this is the choice the nation seems happy to make notwithstanding that it is largely a distinction without a difference.

[Anonymous]

Trump of course. Divided the country, turned us into the laughingstock of the world, incapable of caring about anyone other than himself, pathological liar, whiny and thin-skinned, spent all day watching tv and tweeting instead of doing his job. It goes on.

[FunkyMonkee]

And then, you woke up!

[Agape93]

Trump. Obama wasn't laughed at on international television by every other foreign delegation. You know you suck when even the Germans laugh at you.

[JeffersonA]

Hated opinion... The new guy!

Both those did what they thought was for the better of the country.

This new guy is not doing good for the country.

[FunkyMonkee]

Another stupid question!! BARRY, OF COURSE!!

[gothbxtch]

trump, obviously.

[chicken_nugget24]

Trump 1000%

[PurpleiPad]

Obama 1000%

[mommymommymommy]

Trump, by far

[SmokinAces2000]

Trump