Firstly, from a non-partisan standpoint, February is technically not the best month since more US presidents were born in October (six) versus the four on this month. When I was growing up in IL, there was no such holiday, we and KY celebrated Lincoln’s birthday by getting a day off from school every 12th. State employees too! The whole nation would observe Washington’s birthday on the 22nd or maybe whichever Monday was closest. The governments (state and Federal) consolidated these together to save money or something in the Eighties. I think it failed. Friends back in IL said they still get Lincoln’s b-day off. Personally, I suspect the Republicans pushed this because St. Reagan’s is in February as well and ever since he was inaugurated in 1981, they’ve been canonizing him as if he belongs on Mt. Rushmore, our currency and in the same breath whenever you mention the ones who were truly great. Meanwhile, they’re quiet about the other loser lumped in…William Harrison, you know, the guy who died in 30 days. He was also the oldest guy elected (68) until St. Reagan, Stonewall Jackass and then Grampa’ Brunch beat it. They had reason for concern in 1841 since few people lived past 70 and they weren’t always in the best shape. I’d say it’s not any different 120 years later.
Anyway, as you can see in their tweet, they couldn’t resist taking a cheap shot while lacking the self-awareness regarding the other eight choices surrounding Biden.
- Two rapists (Girth Vader, St. Reagan when he was prez of SAG)
- Two are drunks (Tricky Dick near the end of his days, Dubious)
- Five eco-terrorism enthusiasts (my term for golf)
- Five guilty of war crimes if put before the Hague
- Seven guilty of crimes against humanity (sadly, Honest Abe is one)
- Two placeholders that didn’t do much (Ike make the green in two, Coolidge)
- Five who pulled the US into brutal conflicts on bullshit intelligence
Why didn’t they go with some better choices? Lincoln gets a pass easily for being the first Republican prez, winner of the Civil War and using a clever legal maneuver to end slavery before the 13th Amendment. I would also give Coolidge slack for only one reason, he wasn’t keen on the racism growing within the GOP as he told another Republican to “cut the shit” on attacking a Black candidate running for office with their party. He also did a good job separating himself from the Harding administration’s Teapot Dome scandal and given what little the veep’s duties were in the Roaring Twenties, it probably wasn’t hard to prove his innocence.
Here are three Republicans I would like to recommend in place of the three most odious ones in the graphic (Tricky Dick, Dubious and Agent Orange Buffoon).
- Theodore Roosevelt: Despite his support for eugenics, he used his time to help end the Gilded Age and start our National Park system. He also ushered America into its salad days of becoming a world power.
- Ulysses S. Grant: He upheld the rights of Black Americans by sending the Army after the KKK. His only failing would be trusting others too much which led to a nasty recession. Grant’s reputation suffers courtesy of NeoConfederate lies.
- Chester A Arthur: He used the murder of Garfield to make civil service reform happen while pissing off his corrupt allies. His biggest sin? Signing some ugly immigration restrictions even though his father emigrated from Ireland.