Da Techguy's (no longer backup) Blog

By Christopher Harper

“Worst. President. Ever.”

That’s the engaging title of Robert Strauss’s biography of James Buchanan, who is generally considered among the most experienced politicians to reach the White House yet the perhaps the most dreadful leader of the country.

Buchanan may have some competition from the current incumbent of the White House.

Ironically, the two Democrats have many similarities.

Buchanan came from a small town near Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Joe Biden was born in nearby Scranton—a fact he repeatedly made during the 2020 election.

Buchanan spent much of his life in government service as a diplomat, U.S. senator, U.S. House representative, and president. In the U.S. Senate, he chaired the Judiciary Committee.

Biden, too, has spent much of his life in government and chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee.

As president from 1957 to 1861, Buchanan meddled in the decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the justices reach a terrible decision in the Dred Scott case that extended slavery before the Civil War.

Biden has advocated a makeover of the U.S. Supreme Court by either expanding the number of justices or nominating people because of their race and gender.

Only months after his inauguration, Buchanan oversaw one of the worst economic crises in the nation’s history.

The Panic of 1857 saw the collapse of 1,400 state banks and 5,000 businesses after a horrendous increase in inflation.

The Panic of 2022 may not see the collapse of banks because of subsequent federal laws, but many businesses have shut their doors under Biden’s economic oversight.

In a divided country between North and South, Buchanan made matters worse.

Biographer Jean Baker wrote in 2004: “He was that most dangerous of chief executives, a stubborn, mistaken ideologue whose principles held no room for compromise. His experience in government had only rendered him too self-confident to consider other views. In his betrayal of the national trust, Buchanan came closer to committing treason than any other president in American history.”

In a divided country between Democrat and Republican, Biden is making matters even worse.

Fortunately, Abraham Lincoln followed Buchanan into the White House.

I hope someone of such stature follows Biden.