Buck Off

Yes, the Elbert Smith biography is in the University of Kansas presidential series. Elegantly written, interpretively dull and unoriginal. Saying James Buchanan is a poor president is like saying "disco sucks." It's a historical cliche. You want to be original, say something intellectually stimulating, and [gasp] move our collective historical understanding ahead a few steps? Reconsider the Old Public Functionary and make a case that his presidency (1857-1861) had real achievements.

That he fought a bad economy entirely out of his control, in the face of a Congress disinterested in balanced budgets or adequate revenues.

That his position in the Lecompton Crisis was not a fanatical one but entirely reasonable -- see for example the work of David Meerse and, of course, Phil Klein's biography.

That his administration's aggressive campaign against the illegal slave trade was remarkably successful, in the midst of Southern radicals' calls to reopen that trade. What was that about "being in the pocket" of pro-slavery Southrons?

That the Covode Investigations (you really, really have to be a US history enthusiast to know THIS) were largely a politically motivated witch hunt by Republicans; and considering the Republican state corruption in the late 1850s and Simon Cameron's crookedness under Lincoln, to say nothing of war-profiteering, pointing fingers at JB is a real laugh.

That his actions during the secession crisis were understandable considering the options open to him -- Lincoln refused to give him any support and stayed mum as the country went to hell (remarkably like FDR sat on his hands while Hoover struggled in the winter of 1932-1933) -- Republicans refused to pass a Force Bill similar to that given to Andrew Jackson in 1832-1833, which puts Buck's reasoning (essentially secession is illegal but I can't do anything to stop it) in a new light -- Republicans refused to consider any compromise measures that might avoid war -- Republicans even believed that war would never happen, so hey, why compromise? We won, didn't we? (sound familiar, by the way?) -- and then Lincoln followed Buchanan's policy on Fort Sumter EXACTLY TO THE LETTER when he became president in March 1861.

Buchanan bad, Lincoln good...did you know that JFK was wonderful too? And so was FDR? And that Nixon was a crook?

[Yawn] ... where's my glass of wine?