I feel all dirty after having scrolled through that.
6 Likes
Also it’s unfair to compare any modern Republican to one of the most effective Democrats ever.
Not mine, I’m afraid, but I can’t remember who I stole it from now 
2 Likes
Is there any point asking for statistics in regard how different presidents “performed”?
I know it is next to impossible to find any metric and methodology, but as a scientist, I cannot not ask the question.
2 Likes
Do you want to be a political philosopher, or do you want to be a political scientist ? It’s up to you, really, but if you wish to join the modern age, you’re going to have to learn principal component analysis.
A recent Trump statement on this: “Somebody put out the concept of a 100-day plan…” It wasn’t him! It was “somebody”! It’s like when he says something obviously wrong and he gets called on it - “somebody” gave him those statistics! He can’t be held liable for proposals or statements he makes! That’s unreasonable!
5 Likes
Isn’t some of it up for debate, with regards to one’s political views, how a president “performed”?
I guess you could go by the metric of how many laws they signed in their first 100 days, and how much of that was part of their campaign platform, and if those policies were initiated by the president (meaning he helped to craft and champion the law through congress). You could also look at how popular the president was during and right after their first 100 days. But, for example, people who dislike Reagan and his policies are not going to see whatever he did as “good”, most likely. Same with FDR, too. Many (especially modern) republicans are going to reject his first 100 days as having performed well (and will more likely characterize it as over reach or outright authoritarianism).
I’d guess that political scientists have metrics for these things. A historian is making different judgements that are often less down to stats and metrics, instead trying to look at the whole picture, if that makes sense.
But if you’re asking me if I HAVE those stats or where to get them I don’t, but I bet you can find them online somewhere or you can find a book about them.
5 Likes
I can do a PCA even on paper, if I must. And I know it isn’t the right tool to compare this kind of data.
I am a biologist. Our middle name is " don’t care much about violated assumptions". But political data? Fuck me, how anyone can do proper statistics with it is quite mysterious. 
PCA. I beg you.
That was indeed the core of my question. I assumed that you, as a historian, might have had looked into this already, thus also my kind-of-apologetic “I know it’s more complicated than that”.
It’s an interesting question, this comparison, and if I can find the time this week I might dig into it a bit. =)
1 Like
[Darrow–Do you think the earth was made in six days?
Bryan–Not six days of 24 hours.
Darrow–Doesn’t it say so?
Bryan–No, sir.](http://www.beliefnet.com/news/science-religion/1999/12/clarence-darrows-examination-of-william-jennings-bryan-at-the-1925-scopes-trial.aspx?p=2)
He did get into a big truck and parp the horn.
He’s offended a whole lot of American allies.
He’s broken all sorts of anti-corruption rules.
He’s taken nepotism to new levels.
He got several court slap downs in record time.
He settled his Trump University fraud.
Who said he’s not done much?
7 Likes
I do agree it’s an interesting question. But Presidential history isn’t my thing, honestly. Plus, you’d be much more likely to find those answers in a political science book perhaps, as they tend to be much more into stats and such.
If you find anything interesting, please report back! That might be useful to include in my course work, actually.
2 Likes
Obama should go there and roast him again!
3 Likes
Yeah, but Mango Pol Pot won’t be there.
1 Like
Here is a bit of history on the 100 days and indeed, it stated with FDR, who managed to get a shit ton done and makes everyone else look lazy:
1 Like
FDR had four terms to do his first one hundred days.
Trump will probably have less than one.
How did they cheat?
At the risk of ruining your pithy rejoinder, it’s North Carolina.
Do I get my pendant now?
2 Likes
Yes, true enough. But he also did more in his first 100 days that many presidents do in 8 years.
Right. North Carolina.
Had he just stuck with “SCOTUS” I would have known what he was talking about.
