Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Elected president in what Jefferson called the Revolution of 1800, he oversaw a peaceful transition in power, purchased the vast Louisiana Territory from France (1803), and sent the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806) to explore the new west. His second term was beset with troubles at home, such as the failed treason trial of his former Vice President Aaron Burr, and escalating trouble with Britain. Jefferson always distrusted Britain as a threat to American values. With Britain at war with Napoleon, he tried aggressive economic warfare; however, his embargo laws did more damage to American trade and the economy, and provoked a furious reaction in the Northeast. In the past, Jefferson has often been rated in scholarly surveys as one of the greatest U.S. presidents, though since the mid-twentieth century, historians have increasingly criticized him, particularly on the issue of slavery.

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

After opposing the expansion of slavery in the United States in his campaign debates and speeches,[1] Lincoln secured the Republican nomination and was elected president in 1860. Before Lincoln took office in March, seven southern slave states declared their secession and formed the Confederacy. When war began with the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, Lincoln concentrated on both the military and political dimensions of the war effort, seeking to reunify the nation. He vigorously exercised unprecedented war powers, including the arrest and detention without trial of thousands of suspected secessionists. He prevented British recognition of the Confederacy by skillfully handling the Trent affair late in 1861. His efforts toward abolition include issuing his Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and encouraging Congress to propose what would become the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Lincoln closely supervised the war effort, especially the selection of top generals, including commanding general Ulysses S. Grant. He brought leaders of various factions of his party into his cabinet and pressured them to cooperate. Under his leadership, the Union set up a naval blockade that shut down the South's normal trade, took control of the border slave states at the start of the war, gained control communications with gunboats on the southern river systems, and tried repeatedly to capture the Confederate capital at Richmond. Each time a general failed, Lincoln substituted another until finally Grant succeeded in 1865. An exceptionally astute politician deeply involved with power issues in each state, he reached out to War Democrats and managed his own re-election in the 1864 presidential election.

As the leader of the moderate faction of the Republican party, Lincoln found his policies and personality were "blasted from all sides": Radical Republicans demanded harsher treatment of the South, War Democrats desired more compromise, Copperheads despised him, and irreconcilable secessionists plotted his death.[2] Politically, Lincoln fought back with patronage, by pitting his opponents against each other, and by appealing to the American people with his powers of oratory.[3] His Gettysburg Address of 1863 became the most quoted speech in American history.[4] It was an iconic statement of America's dedication to the principles of nationalism, equal rights, liberty, and democracy. At the close of the war, Lincoln held a moderate view of Reconstruction, seeking to reunite the nation speedily through a policy of generous reconciliation in the face of lingering and bitter divisiveness. But six days after the surrender of Confederate commanding general Robert E. Lee, Lincoln was assassinated by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre.

Originally Posted by grizy

I misclicked and voted for Jefferson. Abe should take this down IMO. Other than the Louisiana Purchase, Jefferson really didn't do much good for the country as POTUS.

Before and after his presidency though, he did a whole lot of things that continue to shape our lives today.

Originally Posted by General Tsao

TJ pardoned those arrested under Alien & Sedition Acts and also didn't send a conscripted army to murder other Americans, so I voted for him.

Originally Posted by Turn Prophet

Jefferson was an amazing American overall, but as President, he has to be one of the most consistently overrated, because he has relatively few accomplishments to his name, and a lot of really bad long-term policy.

Originally Posted by Turn Prophet

Jefferson was an amazing American overall, but as President, he has to be one of the most consistently overrated, because he has relatively few accomplishments to his name, and a lot of really bad long-term policy.

Originally Posted by Turn Prophet

Jefferson's economic policy would never pass muster with any of the libertarian/conservative types here.

Jefferson defended slavery, Lincoln ended it. About that simple IMO. Cue up the next "oh the poor Confederacy!" discussion.

Jefferson was an amazing American overall, but as President, he has to be one of the most consistently overrated, because he has relatively few accomplishments to his name, and a lot of really bad long-term policy.

Originally Posted by mrbaseball

Jefferson is one of our worst presidents and easily the most overrated. He peaked way before he was ever president or even secretary of state. He was a slimy, political weasel and exactly the wrong man for the times. Back then we needed a strong central government and he was against that. He had huge falling out with Washington and Hamilton who were the "right" men for the time.

But we could use him now as the central (Federal) government has gotten out of control. "He who governs least, governs best". But during his time that was a bad strategy. As Hamilton predicted, Jefferson liked the power once he got it and did some positive things like the Louisiana purchase but other than that his presidency was uninspired and especially second term as he pretty much just quit and lame ducked it.

I personally have him ranked as one of the bottom 10 presidents ever. Lincoln is easily a top 5.

Originally Posted by Vecernicek

Gotta vote for Honest Abe, because he put a stop to those Southern barbarians who were enslaving/killing human beings and attacking and murdering their fellow Americans.

Originally Posted by Mayo

HABEAS CORPUS THO.

Yes, I am voting for Lincoln throughout for this reason. I guess I will just never understand this mindset that many libertarians in this forum (and elsewhere) have where they can argue so passionately and eloquently for personal freedom, but they don't appreciate the fact that Lincoln freed 4,000,000 damn people from slavery. Not metaphorical Ayn Rand crap, but actual literal bondage with manacles and whippings and the whole bit.

I get that people don't like the habeas corpus stuff with Lincoln. I don't like it either. I get that people don't like the assertion that states don't have the right to secede. I definitely get that people think the cost of the war in terms of lives lost on both sides was too high. But, to me, all of that pales in comparison to the millions of people liberated. And it just seems to me that libertarians should be all over that.

Whatever.

EDIT: None of this is to say that I have anything against Jefferson, though I'm not a big expert on him.

Originally Posted by joeyDizzle

-had the same plan for black people after the war that the Nazis originally had for Jewish people in Europe - ship them all off to somewhere else