Have Presidents always been puppets

[TheKlown]

Or is it only the ones in recent history that seem like that they just read off teleprompters and don't write any of their own speeches.

[Prinzy2]

I would say at the very least that they are influenced by bigger powers such as corperations and incredably wealthy indivituals and families. Whether they are controlled by such powers and essentially a figurehead is up for debate.

[Ketzelkab]

I'm sure the presidents of the past would appear to be reading from teleprompters if they had teleprompters to read from.

[Thecrazyman]

At 6/19/12 06:36 PM, TheKlown wrote: Or is it only the ones in recent history that seem like that they just read off teleprompters and don't write any of their own speeches.

The President of the United States, or should I say The Great Chief of the United States isn't meant to be treated as a puppet to someone's own personal agenda, The Great Chief of the United States is only meant to serve to work for the American people by the needs of the American people.

Those who haven't come to realize this fact the easy way will come to realize this fact the hard way, especially once the two current Political Parties are out of power and new Political Parties (such as the Independents) are in power.

That said old leaders need to be replaced with new leaders, it is the way of democracy.

[Entice]

At 6/19/12 08:30 PM, Prinzy2 wrote: I would say at the very least that they are influenced by bigger powers such as corperations and incredably wealthy indivituals and families. Whether they are controlled by such powers and essentially a figurehead is up for debate.

There's also the influence of interest groups etc. which is an issue with Congress just as well as the president.

[Iron-Hampster]

Woodrow Wilson set the stage, but the puppet show didn't really kick off until the cold war.

[BB-7]

The only good President after John F. Kennedy was Bill Clinton.

No.

[Camarohusky]

Not sure about puppet presidents, but George W Bush might have been a muppet.

[Ericho]

At 6/19/12 11:30 PM, Camarohusky wrote: Not sure about puppet presidents, but George W Bush might have been a muppet.

Well, he certainly made us laugh enough to be called a muppet. I heard most Presidents were pretty strong on their own until about World War I with Wilson as someone else mentioned.

[Warforger]

At 6/19/12 06:36 PM, TheKlown wrote: Or is it only the ones in recent history that seem like that they just read off teleprompters and don't write any of their own speeches.

So all a President has to do is read speeches.

At 6/19/12 10:11 PM, BB-7 wrote: The only good President after John F. Kennedy was Bill Clinton.

No.

John F. Kennedy wasn't even that great, aside from the Cuban missile crisis he didn't do anything, Johnson however did everything JFK wanted to do and more.

[ZJ]

At 6/20/12 05:31 PM, Warforger wrote:

At 6/19/12 10:11 PM, BB-7 wrote: The only good President after John F. Kennedy was Bill Clinton.

No.

John F. Kennedy wasn't even that great, aside from the Cuban missile crisis he didn't do anything, Johnson however did everything JFK wanted to do and more.

Even that "supposed greatness" can be brought into question. Was it a great thing that Lyndon B. Johnson's "Great Society" introduced Medicare, which has helped drain this country of tons of money as more and more Americans are growing old enough to be eligible for beneits and taking out more than what they put in?

[Camarohusky]

At 6/24/12 05:12 AM, ZJ wrote: Even that "supposed greatness" can be brought into question. Was it a great thing that Lyndon B. Johnson's "Great Society" introduced Medicare, which has helped drain this country of tons of money as more and more Americans are growing old enough to be eligible for beneits and taking out more than what they put in?

Aside from your "a tiny piece of my money is more important than others' health." attitude and Medicare, LBJ championed the civil rights act of 1964 and provided vital federal support for the civil rights movement. Without that Federal support it is very much likely the Civil Rights movement would have been much less sucessful.

[DoctorStrongbad]

Obama could be a puppet. It would explain why he is doing such a bad job.