Presidential Role Model
Monday February 21, 2022

On President’s Day weekend, let us commemorate the record of the best president in US history: John Tyler.
A random poll of Americans would draw mostly puzzled looks at the name, but according to Independent Institute Senior Fellow Ivan Eland, in his 2009 ranking of the presidents, Recarving Rushmore, this 10th US president has the strongest record upholding Peace, Prosperity, and Liberty.
On the prosperity front, Tyler vetoed both the attempt to revive the national bank, and a bill to raise tariffs. His efforts for peace included ending “the longest and bloodiest Indian war in US history,” and cutting the number of troops in the US Army by 33%. He also chose not to respond militarily to both an internal rebellion in Rhode Island, and to a border dispute with Canada, both of which were instead resolved peacefully.
But what of those presidents whose birthdays morphed in “Presidents Day”—Washington and Lincoln—or these two plus one usually ranked as “Greats:” Washington, Lincoln, and FDR?
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