Batbrony

My point that I emphasize with Lincoln is that he always defined anything he was doing, quite explicitly, as emergency actions never designed to continue in the longterm. That makes a huge difference, really. When Wilson or FDR took actions, they were trying to redefine the executive office entirely for the longterm. Lincoln wanted to preserve the Union while also preserving our political institutions as much as possible. And really, the presidency didn't change that much after the Ci...

Civil War, at least not until the Progressive Era, and Wilson refused to use Lincoln as an example because he understood his philosophy and hated it.

Washington, Lincoln, Coolidge, Kennedy and Reagan.

Washington didn't even want to be president.

Lincoln, I still look favorably on even though I disagree with some of his overreach.

Coolidge. The epitome of less federal intrusion.

JFK — the last honest Democrat (more probably a classic liberal).

Reagan — the Great Communicator.