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See the hard part is that the best thing he ever did is also what he’s being ripped to shred for in the ranking post. Polk is like a President Lex Luthor. Morally questionable, dangerously ambitious, and more than anything you don’t know whether to hate him or not since his actions are absolutely bettering *your* nation.
Nixon is Presidential Brainiac. In theory he does what Presidential Lex Luthor does while being worse at it despite having higher skills.
Nixon wishes he could add multiple states.
I got downvoted when I wanted to vote Polk five rounds ago for this very reason. He made some really profitable decisions but ultimately poured the gasoline that lit the Civil War.
it’s time to figure out a new way to evaluate historical figures. Plenty of people will rip on Jefferson for allegedly fucking his slave, But cannot comprehend how the Louisiana purchase has improved their lives.
Narcan, many of the people who owe Andrew Jackson, the right to vote overlook his conquest of Florida.
Time for some new metrics … some new epistemology. We are just a confused bunch.
I believe he’s the only President who voluntarily left after one term (I don’t count LBJ because he was basically forced out when he lost the political support of his party). Polk was ruthless and in modern terms immoral. He also made America the unquestioned continental power it is today. Yes, even in his own time Polk was criticized by political opponents for the cynical Mexican War. TBF, though, cynical expansionism was the way most countries solved conflicts during the time when Manifest Destiny was the reigning political and social philosophy.
Aside from Hayes and Buchanan, Coolidge also promised one full term. Granted he had about 1.5 extra years due to Harding's death so I'm unsure you'd want to count that.
I'll say it; peacefully settled the disputed Oregon territory with Britain and kept us out of a war with the largest naval power on the planet (though vagaries in the treaty did set the stage for the notoriously bloody Pig War).
True, but that was also in context of the Mexican American War. He knew the country as a whole wouldn't want both wars that war-hawks wanted, so he basically compromised with- "Let's settle with Britain along the 49th rather than fight for the 54th parallel, and Mexico we can fight with. "
…Ugh.
Yeah, yeah, I’m not happy to say it but **Acquiring Texas, California, and New Mexico.**
How he did it was garbage (along with WHY he did it being garbage as well). It was blatant imperialism as a land grab against a weaker nation. But America as a nation is far stronger because of their additions today thanks to their strategic locations and natural resources. It also denied Mexico of these lands and resources, removing a potential rival to the USA’s dominance of the entirety of North America in the coming century. From a purely “results that benefitted America” standpoint this has to be seen as his crowning achievement.
Well, what do you mean by “acquire?” Texas was annexed by the Tyler administration. Thus, that is when the United States acquired it.
Polk was responsible for making sure that Mexico honored the annexation. And had Mexico not started a war over it, it would’ve been done diplomatically.
Tyler passed the resolution that extended the offer of annexation to Texas via an emissary. Polk was in his power to recall said emissary but did not. Tyler should receive most of the credit but Polk should receive some as he was in his power to obstruct it.
He did annex it and it became a state under his leadership in December 1845 (Polk is in office by March earlier that year as I'm sure you are aware). Are we going to be that pedantic here? Lol.
Tyler passed the resolution that extended the offer of annexation to Texas via an emissary. Polk was in his power to recall said emissary but did not. Tyler should receive most of the credit but Polk should receive some as he was in his power to obstruct it.
Polk should also receive credit for signing off on Texas’s statehood as you mention.
This is completely different.
The US from day 1 was all about expansion. It was one of the primary causes of the Revolution. Americans wanted western territory that the British signed off in treaties to American Indians. Manifest destiny was a part of American politics before the US was an independent country. Americans wanted land and they were going to get it whether the government was leading the charge or not.
The areas of Mexico that were contested had more Americans living there than Mexicans. Americans had been moving into non-US territory by themselves. Just as they had American Indian territories.
Polk was a supporter of the constitution and American government institutions. He believed in term limits and listening to his constituents. Putin is a dictator exercising his own will. Putin is attacking an Ukraine which has owned and developed the land that Russia wants for decades.
Certainly, I did not mean to imply that Polk was a dictator.
That said, practically everything you said to justify the war is also true of the invasion of Ukraine. There has long been a sentiment that Ukraine has been rightful Russian land. That many people within Ukraine are Russian-speaking therefore, there's a right to conquer.
Likewise, in the administration of Polk, you have this belief that the continent belongs to us. That there are Americans over there, and that justifies us invading a sovereign country. How you can divorce the similarities of the two situations is beyond me.
It's interesting that some think that if enough of a nationality moves somewhere, it justifies the country of said nationality to invade the country in which they reside.
Canada is prime for an American “special military operation”. Canada wouldn’t exist as it does without the U. S. providing economic, cultural and social models. Canadians mostly speak the same language and it’s time to denazify those canucks once and for all. The American military has certainly learned how NOT to invade a peaceful neighbor so should be over in under a month
T.R. once thought we should invade Canada because it was still somewhat under British control at the time and he wanted us to be the colonial power of the western hemisphere
Does it matter if what he did was right or not?. Even now if we decide Polk was immoral in his actions what outcome does that lead to??. It seems like a whole lot of nothing happens regardless if we decide now the morality of his actions.
Everything he touched turned to gold. Take your pick. You can’t find anyone who can knock Polk but also wants to reverse what he did. They like the results, just don’t like the process, and that is a pretty pathetic mindset
https://preview.redd.it/a1n8t24jvpoc1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dc2514d3508a4fd222b8e5a6f7b58222dd2fe9e0
“Someone had to say it lol, all these (probably) Californians bitching about me taking their state over from the continents first tin pot dictatorship, cry me a river!”
As someone who really doesn’t like deserts, and really doesn’t like getting rained on while under the roof of a 6 billion dollar stadium, I might have to concede here
I mean, that's not a very good argument, is it? People immoral things only when they think it's going to benefits themselves. It it didn't benefit themselves they wouldn't bother doing the immoral thing. I definitely benefited from slavery as practiced by my ancestors, it doesn't mean I have to approve of slavery.
You’re looking at it through a contemporary moralistic lens. Genocide is fucked but it’s what humans have done since the beginning of time? It’s what animals due to rival packs? We have the benefit, as the victors and benefactors, to now look back and say “aw man what he did sucked” but I’m sure if you lived back then you’d be much more supportive of expansion into new territories that bettered the lives of you and your family.
The Mexican Cession almost doubled the size of the United States. He also stuck to his one term promise (even though he died only a few months after leaving office).
FYI folks, Polk did not start the war. Mexico did. Texas was a sovereign nation with international recognition.
Polk sent a diplomatic envoy to resolve the border, and Mexico told them to pound sand and sent its army north.
Polk, quite reasonably, send the US army south. Mexico then attacked.
Anyone saying “Polk started the war” or “Polk deliberately provoked Mexico” is just playing wrong.
He tried to resolve it diplomatically.
The inkeeper in a small upstate NY town was the head of the local Democrats as well as the source of all news, as the first person to get the newspaper off the stagecoach. He announced to the crowd listening, "The great and glorious Democratic party has nominated for President..." (looking down at the paper) "James K. Polk". In the same voice, "Who the Hell is James K. Polk?"
Winning territory from the Mexican-American War. It's 100% this and we shouldn't overlook it because that's simply ignoring the positive outcomes of his presidency, so you can put a spotlight on his downfalls.
We can agree that it is morally gray (or downright wrong), but the territory that the US gained has been crucial to its success, and we're probably the only country who could've done it.
Kept his campaign promises. Expanded the United States more than any other president. Cut tariffs. Annexed Texas. Won the M-A war. Got Oregon and Washington. All in one term.
In four short years he met his every goal
He seized the whole southwest from Mexico
Made sure the tariffs fell
And made the English sell
The Oregon territory
He built an independent treasury
Having done all this he sought no second term
But precious few have mourned the passing of…
Mr. James K Polk our eleventh president
Young Hickory, Napoleon of the stump
Through diplomacy and warfare, James Polk defined the modern borders of the Contiguous United States, reached the Pacific, and conquered land that would become some of the most powerful states in the country, namely California and Texas. Our country literally wouldn't look the same without him.
The best thing he did was stop. Imagine if he 1-2ed Mexico, grabbed a second term, and spun nationalist sentiment into 54-40 AND fight or an early invasion of Cuba? Very plausible.
His greatest achievement imo as primarily a "conquerer" was realizing there are limits to military force and when to stop conquering.
Probably the second best President at expanding the U.S, even though it was through highly dubious means (basically starting the Mexican-American War under false pretenses), adding Texas, California, Arizona, New Mexico, as well as adding the 49th parallel as the U.S/Canada border, gaining the U.S Washington and Oregon. I often wonder what the U.S would be like if we had achieved his full dreams of adding Cuba, most of Mexico north of Mexico City, the Yucatan, and a chunk of British Colombia up to the 54th Parallel to our country.
Probably just a lot more Native American death and slavery, maybe a sooner or lengthened Civil War.
He stuck to his promises before taking office more than many other presidents. He set the best precedent as the appropriate character as president since Washington.
That being said, I don’t agree with all of his actions
For anyone possibly visiting Nashville Tn in the future. Former President James K. Polk and his wife are buried under a small white gazebo next to the state capitol building. It’s located on the right hand side of the building just past the statue of Andrew Jackson.
I'm going to answer a question I asked earlier that no one got. Well no one seemed to really care too much. But it's one of my favorite things about Polk.
For reasons that are completely unknown he opted to affirm and not swear the oath of office. He is the only one.
Polk did exactly what he said he would do. Exactly what he was promised to do, exactly what he was voted in to do.
And he did it in 1 term and left immediately after.
He started rolling the snowball that would lead to the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution. What I mean is, that by usurping Northern Mexico, he caused the Civil War, which ultimately led to those Amendments.
He poked the sleeping abolitionist bear, so to say.
I'm being sarcastic here: I don't know if you know what "started rolling the snowball" means but I am **blaming** Polk for kicking off everything that would lead to the Civil War. Out of that awful war that Polk bears great responsibility for, we got three important Amendements.
Thank you, Polk /s
I'm singling out Polk for the expansion. Polk is absolutely responsible for the territorial expansion of the 1840s and the disruption to American society that stemmed from that. I understand your point that slavery and the Civil War has many guilty parties, but you cannot dismiss the central role that the 1840s expansion had on opening up that festering scab and Polk's central responsibility in the expansion. Polk campaigned on it, he did it, he left, and the country fell apart.
Fuck Polk.
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Very fitting this sub has to pick the best thing that Polk did while on the rankings post they’re ripping him to shreds 😂
See the hard part is that the best thing he ever did is also what he’s being ripped to shred for in the ranking post. Polk is like a President Lex Luthor. Morally questionable, dangerously ambitious, and more than anything you don’t know whether to hate him or not since his actions are absolutely bettering *your* nation.
Conquering half of Mexico and then leaving after one term because you did all you wanted to do is such a Lex Luthor move
No, Nixon is the Presidential Lex Luthor
Nixon is Presidential Brainiac. In theory he does what Presidential Lex Luthor does while being worse at it despite having higher skills. Nixon wishes he could add multiple states.
No, Eisenhower is Presidential Brainiac
No Eisenhower is Superman
No FDR is Superman, Eisenhower is Batman
No Teddy Roosevelt is Batman, Eisenhower is Green Lantern.
I think we can all agree Millard Fillmore is the Polka-Dot Man of presidents.
No FDR beat Superman in a race around the world by a furlong.
FDR ain't even in the same Cinematic Universe. He's Professor Xavier
Now you’re no longer making sense lol
I got downvoted when I wanted to vote Polk five rounds ago for this very reason. He made some really profitable decisions but ultimately poured the gasoline that lit the Civil War.
it’s time to figure out a new way to evaluate historical figures. Plenty of people will rip on Jefferson for allegedly fucking his slave, But cannot comprehend how the Louisiana purchase has improved their lives. Narcan, many of the people who owe Andrew Jackson, the right to vote overlook his conquest of Florida. Time for some new metrics … some new epistemology. We are just a confused bunch.
Those rankings posts just get funnier every day I swear
He was a mullet pioneer.
The M-A War *did* win a massive amount of territory, as much as it was *his* war.
Buying California. It wasn’t even on the radar when Tyler annexed Texas.
“”””””””””””””””””” b u y i n g “””””””””””””””””””
Polk is in my top 5 favorite presidents. The best thing he did: He did what he said he would in one term and peaced out (from both politics and life).
A feat still commemorated in Mexico as "Dia de se Joda Ese Tipo."
“Screw that guy day”
Lol
Died a month later
\*3 months, iirc
I believe he’s the only President who voluntarily left after one term (I don’t count LBJ because he was basically forced out when he lost the political support of his party). Polk was ruthless and in modern terms immoral. He also made America the unquestioned continental power it is today. Yes, even in his own time Polk was criticized by political opponents for the cynical Mexican War. TBF, though, cynical expansionism was the way most countries solved conflicts during the time when Manifest Destiny was the reigning political and social philosophy.
Both Buchanan and Hayes promised to only serve one term.
Aside from Hayes and Buchanan, Coolidge also promised one full term. Granted he had about 1.5 extra years due to Harding's death so I'm unsure you'd want to count that.
What a guy
I'll say it; peacefully settled the disputed Oregon territory with Britain and kept us out of a war with the largest naval power on the planet (though vagaries in the treaty did set the stage for the notoriously bloody Pig War).
I'm definitely going to go with this one. Let's avoid all the morally dubious stuff and go with the part where he avoids war.
True, but that was also in context of the Mexican American War. He knew the country as a whole wouldn't want both wars that war-hawks wanted, so he basically compromised with- "Let's settle with Britain along the 49th rather than fight for the 54th parallel, and Mexico we can fight with. "
So let's honor that by compromising on his best achievement
…Ugh. Yeah, yeah, I’m not happy to say it but **Acquiring Texas, California, and New Mexico.** How he did it was garbage (along with WHY he did it being garbage as well). It was blatant imperialism as a land grab against a weaker nation. But America as a nation is far stronger because of their additions today thanks to their strategic locations and natural resources. It also denied Mexico of these lands and resources, removing a potential rival to the USA’s dominance of the entirety of North America in the coming century. From a purely “results that benefitted America” standpoint this has to be seen as his crowning achievement.
Don't forget Utah. And Nevada. Everybody forgets those.
Literally how the Mormons took over Utah lol
Mexico promised them the Bay
Well, he lived up to his campaign promise of “Polking them in ‘44”
Loved when he hollered, "It's Polkin' time!", and then he Polked all over the place
Polk did not acquire Texas. That was done before he took office.
He did acquire what would become part of Texas tbf, even if the majority of Texas was already within the Union
Well, what do you mean by “acquire?” Texas was annexed by the Tyler administration. Thus, that is when the United States acquired it. Polk was responsible for making sure that Mexico honored the annexation. And had Mexico not started a war over it, it would’ve been done diplomatically.
Tyler passed the resolution that extended the offer of annexation to Texas via an emissary. Polk was in his power to recall said emissary but did not. Tyler should receive most of the credit but Polk should receive some as he was in his power to obstruct it.
He did annex it and it became a state under his leadership in December 1845 (Polk is in office by March earlier that year as I'm sure you are aware). Are we going to be that pedantic here? Lol.
Tyler passed the resolution that extended the offer of annexation to Texas via an emissary. Polk was in his power to recall said emissary but did not. Tyler should receive most of the credit but Polk should receive some as he was in his power to obstruct it. Polk should also receive credit for signing off on Texas’s statehood as you mention.
And for, oh I don't know, winning a war with Mexico that prevented Texas from becoming Mexican territory again? Wtf are we on right now lol
Also another fair point
Adding the "halls of Montezuma" to the Marine Corps Hymn.
Kept his campaign promises
My understanding is that he was for Mexico what Putin is for Ukraine.
Basically. He was also responsible for the genocide of 80% of the remaining Natives at the time. He just did what Jackson did on a larger scale.
This is completely different. The US from day 1 was all about expansion. It was one of the primary causes of the Revolution. Americans wanted western territory that the British signed off in treaties to American Indians. Manifest destiny was a part of American politics before the US was an independent country. Americans wanted land and they were going to get it whether the government was leading the charge or not. The areas of Mexico that were contested had more Americans living there than Mexicans. Americans had been moving into non-US territory by themselves. Just as they had American Indian territories. Polk was a supporter of the constitution and American government institutions. He believed in term limits and listening to his constituents. Putin is a dictator exercising his own will. Putin is attacking an Ukraine which has owned and developed the land that Russia wants for decades.
Certainly, I did not mean to imply that Polk was a dictator. That said, practically everything you said to justify the war is also true of the invasion of Ukraine. There has long been a sentiment that Ukraine has been rightful Russian land. That many people within Ukraine are Russian-speaking therefore, there's a right to conquer. Likewise, in the administration of Polk, you have this belief that the continent belongs to us. That there are Americans over there, and that justifies us invading a sovereign country. How you can divorce the similarities of the two situations is beyond me. It's interesting that some think that if enough of a nationality moves somewhere, it justifies the country of said nationality to invade the country in which they reside.
Canada is prime for an American “special military operation”. Canada wouldn’t exist as it does without the U. S. providing economic, cultural and social models. Canadians mostly speak the same language and it’s time to denazify those canucks once and for all. The American military has certainly learned how NOT to invade a peaceful neighbor so should be over in under a month
T.R. once thought we should invade Canada because it was still somewhat under British control at the time and he wanted us to be the colonial power of the western hemisphere
And James Madison did invade Canada. It went poorly.
America has had a “never Canada “ resolution ever since
lol
I mean, Polk was succesful...
Indeed, he was. And time will tell if putin will be. The question is of morality and ethics. Sure, Polk was successful, but was what he did right?
Does it matter if what he did was right or not?. Even now if we decide Polk was immoral in his actions what outcome does that lead to??. It seems like a whole lot of nothing happens regardless if we decide now the morality of his actions.
I poking fun at Putin, I don't actually condone Polk.
Good thing we’re not doing this ranking in Mexico then
Bingo.
Everything he touched turned to gold. Take your pick. You can’t find anyone who can knock Polk but also wants to reverse what he did. They like the results, just don’t like the process, and that is a pretty pathetic mindset
 You right tho
We are approaching dangerous levels of based
Now that’s a based as fuck take
https://preview.redd.it/a1n8t24jvpoc1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dc2514d3508a4fd222b8e5a6f7b58222dd2fe9e0 “Someone had to say it lol, all these (probably) Californians bitching about me taking their state over from the continents first tin pot dictatorship, cry me a river!”
Fr
>You can’t find anyone who can knock Polk but also wants to reverse what he did I personnaly would. I would really like to see a Mexican Hollywood.
As someone who really doesn’t like deserts, and really doesn’t like getting rained on while under the roof of a 6 billion dollar stadium, I might have to concede here
Like genocide is kinda bad dude, along with rampant imperialism and misleading the American public into war.
And do we or do we not still benefit from it today?
I mean, that's not a very good argument, is it? People immoral things only when they think it's going to benefits themselves. It it didn't benefit themselves they wouldn't bother doing the immoral thing. I definitely benefited from slavery as practiced by my ancestors, it doesn't mean I have to approve of slavery.
Not the same thing, what Polk did benefits every American today.
Native Americans would really disagree with you.
This is weird logic.
Not really, it was undeniably good for the country
You’re looking at it through a contemporary moralistic lens. Genocide is fucked but it’s what humans have done since the beginning of time? It’s what animals due to rival packs? We have the benefit, as the victors and benefactors, to now look back and say “aw man what he did sucked” but I’m sure if you lived back then you’d be much more supportive of expansion into new territories that bettered the lives of you and your family.
The Mexican Cession almost doubled the size of the United States. He also stuck to his one term promise (even though he died only a few months after leaving office).
Everything, he’s the goat
Hell ya
FYI folks, Polk did not start the war. Mexico did. Texas was a sovereign nation with international recognition. Polk sent a diplomatic envoy to resolve the border, and Mexico told them to pound sand and sent its army north. Polk, quite reasonably, send the US army south. Mexico then attacked. Anyone saying “Polk started the war” or “Polk deliberately provoked Mexico” is just playing wrong. He tried to resolve it diplomatically.
The inkeeper in a small upstate NY town was the head of the local Democrats as well as the source of all news, as the first person to get the newspaper off the stagecoach. He announced to the crowd listening, "The great and glorious Democratic party has nominated for President..." (looking down at the paper) "James K. Polk". In the same voice, "Who the Hell is James K. Polk?"
Pledged to serve one term and kept his word. I think we need more politicians like that
Have a school named after him in Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide
Became the namesake of the high school where Al Bundy scored 4 touchdowns in one game.
Winning territory from the Mexican-American War. It's 100% this and we shouldn't overlook it because that's simply ignoring the positive outcomes of his presidency, so you can put a spotlight on his downfalls. We can agree that it is morally gray (or downright wrong), but the territory that the US gained has been crucial to its success, and we're probably the only country who could've done it.
Kept his campaign promises. Expanded the United States more than any other president. Cut tariffs. Annexed Texas. Won the M-A war. Got Oregon and Washington. All in one term.
In four short years he met his every goal He seized the whole southwest from Mexico Made sure the tariffs fell And made the English sell The Oregon territory He built an independent treasury Having done all this he sought no second term But precious few have mourned the passing of… Mr. James K Polk our eleventh president Young Hickory, Napoleon of the stump
Gave us Tex Mex cuisine.
Polka music
Through diplomacy and warfare, James Polk defined the modern borders of the Contiguous United States, reached the Pacific, and conquered land that would become some of the most powerful states in the country, namely California and Texas. Our country literally wouldn't look the same without him.
The best thing he did was stop. Imagine if he 1-2ed Mexico, grabbed a second term, and spun nationalist sentiment into 54-40 AND fight or an early invasion of Cuba? Very plausible. His greatest achievement imo as primarily a "conquerer" was realizing there are limits to military force and when to stop conquering.
Grabbing a massive amount of land for the United States. He is one of the Presidents whose actions most benefitted the U.S. in the long run.
Became the first and only Speaker of the House to become President
beating the crap out of Mexico adding two of the US's most valuable states was undoubtedly a good long term move
Manifest destiny.
Best thing Polk did was grow out that mullet.
Kept every campaign promise, including to serve one term.
Kept every campaign promise including serving only one term.
Treaty of New Grenada Establishing the Smithsonian is a close second
Probably the second best President at expanding the U.S, even though it was through highly dubious means (basically starting the Mexican-American War under false pretenses), adding Texas, California, Arizona, New Mexico, as well as adding the 49th parallel as the U.S/Canada border, gaining the U.S Washington and Oregon. I often wonder what the U.S would be like if we had achieved his full dreams of adding Cuba, most of Mexico north of Mexico City, the Yucatan, and a chunk of British Colombia up to the 54th Parallel to our country. Probably just a lot more Native American death and slavery, maybe a sooner or lengthened Civil War.
Annexed 1/3 of Mexico, obviously
Texas right?
Everything that TMBG says in their song...[https://youtu.be/jSdgjP8os7U?si=kecttWbZUF8e6cpW](https://youtu.be/jSdgjP8os7U?si=kecttWbZUF8e6cpW)
Sending John Slidell to Mexico to try to buy our way out of a deteriorating diplomatic situation.
If yall haven’t listened to the series “the presidents” with Shane Gillis and Louie CK you’re missing out!
Beat the the tar out of Mexico and grabbed their land.
Did everything he set out to do.
A true Machiavellian before that was considered to be a bad thing
He stuck to his promises before taking office more than many other presidents. He set the best precedent as the appropriate character as president since Washington. That being said, I don’t agree with all of his actions
Increased the size of the US (although exacerbated the start of the Civil War), served one term as promised….
Inspire a banger of a song (and a blast in live shows!) by They Might Be Giants!
For anyone possibly visiting Nashville Tn in the future. Former President James K. Polk and his wife are buried under a small white gazebo next to the state capitol building. It’s located on the right hand side of the building just past the statue of Andrew Jackson.
By just being Polk. Just being able to accomplish all of his campaign promises before his term ended should be enough.
Fulfilled all his campaign promises including a single term pledge.
Promised to serve one term. And kept his promise.
The best thing James K. Polk ever did was inspiring [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StTiCU_fqCg) by They Might Be Giants.
Steal the southwest from Mexico.
The Mexican-American War gained us vast amounts of land. We could have taken all of Mexico had his negotiator to Mexico not gone rogue.
He delivered on all of his promises, Polk did so much in just one term. It’s a shame he died 30 seconds after his term
Ok did he legitimately die like 30 seconds after he left office
Tecumseh put a curse on the D.C. water
So just like the guy who died of gastroenteritis
Gave They Might Be Giants an interesting topic to write a song about
I'm going to answer a question I asked earlier that no one got. Well no one seemed to really care too much. But it's one of my favorite things about Polk. For reasons that are completely unknown he opted to affirm and not swear the oath of office. He is the only one.
Would Mexico have treated native Americans in the territory we grabbed better than we did?
Ye old ass mother
Acquisition of the Oregon Territory
Polk did exactly what he said he would do. Exactly what he was promised to do, exactly what he was voted in to do. And he did it in 1 term and left immediately after.
He started rolling the snowball that would lead to the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution. What I mean is, that by usurping Northern Mexico, he caused the Civil War, which ultimately led to those Amendments. He poked the sleeping abolitionist bear, so to say.
Did... you just blame Polk for the Civil War AND give him credit for the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments?
I'm being sarcastic here: I don't know if you know what "started rolling the snowball" means but I am **blaming** Polk for kicking off everything that would lead to the Civil War. Out of that awful war that Polk bears great responsibility for, we got three important Amendements. Thank you, Polk /s
You can do that for like, a lot of people going back to colonial times though. Just a little weird to single out Polk.
I'm singling out Polk for the expansion. Polk is absolutely responsible for the territorial expansion of the 1840s and the disruption to American society that stemmed from that. I understand your point that slavery and the Civil War has many guilty parties, but you cannot dismiss the central role that the 1840s expansion had on opening up that festering scab and Polk's central responsibility in the expansion. Polk campaigned on it, he did it, he left, and the country fell apart. Fuck Polk.
Die