was the worst individual to hold the high office, in Eland's opinion, due to actions such as Wilson's repressive domestic conduct undertaken during
World War I and the enacting of costly, expansive
economic programs. Eland has served as a senior fellow at the
Independent Institute. In terms of public service, he has spent fifteen years working for the
U.S. Congress on
foreign affairs, particularly focusing on
national security issues. Starting with
George Washington, Eland expresses his willingness to criticize individuals who have otherwise received high praise from historians. He condemns Washington's conduct during the
Whiskey Rebellion in particular, for example. The author describes the first president's actions as inherently reckless. Later serving leaders who attract particular scorn and who receive low rankings in Eland's analysis include
Andrew Jackson,
Theodore Roosevelt, and
Franklin D. Roosevelt. In contrast to other,
conservative-based takes on history, Eland additionally considers
Jimmy Carter to have been a better president than Carter's immediate successor,
Ronald Reagan, ==Reception==