Ratings Sweeps

A VETERAN of two Republican presidential administrations, Alvin Felzenberg offers a novel rating system for the U.S. presidents. It differs from those produced by such scholars as Arthur Schlesinger Jr. in both its methodology and its results.

Methodologically, the ratings are based not on a survey of academics, but rather on the application of six criteria. Each president receives a grade (one to five) for three personal qualities (character, vision, and competence) and three areas of policy output (economic policy, “preserving and extending liberty,” and foreign policy). These grades are averaged to produce a president’s score.

About the Author

Jay Cost

Jay Cost is a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the Center for Faith and Freedom at Grove City College.

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A VETERAN of two Republican presidential administrations, Alvin Felzenberg offers a novel rating system for the U.S. presidents. It differs from those produced by such scholars as Arthur Schlesinger Jr. in both its methodology and its results.

Methodologically, the ratings are based not on a survey of academics, but rather on the application of six criteria. Each president receives a grade (one to five) for three personal qualities (character, vision, and competence) and three areas of policy output (economic policy, “preserving and extending liberty,” and foreign policy). These grades are averaged to produce a president’s score.