Why do people think Obama is the worst president ever?

Your average American voter has a 3 year memory.

"Is it just people automatically think that if the guy in office is a bad president than they are the worst?"

Yes. I've only been around since Carter, and I was just a baby then. Most people aren't going to consider anything before they were born.

Most people have no idea why Pierce would be considered a bad President (although a quick Wikipedia read of the Ostend Manifesto indicates that he might not be a bad choice.) Andrew Johnson was ineffectual, but he didn't actually have bad policies - the Republicans could override his vetoes.

I think there are some arguments that can justify that. Obama Care is the worst law I think ever made. However it is hard to argue that the pointless wars of the years 2000 to 2010 make Bush any better.

I would feel much freer living in an America during the reigns of any of those presidents. The idea of going to the Federal Government to get medical care approved is enough to make me sick enough to need it. The idea of the Federal Government keeping records of my health without my approval is an outrage. I don't care if some duped Democrat honestly thinks politicians "care" about people and are doing this for our welfare. I WANT THAT LAW REPEALED NOW!!! I will not stand for a gun pointed at my head while you tell me you are protecting my health.

Lack of history knowledge in most cases. I've seen questions on here asking who the worst president was. About 75% of answers will say Bush or Obama and almost all of them will say someone from the last 40 years. People really don't know anything about presidents before their time, except for a few really well-known ones like Lincoln. Questions asking about presidents on here may as well be asked "Who was the worst president since 2000?"

I suppose some people really could know a lot about past presidents and still go with Obama, but in almost all cases they really couldn't tell you anyone beyond their lifetime.

To be completely fair, it is pretty difficult to know what life was actually like under presidents who were in office before you were even born (or very young). Most people really don't care to know though. And the truth is it's really impossible to know how effective a president really is until years down the road. It took years for effects from some of the policies Reagan and Clinton had to really effect Americans and for that reason there seem to be fewer people who think they were just totally great presidents as seemed to be the case in years past. The real long-term effects of Obama's policies won't really be known until at least the end of this decade.

The difference is between being benign, and being malignant. They are both cancers, yes, but one is much worse than the other.

The previous presidents you mentioned are all just that; previous. Their impact is finite and their actions have been scrutinized over time. They are not a risk to us, and their mistakes have been mitigated by now. Please note also that none of them served a second term.

0bama, on the other hand, is still active, the harm he has caused is ongoing and not yet fully understood. Add to that dynamic the fact that the amounts of money he is throwing around, and the laws he is "interpreting", are unprecedented in their size, scope and potential to damage the country. Taken in total, this makes him not only the worst President to date, but also the most dangerous one, going forward.

The biggest threat facing America is the debt and Obama is the biggest spending President in history.

Europeans are now talking about the "inevitable" collapse of the Euro under the weight of the European sovereign debt crisis.

Meanwhile Obamacare, the biggest entitlement program in decades is guaranteed to collapse the US dollar.

Yes Obama is the worst President ever because he chooses to ignore the obvious. It does not agree with his dogmatic vision of the nanny state.

The only people who say this never say why they are saying it. Consider the source. They are brainwashed from right wing media. They are fools for people like Bush, Chency, McCain, Haliburtion & all the rich kids (Romney) who never worked a day in their life cause Mommy & Daddy gave theme everything but a chance to experience life.

Sad truth, every recent Democratic president has been hated by a strong Republican group of individuals. Bill Clinton was hunt down with the Kenneth Star investigations, Obama doesn't have any baggage to go after so they try to crucify him with anything that can stick.

Different Political Party

In terms of the misery index,Obama is the worst,thats just a fact.Obama has spent more money than all previous presidents put together,that is another fact.

I don't see how any other president could claim to be worse,just look at the facts.

Oh, he's not close to the worst ever. The economy is getting better after Tsunami Bush II and one still feels that American ideals mean something. It's the high, whistling whining of the GOP you're hearing. Obama will win a second term. The only question is how long his coattails will be.