There is an old proverb saying, "History repeats itself." This proverb has certainly proven itself true. Civilizations predictably collapse within 300 to 900 years after their inception, proven by countless civilizations, such as the Roman, Greek, Mayan, Aztec, and most nearly, every other civilization the world has known. But the proverb is also true in a more narrow case, such as in politics. Such a coincidence happened within American history; from 1864 to 1900, and 1964 to 2000, the American population elected a string of poor presidents, each having either incredible domestic or foreign problems. Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, and Rutherford B. Hayes, elected in succession and serving from 1864-1881, and Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter, elected between 1968 and 1981, all failed due to massive corruption and internal problems.

Andrew Johnson was the wrong president at the wrong time. Put on the vice presidential ticket of 1864 in order to gain the support...