--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the scale of American blunders - from…" description: "\"In the scale of American blunders - from the Dred Scott decision to the Neutrality Acts of the 1930s to the tragedy of Vietnam - is the Trump presidenc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/853/bret-stephens-3977_american_in-the-scale-of-american-blunders-from-t_2293848.jpg" --- # In the scale of American blunders - from the Dred Scott… ![“In the scale of American blunders - from the Dred Scott decision to the Neutrality Acts of the 1930s to the tragedy of Vietnam - is the Trump presidency really unique?” quote by Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/853/bret-stephens-3977_american_in-the-scale-of-american-blunders-from-t_2293848.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/853/bret-stephens-3977_american_in-the-scale-of-american-blunders-from-t_2293848.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/853/bret-stephens-3977_american_in-the-scale-of-american-blunders-from-t_2293848.jpg) > “In the scale of American blunders - from the Dred Scott decision to the Neutrality Acts of the 1930s to the tragedy of Vietnam - is the Trump presidency really unique?” [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote questions US historical mistakes, questioning if Trump’s term is uniquely flawed. **In simple terms:** It compares past US errors to Trump's presidency. Key Takeaway Consider patterns of political missteps. Themes history politics leadership Mood critical analytical Type political historical When to use this quote - election analysis - foreign policy debates - public discourse Key Concepts policy failures national identity Questions to Reflect On - How do past blunders inform current governance? - Can we truly compare eras? A Different Perspective Historical context varies; each era has distinct factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blunders/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Dred Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dred-scott/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) ## Related quotes > [“In 1857, Chief Justice Roger B. Taney handed down the Dred Scott decision upholding and extending slavery. Taney’s opinion was, it is generally agreed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/in-1857-chief-justice-roger-b-taney-handed-down-the-dred-scott/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [Why was the amendment, expressly declaring the right of the people to exclude slavery, voted down? Plainly enough now, the adoption of it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/why-was-the-amendment-expressly-declaring-the-right-of-the-people-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“Hitler and Mussolini were indeed authoritarians, but it doesn’t follow that authoritarianism equals fascism or Nazism. Lenin and Stalin were authoritarian, but neither was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-d-souza/hitler-and-mussolini-were-indeed-authoritarians-but-it-doesn-t-follow/) [Dinesh D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-d-souza/) > [ In one point of view, we, the abolitionists and colored people, should meet \[the Dred Scott\] decision, unlooked for and monstrous as it appears,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/in-one-point-of-view-we-the-abolitionists-and-colored-people-should/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Activist Supreme Courts are not new. The Dred Scott decision in 1856, imposing slavery in free territories; the Plessy decision in 1896, imposing segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-levin/activist-supreme-courts-are-not-new-the-dred-scott-decision-in-1856/) [Mark Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-levin/) > [We think the Dred Scott decision is erroneous. We know the court that made it has often overruled its own decisions, and we shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-think-the-dred-scott-decision-is-erroneous-we-know-the-court-that/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In the annals of American blunders, the Bay of Pigs may have been even more feckless, and the invasion of Iraq more costly, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/in-the-annals-of-american-blunders-the-bay-of-pigs-may-have-been-even/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [I think a Donald Trump presidency raises a new kind of version of conservatism which more closely resembles a kind of Father Coughlin, America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/i-think-a-donald-trump-presidency-raises-a-new-kind-of-version-of/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [A Trump presidency - neutral between dictatorships and democracies, opposed to free trade, skeptical of traditional U.S. defense alliances, hostile to immigration - would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/a-trump-presidency-neutral-between-dictatorships-and-democracies/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [I think a Donald Trump presidency sets up an Elizabeth Warren ascendancy. And it not Elizabeth Warren, someone of her ilk. And I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/i-think-a-donald-trump-presidency-sets-up-an-elizabeth-warren/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [“What actually occurred was that the Supreme Court issued its abominable opinion in Dred Scott v. Sanford in 1857, asserting that slaves were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-dean/what-actually-occurred-was-that-the-supreme-court-issued-its/) [John W. Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-dean/) > [“Nazi persecution didn’t limit itself to race. Religion, national origin, alternative lifestyles, persons with disabilities—all were targets. How would you characterize the Slavs? Gypsies?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-h-balson/nazi-persecution-didn-t-limit-itself-to-race-religion-national-origin/) Ronald H. Balson > [What Dred Scott's master might lawfully do with Dred Scott, in the free state of Illinois, every other master may lawfully do with any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-b-taney/what-dred-scott-s-master-might-lawfully-do-with-dred-scott-in-the/) [Roger B. Taney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-b-taney/) > [For black Americans, we know that gun control... sprouts from racist soil - be it after the or during the infamous Dred Scott case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niger-innis/for-black-americans-we-know-that-gun-control-sprouts-from-racist-soil/) [Niger Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niger-innis/) > [“We may think we’ve given cats and dogs all sorts of rights, he says, but we can still buy, sell, and declaw them. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grimm/we-may-think-we-ve-given-cats-and-dogs-all-sorts-of-rights-he-says/) David Grimm ## More by Bret Stephens > [The hater always suffers more than the object of his hatred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-hater-always-suffers-more-than-the-object-of-his-hatred/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Listen carefully to the global warming alarmists, and the main theme that emerges is that what the developed world needs is a large dose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/listen-carefully-to-the-global-warming-alarmists-and-the-main-theme/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > ['Democratic socialism' is awful as a slogan and catastrophic as a policy. And 'social democracy' - a term that better fits the belief of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/democratic-socialism-is-awful-as-a-slogan-and-catastrophic-as-a/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [When you work at 'The Wall Street Journal,' the coins of the realm are truth and trust - the latter flowing exclusively from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/when-you-work-at-the-wall-street-journal-the-coins-of-the-realm-are/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [No adviser to a president is going to get his way all of the time, but at a minimum, that adviser should be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/no-adviser-to-a-president-is-going-to-get-his-way-all-of-the-time-but/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Every president inherits a mixed bag when he comes to office, and Obama's was hardly the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/every-president-inherits-a-mixed-bag-when-he-comes-to-office-and/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [There was a time when the conservative movement was led by the likes of Bill Buckley and Irving Kristol and Bob Bartley, men of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/there-was-a-time-when-the-conservative-movement-was-led-by-the-likes/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [We elected Donald J. Trump to keep us jittery and entertained. He's delivered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/we-elected-donald-j-trump-to-keep-us-jittery-and-entertained-he-s/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [The United States survives so long as at least one of its major parties is politically and intellectually healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-united-states-survives-so-long-as-at-least-one-of-its-major/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Censoriously asserting one's moral superiority and treating skeptics as imbeciles and deplorables wins few converts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/censoriously-asserting-one-s-moral-superiority-and-treating-skeptics/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [What is absolutely clear is that if Trump is the nominee, Republicans cannot win. Maybe they can't win with Rubio or Cruz or Kasich.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/what-is-absolutely-clear-is-that-if-trump-is-the-nominee-republicans/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [Everything Republicans once claimed to advocate - entitlement reform, free trade, standing up to dictators, encouraging the march of freedom around the world -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/everything-republicans-once-claimed-to-advocate-entitlement-reform/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [The best scientific evidence suggests temperatures are rising, and the best scientific evidence suggests man-made anthropogenic carbon emissions have some substantial thing to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-best-scientific-evidence-suggests-temperatures-are-rising-and-the/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [The intelligent defense of free speech should not rest on the notion that we must tolerate every form of speech, no matter how offensive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/the-intelligent-defense-of-free-speech-should-not-rest-on-the-notion/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) > [When George W. Bush decided to save the American position in Iraq by going against the advice of all of his wise men, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/when-george-w-bush-decided-to-save-the-american-position-in-iraq-by/) [Bret Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) [Explore all 118 Bret Stephens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) Browse all 7,717 American quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the scale of American blunders - from the Dred Scott decision to the Neutrality Acts of the 1930s to the tragedy of Vietnam - is the Trump presidency really unique?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bret Stephens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/in-the-scale-of-american-blunders-from-the-dred-scott-decision-to-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/in-the-scale-of-american-blunders-from-the-dred-scott-decision-to-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/853/bret-stephens-3977_american_in-the-scale-of-american-blunders-from-t_2293848.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/853/bret-stephens-3977_american_in-the-scale-of-american-blunders-from-t_2293848.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/853/bret-stephens-3977_american_in-the-scale-of-american-blunders-from-t_2293848.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the scale of American blunders - from the Dred Scott decision to the Neutrality Acts of the 1930s to the…” — Bret Stephens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bret Stephens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-stephens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the scale of American blunders...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/in-the-scale-of-american-blunders-from-the-dred-scott-decision-to-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-stephens/in-the-scale-of-american-blunders-from-the-dred-scott-decision-to-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```