The Reagan Thread

[rdh007]

No, I don't think I misunderstand you. You assume people are making choices primarily because of advertising, as opposed to what they believe in.

The 8 years of peace and prosperity, primarly came from a previous Republican president, that you might have heard about. His name was Reagan.

Reagan was primarily responsible for one thing--gigantic deficits and my kids having to pay more taxes to make up for him lining the pockets of the wealthy. Oh, and he did his best to make life difficult for people that work for a living.
Reagan: Nixon:

 

[BMM]

oh boy...

I too was unaware Reagan was in office, ensuring peace and prosperity at that time... but apparently, he was.

 

[sinewave]

I too was unaware Reagan was in office, ensuring peace in prosperity at that time... but apparently, he was.

yeah, apparently democrats can't take credit for anything good that happens when they're in office, but all the bad stuff that happens when republicans are in office is the democrats' fault. funny how that works, huh?

 

[lazur]

Reagan was primarily responsible for one thing--gigantic deficits and my kids having to pay more taxes to make up for him lining the pockets of the wealthy. Oh, and he did his best to make life difficult for people that work for a living.
Reagan: Nixon:

This segment in an article I recently read is the perfect response to your 'opinion':

It is to Reagan's credit that he never wavered from his commitment to end inflation, even during the darkest days of the recession in 1982, when his party was suffering huge losses at the polls resulting from the economic slowdown. He remained steadfast because he was certain of the outcome and because the stakes were so high. Reagan firmly believed that the Soviet Union's tottering economy was being kept afloat only by skyrocketing prices for its export commodities, such as oil and gold. Thus, stopping inflation was central not only to the health of the domestic economy, but to the defeat of communism as well.

Of course, the Federal Reserve waged the main fight against inflation. But Reagan consistently supported its efforts and appointed new governors, including Alan Greenspan as chairman in 1987, who supported price stability. But Reagan also believed, rightly, that increasing the production of goods and services was another key to ending inflation. Toward this end, he pushed for lower tax rates to encourage work and investment, promoted free trade and deregulation to foster competition and resisted political pressure for government intervention in areas such as corporate takeovers.

Critics of Reagan's policies continue to point to large budget deficits in the 1980s as the price of his success. These troubled him as well. But given the magnitude of Reagan's accomplishments in stopping inflation and bringing about the collapse of the Soviet Union, I don't think his failure in this area should be held against him.

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2004/06/14/editorial3.html

 

[UA-Archangel]

So Reagan's presidency had a 20 year effect on the US?

lol...

Would it surprise you that it just might?

Reagan is probably the Republican president that, if it were possible to vote for him today, would win in a landslide. You might has well put Howard the Duck as the Democratic contender for the odds of a Democratic becoming president against Reagan.

When it comes down to it, I suspect that most people who are still voting Republican are doing so, in hopes that the Republican party can find its Reaganistic roots once again.

This may be why the Republican party, despite its troubles are repeatedly been given grace by those that support the party.

It is also why those who are Republican will not give up on the party.

 

[Hobgoblin]

Talk here to discuss the 40th president.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Actually DemoGoblin, not to be picky, but the discussion was about the collapse of the Soviet Union, not Reagan really.

 

[Hobgoblin]

Actually DemoGoblin, not to be picky, but the discussion was about the collapse of the Soviet Union, not Reagan really.

Either way, this is the place to discuss it. I contacted Lobo to see if the conversation could be transferred to this thread.

 

[The Senator]

Boo!

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Either way, this is the place to discuss it. I contacted Lobo to see if the conversation could be transferred to this thread.

 

[Hobgoblin]

WhatWhatWhat?

 

[ShadowBoxing]

WhatWhatWhat?

This thread needed some Coolio.

 

[Marx]

Coolio has been brought in as a response in the political forums? NOW I've seen everything!

 

[The Senator]

Ronald Reagan was a monumental failure, and I truly do not understand why anyone would idolize this man. This was a president who virtually ignored the AIDS crisis, who ran us into a huge deficit, and who has been arrogantly labeled the one reason why the Cold War ended, despite the fact that the Soviet Union would have collapsed anyway due to its economic problems. Not only that, this was a president who spent more money on our nuclear arms programs than any other president in order to 'deter' the Soviets, while he promoted the construction bases and embassies in the Middle East and essentially gave Al Qaeda its primary reasons for attacking us.

People bash Obama about having nothing but rhetoric and celebrity to run on... well, Reagan was considered one of the greatest communicators in American politics and was an actor before he entered politics... and people claim he single-handedly ended the Cold War based on a speech he gave at the Berlin Wall...

 

[Superman4ever]

Ronald Reagan was a war criminal, mass murderer who should have been tried for treason in 1980 along with his evil partner in crime Bush Sr.

He paid off Iranians to withhold the release of hostages until after the election.

He secretly sold biological and chemical weapons to Saddam Hussein and persisted that he step up bombing on Iran (because Iran was a "threat"), who he also sold chemical and biological weapons. Starting a war that claimed over a million people.

In Afghanistan, he funded and supported Osama bin Laden and his thug "mujaheddin" to fight the "evil empire" (Ze Rushh-aans). When they were finished, he allowed a radical insane fraction take power, and they eventually became the Taliban.

Lets see: Imported tons of cocaine to the US so he could fund the Contras terrorist group whom he referred to as "freedom fighters". Freedom fighters that raped, tortured and murdered thousands of Nicaraguans. All in effort to bring down a democratically elected official that he didn't like...who over threw a dictator, Somoza, who they did like.

Nicaragua took its case to the World Court. The court found that the U.S. actions constituted "an unlawful use of force .... [that] cannot be justified either by collective self-defense ... nor by any right of the United States to take counter-measures involving the use of force." The court ordered the United States to pay reparations, estimated at between $12 billion and $17 billion, to Nicaragua. Two weeks after the verdict was issued, the U.S. Congress voted to give the Contras $100 million to continue their war of terror against the people of Nicaragua. The US has never recognized the World Court's ruling or paid any of the compensation owed to Nicaragua.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaragua_v._United_States

Shee-iit! Should I continue? Shouldn't that be enough or are we still hell-bent on his vile "revolution"?

Genocide in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras in the false name of "democracy" while over throwing democratically elected representatives of the people?

How many were convicted for Iran-Contra? This "revolution" of hypocrisy, war-mongering, double dealing is why people hate America, not because they hate our freedoms. It's because we let war-criminals like this **** up the world.

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Nader/MegacorpWorldReagan_RNR.html
http://www.geocities.com/iran_contra_christic_institute/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contras#Human_rights_controversies
http://www.highstrangeness.tv/articles/franklin.php
http://www.highstrangeness.tv/articles/reagan.php

 

[SentinelMind]

Hmm...Ronald Reagan is secretly responsible for every military decision made by dictators halfway across the world? Who knew?

I do agree Reagan made one two many missteps within the Middle East, but to suggest he shouldn't have aligned himself with any Arabic forces to fight communism is like suggesting that it was a mistake for FDR to meet with Stalin to fight the Nazis.

Overall, I think Reagan was a fairly good president with some domestic flaws. His biggest flaw was doubling the national debt, due primarily to lots of military spending with tax cuts. However, his policies did wonders to reduce inflation and help expand the US economy. I don't think he singlehandedly ended the Cold War, but I his economic and military spending policies coupled with his alliance with Gorbachev helped contribute Soviet Union to spend into a frenzy that led to their economic collapse and eventual government reform. I do agree with his philosophy of 'peace thru strength', the only way to assure no one will go to war with you is if they think they'll get blown to smitherins. Talk of disarming the United States will not be met with disarmament from other countries...other countries have nothing to lose by arming themselves, regardless of whether the United States disarms.

 

[Arc-Light]

"Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do." -- Ronald Reagan, 1981
what a gem huh..and no he wasn't joking.....kinda shows what kind of president he was.

 

[Hobgoblin]

"Trees cause more pollution than automobiles do." -- Ronald Reagan, 1981
what a gem huh..and no he wasn't joking.....kinda shows what kind of president he was.

And Reagan is W's favorite president. I see where he got his grip on science from.

 

[lazur]

And Reagan is W's favorite president. I see where he got his grip on science from.

All this revisionist history talk doesn't alter that when Reagan won office in 1980, he won with 489 electoral votes to Carter's 49.

During the second election in 1984, Reagan won 48 states to Mondale's 2 (taking 59% of the popular vote as well) in the biggest landslide victory IN HISTORY...

Obviously, America thought he did something right, and it didn't matter what side of the aisle you were on.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

All this revisionist history talk doesn't alter that when Reagan won office in 1980, he won with 489 electoral votes to Carter's 49.

During the second election in 1984, Reagan won 48 states to Mondale's 2 (taking 59% of the popular vote as well) in the biggest landslide victory IN HISTORY...

Obviously, America thought he did something right, and it didn't matter what side of the aisle you were on.

Well, Meet the Spartans was number one in the box office when it came out. Public opinion probably shouldn't be a good indicator on whether someone was a good president or not.

Lazur: what are your thoughts on the alligations of Reagan being the instigator of the Iraq/Contra affair?

 

[Matt]

Reagan is the most overrated president since JFK.

 

[The Senator]

All this revisionist history talk doesn't alter that when Reagan won office in 1980, he won with 489 electoral votes to Carter's 49.

During the second election in 1984, Reagan won 48 states to Mondale's 2 (taking 59% of the popular vote as well) in the biggest landslide victory IN HISTORY...

Obviously, America thought he did something right, and it didn't matter what side of the aisle you were on.

I love how Republicans seem to exaggerate the facts when it comes to Reagan.

The biggest landslide in history was when FDR defeated Alf Landon in 1936. He won over 60% of the popular vote, and won 46 states to Landon's 2 (there were only 48 states at the time).

Reagan can only lay claim to winning the largest electoral college victory, but alas, there were two more states at that point in time. And he only had two more electoral votes than FDR had in 1936.


(oh, and Reagan won 49 states. Mondale won MN and DC)

 

[Hobgoblin]

All this revisionist history talk doesn't alter that when Reagan won office in 1980, he won with 489 electoral votes to Carter's 49.

During the second election in 1984, Reagan won 48 states to Mondale's 2 (taking 59% of the popular vote as well) in the biggest landslide victory IN HISTORY...

Obviously, America thought he did something right, and it didn't matter what side of the aisle you were on.

As Masked Man said, just because he was overwhelmingly popular in 1980 doesnt mean he was such a great president. Not terrible, but not nearly as god like as many people would say. After he died, pundits were calling for his face to be added to Mount Rushmore. If that isnt an overblown love, I dont know what is.

 

[jaguarr]

Reagan is the most overrated president since JFK.

jag

 

[The Senator]

As Masked Man said, just because he was overwhelmingly popular in 1980 doesnt mean he was such a great president. Not terrible, but not nearly as god like as many people would say. After he died, pundits were calling for his face to be added to Mount Rushmore. If that isnt an overblown love, I dont know what is.

Reagan was up against Walter Mondale, of all people. A man who promised at the Democratic National Convention to raise taxes on the American people, a man who picked a vastly unqualified, disingenuous woman to be his running mate solely because of her gender (sounds familiar ), and a man who was the Vice President to one of the most lackluster presidents in modern history. Had Reagan been up against a much more solid candidate, perhaps Gary Hart or John Glenn, I would be willing to bet that the race would have been much closer. Reagan most likely would have won, but both of those candidates would have forced him to fight for re-election, unlike Mondale, whom anyone could have defeated with their hands tied behind their back and their mouths stapled shut.