Question of the Day.... Ronald Reagan Edition

Are we talking about the real Ronald Reagan (4.00 / 1)

or the idol that the right-wing has sculpted over the last 20 years?

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by: unhhockey @ Mon Apr 18, 2011 at 17:21:06 PM UTC

have not studied (0.00 / 0)

the man nor was I old enough at the time to understand what was going on, but my sense is that he would be too liberal in the GOP of today.

Hope >> Fear





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by: Mike Hoefer @ Tue Apr 19, 2011 at 01:51:17 AM UTC

Yes and No. (4.00 / 5)

No.
Ronald Reagan, the GOP pol as he governed then would be unnacceptable today and would not win the POTUS nomination in 2011.

Yes.
Ronald Reagan, the GOP pol known then for "welfare queens" and ignoring the AIDS crisis would, I am sure, do whatever 2011 equivalent to those would be needed (Islamophobia, privatizing Medicare, etc...) to secure the POTUS nomination today.

birch paper; on Twitter @deanbarker

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by: Dean Barker @ Tue Apr 19, 2011 at 09:20:34 AM UTC

Not on his record. (4.00 / 1)

Ronald Reagan may be idolized by these extremist government haters of today but we all know that he could never survive these days as a T-publican on his actual record.  
Just look at his record on raising taxes, giving amnesty to three million undocumented aliens and support for nuclear disarmament and negotiated arms reductions treaties.
He was a Conservative yes, but he wasn't much like today's T-partiers. He's only as a figurehead to the Tea party, a handy myth that they can rally around, a useful bit of propaganda.

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by: Brian K @ Wed Apr 20, 2011 at 06:09:51 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I agree Brian... (0.00 / 0)

Some of you know that back in 1980, I was not just a Reagan supporter and a Republican...I was also on the Reagan campaign staff in New York, and had the oportunity to travel with him on a number of occasions.  Seeing a candidate from 'the inside' always gives a slightly different perspective.  

Yes, he was a conservative; but his brand of conservatism was much different than what we see today, as each candidate tries to out-mean-spirit the next for the base.  Outside of the camera lights, I only heard him speak positively of unions, working people, and immigrants.  He was genuinely convinced of his correctess in opposing the "Anita Bryant Proposition" in California, and while you may not agree with his stated policies, his vision was never as divisive and mean as todays GOP (although it should be pointed out that his burdget director, David Stockman - the real Axeman - was furious with Reagans refusal to cut many social programs).

Dean, I don't criticize Reagan as many do because of his response to the AIDS crisis - largely because back in the 1980s, everybody was ignoring the crisis, including quite a few liberals.  The crisis was not understood outside the gay and some medical circles...and it was only when NCPAC founder/Director Terry Dolan, with who I worked, died of AIDS that people around Reagan began to take notice...when the rest of the country did take notice, it tended to be a response of fear and misinformation rather than one ofcompassion and solutions...and again, that was true from all quarters.

In any event, my personal opinion is that the 'real' Reagan was nothing like what the TeaPartiers and Theocrats of today think he was...nor was he the demon many on the left assume he was.  In fact....I find it kind of hard, in the grand scheme of things, to see a helluva lot of difference between Reagan and Clinton...

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by: Tully Fitzsimmons @ Wed Apr 20, 2011 at 11:12:32 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Ronald Reagan (0.00 / 0)

should have been in prison for his role in Iran-Contra.

That said, he paved the way for the pull yourself up by your bootstraps, rugged individualism, welfare cadillacs,  end of the common good philosophy that we hear every single day from our Teabaglitarian neighbors and legislators.

In short: he started the ugliness we currently live with. He was as despicable as any historical figure I can think of.

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by: susanthe @ Wed Apr 20, 2011 at 13:10:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

While we disagree... (0.00 / 0)

..I think that even you would agree with me that if you're looking for the "ugliness we currently live with,"  I don't think Reagan is the one to refer to.  Richard Nixon is.

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by: Tully Fitzsimmons @ Wed Apr 20, 2011 at 14:51:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]