I've often debunked some of the right-wing's fallacies that lead to false mythologies, and ran across another today I'll pass along.
One of the most famous of Reagan's quips was in the debate with President Carter where he chided Carter, 'There you go again'. Reagan was an actor, and well able to 'look good' in that sort of setting, and he scored a lot of points by not only making Carter look like he was a politician lying about Reagan's position, but more broadly implying that a lot of Reagan's reputation for extreme positions was not accurate. He looked like the 'honest outsider' chiding Carter for not telling the truth, and the public warmed to him.
The detail I hadn't kept track of was that the quip was in response to Carter saying that Reagan would try to cut Medicare spending.
The funny thing is, the moment Reagan had power, he tried to push through a $20B cut to Medicare.
So, the moral the right takes from the story is that Reagan was a great leader who beat Carter in the debate in part with that line; the more important lesson they should take from the incident is that they are once again giving credit to the Republican for a lie. It's just remarkable how little facts have to do with the views of so many on the right.
If a democrat had entangled us with a nation by having it illegally help us sell missiles to Iran, you wouldn't hear the end of it (as Reagan did with Israel). What harm in that? Well, next thing the US is doing is sending the Marines in to help Israel invade Lebanon. If a democrat had done that and then pulled them out when one bomber got through, you wouldn't hear the end of that either, 'cut and run', cowardice, disgrace, emboldening the enemy - but the righties learn neither the lesson of hypocrisy or unjustified invasion.
I think it's worth correcting some myths in our political culture, and that it's worth correcting the common myth that Reagan's 'there you go again' rebuttal was a strong point for him, rather than what it actually was, a lie told effectively that helped him get the power to help the rich - and an act against democracy insofar as the public has the right to an accurate idea of what its candidates will do. Being 'Teflon' for 'getting away' with lies should be a strong condemnation of a politician, not a compliment, in a democracy.
One of the most famous of Reagan's quips was in the debate with President Carter where he chided Carter, 'There you go again'. Reagan was an actor, and well able to 'look good' in that sort of setting, and he scored a lot of points by not only making Carter look like he was a politician lying about Reagan's position, but more broadly implying that a lot of Reagan's reputation for extreme positions was not accurate. He looked like the 'honest outsider' chiding Carter for not telling the truth, and the public warmed to him.
The detail I hadn't kept track of was that the quip was in response to Carter saying that Reagan would try to cut Medicare spending.
The funny thing is, the moment Reagan had power, he tried to push through a $20B cut to Medicare.
So, the moral the right takes from the story is that Reagan was a great leader who beat Carter in the debate in part with that line; the more important lesson they should take from the incident is that they are once again giving credit to the Republican for a lie. It's just remarkable how little facts have to do with the views of so many on the right.
If a democrat had entangled us with a nation by having it illegally help us sell missiles to Iran, you wouldn't hear the end of it (as Reagan did with Israel). What harm in that? Well, next thing the US is doing is sending the Marines in to help Israel invade Lebanon. If a democrat had done that and then pulled them out when one bomber got through, you wouldn't hear the end of that either, 'cut and run', cowardice, disgrace, emboldening the enemy - but the righties learn neither the lesson of hypocrisy or unjustified invasion.
I think it's worth correcting some myths in our political culture, and that it's worth correcting the common myth that Reagan's 'there you go again' rebuttal was a strong point for him, rather than what it actually was, a lie told effectively that helped him get the power to help the rich - and an act against democracy insofar as the public has the right to an accurate idea of what its candidates will do. Being 'Teflon' for 'getting away' with lies should be a strong condemnation of a politician, not a compliment, in a democracy.
Facebook
Twitter