Seriously, why? Some people think that he was the best president America ever had but I just can't agree with that. He raised taxes, helped to create Taliban and gave amnesty to 3 million illegal immigrants. So why is he liked so much? He was not even able to rule the country by the end of the second term since he had Alzheimer's. And now he is a role model for some presidential candidates. I find it hypocritical.
Why does everyone love Reagan so much?
- Thread starter IronFist17
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Jaskalas
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werepossum
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Indus
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3 reasons:
1. In the late 1970's energy and oil was a major problem that led to rationing.
2. In the late 1970's there was stagflation.
3. In the late 1970's there was the Iran Hostages and Carter's rescue plan didn't work.
Very similar to why Obama was elected:
1. In the late 2000's Iraq war was a major problem.
2. In the late 2000's economy became a major issue due to the great recession.
3. In the late 2000's Bush still hadn't gotten Bin Ladin and McCain's plan was talk softly and carry a big stick.
In 20 years don't be surprised if candidates run on Obama being their role model.
1. In the late 1970's energy and oil was a major problem that led to rationing.
2. In the late 1970's there was stagflation.
3. In the late 1970's there was the Iran Hostages and Carter's rescue plan didn't work.
Very similar to why Obama was elected:
1. In the late 2000's Iraq war was a major problem.
2. In the late 2000's economy became a major issue due to the great recession.
3. In the late 2000's Bush still hadn't gotten Bin Ladin and McCain's plan was talk softly and carry a big stick.
In 20 years don't be surprised if candidates run on Obama being their role model.
davmat787
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I don't ask the following question with any malice, but how old were you in say 1981?
Living during the Cold War and under the specter of Mutually Assured Destruction had the voting populace valuing traits and rhetoric that just would not be understandable unless you lived through that era.
Everything was so different then...
And then there was all the issues coming from the 70's that others have mentioned as well.
And I would love to hear a sitting President or candidate say they would not have helped the mujahedeen in Afghanistan because they have the foresight to see the emergence of the Taliban 25 years later. They stopped the occupation and forced a complete withdrawal of the USSR.
The ability to shoot down Soviet helicopters we gave them via the Stinger MANPAD system is the turning point in that war.
The importance of not allowing Afghanistan to fold behind the Iron Curtain can not be underestimated, the warm water access alone was of immense stategery.
The temperature difference of the Cold War at the beginning and end of Reagan's terms was huge, and Reagan can be credited with making most of that happen along with a receptive Gorbachev. Reagan knew from the beginning that we must be in a position of immense strength to force an end to the Cold War or enter into serious talks with the Soviets, and he wasted no time in our country's transition.
Couple the military buildup and rhetoric with the disarmament agreements with the USSR.
The Cold War period is vastly misunderstood by the generations that came just after, it was a crazy time and I hope more resources and focus will be put on understanding it in the near future.
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Sheik Yerbouti
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I couldn't stand the guy when he was elected either time, no idea why he is so revered by the right, but to be fair here is a list of his accomplishments and his failures
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/reagan_100.php
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/reagan_100.php
davmat787
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But why couldn't you stand him, as you stated, at the beginning of even his first term?
Brainonska511
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Sheik Yerbouti
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He was all sizzle and no steak to me. And one of his first acts was to remove the solar panels from the white house, sorry, as a self proclaimed, tree hugging hippie, he was not the president I wanted.
Oh yea, and iran-contra.
Only uneducated Greeks want the Euro.
The Euro has made everybody Germany's bitch. Germany exports shit with an artificially cheap currency, enjoys full employment, high standards of living, and wealth. Greeks have to be able to pay for it by taking out debt.
I have never quote figured out the Reagan thing. Carter wasn't *that* bad of a President. Much of what happened was way beyond his control and was set up years, if not decades, before he came into office.
He was the guy who brought Volcker in to *fix* the economy. According to Greenspan, Reagan didn't even want to keep Volcker around. If Reagan had his way he'd have had a more accommodating chairman, resulting in a worse economy.
Reagan was also a hugely tax/debt President.
The rescue operation ran into a storm.
He was the guy who brought Volcker in to *fix* the economy. According to Greenspan, Reagan didn't even want to keep Volcker around. If Reagan had his way he'd have had a more accommodating chairman, resulting in a worse economy.
Reagan was also a hugely tax/debt President.
The rescue operation ran into a storm.
trenchfoot
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As an actor, Reagan really stunk acting as a president.
As a president he really stunk as an actor acting in that role.
And if Nancy's astrologer was around at the time then she stunk too, because she didn't predict the assassination attempt on Ronnie.
As a president he really stunk as an actor acting in that role.
And if Nancy's astrologer was around at the time then she stunk too, because she didn't predict the assassination attempt on Ronnie.
werepossum
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Very well said, sir. I'll add that LBJ, Nixon and Carter all held the view that the USA could never compete with the USSR because of their massively efficient top-down economy. Consequently our treaties always gave the USSR more power, as our position was appeasement. Reagan said that was bullshit, and we loved him for it just as we despised Carter for saying put on a sweater, we can't afford heat. And of course, the fall of the Berlin Wall proved Reagan to be not only morally correct, but also practically correct. It was the USSR with their massively efficient top-down economy who could not compete with the USA once we stopped trying to have the federal government decide everyone's wages and prices.
What "warm water access" are you talking about with regards to Afghanistan? If you look at an atlas it can be seen that Afghanistan is land-locked. Not only does it not have warm water access, it has no water access at all.
As far as forcing an end to the Cold War by some sort of immense strength I think that is just part of the Reagan myth. I had several Soviet defectors as professors in the early 1970s. They thought that the Soviet Union's economy was on its last legs, with each new economic plan the problems in the economy were getting larger. None of these refugees thought that the Soviet Union would last past the 1980s. As it turned out they were correct.
Reagan's crazy spending on the military probably hurt the US more than it hurt the Soviets.
I guess about the only good thing I can say about Reagan is that it only took the US 15 years to recover from his craziness. It will take probably 20 years to recover from George W and Cheney. $2 trillion to bring democracy to the Middle East? Now that is certifiable!
The Berlin wall was going to fall around that time regardless of what he did. The Eastern Bloc economies were horribly off. Russia was already failing. East Germany didn't have much longer to live. He might have hastened it a bit, but at the expense of beginning the largest period of spend/debt supply-side bullshit in global history.
ivwshane
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He looks to have made some pretty big fuck ups as a leader, I'd say his policies were a pretty failure as well.
Trickle down economics or voodoo economics as his republican successor called it.
His war on drugs and things like a stiffer penalties for crack versus cocain.
Iran contra (other than the impeachable offense, it was under his watch that he allowed the CIA to create the crack epidemic).
His release of mental patients (aka the tea party faithful
)
His huge increase in government spending and government growth.
His failure to address the energy crises in any long term and meaningful way.
His complete lack of leadership with regards to aids.
His Middle East foreign policy (especially with regards to helping Saddam and arming Iran for hostages).
His record/policies on public education (specifically what he did in california).
All were failures.
That's just off of the top of my head. Reagan makes bush jr look like a top 20 president, he was that bad IMO.
Trickle down economics or voodoo economics as his republican successor called it.
His war on drugs and things like a stiffer penalties for crack versus cocain.
Iran contra (other than the impeachable offense, it was under his watch that he allowed the CIA to create the crack epidemic).
His release of mental patients (aka the tea party faithful
)His huge increase in government spending and government growth.
His failure to address the energy crises in any long term and meaningful way.
His complete lack of leadership with regards to aids.
His Middle East foreign policy (especially with regards to helping Saddam and arming Iran for hostages).
His record/policies on public education (specifically what he did in california).
All were failures.
That's just off of the top of my head. Reagan makes bush jr look like a top 20 president, he was that bad IMO.
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werepossum
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Pakistan. And we were treaty-bound to defend Pakistan, which we backed as a hedge against Soviet-leaning India.
Perhaps some day you'll understand the massive irony of claiming that the act which resulted in the Soviet Union collapsing hurt us more than them.
lol Very few people were saying that at the time. The Democrat opposition were arguing that WE would collapse. I know; I was there. And I was a Democrat. Although after Carter, I was a Reagan Democrat.
Humpy
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He was a pretty good looking white guy, banged fairly good looking women, had some cash and hung out with the right kind of people.
nickqt
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We just had to bust unions, decrease the rate of pay for the rabble while productivity increased, and ship factory jobs overseas while selling our factories for scrap.
You're exactly right, though. The economy from 1981 until now is Reaganomics in action. We shut out our closest competitor, and all we had to do was gut the middle class to do it.
Reagan/Thatcher voodoo economics is why we're where we are today. So, if you love how our current economy works, worship at the altar of St. Ronald of Reagan. Debt tripled during his 8 years (well, less than 8 years if you don't count the last 2 when he was suffering from dementia) and unlike the previous 50 years where deficit spending was relatively low and greatly benefited/nourished the middle class, now huge deficits are the norm, with 90% of it going to the richest people in the solar system, because hey, they already have all the money anyway, so give 'em some more.
It'll trickle down. Eventually.
No, it will!!
Just keep cutting taxes. It'll trickle down.
Honest!
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