Why is Ronald Reagan such a hero to the right?

[ProfJohn]

Can someone please explain to me how Reagan is responsible for the deficits we currently face.

If I recall correctly Clinton and the Republican congress balanced the budget in the 1990s. And therefore any current deficits would be the direct result of actions taking AFTER that period and thus would have NOTHING to do with Reagan at all.

Oh and in case you forgot... the main reason we were able to balance the budget in the 90s was because we were able to cut defense spending by $100 billion per year. And the only reason we were able to make those cuts was because the cold war had ended thus creating the 'peace dividend.'

 

[Zebo]

If you're right, and it's plausible you are, it doesn't change pretty much anything I said about the history of Israel playing that role with Iran and the bad position it put us in as a result.

It just adds an important part of the rest of this history of the invasion of Lebanon. Our support for the Saudis from Nixon/Kissinger to the Bush family's long ties is its own topic.

For starters, Reagan was not exactly seen as tough on terror in Jerusalem. A few months into his presidency, he announced that the United States would sell AWACS surveillance planes to Riyadh, advanced aircraft that would make it harder for Israel to launch a pre-emptive military strike against Saudi Arabia (as it had done against Egypt in 1967). When Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin expressed "profound regret and unreserved opposition," Reagan shot back that it was "not the business of other nations to make American foreign policy."

In 1981, when Israel did strike Iraq, bombing its Osirak nuclear reactor, Reagan backed a U.N. resolution condemning the move. And in 1982, when Israel attacked West Beirut in an effort to destroy Yasir Arafat's PLO, Reagan told Begin that Israel's behavior constituted a "holocaust." (Begin, whose parents and older brother were murdered by the Nazis, did not appreciate the line.)

That summer, after U.S. diplomats negotiated a cease-fire in Lebanon, Reagan sent Marines to help enforce it. They were still there on Oct. 23, 1983, when a terrorist later linked to Hezbollah detonated a truck filled with TNT outside the barracks where the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines slept, killing 241 young Americans. It was a seminal moment in the growing collision between American power and jihadi terror. Rhetorically, Reagan did his best John Wayne. "He may be ready to surrender," Reagan barked after House Speaker Tip O'Neill proposed withdrawing the remaining Marines in February 1984, "but I'm not." Then -- just weeks later -- Reagan withdrew them.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/06/07/think_again_ronald_reagan?page=full

 

[Acanthus]

Can someone please explain to me how Reagan is responsible for the deficits we currently face.

If I recall correctly Clinton and the Republican congress balanced the budget in the 1990s. And therefore any current deficits would be the direct result of actions taking AFTER that period and thus would have NOTHING to do with Reagan at all.

Oh and in case you forgot... the main reason we were able to balance the budget in the 90s was because we were able to cut defense spending by $100 billion per year. And the only reason we were able to make those cuts was because the cold war had ended thus creating the 'peace dividend.'

Reagan's admin invented "Reaganomics" which has been leveraged in policy later on to create current problems.

Also, the dot com boom was a large part of the "balanced budget" and had a lot of short-term tax revenue boosts.

 

[JACKHAMMER]

Can someone please explain to me how Reagan is responsible for the deficits we currently face.

I'll let David Stockman, a director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Ronald Reagan, explain it to you.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/opinion/01stockman.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1

 

[LunarRay]

IIRC, the Democrats issued "Jane Wyman Was Right" buttons during one of Mr. Reagan's presidential campaigns.

Wyman said after his death something like; America has lost a great president and a kind and loving person... I think Ms Wyman was right too... but before he died she didn't utter much on the subject... other than she divorced him. I think Maureen had bad feelings toward her dad... but that is what I think not what might be true.

 

[trenchfoot]

Reagan and Nancy brought with them all the values, morals and ideology that Hollywood celebrities like themselves acquire over the many many years that they were living that lifestyle.

So I guess they were perfect fits for their roles as President and First Lady.

 

[ericlp]

Is it just me... OR am I the only one that noticed when reagan said he wanted to turn America into a "service" economy. Time to start cleaning windows, walmart checkout freaks and flipping burgers. Damn... That's about the only jobs left. I think he did a pretty good job of it!

Just say No =war on drugs, was a total failure. Almost as bad as bush's abstinence-only programs that we wasted billions on. Might as well left the condom machines in the boys school bathrooms and passed out bibles.

 

[Martin]

My theory is that the Right really has no great leaders, so they have little choice but to throw all their praise onto Reagan and pretend he was better than the fairly poor president he really was.

Think about it, who *can* the republicans lionize?

Ford: hard to say anything about the guy
Nixon: Even if you ignore the whole watergate mess, his accomplishments included opening up to China (soft on enemies), creating the EPA (hippie environmentalists) and price controls.
Eisenhower: good guy, yes, but he is of the dying old-breed republicans. His time also included massive taxes and huge public works projects.
Hoover, Coolidge: really, the less said the better
Harding: One of the most corrupt administrations ever.

Pretty piss-poor list, ain't it?

 

[ericlp]

My theory is that the Right really has no great leaders, so they have little choice but to throw all their praise onto Reagan and pretend he was better than the fairly poor president he really was.

Think about it, who *can* the republicans lionize?

Wow, what about bush? How can your leave an 8 term Rep off the list???

Gasp!



Pretty piss-poor list, ain't it?

What was it type this into google and links you to bush! "Miserable Failure!"

Ha!

Republicans new nick name Situation Normal all fucked up.

 

[Zebo]

“I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not. He put us on a fundamentally different path because the country was ready for it. I think they [the country] felt like with all the excesses of the 1960s and 1970s and government had grown and grown but there wasn’t much sense of accountability in terms of how it was operating. I think people, he just tapped into what people were already feeling, which was we want clarity, we want optimism, we want a return to that sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing.” - President Obama

 

[BoomerD]

He knew about war because he served in one and had friends who died in them unlike the chicken hawks running country last few admins.

This is a good read on Reagan's pragmatism.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/06/07/think_again_ronald_reagan?page=full

How do you define "He served in one"...referrring to war?

Reagan spent WWII making training films for the military...he never served in combat in any way.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan
"Military service

After completing fourteen home-study Army Extension Courses, Reagan enlisted in the Army Enlisted Reserve[28] on April 29, 1937, as a private assigned to Troop B, 322nd Cavalry at Des Moines, Iowa.[29] He was appointed Second Lieutenant in the Officers Reserve Corps of the Cavalry on May 25, 1937,[30] and on June 14[citation needed] was assigned to the 323rd Cavalry.[not in citation given][30]

Reagan was ordered to active duty for the first time on April 18, 1942. Due to his nearsightedness, he was classified for limited service only, which excluded him from serving overseas.[31] His first assignment was at the San Francisco Port of Embarkation at Fort Mason, California, as a liaison officer of the Port and Transportation Office.[32] Upon the approval of the Army Air Force (AAF), he applied for a transfer from the Cavalry to the AAF on May 15, 1942, and was assigned to AAF Public Relations and subsequently to the 1st Motion Picture Unit (officially, the "18th AAF Base Unit") in Culver City, California.[32] On January 14, 1943 he was promoted to First Lieutenant and was sent to the Provisional Task Force Show Unit of This Is The Army at Burbank, California.[32] He returned to the 1st Motion Picture Unit after completing this duty and was promoted to Captain on July 22, 1943.[29]

In January 1944, Captain Reagan was ordered to temporary duty in New York City to participate in the opening of the sixth War Loan Drive. He was re-assigned to the 18th AAF Base Unit on November 14, 1944, where he remained until the end of World War II.[29] He was recommended for promotion to Major on February 2, 1945, but this recommendation was disapproved on July 17 of that year.[33] He returned to Fort MacArthur, California, where he was separated from active duty on December 9, 1945.[33] By the end of the war, his units had produced some 400 training films for the AAF.[29]"

OR, if you prefer a different link:

http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/reference/military.html

"Ronald Wilson Reagan enrolled in a series of home-study Army Extension Courses on 18 March 1935. After completing 14 of the courses, he enlisted in the Army Enlisted Reserve on 29 April 1937, as a Private assigned to Troop B, 322nd Cavalry at Des Moines, Iowa. He was appointed Second Lieutenant in the Officers Reserve Corps of the Cavalry on 25 May 1937. On June 18 of that year Reagan, who had just moved to Los Angeles to begin his film career, accepted his Officer’s Commission and was assigned to the 323rd Cavalry.

Lieutenant Reagan was ordered to active duty on 19 April 1942. Due to eyesight difficulties, he was classified for limited service only, which excluded him from serving overseas. His first assignment was at the San Francisco Port of Embarkation at Fort Mason, California, as liaison officer of the Port and Transportation Office. Upon the request of the Army Air Forces (AAF), he applied for a transfer from the Cavalry to the AAF on 15 May 1942; the transfer was approved on 9 June 1942. He was assigned to AAF Public Relations and subsequently to the 1st Motion Picture Unit in Culver City, California. Reagan was promoted to First Lieutenant on 14 January 1943 and was sent to the Provisional Task Force Show Unit of This Is The Army at Burbank, California. Following this duty, he returned to the 1st Motion Picture Unit, and on 22 July 1943 was promoted to Captain.

In January 1944, Captain Reagan was ordered to temporary duty in New York City to participate in the opening of the sixth War Loan Drive. He was assigned to the 18th AAF Base Unit, Culver City, California on 14 November 1944, where he remained until the end of the war. He was recommended for promotion to Major on 2 February 1945, but this recommendation was disapproved on July 17 of that year. On 8 September 1945, he was ordered to report to Fort MacArthur, California, where he was separated from active duty on 9 December 1945."

So, while he DID serve in the military, it certainly didn't give him any special insight into the horrors of war. He spent most of WWII in Los Angeles and New York City.

 

[Zebo]

Very few serve in actual combat about 15% most are support roles. Regardless he had many friends die and was familiar with warfare.

 

[SammyJr]

Mainly because of ending the cold war and cleaning up Carter's mess. People's lives greatly improved during the Reagan years like no other time before. That and his staunch defense of the freedoms America stands for.

And he's one of the founding philosophers of the Free Trade religion and we know how well that's working out for those in the 99%. Good job Reagan!

 

[Red Dawn]

People's lives greatly improved during the Reagan years like no other time before.

Wow that's a load of happy horse shit. Unlike you I was around back then and of majority age and I don't remember a great improvement in the American Peoples lives, especially "like no other time before".

 

[preCRT]

One of Reagan's worst legacies was his absolute refusal to acknowledge and deal with AIDS. Because Reagan kissed the religious right's ass he tacitly condemned untold thousands to scorn, derision & death as the religious right believed AIDS was the wrath of God upon homosexuals. There was no impetus to fund research, no public education, no kindness towards those infected. It was that blind bigotry and hatred that led to the awful treatment of children like Ryan White. Families were burned out of their homes, children kicked out of school. It ALL falls on Reagan. It was a major FAIL.

 

[ebaycj]

Can someone please explain to me how Reagan is responsible for the deficits we currently face.

If I recall correctly Clinton and the Republican congress balanced the budget in the 1990s. And therefore any current deficits would be the direct result of actions taking AFTER that period and thus would have NOTHING to do with Reagan at all.

Oh and in case you forgot... the main reason we were able to balance the budget in the 90s was because we were able to cut defense spending by $100 billion per year. And the only reason we were able to make those cuts was because the cold war had ended thus creating the 'peace dividend.'

Under Clinton, we went from a yearly deficit to a yearly surplus.

This does not mean we ran that surplus for many years and actually used it to pay down all of our existing DEBT that he (amongst others) ran up.

 

[Jhhnn]

Under Clinton, we went from a yearly deficit to a yearly surplus.

This does not mean we ran that surplus for many years and actually used it to pay down all of our existing DEBT that he (amongst others) ran up.

You seem to want to forget the flywheel effect, the truth of funds being committed years in advance, and the truly negative effects of cutting them off abruptly...

 

[Carmen813]

Reagen is idealized because no other GOP politician in the past 20 years has been worth a damn.

There is nothing else to say.

 

[Siddhartha]

Mr Reagan turned the US away from the path of the New Deal. Also he helped convinced the working and middle classes that what is best for the rich is great for them. This has been really beneficial for the GOP

 

[spidey07]

Wow that's a load of happy horse shit. Unlike you I was around back then and of majority age and I don't remember a great improvement in the American Peoples lives, especially "like no other time before".

Revisionist history much?

The 80s are well regarded as one of the best economic times ever. Personal net worth sky rocketed.

 

[Phokus]

Revisionist history much?

The 80s are well regarded as one of the best economic times ever. Personal net worth sky rocketed.

For the rich. Thanks to Reagan's policies, the middle class has been screwed the past few decades. I actually blame Reagan somewhat more than Bush for where we're at right now (although bush deserves plenty of blame).

And it's funny how you profess your love of unions and how you go out of your way to hire union labor and at the same time kiss the ass of the man who went out of his way to hurt unions the most.

 

[Vette73]

Revisionist history much?

The 80s are well regarded as one of the best economic times ever. Personal net worth sky rocketed.

By who?

And you do know a lot of that "net worth" was paid by a Credit Card and has to be paid back. So once you subtract all the loans, all that net worth gains you speak of are smoke and mirrors.

 

[Red Dawn]

Revisionist history much?

this coming from the king of revisionist history

The 80s are well regarded as one of the best economic times ever. Personal net worth sky rocketed.

Personal Debt did. Then there was the Saving and Loans scandals that cost many their entire life savings. Still it was good just not the best ever. The 50's and 60's were good and the 90's definitely were better.

 

[trenchfoot]

That scene from Back to the Future where the Professor gives Marty that incredulous look when Marty tells the professor that Reagan was President in the future says it all to me. Emmett: "Reagan? The actor?" lol

And good 'ol Nancy giving Ronald the low-down on world events through the crystal ball of her astrologer? lol

 

[CADsortaGUY]

The right acts like he is a perfect conservative and a model of economic discipline....

Wrong. The left seems to think that the right sees him as that but it's clear to anyone who pays attention that "the right" does not think he was perfect.