Reminder, how Reagan destroyed the United States

[randys1]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/02/10/942453/-How-Ronald-Reagan-s-Policies-Destroyed-the-United-States

"It's difficult to overstate how much Reagan-era propaganda hurt the country. It distorted our understanding of how to help low-income people, as well as our optimism they could be helped, and it corroded the social contract that had prevailed since the New Deal."

"Despite his reputation as a tax slasher, Reagan raised taxes three times, and tripled the deficit during his eight years in office. Sadly, his working-class "Reagan Democrat" admirers don’t seem to remember that one of his tax hikes raised payroll taxes, which hurt poor and middle-class Americans and shielded the wealthy.

http://www.examiner.com/article/8-reasons-why-ronald-reagan-was-the-worst-president-of-our-lifetime


1. Reagan cut taxes for the Rich, increased taxes on the Middle Class -

2. Tripling the National Debt -

3. Iran/Contra - (I break this down in more detail in the article linked

4. Reagan funded Terrorists -

[liberal N proud]

1. I believe they call them Revenue Enhancements

The tax increases were to enhance the revenue out of your pocket.

[catbyte]

2. That Happy Horror was the beginning of all that is wrong with us. He's also the first president to

cozy up to the Religious Right and all the evil that brought us. In terms of long term damage, he could actually be worse than Darth Cheney.

[cyberswede]

3. You're spot on with your assessment.

I think he's the worst thing to happen to the US, actually.

[kairos12]

82. Raygun begat Cheney

[LynneSin]

85. who begat George W. Bush

Bush was never the president, he was the tool they placed in the white house to do all the talking while the real men continued to destroy the country.

[samsingh]

4. it also ignored aids and allowed it to grow into an epidemic

also - the failed 'war on drugs' and zero tolerance explored under Reagan.

[Bluenorthwest]

5. Elizabeth Warren voted for Reagan twice, then for Bush. She endorsed all of this plus the hateful

and murderous apathy toward the AIDS crisis, the anti choice crusading and the whole racist cake walk.

People want to forget what that time was. I can't and won't.

[randys1]

7. I am confused, why does that not sound like her?

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

9. I'm glad she grew out of that.

Many Democrats voted for Reagan too. As an actor, he was really good at fooling a lot of people a lot of the time.

[freebrew]

43. Don't forget he was a figurehead...

H W Bush was the 'real' president for most of Reagan's time in office. It was he that orchestrated the Iran Hostage release, he was in charge of the CIA. Bush had connections everywhere and had the goods on most politicians.

But, I think the real downhill slide came with JFK's assassination, also probably Bush related.

[RoverSuswade]

75. Plus he waved the flag.

Causing all those Christians and young mercan's hearts to flutter and bow down and kiss his feet.

[jeff47]

10. Yes, people's political beliefs are cast in concrete when they are born.

It's utterly impossible for anyone to change their opinion on any political subject. Therefore, a vote 34 years ago tells you exactly how they think today, despite what they have said in the intervening lifetime.

[reddread]

14. is that a rock in your pocket?

or do you need a sermon on forgiveness, followed by a lecture on evolution, finishing with a
prolonged discussion of shameful behavior?
you have a LOT to be unhappy with, thats for sure.
most of us lived through those times and got here from there.
you need to see somebody about this, it would do you some good.

[randys1]

18. Yeah, I didnt know that about Warren but to be honest, you can all be grateful I am

not the person I was 34 years ago either, you think I am an asshole now.

[brush]

46. Links pls on these alleged Warren votes for Reagan and Bush.

You must back your statement up with verification, otherwise it just seems you're out to damage Warren.

[heaven05]

83. Hotair.com plus google sites up the ........

In 1980 she was a registered Republican. Who do you think she voted for? Logically. Plenty of links if question asked in search box is. "did elizabeth warren vote for r. reagan. Lot's of information to verify her voting tendencies in those days.

[NYC_SKP]

90. They don't exist, I tried and found none. nt

[yodermon]

65. who, for you, bluenorthwest, is sufficiently pure? nt

[klook]

67. I am so grateful for all the work Sen. Warren has done and continues to do

to repudiate Republican policies. Her work speaks for itself.

[Thirties Child]

6. I cried the night he was elected

I was so horrified by him that I stuck my head in the sand, didn't listen to the news for eight years. I couldn't stomach hearing his voice. I still react viscerally - just reading this left me short of breath.

[randys1]

8. I have the same reaction to a righty in my personal life, i fell like I will have a heart attack

[yeoman6987]

17. It was not a surprise he won either time

It was a little surprising he won almost all the states but you knew he was going to win both times.

[randys1]

19. Well, the first time he had to commit treason to win, dont forget

and please dont ask me what that means...just ask yourself this "how is it possible it was a coincidence the hostages were released the VERY DAY Raygun was inaugurated?"

[jmowreader]

37. You need to edit your post just a hair...

The morning of Reagan's inauguration, the Iranians woke the hostages up, had them shower, gave them clean clothes and a nice breakfast, and loaded them on an airliner. When the ceremony started, the plane taxied out to the runway and parked with its engines idling. The second Reagan had been sworn in, the runway lights came on and the plane was cleared to depart.

It wasn't the VERY DAY Raygun was inaugurated. It was the VERY INSTANT.

[randys1]

38. No shit, what an amazing coinkeydink...eh

[louis-t]

52. It is suspicious, but also it was the best way the Iranians could

stick a finger in the eye of Carter. At least that's the story the Iranians tell.

[robbob]

47. A good friend of mine had a political awakening of sorts

The same sort I had over 10 years earlier (he is 10 years younger then me) when I read in Time magazine that McGovern was going to lose to Nixon because he opposed Vietnam. The same Vietnam that was featured prominently every issue via bloody photos of the conflict, dead and injured soldiers and civilians. I was like "huh? How can you NOT be opposed?"

Anyway, his revelation was after the debate Reagan vs. Carter when the catch phrase "There you go again..." was unveiled. And the press had swooning orgasms over this brilliant rhetorical move. My friend was sitting there (probably with millions of other thinking Americans) going wtf? What is so brilliant about THAT?

Not even a good actor, but good enough to fool the press, and we all know how hard THAT is...

[Arugula Latte]

61. In 1980 I was a young teen and my parents were (mild) Republicans.

I saw through that evil monster, Reagan. I saw through him in a second. He turned me into a liberal in an instant.

If I believed in the supernatural, I'd say "Rot in Hell forever, Ronnie."

[kath]

62. Re: Ronnie Rayguns rotting in Hell:

(Posted this on DU years ago)

The day RR died, my sister called her parish priest about an unrelated matter, and the priest said "well, this is Reagan's first day in Hell". IIRC, the priest is from Central America or had spent a lot of time there(Guatemala, I think), so is well aware of all RR's atrocities there)

my sisters's parish does a lot to help the many local Guatemalan immigrants, who come there to work in the nearby chicken plant.

[randys1]

78. 1982 I had a girlfriend who would go on and on about the horrors Raygun was doing in

South America...I wasnt politically active at the time and only cared about sex, drugs and rocknroll, but now that I think back, I learned a lot from her.

[Cosmocat]

69. I am younger

that was my exact experience with Bush II.

I was just flabbergasted that this country was THAT stupid, and absolutely sure he would be a disaster.

He was WORSE than I expected, with allowing 9-11 and using that to justify Iraq, and somehow the dimwits in this country found a way to let themselves re-elect him.

I knew Reagan wasn't great at the time, again, much younger, and now see him for what he was.

But, Bush was to me what Reagen was to you.

[Viva_Daddy]

11. He also made Unemployment and SS benefits taxable for the first time in history.

[mrmpa]

44. And no double dipping............

if you draw a federal pension and are also eligible for Social Security benefits, your Social Security benefits are cut by 2/3rd. Both my parents were/are victims of this. They lost approximately $8,000 a year in SS benefits. You might think so what's $700 a month, well right now that would be very welcome.

Also when my Dad died my Mom went to SS about survivor benefits, they told her in normal circumstances she would be eligible for about $400 a month, but she wasn't getting anything. This was all due to Reagan's ideas on the economy, or as my dear departed father referred to him "that fucking Reagan".

[former9thward]

51. A Democratic Congress passed that bill.

Reagan signed the bill into law.

[ieoeja]

86. Have you EVER made a post that did not attack Democrats? Serious question. I have yet to see one. nt

[former9thward]

87. How do facts attack Democrats?

I will see how you answer that....

[ieoeja]

88. The fact is not the problem.

I have no problem pointing out to fellow DUers when Democrats have been on the wrong side of an issue. Done it a few times myself.

But I have never seen a post by you that was not anti-Democratic or pro-Republican. Not one. Your sole purpose in being here appears to be opposition to all things Democratic.

Or support of Reagan. You seem to really love some Reagan. Easily the worst president since the New Deal. Yet you continually defend him at every turn.

[former9thward]

89. Nothing is simple in life.

There is no black and white in politics. When you think that you are hyper partisan and ineffective in persuading others. I make my living persuading people of my views. So I try not to make simplistic statements that opponents can tear apart. In a courtroom you can say 10 things and if one of them is wrong your opponent will use that to convince the jury everything must be wrong. I have made factual errors in DU posts and when I find out I try and correct them. I see no harm in bringing out all the known facts on a topic and see where it takes us.

[Mr.Bill]

12. If this country ever totally fails

on a purely financial basis, he will go down in history as the president who taught us that debt is good and the prosperity of borrowed money is the right path.

[reddread]

13. "Reagan-era"

keep covering for the GHWB dynasty, Im sure Jeb appreciates the distancing.

[randys1]

20. who did that? ok, i dont have to ask that question now, i understand what you are saying

Personally I think Raygun began the unravelling of the middle class, way more so than even Nixon, and W sent it on steroids

[Xolodno]

22. Bingo!

The first line:

"It's difficult to overstate how much Reagan-era propaganda hurt the country."

EXACTLY!!!!!!!

It never ceases to amaze me how people blame Reagan's actual policies! It wasn't his policies (not completely...but I'd prefer his to GWB)....it was his damn rhetoric. He told people what they wanted to hear.....and did things in reverse.

Country was in a recession....he lowered taxes and increased spending to get out of it.....Classic Keynes solution.

Terrorist in Beirut...he cut an ran (and then posed with the families of the deceased for PR).

Deficit....raised taxes...largest ever (and managed to sell it).

Healthcare.....he started the "emergency room can't turn anyone away"

Soviet Union...he actually understood (albeit late in his presidency)....they were scared we would fire the first shots. And started de-escalating tensions (after escalating them) to prove we weren't a threat (he believed they were a threat because of decades of propaganda...something he eventually figured out).

AIDS....yeah he was a fucking idiot...but so were a lot of people during that initial era of misinformation (Disneyland got shut down for a day because of a rumor someone with AIDS visited, just to give an example)



But his biggest sin? His bullshit. But as an actor...he knew the bullshit would get him elected.


It created a whole new "Republican". It created a party of insanity...that today, would not even give him so much of a chance at winning an election for "dog catcher".

The Bush family (and their compatriots) just seized the opportunity and capitalized on an actor turned president who told the people what they wanted to hear.....Only...they actually followed through on his bullshit.

In a hundred years or so....historians will say this....Reagan's rhetoric inadvertently transformed the GOP from a party that established the EPA....to a party of anarchists. It was those after him, who actually followed through.

[reddread]

24. + a millenia if people dont wake the fuck up

get your facts in order or you will simply continue to wail.
Reagan was a tool used and nearly killed by the real ambitions of evil men.
not that he had his good side, simply that the facts should not be veiled.
the handful of essentials that describe the wholesale treason and criminal successes of the 20th century,
yet people put their efforts into broadcasting right wing rhetoric under the guise of outrage.
WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU THINK THEY WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH THEIR OUTRAGEOUS STATEMENTS?
jesus christ, try putting solid information out there, instead.
the media isnt about to do that for you.
tools.
playthings.

[Xolodno]

45. Precisely.

He was a tool. He brought charisma the GOP desperately needed after Nixon. Never mind the fact that he used many Democratic and Keynes ideas to fix things. The people who propped him up knew all they had to do was wait it out (Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, McCain, etc.)...and ride his charisma to do exactly what they wanted...which was practically undo the New Deal by FDR (something Reagan was actually a fan of...and something the GOP is desperate to erase from history).

If Democrats would stop demonizing Reagan and put that effort into those after him (Bush, etc.)...they...ah....never mind.

[reddread]

48. fuck "never mind" that is the only way out

hard to tell the morons from the mendacious, but history needs to be UNDERSTOOD.

[Xolodno]

56. Yeah..point taken.

Reagan had a Democratic Congress...and was able to work with them because he shared many of their ideas. Obama shares some of the Republican ideas....but can't get them passed because the GOP doesn't want Democrats to have a "Reagan". So they block everything.

But yeah...

Reagan is still used as a tool today. Because the GOP has crowned him a "messiah", too many Democrats fall for it and aim squarely at him...when they should be exposing everyone that came after him. So he provides the perfect distraction. In that...attacking him...makes you against "Morning in America" and "good times"....so you get people who remember him fondly (or remember kind and gentle grandpa talking fondly of him), get annoyed....and vote Republican...even despite the fact they may be against everything the guy they are voting for. Let the GOP have their fucking messiah and expose the "heathens" that came afterward.

Thank goodness that "a thousand points of light" never got traction....

[jmowreader]

42. You are so misinformed about Reaganomics

Reaganomics was a two-part plan.

Part 1: extreme tax cuts for the rich.

Part 2: heavy spending cuts to offset the tax cuts.

The Economic Recovery Tax Act was signed in August 1981. Eighteen months later the U3 unemployment rate was 10.8 percent - highest in history. Less than a year after ERTA was signed, Congress had to write a new law, the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, to erase some of Ronnie's worst mistakes.

[Xolodno]

50. Oh for fuck sakes.....

Not only am I an economist.....I'm.....lets say that dirty word......A SOCIALIST!!!!!

Yes, the ERTA was bad...and a fraud. It was there to placate the minority in his party. And 18 months after in economic terms...is not enough data..in other words, even Reagan knew it was bullshit (this is the guy that condemned Israel's attack on Iraq...while privately saying "great piece of work"...he was the perfect liar). Reagan signed the 1982 Act on the condition for every tax dollar increase...a spending decrease of three dollars....which never occurred. Why? Because is rhetoric (in the non 24 hour news cycle) satisfied GOP elements....while he ignored the spending.

Reaganomics never was implemented. Until a guy named Bush came to power.


And I'm going to get on my soap box here.......

Stop focusing on Reagan. The dude in today's GOP would be a Democrat. The real shit storm happened afterwards (due to his popularity and "flowery rhetoric&quot .

His rhetoric and propaganda shifted the country in the wrong direction....not his policies. Those after him;

Bush 41 - started the unraveling of the New Deal with expanded Military adventurism (money spent on wars can't be spent on domestic issues).

Clinton - was strong armed into deregulation (but did manage to cut spending on military...which would be undone by...)

GWB - his fucking tax decreases and increased military spending. Something had to give....guess what..it wasn't the military.

You want to blame the shit of today on the past? Blame Bush 41 and his son....and then a Congress led by Newt. Reagan was a tool...but a useful tool by the wrong people.

[RiffRandell]

57. This Rolling Stone article is very informative on points you make.

I despised Reagan and consider him the 2nd worst President after Dubya, so in no way am I trying to defend him by sharing this.

Preacherlike, the president draws the crowd into a call-and-response. "Do you think the millionaire ought to pay more in taxes than the bus driver," he demands, "or less?"

The crowd, sounding every bit like the protesters from Occupy Wall Street, roars back: "MORE!"

The year was 1985. The president was Ronald Wilson Reagan.

Today's Republican Party may revere Reagan as the patron saint of low taxation. But the party of Reagan – which understood that higher taxes on the rich are sometimes required to cure ruinous deficits – is dead and gone. Instead, the modern GOP has undergone a radical transformation, reorganizing itself around a grotesque proposition: that the wealthy should grow wealthier still, whatever the consequences for the rest of us.

Modern-day Republicans have become, quite simply, the Party of the One Percent – the Party of the Rich.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-the-gop-became-the-party-of-the-rich-20111109#ixzz37g2mDX9U
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook

[Xolodno]

59. Not trying to defend him either...just trying to point out reality....and stop the demonization...

...as doing so will not get progressives anywhere....or worse, make more wanting to vote Republican.

Supply side economics was always a joke...but a joke that appealed to people. To paraphrase:

-------------

1. Less taxes means your employer will have more money to invest into you.

2. Less taxes means you will have more money in your pocket to spend...which creates more jobs.

Therefore you will get a raise and keep more of it....plus more people will be employed.
------------------------

Of course....this was utter bullshit...but is so simplistic....everyone understood it. When people ask me "whats makes you think you know how the economy works just because you have a piece of paper"....I respond, "because the economy is so complex that even Albert Einstein said it was harder than Physics....so I'm assuming you know how to surpass the speed of light in which he said was impossible?"

The reality of Reaganomics implemented by those after him:

1. Employers did not invest into you...they kept the savings for themselves (why shouldn't they...they were already maximizing productivity and profits....the rest was just gravy).

2. Yes...you got more money in your pocket. But prices outpaced that (due to less regulation and pressure being put on corporations/business to increase profits rather than compete for your business) and less were employed or more underemployed because, the costs of labor were reduced. In other words, the poor got to buy an extra 12 pack of Coors...initially...but later...beyond the short tail of economics...had to work 50 hours instead of 40...and think more taxes means they have to work 60.
--------------

An economy is massively complex and results can't be measured "on the next paycheck"...because of that...the greedy spout euphemisms that sound "good" to the general populace (immigrants are taking your jobs,...government is going to invade your church...that provides free food you need,...they are going to tax you more so you have less money...money you need for food, shelter, and health care,..etc.)...and because they are focused on the short term...and find government assistance complex (and ungodly if you listen to the church minister...on some sort of "donation" pay roll)...they vote what they "think" is in there interests. When in reality...they don't see the long term or complexity.

Just to give you an example...I got frequent emails from conservative friends on how the USA can rely completely on its own oil if the "government" would just get out of the way. What it doesn't say, oil companies are going to sell to the highest bidder and given the increased consumption of China, India and Brazil....little of that will be sold state side. Plus never mind the environmental ruin it would cause (and cost of long term tourism in many cases)....the response..."then those Dems should have never got us on NAFTA and the Democratic created EPA is ruining business".....


I could point out how NAFTA for all intents in purposes was already in effect due to the Maquiladoras Program and NAFTA allowed us to sell more farm products to Mexico and Canada (benefiting Republican areas mainly)...and the EPA was started by a Republican President and many areas "primed" for oil exploration are also major tourist areas which is long term income for them and decedents as opposed to short term (grab the oil and run) and profits corporations primarily...not to mention...the EPA is trying to make sure you don't get cancer from your faucet...but when I get complex...they fall back to one liners FOX told them.....





....Oh sweet Jesus.....




....I need a drink,

[ProfessorGAC]

77. One Thing About Your Post

Good points all, but you're comparing him to Silverspoon fails to include the fact that without Reagan and the hagiographic memories of that disaster of an administration, there would have been no Silverspoon.

So, as you say that you prefer him to 43, you are missing that one led to the other.

[Turbineguy]

15. Republicans are desperate to continue

his legacy.

[santamargarita]

16. Reagan is a shit stain on this country that will take a long time to eradicate.

[ReRe]

23. And he started the whole....

.... "downsizing" bit.

Put simply, Reagan officially enacted the contents of The Powell Memorandum, penned by none other than Justice Lewis Powell in 1971. (See my sig line for info about Hedrick Smith's book which documents the whole effing nightmare of the last 34 years!)

[Octafish]

25. Reagan made it OK to be a fascist again.

Pruneface declared his candidacy in Philadelphia, Mississippi for reasons evil.

[randys1]

26. Indeed, i miss Ron Jr...is he on the radio somewhere, let me look

just read the article, hate those motherfuckers even more now

[navarth]

31. Hey Octafish, remember what Coleman Young called Saint Reagan?

"President Pruneface"

A lot of people hated Mayor Young, I voted for him twice. OH the memories.

[Octafish]

53. From his Little Red Book.

"The Quotations of Chairman Coleman A. Young."

Guy worked the assembly line. Guy was a Tuskegee Airman. Guy stood up to the House Un-American Activities Committee:

"I consider the activities of this committee to be un-American."

[navarth]

63. Yeah, he was a labor organizer IIRC.

And he dug jazz. He came up and sat a few seats from me at the old Paradise Ballroom (Orchestra Hall) for a Donald Byrd concert. What a guy. Thanks for remembering.

[Octafish]

64. Hear Les McCann talk about Bird?

I, too, appreciate jazz. Thanks to the Montreux Detroit International Jazz Festival, I met my wife.

[navarth]

74. ha!

Never heard that one. Les probably couldn't help being funny after hanging out with Eddie Harris so much. Eddie was a natural comic, one of those guys that could be funny just walking into a room. I played a thing many years ago with Eddie and Marcus Belgrave in Flint, I remember it well. Eddie had us in stitches while we were waiting to go on.

How cool it is that you met your wife at the festival. I played dozens of jobs at that festival, beginning in 1980 (the very first). AND I also remember 1980 as the year Saint Reagan got nominated at Joe Louis Arena....remember? It still gives me the creeps.

Thanks for sharing the Les McCann. Bird lives indeed.

[progressoid]

27. But but but..."tear down this wall"

He single handedly saved us from the Ruskies!!

.

.

.

.

Fuck Ronnie and his idiotic fans.

[SomethingFishy]

28. Reagan was the first mass media President..

He was an actor. He read his lines well. You almost couldn't see the strings over his head and the hand up his ass.

[randys1]

29. Was literally in lala land more than 4 yrs of his presidency, imagine that

Dont wanna make light of Alzheimer's, but he was clueless.

[SomethingFishy]

30. Yup, I actually did the sound mix at a speech he gave

around 86' or so, he was long gone then.. Walked up to the mic and started to talk about Baseball. Nancy had to come up to the podium and show him his "cue cards" to get him on the right track..

[geardaddy]

32. Great read

thank you.

[MisterP]

34. there's enough neolibs on TV to spread FUD, but they admitted in 1981

that the whole thing (which started with Ford and Carter, in fact) was never intended to help the economy (and indeed indicators have all started curving back down or flatline for the bottom 99.99% of us) but to just give more wealth to the rich
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1981/12/the-education-of-david-stockman/305760/

[blkmusclmachine]

33. "Mourning in America"

[humbled_opinion]

35. I always get confused on tax policy..

i.e., Obama ended all the Bush tax cuts and raised various taxes but currently even though the Federal Government is taking in record revenue it is still running a roughtly 600 Billion dollar deficit. At its current pace at the end of Obama's 8 year term the national debt will have more than doubled from roughly 10 Trillion in 2008 to over 20 Trillion in 2016.

My question is, how are these debt numbers even sustainable? Won't there come a point when the debt is so high that the current tax revenue will not even be able to pay the interest on that debt?

[randys1]

36. Not confusing if you take tax brackets back to IKE days...

Rich dont pay enough, corps dont pay enough or most dont and while some do it is an outrage they are rewarded to outsource jobs

will let someone else fact check your stats

[kath]

39. He also wreaked a shit-ton of havoc in Central America.

And the US is still suffering from all his misguided policies. he caused so, so, so much damage.

[Louisiana1976]

49. Exactly. Iran/Contra was the tip of the iceberg. Reagan's evil policy in Central America

consisted of political and economic intervention which continues to this day. It screwed up the societies of those countries to the extent that corruption and lawlessness are rife. And because of the resulting violence children are now fleeing Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.

[tclambert]

40. And there was what he did about AIDS

Absolutely nothing. He just let it spread. Wouldn't even talk about it. Because, you know, he might have to acknowledge homosexuals.

[moondust]

41. Beginning of the end.

[napkinz]

54. and yet Reagan is the greatest president and Obama the worst in a recent poll ... ?

[randys1]

55. many americans are morons

[Cosmocat]

70. sadly, true

nm

[Uncle Joe]

58. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, randys.

[GeorgeGist]

60. That shining city upon a hill ...

was destroyed by the Cheapskate philosophy Reagan sold to America.

[ballabosh]

66. Good article

but it's missing the destruction of the family farm.

[TNNurse]

68. I never thought he was that good of an actor.

In the movies or in the White House, I was not impressed. I wish I had verified at what point I diagnosed him with Alzheimer's but it was literally years before it was acknowledged. I told people I knew but that is not proof. It was clear during the last two years of his term that he "was not all there".

How much of what others did and decided during his time in office is for others to know and prove, I just know that we had a President with dementia and people were covering for him.

As for that "Great Communicator" title so many gave him, I thought that was bullshit.

[Cosmocat]

71. He wasn't even a good republican

by their STATED "principles."

You want to see a right winger's heads explode ...

Say this about Reagen:

1) First President to sign off on Amnesty
2) Cut and ran after the Beirut Barracks bombing.
3) Raised taxes over a dozen times
4) Tripled the deficit by the time he left office

I hit them with this, and it varies between enraged, "YOU JUST HIM HIM YOU LIBERAL POS!" fits of anger to some pseudo intellectual babble trying to explain it all away.

[Rex]

72. Ronald Wilson Reagan was a piece of crap. I can't believe he is a hero to some.

Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr., Bush Jr. they all are pieces of crap. EOM.

[The Wizard]

73. Was Reagan just an unwitting dupe

and front man for the Bush cartel?

[Blue Idaho]

76. Let's not forget his changes to business laws and regulations.

Thanks to that piece of shit - we now have the smallest number of mega-corporations controlling the largest number of products ever. There is no free market - it's all monopolies rigged by and for the 1% of the 1%.

Worst President Ever.

[randys1]

79. Yes...i was in fancy hotel in Northern Los Angeles county where they have shrines to the

motherphucker

The shrines actually make sense if you are rich, he made the rich mega rich and everybody else poor

that statement is not debatable

[Blue Idaho]

81. Maybe worst of all

He changed America from a country where people cared for each other into a nation that worships greed is god.

[LWolf]

80. I don't need a reminder.

I lived through it.

For many too young to remember, though, this reminder is important.

[lark]

84. MF**er also devastated California's educational system

They went from best to one of the worst so that Rayguns rich friends paid almost nothing for their ranches/estates. Of course new homeowners had to pay at a rate much greater than what was charged previously so that you had people who owned large apartment complexes paying less in taxes than a person with a 1000 sq. ft. house. I truly loathe that man for what he did to California first then the country as a whole later.