Full Version: Ronald Reagan's Political Legacy
Oddly enough we still don't have a thread dedicated to discussing the pros and cons of Ronald Reagan's political legacy, so let this be that thread.
The question: Describe what you think is Reagan's political legacy, good and bad. Give examples where you can.
The question: Describe what you think is Reagan's political legacy, good and bad. Give examples where you can.
To there is no real substance at all behind the Reagan legacy- just a political movement bent on transforming the US into a theocracy. Hey had no grasp of the economy, or basic fiscal conservative principles, and in fact, had very little grasp at anything that wasn't scripted for him. What he did have was stage precense and nothing more. He was able to give Pat Robertson and the Christian Coalition a political party in the GOP.
There was also a movement started such as Rush and G.Gordon Liddy etc (Morton Downey Jr was the precursor to them all) that basically started a propaganda movement of mis-information and lies that we have to deal with today.
I really can't think of a single good thing that RR did or accomplished.
There was also a movement started such as Rush and G.Gordon Liddy etc (Morton Downey Jr was the precursor to them all) that basically started a propaganda movement of mis-information and lies that we have to deal with today.
I really can't think of a single good thing that RR did or accomplished.
I'm almost afraid to post since a lot of threads seem to get closed right behind me, but I'll risk it 
I think Reagans greatest legacy, is how he inspired people to believe in America again.
He was a man of many faults and some of these were the sort of big bad flaws I don't like to see in a world leader, but looking beyond his religous motivations and his lack of empathy for many of his own people's plight, I can easily see how so many people loved him because he made them feel good about themselves.
Its hard to understand for me. Perhaps this is because most of our nation states are still headed by symbolic royalty and though we like them enough t wave our flags at them, we don't ascribe to them any great leadership qualities. Nor do we take our moral lead from them, nor even indeed our political leaders.
When I look at how many Americans put so much store in the quality and leadership of one individual I find myself looking down upon them. I can't help it. My political experience tells me that politicians are just as wont as I any one else to lie and cheat and be spiteful and Ronald Reagan was no exception to that rule.
So, its hard for me to understand just why Reagan inspires such admiration since he was a politician and he did make some horrible decisions which hurt a lot of people. Whether or not he could have done any different I don't rightly know, but I do know that his decisions were based on his personal and religous beliefs, and those I find, lacking.
Looking at his political legacy, I can see how the cold war looms above it like a spectre. Reagan oft appears as a lone figure standing before a great dark storm.
But I know that this is just a fairy tale. Political leaders always paint their own portraits and they always define themselves as noble and honourable and Reagan was no different. As an actor he had the ability to appear ever more graceful and noble than his contenders, and this ability together with his skill at reading the teleprompter wilst appearing not to, made him an appealing figure I believe to many who crave moral leadership.
Due to that, I believe many people chose to follow him down the path of self righteous arrogance towards the political landscape that today is the United States not so much because that is what they wanted, but because Reagan made them feel good about themselves.
No matter how bad things got, he just kept smiling and waving to the camera's and everything felt fine. The true legacy of that is the continuation of that attitude towards the public in American leaders. Clinton and Blair both learned from it and I think to some extent Bush tries to copy it as well.
Underneath the smiles how ever is the cold hard reality of geo-politics. Reagan was, whether any one likes it or not, the leader of the free world against the undemocratic force of Communism.
He called it an 'Evil Empire'. Which made me roll my eyes and laugh. A lot of people use the word evil, and a lot of people use it in relationship to the USA. Many also use it to describe the EU and some to describe any opposing political force (as we see often in Israel). But in truth, just how useful was Reagan's attitude? Did it shock the people in the Communist world into realising the truth? or was Reagan just a good judge of which way the wind was blowing?
In truth it doesn't really matter. Reagan understood the impact of personality and his name will go down, rightly or wrongly as being the one man most responsible for the fall of the Soviet Union thanks to those two small words.
I think Reagans greatest legacy, is how he inspired people to believe in America again.
He was a man of many faults and some of these were the sort of big bad flaws I don't like to see in a world leader, but looking beyond his religous motivations and his lack of empathy for many of his own people's plight, I can easily see how so many people loved him because he made them feel good about themselves.
Its hard to understand for me. Perhaps this is because most of our nation states are still headed by symbolic royalty and though we like them enough t wave our flags at them, we don't ascribe to them any great leadership qualities. Nor do we take our moral lead from them, nor even indeed our political leaders.
When I look at how many Americans put so much store in the quality and leadership of one individual I find myself looking down upon them. I can't help it. My political experience tells me that politicians are just as wont as I any one else to lie and cheat and be spiteful and Ronald Reagan was no exception to that rule.
So, its hard for me to understand just why Reagan inspires such admiration since he was a politician and he did make some horrible decisions which hurt a lot of people. Whether or not he could have done any different I don't rightly know, but I do know that his decisions were based on his personal and religous beliefs, and those I find, lacking.
Looking at his political legacy, I can see how the cold war looms above it like a spectre. Reagan oft appears as a lone figure standing before a great dark storm.
But I know that this is just a fairy tale. Political leaders always paint their own portraits and they always define themselves as noble and honourable and Reagan was no different. As an actor he had the ability to appear ever more graceful and noble than his contenders, and this ability together with his skill at reading the teleprompter wilst appearing not to, made him an appealing figure I believe to many who crave moral leadership.
Due to that, I believe many people chose to follow him down the path of self righteous arrogance towards the political landscape that today is the United States not so much because that is what they wanted, but because Reagan made them feel good about themselves.
No matter how bad things got, he just kept smiling and waving to the camera's and everything felt fine. The true legacy of that is the continuation of that attitude towards the public in American leaders. Clinton and Blair both learned from it and I think to some extent Bush tries to copy it as well.
Underneath the smiles how ever is the cold hard reality of geo-politics. Reagan was, whether any one likes it or not, the leader of the free world against the undemocratic force of Communism.
He called it an 'Evil Empire'. Which made me roll my eyes and laugh. A lot of people use the word evil, and a lot of people use it in relationship to the USA. Many also use it to describe the EU and some to describe any opposing political force (as we see often in Israel). But in truth, just how useful was Reagan's attitude? Did it shock the people in the Communist world into realising the truth? or was Reagan just a good judge of which way the wind was blowing?
In truth it doesn't really matter. Reagan understood the impact of personality and his name will go down, rightly or wrongly as being the one man most responsible for the fall of the Soviet Union thanks to those two small words.
I lived as a young adult under the Reagan administration, and the reality is that many here who tout his greatness did not, including Beladonna and Dontreadonme, so they are only talking about what they have heard as a legacy, and actually have the where-with-all to talk as if they know that it was supposedly some 'great' era. Thats a nice revisionist history.
There was no 'great Reagan Era' for those of us that did live it, it was pretty much classic Republicanism, nothing new, tax cuts for the rich, trickle down theory, a few wars on Central and South America, communism at our back door was the excuse then, nuclear escalation against Russia (wasteful), the Iran-Contra affair (treason, since Congress declared no funds for the Contras, but who really cared, it was the government) , " I dont recall" I dont recall". Ollie North as fall guy, well that was later.
Domestic policy rhetoric at the time was a return to family values, never mind noone knew what that meant and was so unreal since feminism, womens and minority rights were a tidal force but they were fighting it and divorce rates were going through the roof, single motherhood was rampant, a complete disconnect with middle america and their needs. Reagan tried to cut domestic spending programs to 'zero' I mean for real, all at 'zero', including benefits to seniors, but Congress would not let him do it, it was a bit scandalous at the time and the budget text was circulated. Young people could not find jobs, but the rich were definately getting richer. The economy sucked, it was a bad recession. You know, the classic Republican scenario, recession and wars, high military spending, trying to out-do the enemy of the time and talking "its better now than 4 years ago'. It wasnt but for the better off. We laughed our heads of at this, as youth.
Then there was 'the War on Drugs', wag the dog. Everyone went into a frenzy about marijuana, as if this was 'the' problem. Nancy flew all over the country to talk to parents and kids , that was when her astrologer told her it was ok. "Just say No" happend then.She was a joke as well.
Reagan was not very popular until he got shot. In fact there is a very likelihood he would have not been reelected had he not been.
Then it all went downhill. Tales of him sleeping through meetings and not really being there, him being a puppet president and Bush being the ex head of the CIA and subsequent anomolies got news.
But they did a lot in 8 years, wars..Nicaragua, Grenada, and El Salvador, and the School of the Americas was in full force teaching terrorism to 'freedom fighters' for Central and South America which was the concentration then. We had to keep weathy landowners rights in freedom and democracy there as the regular people starved to death and mortality rates were at an all time high and they were wanting a better life for themselves, but it was the 'communist ' faction we had to fight against, THEN, "Because they were coming up to get us from the south...BOO!
You know, if you live long enough you see that nothing changes except the face of the enemy and the names of your own presidents. The only reason Reagan is great is because he was an actor, not because he was President. There is no reason for this hullaballoney. He was not a Washington or a Jefferson. He didnt come up with any great new theories, he wasnt a thinker, he just talked and looked good to some.
Even if you account to him an alleged economy turnaround , or some other ( I dont know what?) I mean lets get real, what are we talking about here in terms of 'greatness". For what exactly? A great speaker? He was an actor for crying out loud? Trained to do it. Are our standards set that low?
There was no 'great Reagan Era' for those of us that did live it, it was pretty much classic Republicanism, nothing new, tax cuts for the rich, trickle down theory, a few wars on Central and South America, communism at our back door was the excuse then, nuclear escalation against Russia (wasteful), the Iran-Contra affair (treason, since Congress declared no funds for the Contras, but who really cared, it was the government) , " I dont recall" I dont recall". Ollie North as fall guy, well that was later.
Domestic policy rhetoric at the time was a return to family values, never mind noone knew what that meant and was so unreal since feminism, womens and minority rights were a tidal force but they were fighting it and divorce rates were going through the roof, single motherhood was rampant, a complete disconnect with middle america and their needs. Reagan tried to cut domestic spending programs to 'zero' I mean for real, all at 'zero', including benefits to seniors, but Congress would not let him do it, it was a bit scandalous at the time and the budget text was circulated. Young people could not find jobs, but the rich were definately getting richer. The economy sucked, it was a bad recession. You know, the classic Republican scenario, recession and wars, high military spending, trying to out-do the enemy of the time and talking "its better now than 4 years ago'. It wasnt but for the better off. We laughed our heads of at this, as youth.
Then there was 'the War on Drugs', wag the dog. Everyone went into a frenzy about marijuana, as if this was 'the' problem. Nancy flew all over the country to talk to parents and kids , that was when her astrologer told her it was ok. "Just say No" happend then.She was a joke as well.
Reagan was not very popular until he got shot. In fact there is a very likelihood he would have not been reelected had he not been.
Then it all went downhill. Tales of him sleeping through meetings and not really being there, him being a puppet president and Bush being the ex head of the CIA and subsequent anomolies got news.
But they did a lot in 8 years, wars..Nicaragua, Grenada, and El Salvador, and the School of the Americas was in full force teaching terrorism to 'freedom fighters' for Central and South America which was the concentration then. We had to keep weathy landowners rights in freedom and democracy there as the regular people starved to death and mortality rates were at an all time high and they were wanting a better life for themselves, but it was the 'communist ' faction we had to fight against, THEN, "Because they were coming up to get us from the south...BOO!
You know, if you live long enough you see that nothing changes except the face of the enemy and the names of your own presidents. The only reason Reagan is great is because he was an actor, not because he was President. There is no reason for this hullaballoney. He was not a Washington or a Jefferson. He didnt come up with any great new theories, he wasnt a thinker, he just talked and looked good to some.
Even if you account to him an alleged economy turnaround , or some other ( I dont know what?) I mean lets get real, what are we talking about here in terms of 'greatness". For what exactly? A great speaker? He was an actor for crying out loud? Trained to do it. Are our standards set that low?
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Topic closed...</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Reason: Question to debate too vague or missing.<br /><br />Recommended action: If you started this topic, please contact the staff member who closed it by clicking the PM button below this post with a clear question to debate.<br /><br />Helpful links:<br />- Starting New Topics<br />- Survival Guide<br />- The Rules<br />- Staff Directory</td></tr><tr><td class='darkrow1'><div align='center'>Note: This is an automated response.</div></td></tr></table></div>
Recommendation: Break down various aspects of Reagan's policies and/or administration. As posed, this could become a free-for-all with no direction.
Topic closed...</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>Reason: Question to debate too vague or missing.<br /><br />Recommended action: If you started this topic, please contact the staff member who closed it by clicking the PM button below this post with a clear question to debate.<br /><br />Helpful links:<br />- Starting New Topics<br />- Survival Guide<br />- The Rules<br />- Staff Directory</td></tr><tr><td class='darkrow1'><div align='center'>Note: This is an automated response.</div></td></tr></table></div>Recommendation: Break down various aspects of Reagan's policies and/or administration. As posed, this could become a free-for-all with no direction.
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