Thread: the real reagan record

republicans and conservatives have been falling all over themselves in the run up to this election harking back to the era of reagan. kind of pathetic that they have to go back more than 20 years in search of something they can feel proud of, but i wonder if they've become as senile as he was.

so, in the interest of setting the record straight, let's take a look at the real reagan record...

* supported amnesty for illegal immigrants in 1986

*signed tax increases into law in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987

*as governor of california he signed into law the most liberal abortion law in the US---and by the way, the word 'abortion' is not mentioned a single time in his 700 page autobiography.

*cut and run from beirut after being attacked by hezbollah


California governor | The San Diego Union-Tribune
Bruce Bartlett on Tax Increases & Reagan on NRO Financial
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ronald Reagan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


sorry boys, but facts are facts---and selective memory/ revisionism are for AM talk radio and fox news.

Originally Posted by raycarey

republicans and conservatives have been falling all over themselves in the run up to this election harking back to the era of reagan. kind of pathetic that they have to go back more than 20 years in search of something they can feel proud of, but i wonder if they've become as senile as he was.

so, in the interest of setting the record straight, let's take a look at the real reagan record...

* supported amnesty for illegal immigrants in 1986

*signed tax increases into law in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987

*as governor of california he signed into law the most liberal abortion law in the US---and by the way, the word 'abortion' is not mentioned a single time in his 700 page autobiography.

*cut and run from beirut after being attacked by hezbollah


California governor | The San Diego Union-Tribune
Bruce Bartlett on Tax Increases & Reagan on NRO Financial
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ronald Reagan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


sorry boys, but facts are facts---and selective memory/ revisionism are for AM talk radio and fox news.

Why would you mention the cut and run part ,that is what you like isn't it?

*Financed the training of death squads in Central America

Shhhhh......he didn't know about it. That was all Ollie North's fault.

Originally Posted by Texpat

That's all he'll be remembered for in 50 years

any and all legitimate historical references to reagan will include iran/contra....until recent events, the darkest days in american foreign policy.

US foreign policy in Central America is my biggest beef against the Reagan administration.

The question of 'how much Ronnie knew' is a moot point really- Death squads were being trained by the US military at the School of the America's, then in Panama, now in Georgia. Whilst perhaps not on the scale of Iraq their terror tactics and brutality does have to mark a low point of US foreign policy.

At least in Iraq the public basically know what is happening. In Central America- El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala especially- the US public and foreign community were kept in the dark. Noam Chomsky was about the only one writing about it.

Well, if you want to criticize Reagan's record by referencing CIA and other covert actions, that doesn't hold much water. Those have been ongoing during many administrations. The fact that they were uncovered during Reagan's watch doesn't particularly distinguish Reagan as any worse than any other President in post WWII history, and certainly doesn't diminish the perception that he indeed was one of the most effective Presidents in recent memory.

^Yes, precisely.

Originally Posted by Texpat

Reagan is credited with outspending the USSR to bring them to their knees, ending the 50-year-long Cold War.

Reagan was one piece in many puzzles, that brought down the USSR.

Most of the implosion of the USSR was internal.

The Pope and Lech Walesa also played a big part in the end of Communism.

^^Yes, this is entirely true. Reagan got more credit than he deserved for uttering "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."

The USSR couldn't keep up with the US military technical superiority and spending levels, and the economy increasingly suffered under the weight of a badly managed central planning system and inefficient markets. Commercial industries were badly outdated and inefficient. I toured many factories and was appalled at the conditions workers had to endure in 1990/1991 and even later years.

I don't think anybody really understood the extent of the corrosion of that system because of the lack of access to the outside world.

In addition, the old system of client states was simultaneously starting to crumble as they increasingly wanted their independence.

Many things converged at once for the failure of the USSR, including Yeltsin himself.

Originally Posted by Milkman

Most of the implosion of the USSR was internal.

some people here won't be able to accept that MM....they prefer the fairy tale.

Thats just Ol Ray talking out his ass again.

But I bet Ronny would have been proud of Bush GW. shit he spending money a lot faster than Ronny ever did, And he outspent every pres. before him,, may make Ronny look bad tho.

Originally Posted by blackgang

Thats just Ol Ray talking out his ass again.

1. specifically what do you dispute that i've posted on this thread?
2. and since you claim to have me on ignore, how do you know what i've posted?

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Ronnie will always be remembered for reducing double-digit inflation.

That was actually Paul Volcker but thanks for playing,

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

That, and being instrumental in bringing down the Berlin Wall. Sure, all those other factors previously mentioned influenced the wall coming down but it was on Reagan's watch it was achieved.

I wish you could say the same with 911, it was under his watch, so I guess he is partially responsible for it according to your logic above,

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Ronnie will always be remembered for reducing double-digit inflation.

But still he busted the labor unions, so in turn he also reduced the double-digit income too, and that hurt some folks.

Originally Posted by Butterfly

Originally Posted by "Boon Mee"

That, and being instrumental in bringing down the Berlin Wall. Sure, all those other factors previously mentioned influenced the wall coming down but it was on Reagan's watch it was achieved.

I wish you could say the same with 911, it was under his watch, so I guess he is partially responsible for it according to your logic above,

'Course he was...nothing to do with Clinton addressing more blowjobs than global issues.