Ronald Reagan: Hero? or Villain?

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11 Jun 2012, 2:46 pm

We've probably had no more polarizing figure in recent history--possibly in the entire history of the United States.

Either people absolutely worship him, or they despise him. As compared to other recent presidents, who are either mildly-to-vehemently despised or regarded indifferently.

So, without further ado, have at it.

Awesomelyglorious
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11 Jun 2012, 3:43 pm

God.

simon_says
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11 Jun 2012, 4:57 pm

Just another kind of dumb guy with a massive ego who wanted to lead the world. He's a mixed bag. Some people who worked him said he was very clever in some ways. In other ways they say he was kind of thick.

He's also the subject of a massive myth-making campaign by Republicans who want to make him their JFK. They have really distorted the record of his Presidency to fit their script.

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11 Jun 2012, 5:35 pm

It took a bit of audacity to rename the Washington National Airport after Ronald Reagan, after what he did to the Air Traffic Controllers union.

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11 Jun 2012, 5:51 pm

Both

SpiritBlooms
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11 Jun 2012, 6:02 pm

simon_says wrote:

I agree with this. While I don't like a lot of his policies, especially economic, I'm indifferent about the man himself. I tend to think he meant well but that he was used, a puppet in some ways. I also wonder whether his Alzheimer's began to take hold while he was still president. I don't feel as badly about him as about Bush jr., who I still think should have been impeached and probably belongs in jail.

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11 Jun 2012, 6:05 pm

The Economy was a lot better under Reagan then it is under Obama.

SpiritBlooms
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11 Jun 2012, 6:25 pm

Joker wrote:

The Economy was a lot better under Reagan then it is under Obama.

Obama's economy issues were inherited. Reagan's were not.

Joker
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11 Jun 2012, 6:26 pm

SpiritBlooms wrote:

Joker wrote:

The Economy was a lot better under Reagan then it is under Obama.

Obama's economy issues were inherited. Reagan's were not.

True but it's irrelivant really I mean not pointing fingers just stating a fact.

minervx
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11 Jun 2012, 6:27 pm

ArrantPariah wrote:

I don't think he's a villain, but I wouldn't call him a hero. The Republicans want to call him a hardcore conservative who never broke principle. The Democrats want to call him a radical right-wing reactionary who had no sense of compromise. In the end, he was neither of these things, but rather just a human being with strengths and weaknesses.

I'll make a pro/con list to help put things in perspective:

Pros
* Restored public opinion of the presidency
* Charisma and public appeal, persuasive.
* Began a new chapter in our country's history
* Compromised often with his opposition party in Congress
* Passed widespread tax reform (which wasn't as much of a boon to rich as some think)
* Handled Libya, Grenada, Operation Cyclone
* Reduced inflation from the economy (under Volcker)
* Renovated our military to be better responsive to crises
* Started Strategic Defense Initiative, stuck with it, and it paid off
* Diplomacy with Mikhail Gorbachev INF Treaty
* Partially influenced the end of the Cold War

Con
* Traded arms for hostages in Iran
* Lack of vigilance resulted in Iran Contra Scandal.
* Mistake of keeping troops in Lebanon too long (hundreds were killed in a bomb).
* Large national debt (Reagan's rejected budgets don't even come close to paying it down).
* Government nearly doubled in size from 600b budget to over 1 trillion budget
* Failed to address important issues: crack, aids, rising entitlement growth

Joker
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11 Jun 2012, 6:32 pm

minervx wrote:

ArrantPariah wrote:

I don't think he's a villain, but I wouldn't call him a hero. The Republicans want to call him a hardcore conservative who never broke principle. The Democrats want to call him a radical right-wing reactionary who had no sense of compromise. In the end, he was neither of these things, but rather just a human being with strengths and weaknesses.

I'll make a pro/con list to help put things in perspective:

Pros
* Restored public opinion of the presidency
* Charisma and public appeal, persuasive.
* Began a new chapter in our country's history
* Compromised often with his opposition party in Congress
* Passed widespread tax reform (which wasn't as much of a boon to rich as some think)
* Handled Libya, Grenada, Operation Cyclone
* Reduced inflation from the economy (under Volcker)
* Renovated our military to be better responsive to crises
* Started Strategic Defense Initiative, stuck with it, and it paid off
* Diplomacy with Mikhail Gorbachev INF Treaty
* Partially influenced the end of the Cold War

Con
* Traded arms for hostages in Iran/Okay he did that to get hostages from terrorists.
* Lack of vigilance resulted in Iran Contra Scandal.
* Mistake of keeping troops in Lebanon too long (hundreds were killed in a bomb).
* Large national debt (Reagan's rejected budgets don't even come close to paying it down).
* Government nearly doubled in size from 600b budget to over 1 trillion budget
* Failed to address important issues: crack, aids, rising entitlement growth

techstepgenr8tion
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11 Jun 2012, 6:33 pm

SpiritBlooms wrote:

Joker wrote:

The Economy was a lot better under Reagan then it is under Obama.

Obama's economy issues were inherited. Reagan's were not.

Carter? As far as I know both Obama and Reagan were handed a smouldering mess.

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“Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within. I use the word "love" here not merely in the personal sense but as a state of being, or a state of grace - not in the infantile American sense of being made happy but in the tough and universal sense of quest and daring and growth.” - James Baldwin

Last edited by techstepgenr8tion on 11 Jun 2012, 6:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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11 Jun 2012, 6:33 pm

Neither a hero or a villain but of the two he was closer to a hero..........

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11 Jun 2012, 6:43 pm

techstepgenr8tion wrote:

SpiritBlooms wrote:

Joker wrote:

The Economy was a lot better under Reagan then it is under Obama.

Obama's economy issues were inherited. Reagan's were not.

Carter? As far as I know both Obama and Reagan were handed a smouldering mess.

Yup Carter, was a bad president.

ruveyn
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11 Jun 2012, 6:44 pm

SpiritBlooms wrote:

Joker wrote:

The Economy was a lot better under Reagan then it is under Obama.

Obama's economy issues were inherited. Reagan's were not.

Reagan inherited the train wreck that Jimmy Carter made. During the Carter years the U.S. was suffering from stagflation.

Jimmy Carter was a disaster. Barak Obama a bigger disaster.

ruveyn

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11 Jun 2012, 6:46 pm

ruveyn wrote:

SpiritBlooms wrote:

Joker wrote:

The Economy was a lot better under Reagan then it is under Obama.

Obama's economy issues were inherited. Reagan's were not.

Reagan inherited the train wreck that Jimmy Carter made. During the Carter years the U.S. was suffering from stagflation.

Jimmy Carter was a disaster. Barak Obama a bigger disaster.

ruveyn

Pretty much what he said.

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