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View Full Version : Who remembers Reagan? Did you like him?




parke
12-12-2007, 01:32 AM
I was a kid when Reagan took office. I remember people loving him. I decided to do some research and found a fun video.

enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpOgYbr234Q

user
12-12-2007, 01:40 AM
Reagan was a neocon, so no, I didn't like him. I guess it's not surprising FDR was an idol of his.

LibertyEagle
12-12-2007, 01:43 AM
He talked a good game, because he ran on Goldwater's platform. Unfortunately, he didn't do much of it, but some of it was because Congress didn't exactly go along.

A lot of us weren't too happy when he accepted George Bush as his running mate.

That said, I voted for him both times. The second time, not nearly as exuberantly as I did the first time.

EvilEngineer
12-12-2007, 01:45 AM
A lot of us weren't too happy when he accepted George Bush as his running mate.

Sadly that decision alone is the cause of the last 20 years of this shit...

Alawn
12-12-2007, 01:46 AM
He was the best president by far in my lifetime (born in 1980) but but it doesn't take much to be better than the garbage that came after him. Ron Paul would be a whole lot better. 20 years from now at the debates they will be asking them who is the most like Ron Paul. :)

LibertyEagle
12-12-2007, 01:49 AM
I do find it interesting that FDR and Lincoln were his heroes, when he talked about small government so much. Because those two were two of the worst when it came to increasing the size and control of the federal government.

Wingman
12-12-2007, 01:51 AM
ronald reagan wasn't the smartest guy in the world but he had firm and worthwhile ideals

such a president is better than one like the current Bush who doesn't really know what ideals means or how to stick with them. the current Bush well, he is just such a silly ivy league jock.

without hesitation, ronald reagan would have floored the current Bush with one well placed flick of his pinkie. reagan was strong. in personalioty and physiue. he represented what it meant ot be american well. even if it meant making the tough decisions.

but the current Bush - well, no one likes what he represents for America.

ksuguy
12-12-2007, 01:54 AM
I was 8 when he left office, so I don't have a strong opinion of him. I don't think he is as great as he is made out to be. He only looks good compared to what we have had since then.

I also cannot give him a pass for signing the Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986 that also included a ban on the manufacture of any new machine guns. Some say it was added at the last minute and he didn't know about it, but I don't buy that excuse. He should be reading the bills he signs.

LibertyEagle
12-12-2007, 01:58 AM
He should be reading the bills he signs.

So should Congress.

MikeStanart
12-12-2007, 01:58 AM
I think overall; he did pretty well.

If only Paul had the Charisma as Ronald Regan; we'd be an absolute shoe-in for Pres.


Granted, he wasn't perfect; but I've gotta say he did much better than most.

MikeStanart
12-12-2007, 02:00 AM
Gotta love that line tho:


"If the big spenders get their way; they'll charge everyting on their Tax-payers Express Card; and believe me...they Never Leave Home Without It."

Primbs
12-12-2007, 02:00 AM
I was 8 when he left office, so I don't have a strong opinion of him. I don't think he is as great as he is made out to be. He only looks good compared to what we have had since then.

I also cannot give him a pass for signing the Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986 that also included a ban on the manufacture of any new machine guns. Some say it was added at the last minute and he didn't know about it, but I don't buy that excuse. He should be reading the bills he signs.

That bill is an interesting case study. McClure of Idaho may have been the one backing it with the help of the NRA possibly.

Silverback
12-12-2007, 02:15 AM
Reagan is a complicated subject.

R. Reagan circa 1964 was definately one of the good guys, if you've never heard "the speech" you should check it out, I'm sure it's on youtube.

His speech at the '76 convention was impressive also, so much so that many people understood how big a mistake they made by not nominating him by the time he'd finished speaking, and of course Ron Paul supported him then.

He didn't want Bush, the politicos convinced him he needed him to bring along the new england liberal republicans, and that one mistake poisoned his presidency.

It's also interesting he picked the fed chairmen he did, I have the feeling Reagan would have hated Bernanke.

I think a great deal of what went wrong in the Reagan administration was due to Bush taking a much stronger role than is commonly perceived, and I think that plays a role in Cheneys position of power today.

I also think his illness was farther along than anyone cares to admit, and that Bush capitalized on that and did some things without his knowledge.

He had the cold war to deal with also, a very different time with a very different threat.

He wasn't perfect, but he looks awfully good next to those who've come since.

Primbs
12-12-2007, 02:29 AM
Reagan is a complicated subject.

R. Reagan circa 1964 was definately one of the good guys, if you've never heard "the speech" you should check it out, I'm sure it's on youtube.

His speech at the '76 convention was impressive also, so much so that many people understood how big a mistake they made by not nominating him by the time he'd finished speaking, and of course Ron Paul supported him then.

He didn't want Bush, the politicos convinced him he needed him to bring along the new england liberal republicans, and that one mistake poisoned his presidency.

It's also interesting he picked the fed chairmen he did, I have the feeling Reagan would have hated Bernanke.

I think a great deal of what went wrong in the Reagan administration was due to Bush taking a much stronger role than is commonly perceived, and I think that plays a role in Cheneys position of power today.

I also think his illness was farther along than anyone cares to admit, and that Bush capitalized on that and did some things without his knowledge.

He had the cold war to deal with also, a very different time with a very different threat.

He wasn't perfect, but he looks awfully good next to those who've come since.

I would agree with this.

You have to remember, he was leading the way for conservatives just like the Rangers who stormed Point du Hoc and the beaches of Normandy.

Many supporters worked sixteen years to get him to the White House. Reagan was derided by many critics.

There was very little conservative/libertarian establishment to rally around Reagan.

Reagan had to create his own political infrastructure.

More importantly, Reagan had very little support in the media. There was very little conservative talk radio.

He answered questions in person at White House press conferences. Reagan had to deal with a democratic legislature. Reagan had to worry about communist encroachment all over the globe.

For his time, Reagan was pushing the conservative agenda against an aggressive entrenched liberal establishment. He appointed Ron Paul like political appointees into government.

The Heritiage and Cato foundation were much smaller and provided less support.

Conza88
12-12-2007, 02:51 AM
Words & speechs are just that. Potential propaganda. ACTIONS is what you have to look at.

IRAN CONTRA AFFAIR.

The dudes a fken douche, like every single US prez since the dawn of time bar a few unbelievable men. Soon to be RP. Reagan was a liar. Once a liar, always a liar.. [Enter: all frontrunners]

francisco
12-12-2007, 03:22 AM
I remember the election of 1980 very well. I voted for Libertarian Ed Clark (who did better than any Libertarian Presidential candidate before or since) but was quite happy to see Reagan beat Carter in a landslide.

Jimmah was about the worst President imaginable, a santimonious micromanager who brought about the famous Carter malaise period, for you youngsters who didn't live thru it.
They were days of stagflation and the "misery index", which was the combination of the unemployment rate and inflation rate. Soon to be seen in your theatre again.

Reagan did a lot of good, primarily by giving Americans hope, confidence and pride again. He was willing to bite the bullet in '81-'82 and stop the runaway inflation. (Home mortgage rates were about 14-16% in '78-'80, if you could even get one). Reagan negotiated the first actual reductions in Strategic Nuclear Weapons with the Soviets, and saw the end of the cold war and collapse of world communism.

In many ways Reagan failed to fully live up to his philosophy or promise, but on balance he was a very good President, IMO.

Nash
12-12-2007, 03:24 AM
Good things: Massive Tax Cuts
Some minor domestic spending cuts

Bad Things: Just about everything else

- Iran/Contra
- Secret Military Operations
- Massive Debt and Spending Increases (Mostly Military)
- The War on Drugs
- Amnesty for Illegals
- Mandating a higher drinking age

So yeah he wasn't the best, but sadly he was better than Ford, Carter, Bush 1&2 and Clinton.

jasonoliver
12-12-2007, 03:27 AM
Reagan was a neocon, so no, I didn't like him. I guess it's not surprising FDR was an idol of his.

I wouldn't go that far.......

By that definition Barry Goldwater would be one too. Goldwater was extremely anti-communist and supported the use of Nuclear Weapons against North Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

francisco
12-12-2007, 03:29 AM
...Jimmah (Carter) was about the worst President imaginable, a santimonious micromanager who brought about the famous Carter malaise period, for you youngsters who didn't live thru it...


By the way, Huckabee is the Jimmy Carter for this generation, very similar backgrounds and tendencies: Southern Baptist Governors who wear their religion on their sleeves and think government's role is to do good deeds and tell you how to live.

On Edit: Although Carter didn't have Huckleberry's moneygrubbing sleeze factor.

Abobo
12-12-2007, 03:43 AM
Hahaha!

I was born while Reagan was in office... So I don't have too many memories of him :p

Goldwater Conservative
12-12-2007, 03:48 AM
He didn't want Bush, the politicos convinced him he needed him to bring along the new england liberal republicans, and that one mistake poisoned his presidency.

And then he went on to beat Carter 51-41, most of which I doubt had anything to do with Bush Sr. Go figure.

lynnf
12-12-2007, 04:04 AM
Good things: Massive Tax Cuts
Some minor domestic spending cuts

Bad Things: Just about everything else

- Iran/Contra
- Secret Military Operations
- Massive Debt and Spending Increases (Mostly Military)
- The War on Drugs
- Amnesty for Illegals
- Mandating a higher drinking age

So yeah he wasn't the best, but sadly he was better than Ford, Carter, Bush 1&2 and Clinton.


I was a Reagan supporter. not so much now, after finding out about his betrayal. don't forget the Marine barracks explosion in Beiruit. he got us in there and then turned tail and ran when things got tough. not what you'd expect from a tough guy.

I've been saddened to learn recently about the effect that astrology had on him. back when the story first broke that Nancy was dabbling in it, it wasn't clear that Ron did it, too. but recent revelations clearly show that he was going by it, too. "What does Jeanne say about it?" says it all, and that gives some explanation for why when we had the reins of power, nothing much got done.

lynn

drednot
12-12-2007, 04:42 AM
Reagan communicated libertarian ideas better than any president in the 20th century.

He had 8 years of a democratic dominated congress and vetoed 25 spending bills.

He raised defense spending, but had an actual superpower enemy to deal with, something this generation isn't used to.

He didn't attempt to build any nations, and only invaded a tiny island.

He refused to back down to public sector union demands, firing air-traffic controllers who struck illegally.

Rather than save face and "defend honor", he got out of the Middle East when he saw the effect of occupation on the insane.

His tax cuts actually raised tax revenues, and ushered in two decades of prosperity unseen since before the Great Depression.

He talked tough about the Soviet Union, but won the Cold War without firing a shot.

While he idolized FDR growing up, he rejected socialism after reading Hayek.

He did not harbor racial or religious predjudices.

While he wasn't the perfect libertarian, he was closer to it than all the others this century, with the possible exceptions of Eisenhower and Cooledge.

As Reagan summarized his legacy in his farewell address: "Not bad, not bad at all".

Libertarian
12-12-2007, 05:31 AM
Amen to the post above.

Reagan was great on many issues...not perfect by any stretch of the imagination...but infinitely better than what the GOP has become in the past 10 years.

Man from La Mancha
12-12-2007, 05:32 AM
No, I voted for him, remembering his great speeches. He implied once that he had the nation behind him and I thought he would ask us to all get together and push thru or get rid of laws by organizing us to do stuff, all he had to do was ask. He was just another CFR flip Flopper puppet. Though better than anything since Kennedy.

.

FreeTraveler
12-12-2007, 05:33 AM
Reagan talked a good talk, but when the rubber met the road, he wasn't a dime different than those before and after. He did very little to get government out of our pockets, and even less when it came to getting it out of our bedroom.

Saying Reagan was closer to a Libertarian than the other presidents is like saying Kermit the Frog is more real than Miss Piggy.

The Lesser of Two Evils IS STILL EVIL, no matter how "lesser" he may appear.

voytechs
12-12-2007, 05:41 AM
I was partying too much in the '80s to care back then.

tfelice
12-12-2007, 05:46 AM
Unlike hardcore Libertarians, Reagan was a realist, knowing that you couldn't dismantle the behemoth of the Federal government overnight. He took the neccessary steps in the right direction and if those steps were continued after his Presidency we wouldn't be in the mess we are in today.

If Paul defies the odds and wins the office, he will face many of the same things Reagan did. A hostile Congress and a massive Federal government that will need to be slowly taken apart piece by piece. I have little doubt that 30 years from now there would be hardcore Libertarians criticizing Paul as not being a real libertarian. Heck, there already out there doing it now.

Jagwarr
12-12-2007, 06:09 AM
I turned 18 in Sept 1980 and cast my first vote ever for Ronald Reagan. I joined the US Army the following March and began my active military service the day after the March 30th 1981 Assassination attempt on his life.

I remember the attempt on his life added a little to my nervousness of what to expect in joining the Army because many thought President Reagan was a hawk and would lead America into war. I can tell you military people loved R.R though and I found Army life much different then I expected, for the better.

Overall I have to agree with others in that compared to every other President since, he was better, though looking back from this point he certainly had his mis-directions. It's difficult to believe that since President Reagan all we have had are Bush's and Clinton which is all the more reason to get Dr. Paul into that office.

SeanEdwards
12-12-2007, 06:20 AM
I was a kid during reagan's presidency. One memory that stuck with me though, was on the day he got shot. I was in school and the teachers called an assembly to tell the students what had happened. This was in San Francisco, and Reagan was probably not very popular with these kid's parents, because within about 30 seconds of the students hearing the announcement of the shooting, we all spontaneously started chanting "KILL REAGAN! KILL REAGAN!"

:eek:

Those poor teachers. They were looking at us kids in such horror. Like we were a pack of undead or something. What a bunch of little bastards, LOL. :p

Wingman
12-12-2007, 06:39 AM
Unlike hardcore Libertarians, Reagan was a realist, knowing that you couldn't dismantle the behemoth of the Federal government overnight. He took the neccessary steps in the right direction and if those steps were continued after his Presidency we wouldn't be in the mess we are in today.

If Paul defies the odds and wins the office, he will face many of the same things Reagan did. A hostile Congress and a massive Federal government that will need to be slowly taken apart piece by piece. I have little doubt that 30 years from now there would be hardcore Libertarians criticizing Paul as not being a real libertarian. Heck, there already out there doing it now.

this is why i think we should be prepared to support Ron Paul if he gets into the White House.

once there, he is going to feel very alone isolate from his supporters. but i suspect we will need to keep demonstrating to ensure congress remembers the message.

if congress still refuses to do what ron paul asks of them, then president paul will need to veto bills and stop the govt to bring congresss to heel.

Thomas Paine
12-12-2007, 07:01 AM
In President Jimmy Carter's last year in office, the Soviet Union had invaded Afghanistan and the Iranians had imprisoned the American hostages for a whole year. In addition, the Soviet Union was increasing its grip on Eastern/Central Europe with crackdowns in Poland against the Solidarity movement. Also, Soviet Union sponsored marxism was spreading through Latin America like wildfire without any response from the United States.

Domestically, the United States was suffering double digit inflation and stagnating economic growth or recession. Hence, the term "stagflation" was coined at that time. President Carter went on television and told this country that we were in a great "malaise." Confidence in the future of America plummeted to an all time low.

Galloping out of the west came Governor Ronald Reagan who inspired confidence and gave hope to my generation that brighter days lay ahead for America. As if on cue, the American Hockey team came out of nowhere and beat the Soviet Union, arguably the most powerful hockey team in the world, in the 1980 Winter Olympics.

speciallyblend
12-12-2007, 07:14 AM
I think as a guy yes and what he ran on yes,but the minute he became president NO NO NO,he himself sold out to the big government republicans when he endorsed the largest failed war against the american people,the drug war. RON PAUL is better then Ronald Reagan could ever be,because Ron Paul will not sellout like reagan did...

Akus
12-12-2007, 07:19 AM
Ronald Reagan was a good president until about last two years into his presidency when he got a tad shady. His rhetoric was good and he really did try to better things, and had the Congress been just a tad more cooperative, may be he'd do even more. But, unfortunately, as the saying goes, "Washington changed him".

RegularRon
12-12-2007, 07:21 AM
I love Reagan, and still do to this day. Are you guys forgetting what kind of mess Jimmy Carter left us in?? High Taxes, Intrest rates, it was awful.

And what did Reagan do? He cut it across the board. ANNND if some do remember we did have a little bit of a problem with the Soviet Union. Reguardless of the Socialists in Congress who tried to stop everything he did. I'd say he's one of the most successful Presidents we have had since President Calvin Coolidge.

One thing to note, ask any economist about his tax policys and the relation to the 90s boom.

quickmike
12-12-2007, 07:59 AM
Nice guy. Great ideas.

Terrible execution.

MN Patriot
12-12-2007, 08:09 AM
I love Reagan, and still do to this day. Are you guys forgetting what kind of mess Jimmy Carter left us in?? High Taxes, Intrest rates, it was awful.

And what did Reagan do? He cut it across the board. ANNND if some do remember we did have a little bit of a problem with the Soviet Union. Reguardless of the Socialists in Congress who tried to stop everything he did. I'd say he's one of the most successful Presidents we have had since President Calvin Coolidge.

One thing to note, ask any economist about his tax policys and the relation to the 90s boom.

It is sad how economically illiterate most Americans are, they credit Bill Clinton for the booming '90's.

I graduated from high school in 1980, looking back at my high school years, they were probably about as close to the Great Depression as you could get. The late 70's had high inflation, high unemployment, Jimmy Carter, crappy music. The military was pathetic after VietNam and 4 years of Carter. Being in college with Reagan in office, all I heard was the usual liberal whining, but eventually appreciated him later in his term when the Soviet Union fell.

Looking back, Reagan left a great legacy, but the Establishment was still able to push their agenda through. Government kept growing, the banks and big business still ran things behind the scenes.

Wayne Hammond
12-12-2007, 08:30 AM
To those who parrot the liberal MSM "Reagan was a dunce" crap... you obviously haven't read much of what Reagan actually wrote, or the personal letters that he was famous for (hand-written, for the most part). His depth of thought and analysis in both the political and personal realm was second to none. Of all the modern Presidents, Reagan was was probably the most prolific in terms of his writings.

He held many of his conservative, libertarian and Constitutional ideals in a time when others were caving in to much political pressure. He was roundly criticized by the press for hating the poor, hating minorities and being "overly simplistic" in his solutions... all because he wanted to cut government spending programs and reduce government to it's Constitutional role-- similar to what Ron Paul now advocates.

View this video speech and you'll see that he was as much like Ron Paul in his ideals as Ron Paul himself:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1777069922535499977&q=ronald+reagan+speech&total=188&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0


.

Korey Kaczynski
12-12-2007, 08:31 AM
He should be reading the bills he signs.

He did read it! He just forgot about it.

Todd
12-12-2007, 08:51 AM
I loved Reagan. I think his greatness is most displayed in the confidence he exuded. Much like FDR, (he wasn't really responsible for ending the Great Depression) he presided over the events that helped end it and reacted to them appropriately. Remember...most presidents really don't have much control over systemic events and economic trends. Reagan benfits from presiding over the collapse of the USSR and bringing us into a great economic growth. He understood that confiscatory taxation does not promote the economy.
How a President handles great events decides greatness.. Reagan's gambits will be judged as mostly successful through historical eyes. That is also why Bush's chance at greatness through 9-11 may ultimately be tarnished because of tremendous misteps.
Was he perfect...No, but Reagan really believed in limited government...at least socially and economically. His biggest failure will probably be that by increasing the military budget, he started an unhealthy trend of deficits that by way of what Bush I, Clinton and Bush II has continued, may sacrifice the future. It is now axiomatic to accept such deficits.
Congress must at least have equal blame....they thwarted Reagan's cut proposals as they helped pass the increasing budgets.
Not sure if NEO CON is the appropriate term for Reagan. I agree with one of the earlier posts that "Realist" is probably closer to the mark. That terminology wasn't very prevelant in a cold war environment that was bent on containing the USSR at all costs. The spread of Democracy has always been a goal of the U.S. ever since people started believing in Democratic Peace theory.
Neo con is a term that has been bastardized by people who now control that term...as they are hell bent on bringing it premise about by interstate warfare.
Francis Fukuyama's book "The End of History and the Last man". is a good start to understand the mindset.

pcosmar
12-12-2007, 09:17 AM
I liked him for the most part. I believe he was frustrated with what he could not accomplish.
There were many forces against him.
I did not realize the extent of our intervention in the affairs of others, That would be my biggest criticism.
I did not learn about some of what we had been doing until I had this research tool (Computer), and I am often disappointed with what I learn.

FluffyUnbound
12-12-2007, 09:18 AM
I think that Reagan was in his heart a Goldwater conservative with strong "California libertarian" tendencies. I wish he could have done more, but what he did accomplish was pretty important.

That being said, Reagan's political strategy was to build a coalition where he brought the Mike Huckabees of the world into the Republican party, paid lip service to their issues, and laughed at them after he got their votes. We're paying the price for that today, because Reagan and all the guys like him are gone, but the Huckabees are still around, and they're about to complete their takeover of a party that once looked at them as stooges.

Reagan created a monster.

Ridiculous
12-12-2007, 09:25 AM
He had good economic advisers. Milton Friedman even advised the administration.

koob
12-12-2007, 09:34 AM
my boyfriend and i were not around during the time of reagan, but we have made some conclusions. we believe that he himself had very good intentions of ending the cold war, but the people in his cabinet had, um, evil neocon intentions. That with the fact his congress was no good (refused to cut spending, while agreeing to cut taxes) made for a presidency that could have been greater.

Kregener
12-12-2007, 09:36 AM
I thought Reagan was GREAT!

Except for all the massive spending, state expansion, and control over our lives and freedoms...

Primbs
12-12-2007, 12:00 PM
The opposition to Reagan was fierce. Every time he tried to slow the growth of government, liberals said he was cutting and gutting programs. Children would starve, homeless people would be on the streets. Reagan's poll ratings dropped. The republicans losts seats in 1982 and lost an ideological majority to cut government programs.

Remember the Congress appropriates the spending, not the President. One of the few things a president can do is veto spending and shut down the government to halt government spending. Reagan at least spoke before congress and brought the 1000 page budget to the House floor and slammed it down on the podium and said government spending needs to be brought under control.

Go back and read what the critics of Reagan said. Reagan proposed to eliminate whole government departments and the entire media establishment said Reagan wants the children to become idiots by eliminating the Department of Education.

Even Reagan allies were sometimes no help. Remember David Stockman the Budget director who was on the front page of The Atlantic Magazine as the Reagan White House was trying to cut the budget. Stockman said "None of us really understands what's going on with all these numbers,"

From Wikipedia:

Stockman later wrote in his book his experience in the Reagan Administration titled The Triumph of Politics: Why the Reagan Revolution Failed that, in part, specifically criticized the failure of Congressional Republicans to support a reduction in government spending as necessary offsets to the large tax cuts,in order to avoid the creation of large deficits and an exploding national debt. Others have argued that while spending cuts were indeed necessary, one cannot blame the deficits on the tax cuts themselves as tax revenue actually increased following the enactment of the Reagan tax cuts due to greater economic activity in the expansion that followed.

Reagan appointed Pat Buchanan and other tax cutting New Hampshire supporters to help streamline government.

The more you research Reagan the more you will like. If Ron Paul gets elected President the same battle tactics will be used against him. It would be wise to study up on the fights Reagan went through to try and cut government spending.

Already they snicker at Ron Paul. Imagine Ron Paul becomes President and all the network news anchors start with stories such as: Today President Ron Paul cut funding for school lunches and millions of children go hungry. Ron Paul limited the growth of medicare today denying life saving medical help to thousands resulting in the deaths of thousands of people.
Actually these attacks of starving kids has already started with Dr. Ron Paul. Read the latest Noam Chomsky interview.


These are the types of viscious attacks that await people who want to cut government spending. This is what Reagan faced in the 1980s.

Santana28
12-12-2007, 12:45 PM
I dont remember him very well at all - but looking back on the things that happened vs. what we were being told in school growing up, is like night and day. It was all "Reagan, America's favorite President, saving the free world from Communism, single-handedly taking down the Berlin wall, saving us from the scourge of AIDS and Gays and Drugs, blah blah blah." You'd think he wore a cape to bed.

Now GW the 1st... i remember him well :) Watching Dana Carvey on SNL was the best. We used to trade all of those Gulf War trading cards, and wear yellow ribbons on our shirts. And i remember seeing the stealth fighters flying in the sky (i grew up next to Wright-Pat AFB) before we were even supposed to know about them... funny, as i seem to recall - GW1 was picked on about as much as his son is. Well, okay...maybe not that much. But we had our laughs with him. 8 years of Clinton made me miss those days... TIME FOR A CHANGE!

DRV45N05
12-12-2007, 12:55 PM
1964 Republican Convention Speech Ronald Reagan was amazing.

President Ronald Reagan was a near disaster.

klamath
12-12-2007, 01:07 PM
Some years ago I stood in front of the Vietnam war memorial and gazed in sorrow at the thousands of names carved into black granite. In my mind I could see the grief of the young wives and the tears of the Mothers and Fathers. I walked across the grass and viewed the ghostly images of the thousands of men the died in Korea. From there I crossed the Potomic and stood at Arlington National cemetary and bowed my head in respect to the sea of white crosses. A week earlier I had stood at the hallowed ground of Gettyburg. In this week of viewing the images of wasted humanity what kept coming to mind was there was no monument for the war that nearly all people thought would be fought. A war that would kill more people than all the wars of the world combined. Why didn't we have monument to the war that ended without killing billions?
When our former enemies even say it was Reagan that brought that war to a peaceful conclusion it says something about the man.
For this I will always respect Reagan. He failed in many aspects but this one accomplishment far out weights all other failures. The presidents since Reagan have taken that world peace and squaundered it. They humiliated the Russians and continued to mess in all of the third world countries. When Reagan left office the US was highly respected and admired around the world, now we are hated. When you look back at our history most of the presidents that are considered great were war presidents. To me that tells me they were failures in the most awful ways. Shouldn't we start looking at the presidents that didn't get us in a war as the great leaders?

Heather in WI
12-12-2007, 01:10 PM
I loved Reagan. I still love reading his speeches from time to time ... so inspirational!

DrNoZone
12-12-2007, 01:17 PM
Reagan was a statist once in office. Rabid drug warrior anyone? Remember "Just Say No!" and D.A.R.E!?

klamath
12-12-2007, 01:18 PM
I loved Reagan. I still love reading his speeches from time to time ... so inspirational!
Good gosh! You don't look old enough to remember Reagan.:D

akovacs
12-12-2007, 01:50 PM
If he actually followed his principles that he advertised for 20 years, I'd appreciate him a lot more. He talked a lot about small government and more freedom but did little to push it along. I agree with the sentiment that he's much better than the garbage that has been in office 25 years before and since his term, but that's not saying much.

Wayne Hammond
12-12-2007, 02:14 PM
My fondest memory of Ronald Reagan was when I was in Dixon, Illinois in the early 80's. I was with a group standing on the sidewalk near his boyhood home on Hennepin Avenue - we were waiting for Mr. Reagan to arrive - it was his birthday. The President and his group walked close to us on the way to the front door. I yelled out, "Mr. President- thanks for not giving up on America! We're praying for you" He abruptly turned his head towards me, then walked over (with his bodyguards following), shook my hand, looked me straight in the eye and said, "Son, I swore an oath on the Bible to defend this nation, and I don't take that oath lightly. I appreciate your prayers more than you'll ever know". He then walked back towards the house. I was in shock, but I remember that day as if it were yesterday.

.

JMann
12-12-2007, 02:19 PM
Reagan had a great personality and was always optimistic. He had a great relationship with his wife and she was the world to him. Agree or disagree with his politics Reagan was a great person and leader.

parke
12-12-2007, 02:44 PM
Unlike hardcore Libertarians, Reagan was a realist, knowing that you couldn't dismantle the behemoth of the Federal government overnight. He took the neccessary steps in the right direction and if those steps were continued after his Presidency we wouldn't be in the mess we are in today.

If Paul defies the odds and wins the office, he will face many of the same things Reagan did. A hostile Congress and a massive Federal government that will need to be slowly taken apart piece by piece. I have little doubt that 30 years from now there would be hardcore Libertarians criticizing Paul as not being a real libertarian. Heck, there already out there doing it now.

Congress will be getting pink slips if they dont listen to the will of the people. Paul is smart enough to continue gaining support and applying it to the Leg branch. I know I will continue to follow Paul, write to my senator and congressmen and put pressure on them to vote on Pauls bills.

The revolution doesnt stop with Dr. Paul. We should celebrate when we win, but understand that this fight doesnt stop. We must march on and continue to fight for our rights.

If you havent seen the Drew Ivers video in Iowa 11/28, I suggest you watch.

RP isnt Reagan. I just remembered how much people loved Reagan. IMO the Bush family are traitors. Starting with Prescott. I try to keep it toned down on the forums.. but tell me one thing Dubya did for the good of our country. The Patriot Act, hiring 'Brownie' for FEMA, invading Iraq and never finding WMD's... We've been hoodwinked. Im sick of it. We've got an honest man running. RP will never turn his back on the people of this country. He will fight for our honor, rights and wallets.

Simply put.. there is nobody out there that can compare. Thank God we have him.:D

ChickenHawk
12-12-2007, 03:02 PM
Many people haven't got the slightest clue what it takes govern a country as diverse as the United States. You need the support of at least 50 million people and you have to keep their support to get anything meaningful done. Even at that there are so many checks and balances in the system that you will still likely get very little done and be labeled a sell out by your once hard core supporters.

If a Ron Paul Presidency is held to even close to the standards many hold Reagan to he will most definitely be considered a complete unmitigated failure.

Primbs
12-13-2007, 02:17 PM
My fondest memory of Ronald Reagan was when I was in Dixon, Illinois in the early 80's. I was with a group standing on the sidewalk near his boyhood home on Hennepin Avenue - we were waiting for Mr. Reagan to arrive - it was his birthday. The President and his group walked close to us on the way to the front door. I yelled out, "Mr. President- thanks for not giving up on America! We're praying for you" He abruptly turned his head towards me, then walked over (with his bodyguards following), shook my hand, looked me straight in the eye and said, "Son, I swore an oath on the Bible to defend this nation, and I don't take that oath lightly. I appreciate your prayers more than you'll ever know". He then walked back towards the house. I was in shock, but I remember that day as if it were yesterday.

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Reagan' birthday will be on Feb 9th. The grassroots need to do something on that day.