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we are not "smearing" Reagan. We are lauding him.

You claimed that Ronald Reagan was a "protectionist" and that "protectionists" are "hypocrites." Now you're trying to hide from your smear.

That makes YOU the hypocrite. And a cowardly one to boot.

I had some funny and random thoughts while walking the dog: assuming that Reagan was a protectionist (in the sense that protectionism was his guiding principle, as argued here), what are we to make of his statement that "protectionism is destructionism?" Where were the protectionists of the time claiming, "hey, that's not true?" Where are they now? One would think they should explain it, and themselves.

If protectionism was the guiding principle of his Administration, what are we to make of the free trade agreement that he signed with Canada? What are we to make of his stated intention to negotiate the same agreement with Mexico? Was there a rogue element in his Administration (including his own Vice President) working to undermine him? Was Reagan "asleep at the switch" when the Uruguay Round of negotiations began?

If we apply the loose standard argued here, what of his stated beliefs regarding tax cuts? Are we to argue that he was merely paying lip service to the idea because he raised taxes on Japanese motorcycles? Just how many of Reagan's statements regarding economic liberty and getting the government out of our lives are we to discard as merely being "inconvienient?"