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Reagan spending - educate me!
10/28/10 | me

Posted on 10/28/2010 8:15:29 AM PDT by justsaynomore

I've tried to answer my question searching online, but alas, all the sources are liberal, Reagan bashers (of course).

A liberal who trolls another board I'm on is arguing that Reagan spent trillions. I think this is the new meme since the "I Want Your Money" movie came out.

I've always read that Reagan was about cutting taxes, and spending. I know he reinvigorated the economy, boosted small business, lowered unemployment and ended the cold war - I know he didn't "tax and spend" the way this liberal is portraying it.

And I can't even imagine the mess that he inherited from Carter.

My husband says that he spent a lot on military buildup to stop the cold war.

I am obviously woefully uneducated as to what exactly did happen. I'd like to be better informed to have an answer in the future. Can someone help me understand more about it or point me to some good resources?


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Politics
KEYWORDS: reaganomics
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1 posted on 10/28/2010 8:15:31 AM PDT by justsaynomore
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To: justsaynomore

The things Reagan spent on were the things mandated by the constitution and ignored by the Democrats like defense!!


2 posted on 10/28/2010 8:23:31 AM PDT by ontap
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To: justsaynomore
This graph pretty much says it all.


3 posted on 10/28/2010 8:23:51 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum ("The only stable state is one in which all men are equal before the law." -- Aristotle)
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To: justsaynomore

Reagan cut a lot of domestic spending whilke cutting taxes however he greatly increased military spending. govt revenue however increased due to the expanding economy.
you can check the bio on wikipedia for a brief synopsis of all of this though take it with a grain of salt


4 posted on 10/28/2010 8:24:56 AM PDT by DM1
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To: ontap

The ‘Rats owned Congress...only the Congress has the power of the purse...Reagan couldn’t spend ONE PLUG NICKLE without the support and consent of the Congress....

in short...IT WAS THE ‘RAT CONGRESS that overspent...

Tell your commie friend they haven’t a clue.


5 posted on 10/28/2010 8:26:18 AM PDT by rightwingextremist1776
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To: justsaynomore
Well, if you look at charts of government spending, you'll find the line continues upward throughout his two terms. But I was around back then, and I do remember him battling on every budget. And I am certain the line would have gone up faster without him.

He had a really bad congress to deal with. The house was always democrap, and I believe the Senate was also for all but two years. The only time I really remember him being rolled was in ‘86 when they cut back some of the best write-offs for building business and spent like crazy.

It was also during his term that Social Security withholding was dramatically increased to “save” the system. This effort was totally wasted by the Senate (lead I believe by Bryd) figuring out that a loop hole in the law allowed them to spend the money and issue IOS’s. That wasn't Ronnie's fault, but declaring martial law would have been an appropriate response, IMO.

6 posted on 10/28/2010 8:26:33 AM PDT by I cannot think of a name
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To: rightwingextremist1776

I’m not the one with the commie friend!!


7 posted on 10/28/2010 8:30:10 AM PDT by ontap
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
“This graph pretty much says it all.”

Actually it doesn't. Google “Clinton accounting tricks” and you'll see that the years he supposedly had a surplus, were actually mainly accounting tricks. The liberals love to tout that he “balanced” the budget and it is in fact nonsense.

Regardless, virtually every President since Eisenhower has spend way too much. Just some have been much worse than others.

8 posted on 10/28/2010 8:30:30 AM PDT by I cannot think of a name
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To: I cannot think of a name

He sighed the amnesty bill with the promise from the dims they would secure the borders...they didn’t!
He agreed to a tax hike with the promise congress would curtail spending...they didn’t!

That is what a democrat’s promise is worth..they are a lot like Muslims..you can promise anything if you are dealing with an infidel!


9 posted on 10/28/2010 8:34:59 AM PDT by ontap
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To: I cannot think of a name

One of the things Clinton had was 4 years of people paying for rolling their traditional IRAs over into Roth IRAs. I paid an extra $6000 each year for the privilege, and lots of other people did, too.


10 posted on 10/28/2010 8:37:57 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum ("The only stable state is one in which all men are equal before the law." -- Aristotle)
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To: rightwingextremist1776

I don’t have a commie friend, LOL, this is a stranger who posted on a public figure’s FB.


11 posted on 10/28/2010 8:38:14 AM PDT by justsaynomore (We've got some altering and abolishing to do! - Herman Cain)
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To: justsaynomore

Separation of powers. Congress spends. Speaker of the house ‘81 to ‘85: Tip O’Niell RAT. ‘85 to ‘89 Ft Worthless Jim Wright RAT.

The house is where money is spent and these are the crooked bastards who spent.


12 posted on 10/28/2010 8:39:51 AM PDT by Lazlo in PA ("Forces of Evil" member in good standing)
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To: ontap

Unfortunately, Reagan and GWB were more similar than some on this board would like to admit. They fought like hell during their first term. Their second term was much less successful, and their last two years were on “coast.” In Reagan’s case, because of his age, I can believe that the disease that would eventually kill him had already started. I believe GWB was just simply worn out from the previous six years.

And both committed the sin of trusting democraps - with disastrous results!


13 posted on 10/28/2010 8:41:57 AM PDT by I cannot think of a name
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To: justsaynomore

How quickly effete liberals forget living under the threat of Mutually Assured Destruction. Which is funny, because those same libtards were the ones who railed against the U.S. nuclear arsenal.

When the Soviet Union was around, it was a completely different world. Global nuclear conflict was a very real threat. Because of the stakes and potential devastation, the Cold War was arguably an even more significant conflict than WWII. Even WWII didn’t threaten the complete collapse of civilization as did nuclear Armageddon.

Reagan spent an exorbitant amount on the U.S. military. There is no doubt that this excess helped contribute to the burgeoning debt. But he did it to safeguard *humanity* from the Soviet threat. Who could fault him for that? (Oh yeah, libtards.)

Couple the military spending with the *constant* need to COMPROMISE with a democratically controlled Congress to get his military spending approved and you’ve got out-of-control spending.

This is why I *hate* the term “bipartisanship.” What does compromise produce in Washington? Earmarks, thousand page bills where everyone gets their pet project in, and needless governmental bloat. We need less compromise, less bipartisanship, and a whole lot more simple, principled legislation.


14 posted on 10/28/2010 8:45:24 AM PDT by bolobaby
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To: I cannot think of a name

GWB was not even close to Reagan. W had a republican congress most of his term. He could have done a lot for the conservative cause but he was not a conservative. Reagan had to get the people behind him to get anything through the democrat congress! he also had to fight the likes of Arlen Spectre and other rinos.


15 posted on 10/28/2010 8:48:30 AM PDT by ontap
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To: bolobaby

Great post!!!


16 posted on 10/28/2010 8:49:37 AM PDT by ontap
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To: ontap
“W had a republican congress most of his term”

True, although I would have to say closer to a Rino congress and a real republican congress. The biggest mistake “W” made, was when the so called republicans in congress rolled over for something, he went along with it because he didn't want to make the “party” look bad. Case in point - making government employees out of the TSA screeners. Bush fought it until the RINOs in congress went along with it. He then caved as well.

I am critical of him for such actions. But by the same token, I'm not sure how much “commanding” you can do when your army has no testicles.

17 posted on 10/28/2010 8:54:31 AM PDT by I cannot think of a name
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To: justsaynomore
As someone who was unemployed for 3 years thanks to Jimmy Carter, I can tell you Reagan rebuilt the financial mess, reduced taxes and set the stage for a boom which went from 1982-2001. Clinton just took credit for it.

I remember the day I got my first real paycheck in ‘83. It was like I was Neal Armstrong and his first step on the moon.

18 posted on 10/28/2010 8:59:38 AM PDT by Zathras
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To: justsaynomore

Two of the first things Reagan did in office:

1. Pared down the IRS staff by some huge amount

2. Instituted across the board federal hiring freeze


19 posted on 10/28/2010 9:00:02 AM PDT by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics)
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To: justsaynomore
try this one....
its' one of the most important.
"Its the economy stupid".....Slick (Little) Willie campaign '92.

20 posted on 10/28/2010 9:10:59 AM PDT by skinkinthegrass (Imam Zer0: DeathCARE, Is my plan...So just die (quicky), please & save $$$$ :^)
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