Overall spending did go up under Reagan. But Reagan was successful in cutting welfare and entitlement spending, shifting those funds to his defense buildup. And Reagan did cut non-defense related discretionary spending during his first term. Bush has done absolutely nothing to reduce spending, or slow it down.
>>>>Reagan appointed Sandra Dee O'Connor, an unconfirmable Robert Bork, and Anthony Kennedy.
Reagan was lied to by Meese and Schultz when it came to O'Conner. Kennedy had the support of the National Right to Life organization and other pro-life groups. After a few years on the court, Kennedy fell into the liberal beltway trap that effects many SC justices.
>>>>Reagan cut and ran in Lebanon.
That's a cheap shot. Reagan came to understand that Lebanaon was an untenable situation. Reagan approved a plan to take out a Iranian revolutionary Guard barracks. It was Cap Weinberger who nixed that plan and he was the one who pushed to get the Marines out of Lebanon. The fact remains, we're still not sure who was to blame for the Marine barracks bombing.
>>>>Reagan gave amnesty to illegal immigrants.
And if the IRCA of 1986 was enforced the one time amnesty deal would have been just that. Instead, the feds ignored the IRCA of 1986. Bush wants to make the same mistake againm, by leting millions of illegals into the USA. One mistake is enough.
>>>>Reagan never hit hard at terrorism other than one attack on Libya.
Reagan's #1 priority was fighting the Cold War. Btw, Reagan won the Cold War. Second, terrorism wasn't the issue in the 1980`s, it is today.
>>>>Don't get me wrong -- I LOVED RR and considered him a great conservative President...
If that's what you believe, then stop undermining the Reagan legacy, just to lift up the Bush record. Thaqt's wrong and PresBush would be the first to tell you so.
"The fact remains, we're still not sure who was to blame for the Marine barracks bombing."
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1449535/posts
1983, Oct 23
"Beirut, Lebanon A truck drove to HQ, U.S. Marines. The driver gunned his engine, crashed through a barbed-wire fence, passed between two sentry posts, crashed through a gate, and barreled into the lobby. The Marine sentries did not have loaded weapons and were unable to shoot the driver. (According to one Marine, the driver was smiling as he sped past him.) The suicide bomber detonated his truck. The force collapsed the four-story cinder-block building.About 20 seconds later, an identical attack occurred on the French paratroop barracks. ***It was the deadliest single-day death toll for the American military since World War II.*** 299 Dead
Hezbollah, backed by Iran and Syria, were responsible."
299 Dead