Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

( Recent History:)Reagan's Liberal Legacy
Washington Monthly ^ | January/February 2003 | Joshua Green

Posted on 05/21/2006 1:47:28 PM PDT by woofie

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-54 next last

1 posted on 05/21/2006 1:47:30 PM PDT by woofie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: woofie

This has to be old.


2 posted on 05/21/2006 1:50:55 PM PDT by HHKrepublican_2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: woofie

I ran across this while googling ...its applicable to the Bush hatred from the right ..." He is not a REAL consevative!"...well neither was Reagan . They are called Presidents and Presidents cannot be PURE . But thanks God we have had them, both Bush and Reagan


3 posted on 05/21/2006 1:51:50 PM PDT by woofie (Another actor with political ideas.................John Wilkes Booth)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HHKrepublican_2

Yep its old but also true and relates to the yammering going on today


4 posted on 05/21/2006 1:53:10 PM PDT by woofie (Another actor with political ideas.................John Wilkes Booth)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: woofie

When did Reagan write the law that raised taxes?


5 posted on 05/21/2006 2:01:37 PM PDT by raybbr (You think it's bad now - wait till the anchor babies start to vote!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #6 Removed by Moderator

To: raybbr
On his watch the tax codes were revamped and interest, contribution, etc. change affected millions of taxpayers.
7 posted on 05/21/2006 2:09:41 PM PDT by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, over there, We won't be back 'til it's over Over there.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: woofie

What a hoot. I want more "liberals" like President Reagan.


8 posted on 05/21/2006 2:11:01 PM PDT by cloud8
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sss33
The difference being Reagan was a smoother talker!!!!!
9 posted on 05/21/2006 2:11:34 PM PDT by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, over there, We won't be back 'til it's over Over there.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: sss33

Thats the key ...
I would argue that this congess although nominally Republican is badly split with very little manuevering room and the Dems are primarily rabid nut cases bent on destruction ...Also because of close elections Bush has had a tough time ....Last Reagan got a shot (no pun intended) of good will when he was shot and almost killed


10 posted on 05/21/2006 2:15:00 PM PDT by woofie (Another actor with political ideas.................John Wilkes Booth)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: sss33
Given that, Reagan's conservatism- which goes way beyond George Bush's "conservatism"- is an immediate indicator that Ronald Reagan was a markedly different entity than Bush. At least Reagan was able to implement a sizable amount of conservative policy, even with a Democratic legislature, as opposed to Bush, who has had a Republican Congress at his disposal.

Reagan folded like a cheap suit almost immediately after enacting his tax cuts. He rolled over on tax increases--no threats to veto whatsoever. Bush, OTOH, has never wavered on NEVER allowing tax increases.

Reagan cut-and-ran out of Lebanon almost immediately after the 240 Marines were killed by terrorists. Even though George Schultz pleaded with him to hit Assad in Syria and Hezbollah in the Bekaa Valley, Reagan and Weinberger feared a widening war, and did nothing.

Reagan did NOTHING on abortion. He never even so much as encouraged passage of a single bill.

You forget that Reagan had a Republican Senate. I don't recall that Howard Baker ever attempted to stand up to Tip O'Neill, on anything.

And, of course, we have the Reagan immigrant amnesty, signed with Reagan's full concurrence and acceptance.

Some of use remember 1980-1988, and conservatives were ready to throw in the towel after Iran-Contra, saying that Reagan had lost his touch and would be ruined by the scandal. It was as bad, or worse, as much of what we hear today aimed at Bush.

11 posted on 05/21/2006 2:26:37 PM PDT by sinkspur ( Don Cheech. Vito Corleone would like to meet you......Vito Corleone.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: sinkspur

amen


12 posted on 05/21/2006 2:27:38 PM PDT by woofie (Another actor with political ideas.................John Wilkes Booth)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: sss33; woofie
I'm sure that the folks who tend to back Bush more than most on this board will say "see? Reagan was just like Bush, and people complained about him being too liberal too!"

The Bush cheerleaders have a difficult time defending their guy, so their standard operating procedure it to attempt to diminish Reagan. The current president has defined his presidency with government programs and how much of our money he's spent. Reagan defined his presidency with great ideas. That's why Reagan will be remembered as great and GWB won't.

13 posted on 05/21/2006 2:32:59 PM PDT by Moonman62 (The issue of whether cheap labor makes America great should have been settled by the Civil War.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: mariabush
The difference being Reagan was a smoother talker!!!!!

That's because Reagan didn't talk down to the American people the way W does.

14 posted on 05/21/2006 2:36:46 PM PDT by Moonman62 (The issue of whether cheap labor makes America great should have been settled by the Civil War.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: sinkspur
Reagan did encourage various anti-abortion bills, and was, to date, the only president to have a pro-life surgon general.

No anti-abortion bill ever reached his desk.

Howard Baker, felt that abortion, was an issue where pro-life positions was a minority (he said as much during his japanese ambassorship).

As for his legacy after his initial tax cuts, he did slow or slash government spending, whenever he could at one point vetoing spending bills, at least a few of his vetos were over-ridden.

As for Lebenon, while I disagreed with Reagans response, George Shultz makes a good case for Reagans response, though I disagree. Shultz was also barely in as a replacement, so he hadn't even unpacked his bags when everything happened, as he replaced the previous Sect of state.

15 posted on 05/21/2006 2:39:57 PM PDT by Sonny M ("oderint dum metuant")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: woofie
As one might expect, most gloss over or completely avoid mentioning the many embarrassing and outright alarming aspects of his presidency: from consulting astrologers to his fixation with biblical doom

That is because Ronald Reagan never consulted with astrologers and was not fixated on biblical doom.

16 posted on 05/21/2006 2:41:26 PM PDT by Always Right
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #17 Removed by Moderator

To: raybbr
When did Reagan write the law that raised taxes?

For those whose ignorance is beyond dispute, no president ever wrote a law. Members of congress write the laws. The presidents only roll in law creations is to either sign or veto bills first passed by both houses of congress.. If a president signs such a bill it becomes law. If he vetos the bill then it goes back to congress and must be passed by a 2/3 majority in both houses in order to become law. That process is referred to as overriding a veto. If the veto is not overridden the bill does not become law.

When congress raised taxes (described as fee's) Reagan did not veto them ... he signed them.

It is the legislative branch that writes laws. It is the excutive branch's duty to enforce them.

People who graduated from the 8th grade can not be this ignorant of how our government works. They have to take lessons.


18 posted on 05/21/2006 2:45:21 PM PDT by Common Tator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Moonman62
Reagan defined his presidency with great ideas. That's why Reagan will be remembered as great and GWB won't.

You mean like the idea to reduce the size of government? (He didn't do it).

LIke the idea to cut out two cabinet departments? (Added one).

Tax cuts? (Cut once, raised taxes four times).

Terrorism? (Cut and ran).

Reagan had ideas, all right, but was successful in only one, albeit the biggest one: Staring down the Soviet Union.

Bush will be remembered for beginning the process of changing the face of the Middle East, by liberating 50 million Muslims.

Government spending is not a definition for greatness, since Reagan and Bush both had record deficits.

And for all of Reagan's great ideas, his record fell way short, especially on taxes.

19 posted on 05/21/2006 2:46:24 PM PDT by sinkspur ( Don Cheech. Vito Corleone would like to meet you......Vito Corleone.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: sss33
It's a cheesy tactic, similar to what the Clinton did by defining down the office to make himself look better.

Reagan was a great president. The events surrounding his funeral confirm that. Just about everything he did, good or bad (mostly good) was defined by the Cold War, which is how it should have been. Something the Bush cheerleaders/Reagan attackers leave out.

20 posted on 05/21/2006 2:49:23 PM PDT by Moonman62 (The issue of whether cheap labor makes America great should have been settled by the Civil War.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-54 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson