But even back in the 80's...even though my parents voted for Carter and Mondale....and even though I voted for Dukakis...something about Reagan inspired me. He made me proud to be an American. When he spoke....I believed him and his words touched my soul.
Fast forward to today and compare. No commentary necessary.
East Germany showed the world what Communism does to an industrious, well-educated population. Everywhere Leftism triumphs, suffering follows. The only semi-successful Leftist economy is China, because its Communist leaders are not stupid, and they adopted a semi-free market which is shaky at best because of its conflicted footing.
Governments cannot regulate freedom over the long haul. Governments always grow oppressive, smother freedom, and the nation dies.
I would disagree with Jacoby’s characterization of Kennedy. He may have been many things, but he was a Cold Warrior also. He worked (unsuccessfully of course) on overthrowing the communist regime in Cuba and stood up to the USSR. Let’s face it, if Kennedy were alive today, he would have to renounce his own Presidency or become a Republican.
Fellow FReeper 'amigatec' sent this to me in reply;
At Potsdamer Platz the “Wall” was about 1/4 mile wide. Starting in the East, the first thing you found were the Barber Poles, these were about 8' high and painted white with 3 red strips, from that point on you were in no-mans land.
Next was the first Wall it was 12’ high with a round pipe on top, the pipe wasn't concreted down, it was designed to roll and possibly land on top of you.
If you got over that, you had several hundred feet to cross.
There were machine gun bunkers, guard towers, attack dogs, land mines, lights for nighttime attempts, barbed wire and steel, and then another wall just like the first one.
[Your] chances of making it were less than zero.
Not to mention if a guard shot an escapee, they were given a bonus.
The one good thing I can say is when Jimmy Carter visited Potsdamer Platz in the spring of 1980, the East Germans used a bucket truck to whitewash the West side of the wall. One of the painters jumped and ran. When his feet hit the ground, I guess he was picking then up and putting them down.
That was the extent that the COMMUNIST overlords were willing to go to keep their "Worker's Paradise" going and now Russia, led by a meglo-maniac KGB alum whom President Obama wants to be more flexible towards, is striving to recreate wherever he can!
It’s unfortunate that Reagan was too old to stay in the public eye longer. We won the Cold War, but have lost the peace that followed it. Bush 41 didn’t want to “spike the football”, very much like Bush 43 never defended himself. The end result is that these Jacobins still act like their world view hasn’t been completely repudiated by reality. Their way is the way of East Germany.