[Dolphy]

Reagan reduced non-military discretionary spending by 14%; Bush has increased non-military discretionary spending by 18%. And, that 18% won't include the prescription drug entitlement because entitlements are non-discretionary.

I find what Reagan did to be irrelevant. He was not dealing with a recession, the economic consequences of an attack on our country and the blowup that the Enrons caused. Any one of those things was plateful, Bush has had a damn seven course meal. As I pointed out, if he's at 18%, he's lower than the Dems proposed.

Much friendlier than the House Reagan had to work with under Tip O'Neill.

Tip O'Neill is no comparison to the incompetent and unprincipled Daschle. And this is not to mention that Reagan had a victory of almost 10 points over Carter, before a landslide in 1984. Bush had no such clear mandate.

For Bush to behave as a fiscal conservative would.

I wouldn't admire Bush a bit if, after September 11, he had chosen to divide this country and stoke even further animosity over domestic spending issues at the expense of the war on terrorism, tax cuts, the Senate majority, judicial nominees, and at least the fair shot at another term. I don't think that would have been leadership, it would have been a Carter-like poison that would take years to overcome.

[Reagan Man]

>>>I find what Reagan did to be irrelevant. He was not dealing with a recession, the economic consequences of an attack on our country and the blowup that the Enrons caused.

Irrelevent!!! No recession!!! You can't be serious.

When Reagan took office, the US economy was in recession. In fact, Reagan inheritied from Jimmah Carter, the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression. Mortgage interest rates hit 18.9%, inflation hit 13.5% and unemployment was at 7.6%, peaking at 9.7% the following year.

When Reagan left office eight years later, mortgage interest rates were at 8.2%, inflation was lowered to 4.1% and unemployment was at 5.5%. I'd call that a complete economic turnabout and all American's benefited from Reagan's powerful economic recovery plan.

In the 1981 Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, Reagan gave American's real tax reform, lowering the marginal tax rates from a high of 70% to 50%. Then in the Tax Reform Act of 1986, Reagan again lowered the top rate from 50% to 28%, giving American workers a simple two tier tax system and more money in their pockets.

Reagan also was preparing for a huge military build up to fight the final battle in the 40 year old Cold War.