Five myths about Ronald Reagan

[Borderline Divine]

And I would be remiss if I did not make mention that I voted for the man twice, and lived under him as the Governor of California.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...l?hpid=topnews

[Commando]

I think those are pretty minor "myths." Nobody who lived in the 80's would be shocked by any of that.

[Donuthole]

That needs to be retitled "Five Anecdotes about Ronald Reagan"

[Borderline Divine]

That needs to be retitled "Five Anecdotes about Ronald Reagan"

I saw a number of facts and statistics in there. What is anecdotal about numbers?

[byu71]

I think those are pretty minor "myths." Nobody who lived in the 80's would be shocked by any of that.

Agreed. I thought a myth was something generally believed that was factually wrong. I don't think the author didn't meet the burden of proof on any of the 5. Mainly that they are generally held beliefs.

Author also mixed in his own definition for a premise, for instance what defines "popularity".

[oxcoug]

That needs to be retitled "Five Anecdotes about Ronald Reagan"

Or "Five Straw Men."

[BlueHair]

I think a lot of people believe the "5 myths", but I don't think they are really myths. Reagan and Obama have more in common than either side would like to admit. Unpopularity, big spending, big government, and high unemployment are the big ones.

[Borderline Divine]

I agree with this

I think a lot of people believe the "5 myths", but I don't think they are really myths. Reagan and Obama have more in common than either side would like to admit. Unpopularity, big spending, big government, and high unemployment are the big ones.

Hope I'm alive to witness Obama's 100th (ain't gonna happen). Will he be idolized?

While interviewing candidates for the RNC Chair last month the moderator actually had to ask the candidates...

"Other than Ronald Reagan, who is your model as the ideal Republican?"

As I said I voted for him, and then Bush v.1. But this absolute worship some in the GOP display for the man does not reflect the 8 years I lived under his administration (for better or for worse).

I do recall paying 12.25% for my first mortgage during that time.

[byu71]

I do recall paying 12.25% for my first mortgage during that time.

You can thank Carter for that. Refinancing at 10% you can thank Reagan and refinancing at 8% you can thank Bush I.

I do think guys like Hannity who claim the Reagan mantle claim Reagan was far more conservative than he really was.

[oxcoug]

Hope I'm alive to witness Obama's 100th (ain't gonna happen). Will he be idolized?

While interviewing candidates for the RNC Chair last month the moderator actually had to ask the candidates...

"Other than Ronald Reagan, who is your model as the ideal Republican?"

As I said I voted for him, and then Bush v.1. But this absolute worship some in the GOP display for the man does not reflect the 8 years I lived under his administration (for better or for worse).

I do recall paying 12.25% for my first mortgage during that time.

I agree that the Reagan worship has got out of hand, but this writer hasn't made that case very effectively. By focusing on five alleged "myths" he loses that focus.

It's not necessarily a "myth" that Reagan was a "hawk" - it all just depends on how you define the word. This guys sets an oddly high bar to clear to qualify - like military retaliation at the drop of the hat. Most people consider Reagan a hawk because he deliberately used confrontational rhetoric - "evil empire," "tear down this wall" saying that the Soviets "lie and cheat and their only morality is their self-interest" - that stuff is enough to earn a hawk label without military action when it's combined with...well... plenty of military actions: Grenada, Libya, rolling intermediate range nukes into Germany, SDI etc. So by most definitions, Reagan qualifies as a "hawk" - redefining the word to one's own liking and then saying he doesn't measure up doesn't resolve the question.

Similarly saying that Reagan wasn't a "conservative culture warrior" only works because he's using a semi-derogatory term that requires a caricature. Obviously he wasn't a cartoonish Pat Robertson type - but his opposition to abortion was real and his belief in the superiority of western values of liberty and democracy were real - and those are things that would make him a committed conservative by most definitions, if not a "culture warrior."

Anyway.... good times, noodle salad.

[Borderline Divine]

You can thank Carter for that. Refinancing at 10% you can thank Reagan and refinancing at 8% you can thank Bush I.I do think guys like Hannity who claim the Reagan mantle claim Reagan was far more conservative than he really was.

And that proud day I got it down to 4.9% came under Clinton.

What does it all mean?

[creekster]

And that proud day I got it down to 4.9% came under Clinton.

What does it all mean?

It means bush's effect lingered?

[venkman]

I love this liberal revisionist history about Reagan. Everything they called GW Bush, they called Reagan. He was absolutely despised by the left as a reckless government slasher who hated old people, the poor, and the homeless; and as a stupid, dangerous cowboy that was going to start WWIII. Now we have these attempts to paint Reagan as not really conservative in order to discredit the today's conservative movement.

I just saw the Time cover with Obama and Reagan. Sorry, libs, we're not going to let you co-opt the man you hated for your cynical political purposes.

I'll agree with Ox, he wasn't the firebreather culture warrior some conservatives are, and he was a pragmatist who realized he had to give up some things to the Dem House in order to get some of what he wanted.

Just listen to any of his speeches, particularly the 1964 GOP Convention speech. He was the real deal, a true believer. Not perfect, but as good of a President as we could have had at the time. And we could damn sure use someone like him now.

[Borderline Divine]

[QUOTE=venkman;528020]I love this liberal revisionist history about Reagan. Everything they called GW Bush, they called Reagan.

Ah bullshit. I was alive, adult and politically aware during the Reagan years. Nobody called him stupid.

W? Yeah, well even I called him stupid.

[creekster]

[quote=Borderline Divine;528043]

I love this liberal revisionist history about Reagan. Everything they called GW Bush, they called Reagan.

Ah bullshit. I was alive, adult and politically aware during the Reagan years. Nobody called him stupid.

W? Yeah, well even I called him stupid.

Well, I suspect I could easily trade years with you and I recall many people calling Reagan stupid. IN fact, that was one of the favorite attacks of his opponents. In fact, they even went farther than that and asserted he was delusional, living his life in a movie.