Guest lazyphil Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 chill winston! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 I don't think I even set foot in the US when Reagan was the prez, so the period means little to me. However, I remember seeing polls that showed Ronnie R was personally quite popular, while his performance in office was ranked low. Sort of the opposite of the polls Stiff Willie got as prez. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nervous God Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 Preahko, thats a very fine avatar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 Today is the 237th birthday of President William Henry Harrison! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 ... where has the time gone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 10 Things Conservatives Don’t Want You To Know About Ronald Reagan http://thinkprogress.org/2011/02/05/reagan-centennial/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 I've actually heard/seen polls where Reagan was very highly ranked amongst the greatest president of the 20th century but admittedly they were from conservative sources like Forbes, etc. However, I do not come to praise Caesar. Personally, I would rank Teddy Roosevelt and then Harry Truman second as the 20th century's best presidents. I think Reagan played an important role at the time. America suffered an identity crisis by the end of Carter's term. The Iran hostage crisis took a lot of pride away from America. Every night the news would say Day so and so of the Iran hostage crisis. Economicially we were down in the dumps as well. If nothing else Reagan restored Americans pride in their country. It was important at the time for the national psyche. Two things he was best noted for I would not give him credit for. The economy and the fall of the USSR. Volcker, the Fed chief at the time kick started the economy by slashing interest rates and creating easy money for wall street and the banks. The USSR imploded from their war in Afghanistan (take note America). It was the first full scale war for the Soviets. They fought previous wars either by proxy (Korean and Vietnam wars) or committed very little troops to others. They entered Afghanist in 1979 and left about a decade later. 200,000 troops that had to be supplied and fed in a bad economic time globally. Russia had bread lines going back years before they entered the war so they were on a week finanical footing. Afghaistan exposed and exasperated something that was already there. Reagan supporters will argue that although the debt increased the asset value of America and our net worth as a nation far outpaced the debt. I think if one were going to name Reagan as one of the 20th century's greatest presidents if not the greatest they'd have to have to acknowledge Clinton as his equal or near equal as well. Not too sure too many conservatives willing to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh_Hoy Posted February 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 I think if one were going to name Reagan as one of the 20th century's greatest presidents if not the greatest they'd have to have to acknowledge Clinton as his equal or near equal as well. Not too sure too many conservatives willing to do that. Hmmmm...I'd have to add a "disclaimer" to the last if I were to agree to it: he had a Republican Congress to help guide him. :content: (just as Obama is now). The conservatives just have to be careful that they don't help Obama look toooooo good. 5555555555 The best part is that Obama's cabinet members make him look exceptional (by comparison). Reagan's legacy is highlighted by the tearing down of the iron curtain. Clinton's from world-wide spread of the word that blow jobs aren't sex (making it almost easier to get blow jobs from Thai bargirls than straight screwing). Obama's legacy will be mandating that you sleep and shower with homos if you want to be in the Armed Forces. HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 ... just as Reagan had a Democratic Congress to help guide him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Technically the official end of the USSR was in 1991 I believe well into the elder Bush's presidency so he could claim he ended it. :nahnah: I liked Reagan actually. It was hard for anyone other than the left to hate to him. He was likable. At least his persona was. However, I think singularily giving him credit for the USSR's demise is really a slap to all the administrations since WW2 who all placed considerable political and economic pressure on them and foreced them to spend billions on military in an economy that wasn't designed for it. As I said it was the Afghanistan war that finally sent it over the ledge for the Soviets. For me Reagan's greatest accomplishment was giving back a demoralized country its feeling of self worth again. We were once again proud to be America and proud of America. It wasn't quite so before him. The '70s had Watergate, losing the Vietnam war and 'staglflation' as the economy was called then and the Iran hostage crisis to end the decade. Oh, its corny but I'm reminded of an old Benny Hill joke. He was playing an actor who was swayed by a wild hollywood party and he told the interviewier. "They even had Russian communists there!" The interviewer said "Bolsheviks?!" and Benny Hill said 'Its true, I tell you, its true!!" Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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