So What The Fuck Did Reagan Do That Was Good?

[joaama]

He uh, but then he did but not before he um, I got nothing.

 

[chrisrobin]

One more thing... Reagan planted the seed (for certain impressionable Americans) that federal government is evil. Pardon my paraphrase: "ten of the scariest words in the English language, "I'm from the federal government and I'm here to help."

Perhaps Reagan might be considered the original "tea bagger."

 

[Telstra]

The only thing that reagan was good for was

"mr Gobechov, tear down that wall"

 

[gaypiper]

That decision was made in the 1960's.

Guess what . . . . democrats had all the power in the US government.

Actually, it almost did happen in the 70s. Nixon was ready as was Congress, to push the metric system through. Watergate happened and from that point on, Congress (on both sides of the aisle, btw) no longer worked with him.

 

[gaypiper]

Wait now... didn't Reagan also tell everyone "deficits don't matter?" Why yes, he did! Now the rightists (who aren't right at all) are crying "deficit" at Obama. Of course they matter; anything else, as Reagan's own economic advisor told the world, is "voodoo economics." Happy deficit.

 

[chrisrobin]

The only thing that reagan was good for was

"mr Gobechov, tear down that wall"

When Reagan made that speech, plans for tearing down the Berlin Wall already had been in the works. It made for good news copy though.

 

[Kulindahr]

In a system called Capitalism in which resources are enough in existence but backed by an imaginary figure that is scare, we should allow basic living essentials to be free of charge.

How?
La-la-land idealists love saying things like that, but never yet has one been able to answer the question of "How?"

nothing is free, my young zealot

I know that. And that is because of the way the system is faulted in favor of power and tyrant control.

No, it's because of physics. Cost exists apart from money. Economics can be done in ergs or btus (perhaps more honestly, even).

This is why there's not much point is trying to respond to your assertions about Reagan: [Text: Removed by Moderator]. Your definitions of things are out of some strange system of thought that no one in the practical world uses.

In relation to that, I'll address one point: you say Reagan "lied to the world about the definition of communism". No, he didn't. You're wrong here, as on other points: Reagan used the word "communism" in both the popular and textbook sense.

Okay, I'll address another: you keep talking about capitalism, when that's not what the U.S. has, and hasn't had for some time. What we have is corporatism, where corporations and the state are intertwined in the exercise of power, each benefiting the other, generally to the detriment of freedom, both of the economy and of citizens.


What did Reagan do that was good? He upped the ante on the arms game and faced down the Soviets until that beast collapsed. He gave people hope. He stood up to some powerful institutions and put them in their place.

 

[Kulindahr]

Wait now... didn't Reagan also tell everyone "deficits don't matter?" Why yes, he did! Now the rightists (who aren't right at all) are crying "deficit" at Obama. Of course they matter; anything else, as Reagan's own economic advisor told the world, is "voodoo economics." Happy deficit.

That's not Reagan's phrase, it's a quote from a famous economist.

Can anyone name him? Anyone? Buehler?

 

[Kulindahr]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2003/0301.green.html

btw, this link might help answer your question, OP.

Nice article -- a refreshing perspective.

When Reagan made that speech, plans for tearing down the Berlin Wall already had been in the works. It made for good news copy though.

I've never seen that assertion anywhere, even from East German officials who were part of a TV special on the wall coming down.

There had been talk they might want to do something about opening the border a bit, because it was getting harder to control people going out through neighboring countries. Then Reagan's speech came, and an expectation that something should happen. The trickle through neighboring countries became a flood, so the authorities decided to go with a limited-access partial opening of the Wall that was to have been a test. They lost control of things the first hour. Something over two years after the speech, the Wall started actually falling.

 

[seven2go]

He uh, but then he did but not before he um, I got nothing.

In a nutshell that about sums it up....... .......

 

[KrisHawkXXX]

[QUOTE="Kulindahr, post: 6808869, member: 127528"]


In relation to that, I'll address one point: you say Reagan "lied to the world about the definition of communism". No, he didn't. You're wrong here, as on other points: Reagan used the word "communism" in both the popular and textbook sense.
[B]
Yes He Did. Who wrote the textbooks that he got the term communism from? Might him being schizophrenic and senile played a part on his policies or philosophical beliefs? And why did the general public agree with him? The general public was misinformed, so of course it was easier for them to be swayed towards a certain perspective that was false. Do You think this nation, the heart of global capitalism, would allow the truth which would hurt Capitalism's image to be displayed in text books, or rather lies to keep the system going? I mean everyone in society is exploited, so why would the government that controls everyone let any of the truth be known to the public in the first place?[/B]

Okay, I'll address another: you keep talking about capitalism, when that's not what the U.S. has, and hasn't had for some time. What we have is corporatism, where corporations and the state are intertwined in the exercise of power, each benefiting the other, generally to the detriment of freedom, both of the economy and of citizens.

[B]Capitalists still own the corporations. I don't see how our current system isn't that of a Capitalist one. Corporations are a part of Capitalism silly.[/B]


What did Reagan do that was good? He upped the ante on the arms game and faced down the Soviets until that beast collapsed. He gave people hope. He stood up to some powerful institutions and put them in their place.


[B]This is where I Agree with you and I'm glad the soviets were taken down. It was a scary concept from day 1.[/B]

[/quote]

Sorry I'm just too lazy to make separate paragraphs.

 

[Kulindahr]

^
The textbooks distinguish between capitalism and corporatism these days. In a nutshell, as I understand it, capitalism assumes free reign, nothing but economic forces at work, whereas in corporatism the established giant companies effectively run the government or at least influence it in their favor, using the power and authority of the state to fight the competition.

A very graphic illustration:

Capitalism is a demolitions derby where competitors can work on their cars while in the competition, and new competitors can enter in their cars.

Corporatism (or corporatocracy) is the same demolition derby, except that some of the long-surviving veterans have snipers on the walls around the course to help them.


Corporatism/-ocracy tends toward a form of feudalism. So also does plutocracy, of which the U.S. has a heavy dose as well. It's a bit of an interlocking system; most of the big corporations are controlled by the super-wealthy, who thus control the government (besides buying political candidates).

In pure corporatocracy, the government structures the system to direct profits to the preferred players; in a plutocracy, the government rigs the structure to funnel money to the most wealthy. The U.S. does both these things, and thus is not, properly speaking, capitalist.


To stay on topic, Reagan did some things which slowed these developments, while at the same time doing other things which strengthened them.

 

[evanrick]

Military industrial complex - check
Breaking up organized labor - check
Massive deficits to be paid by social security raiding - check

Convincing Americans that he was a good president, priceless.

 

[NineOfClubs]

That's not Reagan's phrase, it's a quote from a famous economist.

Can anyone name him? Anyone? Buehler?

Not a famous economist at all.

As I remember it, this was first said by G.H.W. Bush in early 1980 when he was vying for the presidency and mocked Ronald Reagan using this term.

 

[Stardreamer]

Capitalists still own the corporations. I don't see how our current system isn't that of a Capitalist one. Corporations are a part of Capitalism silly.

Lad if you going to shift the goal posts all over the place to try and excuse the failings of Socialism, I think its only fair to allow others equal flexibility in setting the goal posts of Capitalism

 

[KrisHawkXXX]

Lad if you going to shift the goal posts all over the place to try and excuse the failings of Socialism, I think its only fair to allow others equal flexibility in setting the goal posts of Capitalism

Go back to the other thread.

 

[T-Rexx]

Ronald Reagan was enormously important to health care in America.

He helped focus attention on colon cancer, the emergency treatment of gunshot wounds, and Alzheimer's disease.

 

[KrisHawkXXX]

Ronald Reagan was enormously important to health care in America.

He helped focus attention on colon cancer, the emergency treatment of gunshot wounds, and Alzheimer's disease.

A more sophisticated act on his part should have been national health care for all or an attempt to establish a global health care since he claimed he was so good at having communication skills. He should have used those skills and reached out to other nations. Since he was so great why not do something like so?

 

[evanrick]

Ronald Reagan was enormously important to health care in America.

He helped focus attention on colon cancer, the emergency treatment of gunshot wounds, and Alzheimer's disease.

 

[bike10]

Before Reagan ran in 1980 I use to be proud to call myself a Republican but when took office I could no longer vote for the GOP.

For eight years he "played the role of a president." He catered to those of Religious Right, the big corporations and those who were rich.

He avoided the issues of AIDS during years of crisis when leadership was needed to deal with the disease. Like others he sat on the side line and gave it name GRID the "gay disease."