It is a very nice and gracious speech honoring in death a man who no doubt had the best intentions in the leadership that he offered our country.
And, to be honest, after 4 years of the current President, I do look back nostalgically at Reagan somewhat myself. Sure, there may have been some amount of dishonesty during the Reagan Administration, but if memory serves me, it is nothing like what we are being served up these days. [And, in fact, I think in a subtle way that is what some of what Kerry is saying is getting at…i.e., noting that GW Bush is not nearly so noble a political opponent as Reagan was.]
Let me see if I can sum up what Kerry said about Reagan: he was a nice guy, he could give an inspiring speech, and we should be nice to his family. What’s to debate?
Now, just in case it has escaped your notice, Kerry said absolutely nothing whatsoever complimentary about Reagan’s policies, or the actions he took as President. Not a single word.
I’d wager that Kerry probably regards the Reagan years much as I do - as a period of stunningly wrong-headed U.S. policy, both domestic and foreign. So why doesn’t he say that? Well, he’s running for President, and there’s no percentage in pissing in the punch bowl. GWB is fair game, but he gains nothing by attacking Reagan.
Even if this were so, how would it differ from the self congratulatory circle jerks the Brotherhood Of Bush Bashers[sup]TM[/sup] keep conducting in an endless string of threads?
There are two varieties of threads and posts that are appropriate to the Great Debates Forum: 1) actual debates and 2) religious witnessing and proselytizing. The point being expressed is that your OP did not really meet the test of being a debate, having no actual point of discussion. It seemed more appropriate to the MPSIMS Forum, where affirmations and accolades are more frequently delivered.
However, it was then suggested that it is possible that you meant to post it as a religious expression of your deeply held faith in Mr. Reagan, and that perhaps other posters were being too harsh in condemning your OP. It was suggested that you not be condemned for posting in the wrong Forum provided your OP was viewed as simply a religious homage to your beloved St. Ronald.
Tho it pains me to less than 100% hospitable to a “guest” like Bren…i mean Sally Star, credentials might include buying a little bandwidth, ya feel me?
Wait a second, couldn’t Kerry have just said “my deepest condolences to Nancy and family for the loss of President Reagan” or was he trying to gain some political gain?
That pretty much IS all he said, in so many words. He gave a polite statement which was complimentary to Reagan without endorsing his policies. That’s how it’s done.
If this was a debating point, would not the title of the thread be “Was Kerry trying to gain some political gain?” ?
I’ve no dog in this fight. I disagreed with the anti-Reagn rant in the BBQ Pit even before the news that Reagan had died came out (and even though I rate Reagan as one of our four worst presidents), but I see no debate in this thread.
I was simply trying to explain the “witnessing” comments that puzzled you.
Spoken like a knee-jerk right-wing true believer who can only name the Democrats whom she can remember in her lifetime.
Actually, Grant and Harding were clearly incompetent for the job. (Earlier incompetents had less effect as the nation was smaller and less powerful.) GWB has taken Reagan’s simple-minded view of the world and his innate dishonesty to a new level of malice and destruction.
Nitpick: Sally, WWII was not preemptive. It started when Hitler invaded Poland. War was declared on him for doing that. If they had declared war on him BEFORE the invasion, then we could argue that it was preemptive. (Or not, but they let him invade and screw with Czechoslovakia).
And the US didn’t come in until TWO years later, and it still wasn’t preemptive, the Japanese attacked us at Pearl Harbor.
As for Reagan-I’m sorry for his loved ones, and sorry that he had such a horrid disease. But I’m not going to lie and say that I’m sad or that I’m mourning. I’m not. I’m not happy, either. Just…indifferent.
