# Praise Ronald Reagan -- F\*&@ the Taxpayers! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 8, 2004, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353 "2004-06-08T22:40:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/21 "2004-06-09T12:16:10Z")
I think the air traffic controllers should get the day off, everybody else works. I for one will be glad when all this crap is over. Throw a flower on his coffin, and get the fuck off my TV already. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/22 "2004-06-09T12:58:19Z")
[QUOTE=calm kiwi] (anyone remember Maggie Thatcher?) Why can’t US presidents do more then two terms? QUOTE] Because the Republicans got pissed at always losing to FDR. If they hadn’t Clinton would still be Pres of course (if only). I’m all in favour of limited terms for UK PM’s and cite Thatcher as a good reason, with a secondary cite for Blair. That much power, responsibility and stress must damage your perceptions and judgement in the long term. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/23 "2004-06-09T13:13:31Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > If he was so popular, and it seems he was, why was he limited to two terms? What does America gain by limiting presidents to two terms? Many other democratic countries have leaders democraticaly voted that go on to serve more then two terms (anyone remember Maggie Thatcher?) It was traditional ever since the first president for a president to step down after two terms. Franklin Roosevelt shattered that tradition. In short, while Truman (Roosevelt’s succesor) was president, a constitutional amendment was passed to limit the president to two terms. It’s just the way we are. ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/24 "2004-06-09T13:27:26Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > Then donate your pay for that day to a charity. What the fuck are you in an uproar about over receiving money from taxpayers for a day off?!? :wally Let’s see, I think I saw it here somewhere. Oh yeah, there it is: > [@Tenar](#): > > It’s still too much money to waste commemorating a man who supposedly was dedicated to cutting government spending. and > [@](#): > > Can you imagine travelling to NY from another state for a court appearance and finding out that it was cancelled for this? What if you were scheduled to be in court on Friday for a hotly contested custody hearing that you had been waiting for for months? Sorry. Apparently, the welfare of your child is not as important as paying homage to a dead man. and > [@](#): > > On top of everything else, the taxpayers will again be left with a bad taste in their mouths about us “lazy” state employees who “do nothing but feed off the public teat.” Somehow, I think there may be slightly more to it than your characterization. ---
**Author:** ![Gravity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gravity/32/14322_2.png) [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/25 "2004-06-09T13:54:00Z")
Vermont isn’t taking the day off, either. I’m not too worried about it one way or another. I would have just spent the day plaing Final Fantasy XI, anyway. The governor’s spokesman, Jason Gibbs said “The governor’s inclination, in keeping with his commitment to fiscal conservatism, is to not stop all of state government at extraordinary expense,” Gibbs said. “One of the greatest tributes to President Reagan would be to continue to do our part to serve the people of Vermont and the people of this nation.” ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/26 "2004-06-09T14:05:11Z")
[QUOTE=tagos] > [@calm kiwi](#): > > (anyone remember Maggie Thatcher?) > > Why can’t US presidents do more then two terms? QUOTE] > > Because the Republicans got pissed at always losing to FDR. If they hadn’t Clinton would still be Pres of course (if only). > > I’m all in favour of limited terms for UK PM’s and cite Thatcher as a good reason, with a secondary cite for Blair. That much power, responsibility and stress must damage your perceptions and judgement in the long term. Hey! I was not a Maggie admirer!! It just seems a lot of British peoplem were. Why should being popular be a crime? ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/27 "2004-06-09T14:07:17Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > It was traditional ever since the first president for a president to step down after two terms. Franklin Roosevelt shattered that tradition. In short, while Truman (Roosevelt’s succesor) was president, a constitutional amendment was passed to limit the president to two terms. It’s just the way we are. I know it is “just the way you are”. It just seems a tad anti democracy 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/28 "2004-06-09T14:10:54Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > I know it is “just the way you are”. It just seems a tad anti democracy 😃 Well, you’re not going to get any argument out of me. There was a strong term limits movement for lower offices in the 90s which in some places succeeded amazingly. For instance, here in Colorado, almost every elected office is limited to 8 years. My feeling has always been: “We’ve always had term limits; they’re called _elections_!” ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/29 "2004-06-09T14:11:20Z")
Wilmington, Delaware is shutting down. Friend just rubbed it in. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/30 "2004-06-09T14:14:20Z")
I work for a nonprofit that is just skating on the brink of financial viability, so it makes no sense for us to take a paid holiday on Friday, yet because we, like most DC-area companies that do business with the gov’t, are tied to the federal leave schedule, we’re getting the day off. Mind you, I’m not complaining because I’m going to be working on my resume at home. ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/31 "2004-06-09T14:16:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **duffer** > > Then donate your pay for that day to a charity. What the fuck are you in an uproar about over receiving money from taxpayers for a day off?!? It sounds to me like the one day shut down will cause so much additional work for everyone, employees and the public, that it will be hard to enjoy their day off. ---
**Author:** ![Zulema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/db5fbb/32.png) [@Zulema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zulema)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/32 "2004-06-09T14:20:56Z")
AND… Just because **Tenar** is receiving money and a day off doesn’t mean he/she can’t see that it is unfair for the taxpayer to have to pay for the extra vacation pay and be inconvenienced. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/33 "2004-06-09T14:25:37Z")
> [@Tenar](#): > > If Dubya decides to jump off a cliff, does that mean that Pataki has to, too? I don’t know, but it would be fun to find out, wouldn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/34 "2004-06-09T20:10:07Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > Why are ex-presidents still called “Mr President”? Because not enough people read [Miss Manners](http://www.jsonline.com/lifestyle/advice/dec03/189597.asp): > [@](#): > > Nevertheless, the rule is that titles pertaining to an office that only one person occupies at a time are not used after retirement. A former president can use a previously held, non-unique title, as the first one did by reverting to Gen. Washington in retirement, or the plain citizen’s title of “Mr.” The third president preferred to be known as Mr. Jefferson rather than Gov. Jefferson. Thus, the gentleman your son met would be addressed as Gov. Carter or Mr. Carter. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/35 "2004-06-09T20:34:17Z")
Uhhhhh…that makes no sense, Miss Manners. Only one person can be Governor of a state at one time, too. Calling someone “Governor” implies that he/she is governor of a specific state, and there is obviously somebody else in that position presently. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/36 "2004-06-09T21:12:24Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Now I have a terrifying vision of Zombie Reagan… [http://www.bush-zombiereagan.com/](http://www.bush-zombiereagan.com/) ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/37 "2004-06-09T22:51:49Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Well, it’s a good day for those individuals, it’s a bad day for everyone else who is paying them and not getting a lick of work done for their money. > > Is there anything particularly wrong with having a “Day of Rememberance” on a Saturday? I’m assuming it’s friday because that’s when he’s being interred. It’s pretty standard to have a National Day of Mourning or somesuch whenever an ex-president dies, along with the state funeral. At least since I’ve been a federal employee it has. I shall be working as usual (hospitals can’t close) but will get paid a little extra for it. But don’t worry, you’ll get your money’s worth from me. ---
**Author:** ![JamesCarroll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@JamesCarroll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JamesCarroll)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/38 "2004-06-09T23:07:54Z")
That’s nothing. Here in Delaware this past winter we had an “almost snow emergency”. A true snow emergency would have shut down all businesses and schools and gov’t offices. Instead this genius shuts down just the gov’t (the largest employer in the state) so that they wouldn’t be on the road and the rest of us could get to work. Her two terms are up soon. Thank god. ---
**Author:** ![LVgeogeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b19c9b/32.png) [@LVgeogeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVgeogeek)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/39 "2004-06-09T23:14:58Z")
In Nevada, federal offices and the post office will be closed on Friday. All state agencies will be open. No state shutdown here. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2004, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353/40 "2004-06-09T23:48:41Z")
Tagos: Why can’t US presidents do more then two terms? Because the Republicans got pissed at always losing to FDR. If they hadn’t Clinton would still be Pres of course (if only). Au contraire, my little garbanzo bean. Were it not for the 22nd amendment, President Ronald Reagan ® would have won by a freaking landslide in '88 against Governor Dukakis (D) and he very well may have won in 1992, even with his declining health. Remember that Bush’s victory in '88 was largely based on Reagan’s immense popularity. It certainly wasn’t Bush’s sparkling personality and charm. (Of course, having an opponent such as Dukakis didn’t hurt either. Hell, I think _I_ would have won vs. Dukakis.) Would Clinton’s star still have risen under the glare of such a forceful presence as Reagan? Would he have dared to enter the race against a foe that had virtually the same credentials (governor, eloquency, charm) PLUS the benefit of incumbency? Assuming Reagan’s health held up (which I grant is a big assumption given hindsight) I would have paid large American dollars to see a debate between those two colorful characters. Yup, a Clinton v. Reagan election would have been very, very interesting. Damn the 22nd amendment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/praise-ronald-reagan-f-the-taxpayers/249353.md?page=3)