# Ronald Reagan's Legacy: Your Thoughts **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 20, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379 "2011-01-20T21:27:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/101 "2011-01-22T17:07:28Z")
That’s your cite? Charlie Daniels is about as big a right wing, redneck, sloganeering cretin as you’re evr going to find. I ceratinly don’t remember that pile of shite song as representing any “prevailing sentiment.” ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/102 "2011-01-22T19:11:07Z")
Reagan was the first in a line of bought and paid for Repub presidents. He gave a speech talking about taking the “foot of regulation off the neck of business”. He painted the government as an enemy and planted the seeds of hatred and distrust for all things the government does. He was for privatizing everything. He made the stupid claim that business could be trusted and could do everything better than the government. So now we have a large group of people who hate the government. How do we work together when people are dumb enough to buy that premise? When he was gov of California, he ended the free college education that made California a place where almost everybody young wanted to go. Many young were drawn by the warm weather and a chance to get a great education. Silicon Valley was a creation of the system. Many businesses were located there by students who came and stayed. But there was a principal that people should not get anything free, even if it benefits the state. Private business should be able to make money off everything. They should have no regulation because they will naturally do the right thing for the country. Yeah, right. Deregulation destroyed America. Trusting business has put our country in peril . They have to be regulated and controlled. Otherwise we get another financial meltdown. Which we will. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/103 "2011-01-22T20:22:29Z")
IMO, he was one of worst presidents in American history, certainly the worst of my lifetime. Reagan, or “The Great Asshole” as I like to call him: Promoted the destruction of the working and middle classes with his disastrous free-trade & trickle-down nonsense. Destroyed the Republican Party by inviting in all the religious whackos. Made more errrors dealing with the Moslem world than any other president in my lifetime: Sending troops to Lebanon for no good reason, refusing to do more to help the Afghan people, refusing to acknowledge that the Afghan rebels included some pretty bad people, and, most of all, encouraging Saddam Hussein just to get back at Iran. I excuse him from treason in Iran-Contra, only because I think he was senile at the time. Establishing the DEA and encouraging the disastrous war on drugs. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/104 "2011-01-22T20:46:51Z")
He also established the us against them attitude with the :them" being government. That had resulted in lowing the discourse and allowing crazies and anti-government types to have a soapbox. They have actually gained power and influence. It was a kinder and gentler America before Reagan. He found a way to pit us against each other. Now those who disagree with us are enemies. They must be silenced. In the Nixon tapes, there is a moment when Nixon and his cabinet had a revelation. They did not need blacks or liberals. They could get enough voters to win by appealing to single issue or anti-government types. They could get people to vote against their own interests by making them angry. It has worked well. Reagan bought into that and our nasty politics is the result. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/105 "2011-01-22T21:00:51Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > That’s your cite? Charlie Daniels is about as big a right wing, redneck, sloganeering cretin as you’re evr going to find. I ceratinly don’t remember that pile of shite song as representing any “prevailing sentiment.” Also wasn’t that song written, as the link’s header implies, in the late 70s? I wonder who was President at that time. ETA: It’s just mindless jingoism, anyway. “We’re number one! U-S-A!!” That’s Reagan’s contribution? I agree, mouthing off and blathering abbout nothing specific in a positive, hopeful way, while doing whatever the fuck evil policies he and his rich pals wanted for themselves. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2011, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/106 "2011-01-22T22:25:10Z")
Reagan could have been set on fire in front of me and I’d have saved my piss for his gravestone. That’s his legacy for me - one of the few people I actually still hold a little hate for. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/107 "2011-01-23T01:00:25Z")
- Went on a spending spree on the nation’s credit cards, leaving the working people to pay the bills later on (and we still are), and some still call it “prosperity”. - Was in office when the USSR collapsed of internal rot, and some still credit a photo op he arranged for doing it. - Made jingoism acceptable again, and some call it “making the nation feel good”. But, as Tip O’Neill said, “Give Reagan his due. He would have made a helluva king.” BTW, his Alzheimer’s was widely speculated upon in public as early as the 1984 campaign, when he tended to “wander” a bit more than could be explained by mere age. By the time Nancy’s astrologer was the key decisionmaker in the White House, pretty much the whole world knew it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/108 "2011-01-23T13:06:15Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > So, how’s that Grenada Monument project coming along? The plans call for a PA system playing “Yakety Sax” on a continuous loop; it’s being held up by copyright problems. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/109 "2011-01-23T13:14:17Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > But, as Tip O’Neill said, “Give Reagan his due. He would have made a helluva king.” > [@](#): > > **The Boneless King** > > Some Apes who had dethroned their king fell at once into dissension and anarchy. in this strait they sent a Deputation to the neighboring tribe to consult the Oldest and Wisest Ape in All the World. > > “My children,” Said the Oldest and Wisest Ape in All The World, when he had heard the deputation, “you did right in ridding yourselves of tyranny, but your tribe is not sufficiently advanced to dispense with the forms of monarchy. Entice the tyrant back with fair promises, kill him and enthrone. The skeleton of even the most lawless despot makes a good constitutional sovereign.” > > At this the Deputation was greatly abashed. “It is impossible,” they said, moving away; “our king had no skeleton; he was stuffed.” – Ambrose Bierce ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/110 "2011-01-23T16:40:54Z")
RR was a “nice man” his civility and politeness (even to the opposition) was legendary. When he received word that the Russian sub was burning and helpless in the Atlantic, Reagan’s first thought was to offer help. Sure, he made mistakes…but he was worlds ahead of the sleazy Bill Clinton…whose willingness to be bought was legendary (see the “Marc Rich” pardon for details). I have always wondered why the American electorate wants flashy characters (like JFK) as president-whereas low-key guys like Eisenhower were wise and cautious leaders-who would never involve the country in disasters like Vietnam. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/111 "2011-01-23T18:20:47Z")
Reagan also vetoed the bill for equal time on airwaves. The FCC figured since the airwaves belong to the people , all people should have access to it. They feared that the networks would not be even handed and would push their own agendas. To prevent that, political speech on the radio and TV was followed by equal time for the opposing politician. It was like the rebuttal after the State of the Union Speech. Reagan vetoed it resulting in the Shodanizing of the airwaves. I wonder if the Repubs realized at the time what the impact would be. The level and the control of the airwaves has fallen into the hands of conservatives. They have no bottom. They will say horrible things to fire up their base. They have thrown out manners . They shout down and insult opponents knowing full well there will be no chance to respond. Reagan was the first in a line of Repubs who work for corporate interests. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/112 "2011-01-23T22:15:50Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I have always wondered why the American electorate wants flashy characters (like JFK) as president-whereas low-key guys like Eisenhower were wise and cautious leaders-who would never involve the country in disasters like Vietnam. I take your point in general, but Eisenhower’s administration did get involved in Vietnam. And notoriously in Iran–after Truman tried to stop it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/113 "2011-01-24T01:45:31Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I have always wondered why the American electorate wants flashy characters (like JFK) as president-whereas low-key guys like Eisenhower were wise and cautious leaders-who would never involve the country in disasters like Vietnam. W was pretty low-key – at least, nobody would call him flashy – and look where he got us. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/114 "2011-01-24T02:04:39Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > RR was a “nice man” his civility and politeness (even to the opposition) was legendary. > When he received word that the Russian sub was burning and helpless in the Atlantic, Reagan’s first thought was to offer help. > Sure, he made mistakes..but he was worlds ahead of the sleazy Bill Clinton..whose willingness to be bought was legendary (see the “Marc Rich” pardon for details). > I have always wondered why the American electorate wants flashy characters (like JFK) as president-whereas low-key guys like Eisenhower were wise and cautious leaders-who would never involve the country in disasters like Vietnam. Maybe it’s because you’re only remembering evidence that supports your beliefs? [See here](http://www.salon.com/news/col/cona/2001/02/27/pardons) for details of some pardons (one for a convicted Pakistani heroin dealer) that another “wise and cautious leader” slipped under the wire. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/115 "2011-01-24T02:12:30Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **magellan01** > Particularly the part about restoring hope after Carter. The mood of the country changed dramatically over night. It was really pretty amazing. > [@](#): > > Originally posted by **Bridget Burke** : We needed a lot of “hope” restored–after Tricky Nixon’s Watergate & the end of the Southeast Asian Debacle. Carter wasn’t superman enough to do it. > > But I don’t remember Reagan doing a thing to improve anyone’s “mood.” (Then again, I didn’t hang out with the monied Republican crowd.) > > Cite? > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **Oakminster** : Charlie Daniels captured the prevailing sentiment rather well. He sure as hell didn’t capture the prevailing mood of a “restoring hope after Carter”. Best you can say is that the song was written by a Republican supporter as part of the election campaign to come. The song was released April 26, 1980, while Reagan won election some 7 months later. Cite failure. At any rate, citing Charlie Daniels as representing the “prevailing sentiment” is absolutely laughable. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/116 "2011-01-24T02:17:00Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > RR was a “nice man” his civility and politeness (even to the opposition) was legendary. > When he received word that the Russian sub was burning and helpless in the Atlantic, Reagan’s first thought was to offer help. I’m impressed with your mind reading skills. How do you know his first thought wasn’t “Ha! Let those commie suckers burn and drown!. Hmm… that won’t play well to the people - I do have a friendly image to maintain. I’ll say my first thought was to offer help. Ya, that’s the ticket!” ---
**Author:** ![New\_Deal\_Democrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9d8465/32.png) [@New\_Deal\_Democrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Deal_Democrat)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/117 "2011-01-24T03:52:25Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I have always wondered why the American electorate wants flashy characters (like JFK) as president-whereas low-key guys like Eisenhower were wise and cautious leaders-who would never involve the country in disasters like Vietnam. When Eisenhower made the decision not to sign and not to honor the Geneva Agreement of 1954 he guaranteed that there would be a war in Vietnam during the 1960s. ---
**Author:** ![New\_Deal\_Democrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9d8465/32.png) [@New\_Deal\_Democrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Deal_Democrat)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/118 "2011-01-24T03:58:02Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Maybe not, but he was responsible for being a candyass while our guys where held captive. Had he taken a harder line and been willing to go to war, either our guys would have been home sooner or maybe Iran would not be the rogue nation it is today. That was a great opportunity to send an unmistakable message–one does not fuck with Americans. Instead, the message sent was more like–America is a paper tiger. A more aggressive policy on our part would have caused the Iranians to kill the hostages. The occupation of Iran would have caused at least as many problems as the occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/119 "2011-01-24T20:04:16Z")
Iran a rogue nation? Does that have anything to do with our overthrowing an elected government in the 50s and installing the Peacock Throne? We and England acted to assist oil companies starting a mess that persists to this day. We installed another version of a dictator who oppressed his people while getting rich and powerful beyond belief. Strange how the citizens resented that. Iran is an example of what America going alone and going rogue can do. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379/120 "2011-01-24T20:38:39Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > [Charlie Daniels](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kB7OR161-U) captured the prevailing sentiment rather well. Charlie Daniels? That hack? I’m not in the mood for a Youtube session; let me know what tune it is & I’ll give you my opinion. Hey, [he started out as a hippie](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Daniels)–he even produced The Youngbloods’ fine Elephant Mountain LP! But here’s a recent gem from his website: > [@](#): > > “In the future Darwinism will be looked upon as we now look upon the flat earth theory,” and “I am more afraid of you and your ilk than I am of the terrorists,” regarding U.S. Senator Harry Reid. I do remember Reagan’s people using Springsteen’s “Born in the USA.” Until Bruce called bullshit. And somebody actually told them to read the lyrics… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ronald-reagans-legacy-your-thoughts/568379.md?page=7)