# SDMB Retrospective US Presidential Elections 1984

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-retrospective-us-presidential-elections-1984/697674>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [September 6, 2014, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-retrospective-us-presidential-elections-1984/697674 "2014-09-06T18:06:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-retrospective-us-presidential-elections-1984/697674/21 "2014-09-09T23:26:06Z")

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> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> That’s why Hitler took on the world’s three strongest military powers all at the same time?

That’s the worst example ever given that weakness is what made Adolf Hitler go to war in the first place. After backing down so many other times, why would Hitler expect that this time France and Britain were serious about Poland?

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**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-retrospective-us-presidential-elections-1984/697674/22 "2014-09-09T23:27:31Z")

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> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> Were Nixon and Ford “fiscally responsible”? They both ran deficits, IIRC.

Congress also has a role in spending. Actually, the primary role in spending. And those were Democratic Congresses. Nixon tried inpoundment to control spending. Given what Obama thinks of executive power, it’s actually hard to believe now that a President can’t impound spending.

But yes, Nixon and Ford were fiscally responsible. THe deficits they ran were sustainable and they did not advocate much increased spending or large tax cuts.

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**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-retrospective-us-presidential-elections-1984/697674/23 "2014-09-11T20:04:30Z")

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> [@adaher](#):
>
> Mondale represented everything that was wrong with the Democratic Party at the time. Beholden to special interests, still haunted by Vietnam, and thinking the solution to every problem was more taxes and spending.
> 
> In hindsight…

> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> . . .\*\* Mondale was right.\*\*

What, this?

> [@adaher](#):
>
> Mondale represented everything that was wrong with the Democratic Party at the time. Beholden to special interests, still haunted by Vietnam, **and thinking the solution to every problem was more taxes and spending.**
> 
> In hindsight…

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-retrospective-us-presidential-elections-1984/697674/24 "2014-09-11T20:05:58Z")

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> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> That’s why Hitler took on the world’s three strongest military powers all at the same time?

Weakness is arguably a reason why Hitler felt such military action was a good decision.

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