I don’t know for sure, but my bet is that’s just a pander to get Bernie Bros to vote R
I’ll wager it’s a lobbying gig paid for by a trade association.
I can’t imagine the GOP will execute any strategic change of direction on purpose. Nobody’s in charge, and the party’s ‘philosophy’ is just the aggregate of whatever crazy-ass shit their elected officials have to scream to keep their jobs.
I see no path for them back to sanity.
I tend to agree. I think the GOP is likely dead, and she other party will rise up.
Not an industry trade thing–it’s actually his douchy crusade.
Radicals gonna radical.
-Tom
Is that like thetans gonna theta?
Honestly the GOP died when Reagan did. They’re became so anti-fact that they don’t even remember what the man stood for and he isn’t around to step onto a podium and tell them how far they’ve fallen. Nancy and the kids have tried, but they just get ignored. McCain could have maybe done it, but he decided to pander instead.
Obligatory Reagan sucks reply.
(From https://soapboxie.com/us-politics/21reasonsReaganwasaterriblepresident, and yes I know some of these can be litaged/mitaged by "#AllPresidents.)
[details=Summary]1. Reagan Supplied Weapons to America’s Enemies
Reagan armed Saddam Hussein’s Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war despite the fact that it was widely known Iraq was using chemical weapons against civilian populations in violation of international law.
2. Reagan Ignored the Atrocities Committed by Saddam Hussein
Even after the whole world condemned Saddam Hussein for using chemical weapons to kill over 5,000 Kurdish civilians in Iraq, the Reagan administration continued to provide weapons and tactical information to Iraq. Iraq used this information to target its enemies with chemical weapons. Reagan even vetoed a UN resolution condemning Iraq.
3. Reagan Illegally Supplied Arms to Both Sides of the Iran-Iraq War
While he was supplying Iraq with weapons, Reagan also armed Iranduring the Iran-Iraq War in direct violation of a U.S. law that he had signed.
4. Reagan Caved in to the Demands of Terrorists
After several Americans were taken hostage by terrorists in Lebanon, Reagan provided weapons to Iran in exchange for their release. Despite this concession, ultimately more hostages were taken.
5. Reagan Caved in to the Demands of Terrorists Again
After Reagan sent Marines to Beirut for a peacekeeping mission, a terrorist’s truck bomb killed 241 U.S. Marines. Reagan responded by immediately doing exactly what the terrorists wanted, pulling all the troops out of Beirut.
6. Reagan Was Weak in the War on Terrorism
After the bombing of the US Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, Reagan promised to track down and punish the terrorists who committed that horrible act. He never followed up on that promise.
7. Reagan Didn’t Obey His Own Laws
Reagan illegally supplied weapons to Nicaraguan rebels in violation of a law that he himself had signed.
8. Reagan Supported the Violent Overthrow of a Democratically Elected Government
President Reagan illegally supported the Nicaraguan Contras, whom he called “Freedom Fighters,” despite the facts that they killed civilians and wanted to overthrow the democratically elected government to restore the dictatorship that previously existed in Nicaragua.
USS Stark after 37 crew members were killed by an Iraqi missile on May 17, 1987.9. Reagan Started an Unnecessary War to Take Attention away from His Failure in Beirut
Just days after the bombing that killed 241 Marines in Beirut, Reagan launched an attack on the island of Grenada to remove Cuban soldiers there. This successfully took attention away from the devastating loss of those Marines in Beirut.
USS Stark after 37 crew members were killed by an Iraqi missile on May 17, 1987.
10. Reagan Failed to Defend Us from Saddam Hussein
When an Iraqi fighter jet fired a missile into a U.S. Navy ship in 1987, killing 37 men, Reagan did nothing in response to the attack. Iraq is still the only non-allied country to attack a U.S. warship without retaliation.
11. Reagan Helped Create Al Qaeda
The Reagan administration armed and supported the Mujahideen rebels in Afghanistan. Many members of the Mujahideen, like Osama bin Laden, used their experience in Afghanistan to help them form the terrorist organization Al Qaeda.
12. Reagan Supported the Racist Apartheid Government in South Africa
When the white minority in South Africa (just 10% of the population) brutally repressed the black majority, even denying them the right to vote, the U.S. Congress overwhelmingly passed the Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 to apply pressure to South Africa to end Apartheid. President Reagan opposed any sanctions on South Africa and vetoed that bill. Congress was forced to override his veto.
13. Reagan Supported the Most Brutal Dictators in the World as Long as He Didn’t Consider Them “Communists”
He supported Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega. Later, when Noriega became too close with Fidel Castro, we suddenly considered him an enemy and removed him from power.
Reagan supported Saddam Hussein when he committed the most brutal atrocities on Earth, killing thousands of his own people. Years later, when Saddam threatened our oil supply, we used these same atrocities as reasons to go to war with him.
Reagan supported Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos even after Marcos killed his political rival and rigged his own reelection.
Reagan supported the brutal regime in El Salvador when it was widely known that they were killing civilians, including Americans. After four American nuns were murdered by Salvadorian soldiers, Reagan’s Secretary of State defended the Salvadorians, suggesting that the nuns might have been shot while trying to run a military roadblock—but this wouldn’t explain why they were also raped before they were killed.
14. Reagan’s Administration Had More Documented Corruption Than Any President in U.S. History.
At least 138 Reagan administration officials, including several cabinet members, were investigated for, indicted for, or convicted of crimes. This is the largest number of any U.S. President. Many of them were pardoned by Reagan or President Bush before they could even stand trial.
Secretary of the Interior, James Watt —Indicted on 21 felonies
Attorney General, Edwin Meese —Resigned after investigations of corruption
Secretary of Defense, Caspar Weinberger—Charged with Iran-Contra crimes and pardoned before going to trial
Assistant Secretary of State, Elliot Abrams - Plea bargained for Iran-Contra crimes and pardoned by President Bush
Two National Security Advisors, Robert MacFarlane and John Poindexter—Pleaded guilty to Iran-Contra crimes and were pardoned
Three high ranking CIA officials, Alan Fiers, Clair George and Joseph Fernandez —Convicted and pardoned for Iran-Contra crimes
At least 9 Reagan appointees were convicted of perjury, lying to Congress, obstruction of Congress, or contempt of Congress
15. Reagan Frequently Repeated Bald-Faced Lies Even after They Were Publicly Revealed to Be Untrue
He told stories about having been a U.S. Army photographer assigned to film Nazi death camps. Reagan never visited or filmed any such camps.
He often told a story about a “Chicago Welfare Queen” who had 80 aliases and gotten $150,000 in welfare. She never existed but investigators did find one woman who had two aliases and received $8,000. Reagan continued to tell the false version of the story.
He claimed that trees create more pollution than automobiles, an absurdly untrue statement that he literally pulled out of thin air.
16. Reagan Set Records for Budget Deficits
After criticizing President Carter for having a $50 billion deficit, Reagan’s own deficits exceeded $200 billion. He tripled the national debt in only eight years. Although Republicans blamed Congress for the budget deficits, all eight of the budgets passed by Congress had less spending and smaller deficits than the budgets proposed by Reagan.
17. Reagan’s Economic Policies Put Millions of Americans out of Work
When he took office in 1981, unemployment was at 7.5% and dropping. A few months after Reagan’s economic policies took effect, unemployment began to rise again. Millions of people continued to lose their jobs for the next two years until unemployment exceeded 10%. It stayed above 10% for nearly a year, peaking at 10.8%. Three years after he was elected, unemployment was still higher than when he was sworn in.
18. Reagan’s Policies Allowed Hundreds of Thousands of Family Farms to Go out of Business or Declare Bankruptcy
By some accounts, nearly one third of all farms were at risk of being foreclosed during the 1980s. Ronald Reagan vetoed a farm credit bill that would have given farmers some relief. Reagan’s popularity among farmers dropped so low that at one point when discussing the exportation of grain to other countries, Reagan joked that he would like to “keep the grain and export the farmers."
19. Reagan’s Financial Policies Caused the Savings and Loan Industry to Collapse
The financial deregulation and changes to the tax code that President Reagan enacted ultimately caused nearly 750 different financial institutions to fail. All of this cost taxpayers about $150 billion.
20. Reagan Robbed the Social Security Trust Fund to Pay for His Budget Shortfalls
After Reagan cut taxes for the rich, the tax revenue to fund the government was so small that the budget deficit grew to four times what it had been under Jimmy Carter. So Reagan “borrowed” hundreds of billions of dollars from the Social Security trust fund to pay the country’s bills. That money has never been paid back.
21. Reagan Largely Ignored the AIDS Epidemic while Tens of Thousands of People Were Dying of the Disease
Many conservatives in the 1980s believed that AIDS was God’s punishment for being gay. Ronald Reagan did not publicly talk about AIDS until the 6th year of his presidency. In 1986, when AIDS fatalities were doubling every year, Reagan proposed cuts in funding for AIDS research[/details]
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I’d go for that.
May I add: Behind the Ronald Reagan myth: “No one had ever entered the White House so grossly ill informed”
But…Shining city on a hill…Great Communicator…There you go again…Morning in America…Tax and spend…
The killer is that when called on any of his mid-deeds Reagan hid behind the cloak of age and repeated the mantra that he couldn’t recall.
Ultimately, attempts to demonize Reagan, or pretend like his accomplishments didn’t really happen, are the same as attempts to do the same thing to Obama.
Regan was a popular president, and the state of the world, and the lives of Americans improved during his administration. This isn’t a myth. Some of us were there.
He was flawed like anyone, but he was effective nonetheless, even if not to the deified degree he has assumed over the years. Some can pretend he wasn’t, but it’s just pretend.
Reagan was far from perfect, but he was a damn sight better than what came after him (Bush 41 exempted).
The party of Newt was the beginning of the end.
How effective was he for minorities again? I think you might find some valid POVs that are different from yours.
That’s fine, although i would think that the major economic growth that took place during his administration likely benefited minorities significantly.
There’s more to life than money. HIV for example, completely ignored when that administration thought it was just gay men or you know inner city minorities. Crack cocaine is another mark, perhaps more deeply linked to this administration than I thought. I won’t derail this entire thread with these less than stellar examples of his administrations’ work, but there are perfectly valid reasons to criticize his work.
Did you read the thing I posted? Reagan was a scumbag. His accomplishments were that of his advisors and cabinet. If he was just a body held up by his friends like A Weekend at Bernies, that stuff would still have happened. Hey the USSR collapsed under its own weight. I did that!
No man, he really want.
I know that some want to pretend he was, but it’s just historian revisionism. Some folks said he was dumb, and didn’t do anything? Yeah. We know that. They said that at the time.
But again, is the same as the folks who usually hate Obama or if partisanship.
You don’t win an election like that on accident, by being a bastard. You just don’t.
Hell, LBJ was a bastard, and he won an election like that. And LBJ gave us the Civil Rights Act (as well as the Vietnam war, unfortunately.)
Looking back, what’s Reagan’s big claim to fame supposed to be again? Economic growth was higher under Clinton, and Kennedy/LBJ outpaced both. The Cold War was won, not by eight years of speechmaking and massive spending on a goofy weapons plan that never worked, but by forty years of nine different Presidents implementing a bipartisan containment policy and the Marshall Plan. And he didn’t even do what devout conservatives all now believe he did: the Federal government grew under his administration and he signed a big raise in taxes (and a good thing too, because it kept Social Security going.)
His other accomplishments aren’t exactly standouts. They don’t give you a monument in DC for Grenada, the War On Drugs, dragging your feet on AIDS, trading arms for hostages, or arming what would become the Taliban.
In truth, his major accomplishment was his acting: after 15 troubled years of LBJ/Nixon/Ford/Carter he gave us a sunny optimistic, persona that reassured the nation by distracting us from ugly reality. Instead, when Reagan talked we were all transported to a magic city on a hill, where everything was simple and grand - though occasionally men in white hats would have to shoot some men in black hats outside the city wall. It wasn’t real and it certainly wasn’t original (the “city on the hill” was borrowed from JFK/John Winthrop, the rest from Hollywood.) But we all liked to pretend along with him, and kick real problems down the road.
Happy vibes don’t impress historians nearly as much (if they did, Warren G. Harding would be listed in the history books as one of our greatest Presidents.) One hundred years from now, the summary for Reagan is likely to be short and tart: “The major legacy of the Reagan era is that he empowered and emboldened hard-liners and extremists within his party, which eventually culminated in a crisis in the second decade of the 21st century.”