This is absolutley a debate: The Reagan Presidency.

[Virgo10]

I'm not one to debate much but the ringing praises of Ronald Reagan's presidency have really gotten to me. First of all, I'm sorry the man has died. More importantly, as someone who has worked with Alzheimer patients for years, I'm sorry he was a victim of this terrible disease. This is only about his White House years.

Do I think he was a great president. No. Do I think he always had the country's best interests at heart? No. Let's remember that it was Ronald Reagan who wanted to make Ketchup a vegetable in the school lunch program. Then there was the mass firing of the Air Traffic Controllers, his support of the Afghan Mujaheddin, the astrologer in the White House and on and on.

I'm not saying that he was a total presidential failure. Heck, even Richard Nixon did a few good things. I'd just like people to stop and remember everything.

Roberta

 

[Cindy B]

Virgo-- I am with you as well.

I was not fond of Reagan as a president. I remember the over simplistic Just Say No anti drug campaign. I recall the lack of funding on AIDS research, and his cutting remarks on the first known victims of HIV/AIDS. I also recall his own son talking about his lack of support to those early victims of HIV/AIDS.

I remember Nancy Reagan spending an exorbitant amount of money for new dishes for the White House. (over $100 K if I remember right).

Ironically, older generations LOVE him. My father in law couldn't get enough of Reagan!

I too, am saddened that he had to suffer a terrible disease for a LONG time. I can only imagine what it is like to deal with that disease for over a decade.

 

[Son of the Morning]

I guess I could always pull the common Democratic-politician comment as of late and say that "The man was optimistic." Simply put, though, the only element of his presidency that I could possibly find admirable is the fact that he adopted the correct strategy to finish off the Soviet Union, but even then, the risks he took were in many cases irresponsible and downright dangerous. His arch-conservatism threw the country down the economic road to aristocracy and threatened a cultural and social Neoconservative dark age, his stance on AIDS (what stance?) led, presumably, to the death of thousands...

Or hell:

"Like how he acquired private funding behind the legislature and traded hostages for arms to Iran to topple another country's government. How he pumped drugs under the CIA's watch into the ghetto's and influenced Bush sr. to change his views on abortions if he wanted to be on his presidential bill. Reaganomics tax cuts for the rich and eff the poor created enormous debt. He lowered social spending and set the path for other ******* presidents like Bush and son. When Discovery exploded due to NASA's descision to neglect safety standards, little to nothing was done by the goverment. The invasion of Grenada. Involvment in nuclear arms race, music censorship, etc." - credited to STASHONE

I would never celebrate the death of someone, especially a feeble, diseased, old man, but I would never say that I respect someone that I find so thoroughly abhorrent because it is polite or socially acceptable to do so. I feel that towards the end of his life, he was in one of the worst physical and mental states imaginable, and one that frankly terrifies me: I would not wish it on my greatest enemy, and I would give my condolences to his family.

 

[tiggersmom2]

Sorry, I don't agree with you. President Reagan was an American hero and his presidency speaks for itself.

 

[powellrj]

Like him or not, the man was a two term president. It's showing respect for his family at this time. We have years to debate weather or not you liked the mans policy. Now is the time to show him respect as a leader of our country. And no, I don't think the coverage was overdone. We had much more coverage when JFK jr and Princess Diana died, and they were just family members of leaders.

 

[monkeyboy]

He helped win the cold war

He built up a military unseen in peace time

He made me very proud to be an American (again)

 

[Robinrs]

I, too, am sorry he's gone, I really thought he was a beautiful man and fought for what he believed in.

Unfortunately it was not a fight that concerned or benefited me or anyone I knew personally.

I realized that very early on. The fact that he was a two term president remark makes me smile. So was Clinton and he had MANY naysayers.

To each his own. I realized long ago that there is a hero for everyone and he doesn't necessarily have to be mine.

 

[monkeyboy]

Originally posted by Robinrs
I realized long ago that there is a hero for everyone and he doesn't necessarily have to be mine.

Very well said

 

[ripleysmom]

To the OP, thanks for posting this. I thought I was the only one who was not particularly affected by his death.

To me he was not a great president for the reasons previously listed. I guess those are just those lib roots showing....

As for the bashing comment. Sorry if you consider it bashing to remind people why he was not St. Ronny.

 

[Grog]

As for the bashing comment. Sorry if you consider it bashing to remind people why he was not St. Ronny.

Of course he wasn't. The man is dead and I feel this could wait a little while. I promise I won't be as classless when one of your Democrat heroes dies, out of respect for his family and the people here who did like him.

 

[izzy]

He just died two days ago. Can't we please at least bury him in the ground before you folks start "burying" him in other ways? Even the media and the Democrats have the grace not to start in on him just yet.

 

[MHopkins2]

Originally posted by ripleysmom
To the OP, thanks for posting this. I thought I was the only one who was not particularly affected by his death.

To me he was not a great president for the reasons previously listed. I guess those are just those lib roots showing....

I don't really have an opinion on his presidency one way or the other - I was only 12 when he got out of office. Furthermore, generally speaking, I'm not terribly affected by the death of, well, old folks. (I didn't get the outpouring over Bob Hope either.) Deaths "before their time" have an impact on me, whether or not I'm a huge "fan" of the person - but a 93 year old man with Alzheimer's? RIP Mr. President, but I'm moving on with my day.

This extends to my personal life as well - when my grandfather died several years ago (at 70+, after a horrible battle with cancer), some of my cousins were DEVASTATED. Literally, could not function, devastated. I don't think I love him any less than they do, but it just didn't affect me like that.

 

[ThreeCircles]

This, of course, is just my opinion, but I personally feel that Reagan was perhaps one of the worst presidents to ever set foot in the White House.

The reckless abandon he exhibited in his spending policies, the total disregard for the oppressed, and the serve-the-rich economic theory he embraced were, to say the very least, exceptionally short-sighted and did nothing positive for this country.

When someone dies we tend to remember and want to embrace only the very best details and most positive aspects of who that person was. While I'm not saying that this is bad or inappropriate I do think it's more than a bit unrealistic. We especially have to be careful of this mistake when we are looking at world leaders and, given this is an important election year, it's perhaps even more important.

 

[DawnCt1]

Originally posted by Virgo10
Do I think he was a great president. No. Do I think he always had the country's best interests at heart? No. Let's remember that it was Ronald Reagan who wanted to make Ketchup a vegetable in the school lunch program. Then there was the mass firing of the Air Traffic Controllers, his support of the Afghan Mujaheddin, the astrologer in the White House and on and on.

I'm not saying that he was a total presidential failure. Heck, even Richard Nixon did a few good things. I'd just like people to stop and remember everything.

Roberta

First of all the Ketchup as a vegtable program was proposed by David Stockman, RR's budget director and soundly rejected, but it is one of those tools that liberals love to use to maligned a wonderful president. With regard to the White House china. When the Reagan's came to office, the china was old, chipped and unmatched. Nancy Reagan raised the $100,000 to replace the china solely out of private donations. Not one tea cup was ever funded by the tax payers, unlike items stolen from the White House by the Clintons. The firing of the Air Traffic Controllers was essential to the continued operation of the air ways. There is no way that a government agency on which the public is dependent upon for their safety and economy can strike and hold the citizens hostage. Reagan recognized this, warned them and then let the chips fall where they may. Countried do not have friends, only interests. Funding the Mujahjadeen was essential in defeating communism. He was one of the great presidents of our century. FDR freed Western Europe. RWR freed Eastern Europe. I recall the malaise, double digit unemployment, double digit inflation, double digit interest rates of the late 70's and 1980. Jimmy Carter holding himself hostage in the White House while the Iranians held our hostages. Carter was an inept, truly ineffectual president and this country was saved by RR. I would suggest you read the book, Reagan's War. Sorry I don't recall the author, to get a perspective on how close we came to losing our super power status in the world and being out armed by the Soviets. Remember the Soviets? They don't exist anymore.

 

[Son of the Morning]

Originally posted by izzy
He just died two days ago. Can't we please at least bury him in the ground before you folks start "burying" him in other ways? Even the media and the Democrats have the grace not to start in on him just yet.

I threw my dirt on him before he was put in the ground.

Secondly, while I respect your perceived need to 'grieve,' I will not allow for historical revisionism to rule for the sake of sentimentality.

 

[Grog]

I threw my dirt on him before he was put in the ground

SSDD

 

[DawnCt1]

Originally posted by Son of the Morning
I threw my dirt on him before he was put in the ground.

Secondly, while I respect your perceived need to 'grieve,' I will not allow for historical revisionism to rule for the sake of sentimentality.

I would venture to guess that if you don't recognize the contributions of RR to this country and to the world, it is you who are engaging in historical revisionism. A guestion; How old were you when RR was president?

 

[Galahad]

I will not allow

 

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by Galahad

I thought the exact same thing, Galahad!!! "I will not allow"???

 

[jrydberg]

I guess it's easy to tear down Reagan when one didn't have to live through the mid to late 70s.

Personally, I think Reagan will be remembered as one of the greatest presidents of the 20th century. Like it or not, Ronald Reagan had a tremendous impact on this nation. Much of the success of the 1990s had its foundation in the 80s.