BP execs = Ronald Reagan?

[cammando]

It will be interesting to see what some of the numbers look like when, God willing, we get ourselves out of these two wars.

Obama spent more money in his first 8 months in office than has been spent on both wars combined... It won't make much of a dent in the deficit..

[75center]

I think Reagan has become some sort of mythical figure for Republicans. I don’t think it’s simply defending his presidency or glossing over any errors as is typical for partisans and their respective presidents. Almost all Republicans will throw in a few lines of praise, solicited or not, to Ronald Reagan or demand that policies be brought in line with what Reagan would have done, whether those policies match his policies or not. The Republican National Committee recently proposed a “litmus test” for its candidates called the “Reagan’s Unity Principle for Support of Candidates” where potential candidates were asked to state their affirmation of principles such as “a lower national deficit” and “no amnesty for illegal immigrants.” During the last Republican primary, John McCain said “I think we went on a spending spree that, frankly, betrayed Ronald Reagan's principles about tax cuts and restraint of spending.” Primary candidates were also repeatedly asked if they would be endorsed by Ronald Reagan and often explained without prompt why their candidacy was closer to Reagan than the others’. Charlie Crist, defending his conservative credentials, claims Reagan would be “turning over in his grave” over federal spending. When asked about Obama’s nuclear treaty with Russia, Sarah Palin said “we miss Ronald Reagan who would say to our enemies: ‘we win, you lose.’” But, if you actually look back at the Reagan presidency you would find that the federal deficit skyrocketed, illegal immigrants were granted amnesty, and a nearly identical treaty on nuclear arms was signed with Russia. There are plenty more examples. But, my point isn’t to say Reagan was a bad president – he wasn’t – but to say that his name is incessantly invoked by Republicans and often used to bolster support for policies that Reagan didn’t or where the record of his presidency suggests he didn’t emulate. It’s as if it doesn’t matter what the actual Reagan record is, but that he has simply become a Rorschach test for conservative policies.

 

Again I ask, how is that different than other popular presidents? In my lifetime Kennedy was and is still used the same way by the democrats and in several years my guess is Clinton will be. We've already seen evidence of him heading there.

[75center]

Amazing how little time it takes to revise history. Won't be long until Clinton lost control of the deficit...

 

http://www.slate.com/id/100474

 

Yeah, we've already heard how he was individually responsible for the prosperity of the 90's. Too bad about that pesky little thing of the Republican's controlling Congress.

[mcpapa]

Yeah, we've already heard how he was individually responsible for the prosperity of the 90's. Too bad about that pesky little thing of the Republican's controlling Congress.

 

So, it's Congress and not the President. Got it.:thumb:

[Hatz]

Same here. You must also remember the contrast from the 70's.

 

Without a doubt.

[Hatz]

Yeah, we've already heard how he was individually responsible for the prosperity of the 90's. Too bad about that pesky little thing of the Republican's controlling Congress.

 

 

So would we then give credit to a Democratic Congress for the boom of the mid and late 80's??

[True blue (and gold)]

So would we then give credit to a Democratic Congress for the boom of the mid and late 80's??

 

Well, no. It's very simple, really. Prosperity is the result of any and all republicans in control. Decline and turmoil is the result of any and all democrats in charge. :lol:

[cammando]

Well, no. It's very simple, really. Prosperity is the result of any and all republicans in control. Decline and turmoil is the result of any and all democrats in charge. :lol:

Now you're getting it...:lol:

[Habib]

Again I ask, how is that different than other popular presidents? In my lifetime Kennedy was and is still used the same way by the democrats and in several years my guess is Clinton will be. We've already seen evidence of him heading there.

 

The only other president I can think of that saw similar treatment was Roosevelt, and that's certainly waned to near nonexistence today. I just don't see any other presidents treated in the manner Reagan is. Where are the demands that a party be brought in line with the principles of another president? Where are candidates trying to argue that they are most like another president, whether they are remotely close or not? Where are the people attributing beliefs and policies to another president that he didn't hold simply to make those policies look better? You hear plenty of "Jack Kennedy was a great president" but you don't hear much, or any, of "I'm more of the Clinton candidate than my opponent!"

[mcpapa]

Well, no. It's very simple, really. Prosperity is the result of any and all republicans in control. Decline and turmoil is the result of any and all democrats in charge. :lol:

 

 

Mcpapa's civics lesson for today:

 

Democrat President and Democrat Congress - good things attributable to a previous Republican President, Congress or both

 

Democrat President and Republican Congress - bad things President's fault, good things Congress' wonderfulness

 

Republican President and Democrat Congress - bad things Congress' fault, good things President's wonderfulness

 

Republican President and Republican Congress - everything is/was milk and honey; the occasional bad thing attributable to a previous Democrat President, Congress or both

[True blue (and gold)]

Mcpapa's civics lesson for today:

 

Democrat President and Democrat Congress - good things attributable to a previous Republican President, Congress or both

 

Democrat President and Republican Congress - bad things President's fault, good things Congress' wonderfulness

 

Republican President and Democrat Congress - bad things Congress' fault, good things President's wonderfulness

 

Republican President and Republican Congress - everything is/was milk and honey; the occasional bad thing attributable to a previous Democrat President, Congress or both

 

You get an A+ from the teacher!

[75center]

So would we then give credit to a Democratic Congress for the boom of the mid and late 80's??

 

They share credit just as the Republicans in the 90's should. Makes you think maybe power shared is the most effective? Remember that come November.

[75center]

Well, no. It's very simple, really. Prosperity is the result of any and all republicans in control. Decline and turmoil is the result of any and all democrats in charge. :lol:

 

And of course, vice versa. How many times have we heard about the Republican Congress being responsible for the 90's? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

[75center]

The only other president I can think of that saw similar treatment was Roosevelt, and that's certainly waned to near nonexistence today. I just don't see any other presidents treated in the manner Reagan is. Where are the demands that a party be brought in line with the principles of another president? Where are candidates trying to argue that they are most like another president, whether they are remotely close or not? Where are the people attributing beliefs and policies to another president that he didn't hold simply to make those policies look better? You hear plenty of "Jack Kennedy was a great president" but you don't hear much, or any, of "I'm more of the Clinton candidate than my opponent!"

 

Roosevelt, Kennedy, Clinton is starting. They're out there. Each party holds onto the president who brought them the most properity if you will, to their party. Roosevelt's lasted the longest and Reagan's will last until a Republican president of similar stature comes along. Shoot, Obama is getting Nobel Peace prizes after months in office and having streets named after him. Think if he was actually successful and served 8 years?

[75center]

Mcpapa's civics lesson for today:

 

Democrat President and Democrat Congress - good things attributable to a previous Republican President, Congress or both

 

Democrat President and Republican Congress - bad things President's fault, good things Congress' wonderfulness

 

Republican President and Democrat Congress - bad things Congress' fault, good things President's wonderfulness

 

Republican President and Republican Congress - everything is/was milk and honey; the occasional bad thing attributable to a previous Democrat President, Congress or both

 

You flunk, take your ADHD medicine, then return to class.