Interesting Facts about Ronald Reagan

[wellendowed1911]

You always hear Republicans talk about how great Ronald Reagan was but if you take Reagan's policies during his tenure and apply them to today- they would look similar to another President:

[wellendowed1911]

If this were 1984, I wonder if the Tea party would be saying hey Reagan: our taxes are going up- you have increased the size of govt, and you have spent more than all othe President's combined.

[CuteOldGuy]

Do you have any links to prove what Maddow said, or are you just trusting her objectivity?

[joe bloe]

Originally Posted by wellendowed1911

You always hear Republicans talk about how great Ronald Reagan was but if you take Reagan's policies during his tenure and apply them to today- they would look similar to another President:

Why did they use a picture of Non Reagan instead of Rachel Madcow? They're easy to tell apart. Non is much more feminine than Rachel, even when he's not wearing his tutu.

[wellendowed1911]

Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

Do you have any links to prove what Maddow said, or are you just trusting her objectivity?

I sure do: http://thinkprogress.org/politics/20...ial/?mobile=nc
1. Reagan was a serial tax raiser. As governor of California, Reagan “signed into law the largest tax increase in the history of any state up till then.” Meanwhile, state spending nearly doubled. As president, Reagan “raised taxes in seven of his eight years in office,” including four times in just two years. As former GOP Senator Alan Simpson, who called Reagan “a dear friend,” told NPR, “Ronald Reagan raised taxes 11 times in his administration — I was there.” “Reagan was never afraid to raise taxes,” said historian Douglas Brinkley, who edited Reagan’s memoir. Reagan the anti-tax zealot is “false mythology,” Brinkley said.
2. Reagan nearly tripled the federal budget deficit. During the Reagan years, the debt increased to nearly $3 trillion, “roughly three times as much as the first 80 years of the century had done altogether.” Reagan enacted a major tax cut his first year in office and government revenue dropped off precipitously. Despite the conservative myth that tax cuts somehow increase revenue, the government went deeper into debt and Reagan had to raise taxes just a year after he enacted his tax cut. Despite ten more tax hikes on everything from gasoline to corporate income, Reagan was never able to get the deficit under control.
3. Unemployment soared after Reagan’s 1981 tax cuts. Unemployment jumped to 10.8 percent after Reagan enacted his much-touted tax cut, and it took years for the rate to get back down to its previous level. Meanwhile, income inequality exploded. Despite the myth that Reagan presided over an era of unmatched economic boom for all Americans, Reagan disproportionately taxed the poor and middle class, but the economic growth of the 1980′s did little help them. “Since 1980, median household income has risen only 30 percent, adjusted for inflation, while average incomes at the top have tripled or quadrupled,” the New York Times’ David Leonhardt noted.
4. Reagan grew the size of the federal government tremendously. Reagan promised “to move boldly, decisively, and quickly to control the runaway growth of federal spending,” but federal spending “ballooned” under Reagan. He bailed out Social Security in 1983 after attempting to privatize it, and set up a progressive taxation system to keep it funded into the future. He promised to cut government agencies like the Department of Energy and Education but ended up adding one of the largest — the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, which today has a budget of nearly $90 billion and close to 300,000 employees. He also hiked defense spending by over $100 billion a year to a level not seen since the height of the Vietnam war.
5. Reagan did little to fight a woman’s right to choose. As governor of California in 1967, Reagan signed a bill to liberalize the state’s abortion laws that “resulted in more than a million abortions.” When Reagan ran for president, he advocated a constitutional amendment that would have prohibited all abortions except when necessary to save the life of the mother, but once in office, he “never seriously pursued” curbing choice.
6. Reagan was a “bellicose peacenik.” He wrote in his memoirs that “[m]y dream…became a world free of nuclear weapons.” “This vision stemmed from the president’s belief that the biblical account of Armageddon prophesied nuclear war — and that apocalypse could be averted if everyone, especially the Soviets, eliminated nuclear weapons,” the Washington Monthly noted. And Reagan’s military buildup was meant to crush the Soviet Union, but “also to put the United States in a stronger position from which to establish effective arms control” for the the entire world — a vision acted out by Regean’s vice president, George H.W. Bush, when he became president.
7. Reagan gave amnesty to 3 million undocumented immigrants. Reagan signed into law a bill that made any immigrant who had entered the country before 1982 eligible for amnesty. The bill was sold as a crackdown, but its tough sanctions on employers who hired undocumented immigrants were removed before final passage. The bill helped 3 million people and millions more family members gain American residency. It has since become a source of major embarrassment for conservatives.
8. Reagan illegally funneled weapons to Iran. Reagan and other senior U.S. officials secretly sold arms to officials in Iran, which was subject to a an arms embargo at the time, in exchange for American hostages. Some funds from the illegal arms sales also went to fund anti-Communist rebels in Nicaragua — something Congress had already prohibited the administration from doing. When the deals went public, the Iran-Contra Affair, as it came to be know, was an enormous political scandal that forced several senior administration officials to resign.
9. Reagan vetoed a comprehensive anti-Apartheid act. which placed sanctions on South Africa and cut off all American trade with the country. Reagan’s veto was overridden by the Republican-controlled Senate. Reagan responded by saying “I deeply regret that Congress has seen fit to override my veto,” saying that the law “will not solve the serious problems that plague that country.”
10. Reagan helped create the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden. Reagan fought a proxy war with the Soviet Union by training, arming, equipping, and funding Islamist mujahidin fighters in Afghanistan. Reagan funneled billions of dollars, along with top-secret intelligence and sophisticated weaponry to these fighters through the Pakistani intelligence service. The Talbian and Osama Bin Laden — a prominent mujahidin commander — emerged from these mujahidin groups Reagan helped create, and U.S. policy towards Pakistan remains strained because of the intelligence services’ close relations to these fighters. In fact, Reagan’s decision to continue the proxy war after the Soviets were willing to retreat played a direct role in Bin Laden’s ascendancy.

[wellendowed1911]

Now keep in mind Reagan did a great job considering the shit pile Carter left him, but Reagan didn't fix or turn American around during his 1st term- in fact in 1984 there were still High UE rate, but I guess Obama is supposed to have a hidden magic wand and fix the previous 8 years of fuck ups in 4 years????

[wellendowed1911]

You can add "raising the debt ceiling" to that list, since Reagan raised the debt ceiling 18 times. It's been fun seeing House progressives rub that in the GOP's face.

When you have Republicans like Rep. Duncan Hunter calling Reagan "a former liberal ... who would never be elected today," or Mike Huckabbee noting the obvious that "Ronald Reagan would have a very difficult, if not impossible, time being nominated in this atmosphere of the Republican Party," you know something is wrong with today's GOP

Keep in mind I dont think reagan was as a great as most GOP view him, but I think he did a very good job based on what he was handed on Day 1- so why you guys don't see the same for Obama baffles me. Reagan put us into more debt as well- Reagan raised taxes- expanded Govt and George W Bush did the same on a far worst scale.

[WTF]

Originally Posted by CuteOldGuy

Do you have any links to prove what Maddow said, or are you just trusting her objectivity?

You do not know this shit?

You argue politics and you do not know these simple facts?

This is like asking a math major how he came to the conclusion that 2+2=4



Did you notice that not even joe doubted the facts. He tried to change the subject by shooting the messanger but hey that is at least smart. Not honest but smart debat tactic. You on the other hand are trying to appear dumber than you are or you're just that dumb!


Step up your game Cutiepie. Whirly will clock your plow if not!

[CJ7]

Ann Rynd thought Reagan was the countrys worst nightmare

Ann Rynd is Paul Ryans role model

Reagan is the hero of the republican party

plays out rather strange doesnt it?

[WTF]

Here is another tidbit about the Tea Nuts hero, Paul Rynd or is it Ayn Ryan?

http://boingboing.net/2011/01/28/ayn...ok-govern.html


An interview with Evva Pryror, a social worker and consultant to Miss Rand's law firm of Ernst, Cane, Gitlin and Winick verified that on Miss Rand's behalf she secured Rand's Social Security and Medicare payments which Ayn received under the name of Ann O'Connor (husband Frank O'Connor).
As Pryor said, "Doctors cost a lot more money than books earn and she could be totally wiped out" without the aid of these two government programs. Ayn took the bail out even though Ayn "despised government interference and felt that people should and could live independently... She didn't feel that an individual should take help."

[gnadfly]

I like how the put the picture of the younger Reagan under the picture of the older Reagan.

[CJ7]

20 months into Reagans first term unemployment hit 10% and stayed at or above 10% for 10 consecutive months .. his 8 year unemployment avreage was 7.5% ... Carter never matched those numbers with his "shitpile economy"

just sayin'

[Guest032516]

Originally Posted by wellendowed1911

I sure do: http://thinkprogress.org/politics/20...ial/?mobile=nc
1. Reagan was a serial tax raiser. As governor of California, Reagan “signed into law the largest tax increase in the history of any state up till then.” Meanwhile, state spending nearly doubled. As president, Reagan “raised taxes in seven of his eight years in office,” including four times in just two years. As former GOP Senator Alan Simpson, who called Reagan “a dear friend,” told NPR, “Ronald Reagan raised taxes 11 times in his administration — I was there.” “Reagan was never afraid to raise taxes,” said historian Douglas Brinkley, who edited Reagan’s memoir. Reagan the anti-tax zealot is “false mythology,” Brinkley said.
2. Reagan nearly tripled the federal budget deficit. During the Reagan years, the debt increased to nearly $3 trillion, “roughly three times as much as the first 80 years of the century had done altogether.” Reagan enacted a major tax cut his first year in office and government revenue dropped off precipitously. Despite the conservative myth that tax cuts somehow increase revenue, the government went deeper into debt and Reagan had to raise taxes just a year after he enacted his tax cut. Despite ten more tax hikes on everything from gasoline to corporate income, Reagan was never able to get the deficit under control.
3. Unemployment soared after Reagan’s 1981 tax cuts. Unemployment jumped to 10.8 percent after Reagan enacted his much-touted tax cut, and it took years for the rate to get back down to its previous level. Meanwhile, income inequality exploded. Despite the myth that Reagan presided over an era of unmatched economic boom for all Americans, Reagan disproportionately taxed the poor and middle class, but the economic growth of the 1980′s did little help them. “Since 1980, median household income has risen only 30 percent, adjusted for inflation, while average incomes at the top have tripled or quadrupled,” the New York Times’ David Leonhardt noted.
4. Reagan grew the size of the federal government tremendously. Reagan promised “to move boldly, decisively, and quickly to control the runaway growth of federal spending,” but federal spending “ballooned” under Reagan. He bailed out Social Security in 1983 after attempting to privatize it, and set up a progressive taxation system to keep it funded into the future. He promised to cut government agencies like the Department of Energy and Education but ended up adding one of the largest — the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, which today has a budget of nearly $90 billion and close to 300,000 employees. He also hiked defense spending by over $100 billion a year to a level not seen since the height of the Vietnam war.
5. Reagan did little to fight a woman’s right to choose. As governor of California in 1967, Reagan signed a bill to liberalize the state’s abortion laws that “resulted in more than a million abortions.” When Reagan ran for president, he advocated a constitutional amendment that would have prohibited all abortions except when necessary to save the life of the mother, but once in office, he “never seriously pursued” curbing choice.
6. Reagan was a “bellicose peacenik.” He wrote in his memoirs that “[m]y dream…became a world free of nuclear weapons.” “This vision stemmed from the president’s belief that the biblical account of Armageddon prophesied nuclear war — and that apocalypse could be averted if everyone, especially the Soviets, eliminated nuclear weapons,” the Washington Monthly noted. And Reagan’s military buildup was meant to crush the Soviet Union, but “also to put the United States in a stronger position from which to establish effective arms control” for the the entire world — a vision acted out by Regean’s vice president, George H.W. Bush, when he became president.
7. Reagan gave amnesty to 3 million undocumented immigrants. Reagan signed into law a bill that made any immigrant who had entered the country before 1982 eligible for amnesty. The bill was sold as a crackdown, but its tough sanctions on employers who hired undocumented immigrants were removed before final passage. The bill helped 3 million people and millions more family members gain American residency. It has since become a source of major embarrassment for conservatives.
8. Reagan illegally funneled weapons to Iran. Reagan and other senior U.S. officials secretly sold arms to officials in Iran, which was subject to a an arms embargo at the time, in exchange for American hostages. Some funds from the illegal arms sales also went to fund anti-Communist rebels in Nicaragua — something Congress had already prohibited the administration from doing. When the deals went public, the Iran-Contra Affair, as it came to be know, was an enormous political scandal that forced several senior administration officials to resign.
9. Reagan vetoed a comprehensive anti-Apartheid act. which placed sanctions on South Africa and cut off all American trade with the country. Reagan’s veto was overridden by the Republican-controlled Senate. Reagan responded by saying “I deeply regret that Congress has seen fit to override my veto,” saying that the law “will not solve the serious problems that plague that country.”
10. Reagan helped create the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden. Reagan fought a proxy war with the Soviet Union by training, arming, equipping, and funding Islamist mujahidin fighters in Afghanistan. Reagan funneled billions of dollars, along with top-secret intelligence and sophisticated weaponry to these fighters through the Pakistani intelligence service. The Talbian and Osama Bin Laden — a prominent mujahidin commander — emerged from these mujahidin groups Reagan helped create, and U.S. policy towards Pakistan remains strained because of the intelligence services’ close relations to these fighters. In fact, Reagan’s decision to continue the proxy war after the Soviets were willing to retreat played a direct role in Bin Laden’s ascendancy.

I can't possibly address all of the points above. I have a life.

But let's just say that while some of the point above may be partially or wholly true, many of them take facts out of context or improper infer causation from one evetn that preceeds another.

By way of example:

3. Unemployment soared after Reagan’s 1981 tax cuts. Unemployment jumped to 10.8 percent after Reagan enacted his much-touted tax cut, and it took years for the rate to get back down to its previous level.

Your recitation of the facts clearly attempts to imply that the tax cut caused unemployment to rise. It didn't. Cutting taxes may cause the deficit to increase, but it is not going to increase unemployment. Leaving taxpayers with more money causes them to invest and spend more, which tends to lower unemployment. If the increased economic activity (i.e., broader bases) does not result in enough new tax revenues to cover the revenue lost by the cut in tax rates, the deficit goes up, not unemployment.

When Reagan took over from Carter, both unemployment and, especially, inflation were rising rapidly. The term "stagflation" was used to describe the stagnant inflation that was wrecking the economy. Home mortgage rates were well over 15% in a lot of markets (no, that's not a typo).

When Jimmy Carter ran for President in 1976, he used the so-called "misery index" (inflation % + unemployment %) to say that Gerald Ford did not deserve to be President. At that time, the misery index was around 12-13%. After 4 years of Jimmy Carter, the misery Index hit 22% in June 1980 (its highest ever). Ronald Reagan hung Jimmy Carter with his own words.

So, unemployment didn't "soar" under Reagan. It was already around 9% when he took office. It went up a bit more because the Fed undertook a tight money policy to rein in inflation.

Reagan took office in January 1981. His administration correctly identified inflation - not unemployment - as the beast that needed to be slayed first. It did not help to get a job if your paycheck kept losing 12% of its value every year.

In fairness, the Fed Chairman, Paul Volcker, had started implementing a tight money policy in the last year to Carter's presidency. But it was too late to save his ass by then.

A tight money policy tends to make the cost of borrowing higher. This tends to reduce economic activity, resulting in higher unemployment. But tight money policy also tends to reduce inflation. In the 1980s, it had a far greater effect on inflation than employment, bringing inflation down from a high of over 13% to under 3.5% in less than 2 years.

After that, the economy boomed and unemployment dropped as well, to under 6%.

[JD Barleycorn]

Here is the problem with Libtards; they use people that they disagree with to try to make their points. In this case the statement is Ayn Rand didn't like Ronald Reagan. The why is the important part. It was not about politics or policy. Rand died a little over a year after Reagan became president so she never saw how things turned out. Rand disagreed with Reagan over religion. Rand was an atheist and didn't like the "Moral Majority" hangers on in the GOP. So if you're trying to talk about philosophy then you're barking up the wrong tree or you never understood.

So Ayn Rand was an atheist and according to the libtards we conservatives should run away from her. Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and James Monroe owned slaves so according to libtard philosophy everything that they ever did must be dismissed. Fortunately conservatives don't pay much attention to libtards. They really don't have a similar problem as they accept anything that people do as okay with them. Note Teddy Kennedy, Barney Frank, Gerry Studds, Bill Clinton, Blago, Rostenkowski, and a few other convicted felons. They accept them warts and all.

Conservatives can accept and separate someone's religious belief's from what they wrote about. Notice I said separate and not ignore. Margaret Sanger was a hard core racist but she is embraced by liberals everywhere because it helps them divide men and women politically. Most of the early democratic presidents were slave holders but the typical libtard doesn't know or care.

So since I know that WE, WTF, CJ, Louise, and Stevie really don't care what Ayn Rand really stood for we can safely ignore their opinions.

When RR came into office the unemployment rate was 7.5% which was up 1.6% from what is was two years earlier so like Obama would say, RR inherited a upward trending unemployment rate. Unemployment topped out at 10.2% in November of 1982 and stayed there for two months (Nov, Dec) and started to drop. When RR left office in January of 1989 the unemployment rate was 5.4% or lower than when he came into office. Compare that to Obama. After all he is the one running for reelection and not Reagan.
When BHO came into office the unemployment rate was 7.8 % and trending upwards. Two years earlier the unemployment rate was 4.5%. So unemployment was rising faster when Obama came into office but stopped rising at 10% in October of 2009. So unemployment was trending faster under Obama but peaked quicker than under RR. RR pushed unemployment down faster than Obama has and eventually pushed it lower than when he took office. The current trend under Obama suggests that even if he continued for four more years he will still not get unemployment down to when he took office if we take into account what is going to happen in January, 2013 when the tax cuts expire and Obamacare taxes kick in.

[CJ7]

hahahaha

good thing JDSL isnt a history teacher

Ronnie had 10 consecutive months of over 10% unemployment ratings and it took him 20 months to get there from the day he took office .... I have the emperical data from the BLS to prove it.

when bush took office unemployment was 4.2% .. when he left it was 7.8%

as you say Obie stepped in at 7.8% and today its 8.2% ? (until the numbers come out next week)

assuming your arent a math theacher too, have someone do the math for you.

evenin' teach.