Reagan Was Wrong

"Narrow minded, book banning, truth censoring, mean spirited; ungenerous, envious, intolerant, afraid; chicken, bullying; trivially moral, falsely patriotic; family cheapening, flag cheapening, God cheapening; the common man, shallow, small, sanctimonious." Yep, that pretty much sums it up.

So winning 5 of the last 9, ( or 7 of the last 11) presidential elections is destruction?

No, Reagan was a bad actor.

Reagan did a great many good things for America, but I do think his legacy needs to be seriously reexamined in light of the progression towards the Presidency of George W. Bush. Most of Bush's key failings (interference in small countries' governments and deregulation) had their templates laid out for them in Reagan's era, though I do still think of Reagan as a good President when judged on the whole. The Iran-Contra scandal and our covert support of Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War helped establish modern conservative foreign policy as it relates to the Iraq War, and the S&L crisis really should have done more to warn conservativism of the dangers of deregulation. The one thing that seems to be missing in the modern era, sadly, is the Reagan-era practicality and patience that helped bring down the Soviet Union and got us out of the S&L crisis safely.

Hey Vig...you will be hard pressed to find a Conservative who liked Bush. And, by the way, if you think that Bush was to blame for the fiasco that happened in New Orleans...then you are more blind than one would think. Look at any major city that is in financial trouble (or State for that matter) and you will find your "compassionate" Liberalism at work. I was down there (N.O.) and Your Governor and Mayor were the ones who destroyed that city. Blaming Bush for it is a joke. If you want to point at Arnold in California...Arnold is no Republican...and exemplifies the primary reason why the Republican Party is in shambles...because more of them want to become "like" Liberals... Which has never worked any time and every time it has been tried. Bush was no Conservative...neither was his father.

In its eagerness to lecture Republicans not to be conservatives (in the genuine, American, sense), Obama's semi-official fan club magazine is reduced to digging up and touting the nonexistent legacy of an obscure, failed foreign scribbler who never let go of his European big government enthusiasms and antipathy to liberty; utter ignorance of the free market and how wealth and economic growth actually happen; and typically smug media-elite sneering contempt for normal Americans- the decent, religious, socially conservative American middle class, the heart, soul. and backbone of this country.

Reagan had far more wisdom and insight into the greatness of America and its heartland people than any sleazy, booze-soaked, bankrupt, ungrateful lout.

Pure capitalism sounds all nice and great in theory, but so does pure communism, in theory. These theories both fail by not considering human nature. Both theories assume all parties will act responsibly. History has shown that all people will not always act with 100% accountability. Due to this very important consideration, a mixed system is required in which the more unpleasant human traits, such as laziness and greed, are accounted for, controlled by, regulations. Regulations, when crafted properly, can actually help preserve the free market. So we should not be asking for smaller government; such blind adherence to a blanket policy is just lazy politics. We should be asking for a smarter government.

It clearly was a bad week at Newsweek. We found out from the GAO just how incredibly outrageously expensive Obama's version of rationed Obamacare in America will be. With the iran situation we saw the perfect contrast between Reagan's conservatism and Obama's liberalism. Reagan confronted tyranny, and supported freedom "Tear Down This Wall". Obama sought to appease the tyrants while the freedom protestors were being beaten in the streets, "We Don't Want to Meddle". Reagan trusted individual people knowing most are good while a few are evil. Obama clearly trusts Government, not because individuals are evil, but they are clearly too stupid, bitter, gun toting, bible thumping, and biggoted to be trusted with going to the bathroom by themselves, let alone make econoimic decision with their own money. So with no marterial for the week to write worshipful articles about "The Obama" Newsweek decided to take a shot to discredit Ronalld Reagan a full generation after he left office, and long after his death. The strategy is clear. With Obama's Government takeover of everthing, and massive spending, debt , and printed money driving unemployment to levels not seen since the Great Depression and clearly failing, its time to pin the blame on a dead man. Especiallly when that dead President did the exact opposite of what Obama is doing and set the state for a generation of unprecedented growth and prosperity. If the silly blaming of Reagan for a housing bubble bust that was created by corrupt democrats in Congress 20 years after he left office didn't show Newsweek's intent, lumping in a shot at Sarah Palin clearly did. Good try Newsweek! What nextweek. Back to worshipping "The ONE" or will you throw some more mud at a long dead dead President?

So now Newsweek discovers what a disaster Reagan was, only 25 years too late! I began working at Newsweek during the Reagan era and was always shocked to see how abruptly the editors swerved from their progressive 1970s stances to their cozying up to the new DC crowd and, thus, to death squads in Central America, disastrous budget deficits and all the rest..
Perhaps the neocons at parents company Washington Post will come to their senses too.