Posted on 06/07/2004 6:43:19 AM PDT by GreatOne
I never cared much for Ronald Reagan, the president. But I must tip my hat to Reagan, the myth.
It is Reagan the myth the nation now eulogizes - that political colossus who, his supporters claim, vanquished both the Soviet Union and the liberal welfare state with the certainty of his optimism and the jaunty cock of his head. . .
As for the other towering pillar of the Reagan myth - that he single-handedly slew the Soviet bear - there is little, if any, historical support. The Soviet empire was weak and its economy imploding. The scholarly consensus is that Reagan's defense buildup, far from bringing a robust giant to its knees, perhaps helped to nudge a terminal patient into death. . .
Reagan was said to have a clear-eyed view of America's place in the world, yet he entangled the United States in the Iran-contra scandal, with its dark deals and unsavory alliances. Their legacies haunt us to this day. . .
Reagan was not a great president. He was an American archetype and a fabulous political hero who brought his party out of the wilderness. There was not, and has not since, been anyone better at the inspirational photo-op, an essential ingredient of the modern presidency. And even I must admit that over these next few days of mourning, I'm looking forward to watching the re-runs.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
I have noticed the appaling lack of understanding of how politics work. To read some of this tripe you'd think there was only 1 elected office in the whole of the US. So many people just don't get it.
The major media have all paid their respect for the obligatory day or so, and now will predictably start dancing on his grave before he's even in it.
I dont have a problem with the stupid unwashed masses.
As long as they dont vote.
Here is a hint that will help you live longer and healthier and be a better person to live with: acknowledge that the liberals hate us, keep an eye on them but for the most part avoid them like the plague.
Will he also admit that the reality is the liberals in America were in love with Communist Russia and it was Reagan who recognized the anemic state of the Soviet economny and had enough foresite to know what to do about it?
I've had my wife force me to change the channel when some liberal comes on spewing some nonsense. It does tend to raise the blood pressure a little.
When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous
but terror to evildoers.
Besides the Soviet Leader himself claiming Reagan played a huge role.
The Soviet empire was weak and its economy imploding.
Show me on of these scholarly experts saying this in 1980. Just one. Here's what one was saying. In 1982, they learned Sovietologist Seweryn Bialer of Columbia University wrote in Foreign Affairs, "The Soviet Union is not now nor will it be during the next decade in the throes of a true system crisis, for it boasts enormous reserves of political and social stability."
The scholarly consensus is that Reagan's defense buildup, far from bringing a robust giant to its knees, perhaps helped to nudge a terminal patient into death. . .
Even a Reagan-hater admits Reagan gave it a nudge. The truth is closer to Reagan gave it a shove off a cliff.
A fairly good and old friend of mine called to gloat about Reagan's death around 630 pm Saturday night. I had a feeling that was why she called so I returned the call around 8 pm. She was literally out of her mind with hate for Reagan and how she could not bare to listen to things about Reagan all week yada yada yada.
She made the statement that if only he had fed the poor (in USA) instead of wasting money on defense we would all be better off and blamed him and Bush for her family woes even though all her woes are her own horrible life choices which of course are not her fault but everyone elses. She has no hold or concept of her life and the path it has led too and whenever in past I have tried to set her straight its the same old its everyone elses fault to the point I was giving up on her for quite some time but afraid also she is having some type of breakdown.
By the end of the convo I was so shaken and tried not to insult her back as best I could figuring hey shes a liberal who is never going to change what can I do anyway.
( In the past this girl has literally canceled my vote with glee)
I am still skaken by her tone with me at this moment and I am seriously considering making a change and ending our friendship. Not just because of sat. convo but because its been coming for a long time and this was the icing on the cake. It hurts me to do so however I really can not take it anymore.
I once wrote a rebuttal to Ms. Coco at Newsday, ending it with "you are nothing more than a low life liberal"! She promptly e-mailed me back stating that she was removing me from her e-mail list! Just proves the "low life" can dish it out. but they can't take it! Actually, I was flattered by her actions!
People who aspire to socialism and/or communism (as this person obviously does, to the point of projecting that desire on all Americans) would not see the Soviet Union as an kind of enemy. They would see it as a shining example to be followed.
And when the Soviet Union fell, whether by internal decay or by Reagan's battle tactics, those people couldn't accept it as the legtimate proof of the idealogical failure of socialism/communism that it was. Some rationalization was, and still is, needed.
"Reagan's presidency closed the Kennedy era with Kennedy-esque panache. He convinced the public it didn't really want a liberal social welfare state - though it did and it does "
WHAT? IT DOES?
My car had a weak battery. I needed to push it to get it started. I could not get it going fast enough by myself. My friend helped me push the car and it started. I thanked my friend...................
I think Mario Cocco would have been on bended golden knee pads if given a chance to meet JFK (the real one, not J F'ing Kerry)
"Here is a hint that will help you live longer and healthier and be a better person to live with: acknowledge that the liberals hate us, keep an eye on them but for the most part avoid them like the plague."
And if I can add one further item:
Let's lose the "I know they mean well" crap. They do not mean well.
The office liberal has a sly smile and has had one all day. I know him well enough to know that he's happy that Reagan died, but he knows better than to say it out loud.. Just last week, he explained how much he truly hated Presidents Regan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.
Speaking for myself and how I view Presidents with whom I disagree, I don't hate President Clinton. Never did, never will. I don't believe he was an especially good President, although he was a good politician in many respects. I would never talk of him the way that I have heard folks talk of the passing of President Reagan. For folks who espouse tolerance and no hate, some seem fairly intolerant and hateful.
Speaking for myself, I tend to not associate closely with folks who have this level of hate and anger.
I recommend you end this friendship ASAP. Anyone that would call to celebrate a death of someone you supported and respected, is no friend. Anyone that calls to rub it in deserves to be violently cut from your life.
Mario (apparently a woman) deserves email at mailto:cocco@newsday.com
"I am seriously considering making a change and ending our friendship."
We used to have frequent dinners with some liberal lawyer friends, but have broken off contact. They hate us, we hate them. No way around it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.