[CA Conservative]

Reagan also admitted that he voted for FDR and repented for it.

You know, I am reading the Reagan Diaries, and while he talks about voting for FDR 4 times, I cannot find anywhere where he says it was a mistake, or "repents" as you put it. In fact, in at least one entry, he make is clear that it was never his goal to undo the New Deal (the Great Society was a different story).

[ansel12]

Unlike Perry, Reagan didn’t have to defend being a post McGovern, post abortion wars, post Carter, anti-Reagan, Democrat.

The last time that Reagan voted Democrat for president was in 1948.

[Hoodat]

Here's where he says it was a mistake:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh2DeQtVyJM

[Reagan Man]

>>>>>... I am reading the Reagan Diaries, and while he talks about voting for FDR 4 times, I cannot find anywhere where he says it was a mistake, or "repents" as you put it. In fact, in at least one entry, he make is clear that it was never his goal to undo the New Deal (the Great Society was a different story).

You're reading the "Reagan Diaries"? Good for you. Great reference book. You might even learn something.

A significant amount of FDR's New Deal was ruled unconstitutional by the SCOTUS of the 1930's. Other parts were repealed during WWII.

The key piece of legislation that came out of the the New Deal was Social Security. When SocSec was created in 1935 Reagan supported it. By the 1950's, Reagan began opposing big liberal government programs like SocSec. Beginning in the early 1960's and for the next 20 years, Reagan spoke out in support of privatizing SocSec through personal retirement accounts controlled by the individual. After Reagan became President he found out that SocSec was the Third Rail of politics. Public opinion was against privatizing SocSec. The House Democrats, led by Speaker O'Neil, forced a compromise on SocSec through the Greenspan Commission. The subject would not be raised again until Bush43 campaigned for SocSec reform in early 2005. Without any success, I might add.