Article about Reagan's legacy in the Post

MikeLastort2 · Jun 9, 2004

Schisms From Administration Lingered for Years

By Eric Pianin and Thomas B. Edsall
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, June 9, 2004; Page A01

As the nation mourns its 40th president, much is being made of Ronald Reagan's role in reordering U.S.-Soviet relations and dramatically redefining the terms of the political debate over tax policy, defense, domestic priorities and social justice. The outpouring of flattering eulogies and tributes since the conservative icon died Saturday is what presidential historian Robert Dallek described yesterday as "hagiography" of a highly popular political leader.

But the lavish praise obscures that much of Reagan's record through eight years in office was highly controversial and intensified social and political divisions. Even now, nearly 16 years after he left office, some major interest groups and key voting blocs most adversely affected by Reagan policies remain bitter about his legacy.

The controversies and scandals included attacks on the federal school lunch program and aid to the poor, anti-union tactics, the illegal sale of arms to Iran and Reagan's 1985 participation in a ceremony at a German cemetery where Nazi soldiers are buried.

No group may have chafed more at Reagan's policies and views than African Americans, who assailed the president for opposing racial quotas and for seeking to obtain a tax credit for Bob Jones University, a segregated southern school.
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Rest of article here.

Yankee_Blue · Jun 9, 2004

I think the basic instructions are never to post from the moonie-post.

Dante · Jun 9, 2004

Isn't the Washington Times the moonie paper?

bojendyk · Jun 9, 2004

Yankee_Blue said:

I think the basic instructions are never to post from the moonie-post.
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You mean the Moonie Times. That's the sucky one.

Yankee_Blue · Jun 9, 2004

Oops - sorry (red-faced)... Oh well, can't take it back now. Post away.

Revolt · Jun 9, 2004

Well, since this thread is now so off-track, I'd like to formally hijack it and bring up Nancy's Astrologer.

Yankee_Blue · Jun 9, 2004

Since Im the one that screwed the thread up, I'll take your Nancy Astrologer, and up you with conversations with one dead Eleanor Roosevelt...

jamison · Jun 9, 2004

Yankee_Blue said:

Since Im the one that screwed the thread up, I'll take your Nancy Astrologer, and up you with conversations with one dead Eleanor Roosevelt...
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I'll see your dead Elanor Roosevelt conversation and raise you one:

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee introduced an amendment to the defense authorization bill to rename the Pentagon the Ronald Reagan National Defense Building, senior congressional sources told CNN.
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and one:

They sent a 747 (the plane that is normally Air Force One) to pick up his casket. That's a lot of fuel burn for one coffin. Could they not have sent a 757 or one of the myriad other executive aircraft that the gov't owns?

Anyone call?

purojogo · Jun 9, 2004

jamison said:

I'll see your dead Elanor Roosevelt conversation and raise you one:

and one:

They sent a 747 (the plane that is normally Air Force One) to pick up his casket. That's a lot of fuel burn for one coffin. Could they not have sent a 757 or one of the myriad other executive aircraft that the gov't owns?

Anyone call?
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ahh, tax dollars at work!

sch2383 · Jun 9, 2004

I like the idea of putting Ronnie on some currency. People have brought up the 50 cent piece and the $10 bill among other ideas. I find the irony rich that the man most responsible for the massive deficit we have now should appear on a postage stamp, much less official US currency, but thats just me.

Ian McCracken · Jun 9, 2004

sch2383 said:

I like the idea of putting Ronnie on some currency. People have brought up the 50 cent piece and the $10 bill among other ideas. I find the irony rich that the man most responsible for the massive deficit we have now should appear on a postage stamp, much less official US currency, but thats just me.
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Dude, Reagan left office 15 years ago. Those images you see on tv of him are taped.

MikeLastort2 · Jun 10, 2004

jamison said:

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee introduced an amendment to the defense authorization bill to rename the Pentagon the Ronald Reagan National Defense Building, senior congressional sources told CNN.
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Holy crap!!!

Is Frist that stupid? A few years ago when the right wing nut jobs in Congress were forcing DC to rename Washington National Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, a liberal congressman (I think it might've been Barney Frank) said something like "Washington National Airport is already named for a president, namely George Washington. I propose we rename the Pentagon as the Ronald Reagan Center for Peace."

There are ENOUGH THINGS named for that old cracker sunuvabiatch already. We don't need nor want any more things named after Reagan here in the DC area.

Yankee_Blue · Jun 10, 2004

jamison said:

Anyone call?
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I'm out.

jamison · Jun 10, 2004

MikeLastort2 said:

There are ENOUGH THINGS named for that old cracker sunuvabiatch already. We don't need nor want any more things named after Reagan here in the DC area.
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First, that Eric Idle song is hilarious.

Second, I used to think Frist was an okay guy. Wow, those were the days. Glad he isn't operating on me....

Third, I agree totally about people trying to rename everything to the left of the Potomac after this guy. The airport was enough, and I don't want his turkey necked face on either buildings or cash. Reagan got an airport named after him (DC). George Bush 41 got an airport (Intercontinental in Houston, which is I think the only airport in Texas named after someone from Connecticut). Clinton got a thesaurus named after him, full of alternate definitions for "relations" and "alone". I say stop the madness.

I fully expect Bush 43 will try to get the Baghdad airport re-named after himself.

skipshady · Jun 10, 2004

jamison said:

Clinton got a thesaurus named after him...
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I'm going to pretend they named a Manhattan neighborhood after Bubba, though I still prefer the old name, Hell's Kitchen.