“HEY BUDDY, CAN YOU SPARE A TIME?”: REAGAN RETHOUGHT
Several years ago, many people sought to replace the dime image of Franklin Roosevelt with Ronald Regan. Conservative Bruce Walker said, “Franklin Roosevelt was a nebish, a frat brat, a Clinton.” Roosevelt did nothing to keep the Nazis from rising to power in Europe. I guess it would have been better to have Wendell Willkie and his isolationist policies then the Nazi problem would have gone away.
Regan on the other hand was a great American who won the Cold War and defended classic American values. He also made America a safer place with muscled rugged individualism. Yet, if you look at key parts of his record I might challenge this.
For the sake of this argument I wish to look at his international record. Therefore I will not mention or go into his domestic policies. You know like blaming trees for pollution, or blaming unemployment on women in the workforce, or trying to get ketchup as a vegetable in school lunch. And, I will ignore how unsafe he made air travel by firing the Air Traffic Controllers. I will also ignore the Left’s common practice of pointing out people’s grammatical issues in extemporaneous speech. (I guarantee I mess up as much as Dan Quayle in my everyday speech.)
So for the international record, let us look at what Reagan did.
Reagan Won the Cold War
If you say this enough times people may actually believe it. In fact, Reagan followed the same policy of containment that every president from Truman to Carter also followed. Some met with success, like Truman and Eisenhower in Korea, or Nixon in China. Some met with failure like Eisenhower and Kennedy in Cuba and Viet Nam and then Johnson and Nixon failing miserably in Viet Nam. But, he did not do any more than any of these other presidents. To claim that Ronald Reagan won the Cold War is like saying Truman and Clement Atlee won World War II since they delivered the knockout blows to Japan. Reagan did do his part, but based on a long tradition of bipartisan strategy dating back to the Long Telegram of 1946.
Russia
When Reagan entered the presidency, in the Kremlin, there was an authoritarian regime that controlled the industry of the country. The regime also suppressed nationalism through out its domain. And, the government rigged elections by limiting the balloting and denying freedom of the press.
Today, however, in the Kremlin, there is an authoritarian regime that controls the industry of the country. The regime also suppresses nationalism through out its domain. And, the government rigs elections by limiting the balloting and denying freedom of the press.
Iran
When Reagan entered the presidency, in Tehran, there was a religious fundamentalist regime. The fundamentalist regime, supported terrorism and threatened the United States. It also sought to destabilize American allies in the Persian Gulf for its own religious and political purposes. And, The regime supported a terrorist group in Lebanon whose number one goal was the destruction of Israel.
Today, however, in Tehran, there is a religious fundamentalist regime. The fundamentalist regime, supports terrorism and threatens the United States. It also seeks to destabilize American allies in the Persian Gulf for its own religious and political purposes. And, the regime supports a terrorist group in Lebanon whose number one goal is the destruction of Israel. PLUS, it is close to getting nuclear weapons.
Nicaragua
When Reagan entered the Presidency, in Managua Daniel Ortega was president. His Sandinistas were posed to attempt to use their leftist policies to help the workers of Nicaragua. They were reelected in the fairest election Nicaragua ever had (admittedly, this was still not a fair election), despite the US campaigning for another candidate.
Today, however, in Managua Daniel Ortega is president. His Sandinistas are posed to attempt to use their leftist policies to help the workers of Nicaragua. They were elected in the fairest election Nicaragua ever had, despite the US campaigning for another candidate.
Afghanistan
Thank God his support of Osama bin-Laden solved that problem!
The Dime
So, the dime probably shouldn’t be where I next see Reagan’s face. How about the fifty? After all, did Grant really win the Civil War? I mean he was a drunken frat boy who did nothing to keep the South from seceding!
Regan on the other hand was a great American who won the Cold War and defended classic American values. He also made America a safer place with muscled rugged individualism. Yet, if you look at key parts of his record I might challenge this.
For the sake of this argument I wish to look at his international record. Therefore I will not mention or go into his domestic policies. You know like blaming trees for pollution, or blaming unemployment on women in the workforce, or trying to get ketchup as a vegetable in school lunch. And, I will ignore how unsafe he made air travel by firing the Air Traffic Controllers. I will also ignore the Left’s common practice of pointing out people’s grammatical issues in extemporaneous speech. (I guarantee I mess up as much as Dan Quayle in my everyday speech.)
So for the international record, let us look at what Reagan did.
Reagan Won the Cold War
If you say this enough times people may actually believe it. In fact, Reagan followed the same policy of containment that every president from Truman to Carter also followed. Some met with success, like Truman and Eisenhower in Korea, or Nixon in China. Some met with failure like Eisenhower and Kennedy in Cuba and Viet Nam and then Johnson and Nixon failing miserably in Viet Nam. But, he did not do any more than any of these other presidents. To claim that Ronald Reagan won the Cold War is like saying Truman and Clement Atlee won World War II since they delivered the knockout blows to Japan. Reagan did do his part, but based on a long tradition of bipartisan strategy dating back to the Long Telegram of 1946.
Russia
When Reagan entered the presidency, in the Kremlin, there was an authoritarian regime that controlled the industry of the country. The regime also suppressed nationalism through out its domain. And, the government rigged elections by limiting the balloting and denying freedom of the press.
Today, however, in the Kremlin, there is an authoritarian regime that controls the industry of the country. The regime also suppresses nationalism through out its domain. And, the government rigs elections by limiting the balloting and denying freedom of the press.
Iran
When Reagan entered the presidency, in Tehran, there was a religious fundamentalist regime. The fundamentalist regime, supported terrorism and threatened the United States. It also sought to destabilize American allies in the Persian Gulf for its own religious and political purposes. And, The regime supported a terrorist group in Lebanon whose number one goal was the destruction of Israel.
Today, however, in Tehran, there is a religious fundamentalist regime. The fundamentalist regime, supports terrorism and threatens the United States. It also seeks to destabilize American allies in the Persian Gulf for its own religious and political purposes. And, the regime supports a terrorist group in Lebanon whose number one goal is the destruction of Israel. PLUS, it is close to getting nuclear weapons.
Nicaragua
When Reagan entered the Presidency, in Managua Daniel Ortega was president. His Sandinistas were posed to attempt to use their leftist policies to help the workers of Nicaragua. They were reelected in the fairest election Nicaragua ever had (admittedly, this was still not a fair election), despite the US campaigning for another candidate.
Today, however, in Managua Daniel Ortega is president. His Sandinistas are posed to attempt to use their leftist policies to help the workers of Nicaragua. They were elected in the fairest election Nicaragua ever had, despite the US campaigning for another candidate.
Afghanistan
Thank God his support of Osama bin-Laden solved that problem!
The Dime
So, the dime probably shouldn’t be where I next see Reagan’s face. How about the fifty? After all, did Grant really win the Civil War? I mean he was a drunken frat boy who did nothing to keep the South from seceding!
posted by Eucleides of America at 10:37 AM
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