Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues Politics In General "Reagan Principles"

One of the things it says to me is that Republicans have one constituency and Democrats have another. Democrats, for the most part, fawn and posture in a superficial way to appeal to their constituency, and Republicans fawn and posture to appeal to theirs.

I thought it was a question worth asking though. To the extent that people do or don't worry about deficit - and all other things being equal, even though they aren't - it's all about what we think of as "a good cause". Reagan thought Star Wars was a good cause. LBJ thought the Great Society was a good cause.

I think the gist of the Senator's question is right on. It's a fundamental difference between Libruls and Conservatives: the latter see no bounds on the value of Imperialism, the former no bounds on the value of Collectivism.

That's a very interesting argument, Senator. Please explain why then was it necessary to amend the Constitution to provide rights of citizenship to African and Caribbean Americans.

Let's see if I understand that thought correctly. Those who want to increase the power of our central or national government would be . . . whom? I would say first and foremost the Bush Administration - real actions speak much more loudly than presumed intentions. But I assume by that you mean "Libruls". Am I right? OK, now you have described the mistaken, incorrect, and dishonest view of the Confederacy as being the conflation of "States' Rights" with the right to own slaves. Now, who could you be referring to when you say "anyone who supports one of the basic principles of our government"? That's about as clear as mud, but I'll take a stab at it. You mean, someone who carries the Constitution in his vest pocket and consults it before making any political decision?

It's hard to know what you mean, Senator. So perhaps you can elucidate, bearing in mind that you are talking to mere Libruls who have trouble accessing your unspoken implications. Nevertheless, here's how I've translated your statement:

If Ronald W. Reagan was such a hater how come in the only referendum on him that counts he did so well? It was a referendum on the idea of tax cuts. Pres. Reagan wanted to cut them and former V.P. Walter Mondale wanted to raise them. The American voters choose tax cuts by a very wide margin! Rather than argue with all of those who are trying to rewrite history I will let the numbers do the talking. Take a good look at the map in that is in the link. It shows what happens when a true conservative is running for the presidency.
The Results of the 1984 Presidential Election
Popular vote
Reagan: 54,455,472 58.77%
Mondale: 37,577,352 40.56

Electoral College vote
Reagan: 525
Mondale: 13

Vote by state
Reagan: 49
Mondale: 1 & the District of Columbia.

If Reagan was such a hater then so was the rest of our country. Or Reagan was not a hater but those who hate him are desperately trying to besmirch him, his reputation and those of us who voted for him.

Because at the time our Constitution was written the idea that white male property owners had the right to govern themselves was a very radical idea. As with any advance one has to start with an idea that can be achieved and then increase or improve on the idea when and as time permits. That is part of why the amendment process was included in our Constitution, so that changes could be made. The Founders knew that slavery was wrong but they also knew that they could only push the boundaries of society so far.
Yes it is. The Bush administration has increased the size of government much more than I care for. For that reason I look forward to the day George W. Bush is a private citizen. As for the Confederacy's views on state's rights their understanding of it was the correct one except for the idea that it permitted slavery. State's rights were intended to be check on the power of our Federal government. State's rights were NOT intended to sanction, endorse or permit slavery!

Reagan was a hater alright: Blacks, the poor, gays.

Electoral votes don't mean anything. Popular vote simply means that Mondale's proposed policies for America were not as well liked as Reagan's.

As I recall in 1984, interest rates were about 13% (...after a high of 17% in 1981) and the American people were dying for financial relief - picking someone who promised tax relief was a no brainer.

Americans voted with the wallets not about how well a President would represent ALL Americans.

(For the record, I wasn't old enough to vote in 1984. Also for the record, there were many things about Bill Clinton's personality that I didn't like - but I voted for him in 1996 anyway).

**Attention**

Don't be a thread killer. This thread is about the GOP wanting, in the fall of 2007, a return to the "Reagan Principles" as stated in the very first post of this thread.

California Rick, the only thing your comments prove is your hatred for Pres. Reagan, not that he was hated by a majority of the American public. If you wish to wallow in that hate that is your privilege. I do not believe in hate and do not hate any politician, even FDR or either of the Clintons, as much as you hate Ronald W. Reagan. In 1984 the American public voted overwhemlingly for the Reagan Principles. Nothing you have posted has shown that they didn't. By a 57 to 40% margin the American public voted for the Reagan Principles.

Thanks for your reply, Senator. I only wish it addressed the question I asked.

I'm not sure I can agree with your premise that "the Founders" thought slavery was wrong. Thomas Jefferson owned quite a few of them, as I recall, and I think he qualifies as a "Founder". But that's not the question I asked. What I asked is what was wrong with the Confederate States' notion that it was up to the States to decide whether or not to permit Slavery?

I take umbridge in your characterization that I 'hated' Ronald Reagan. I can tell you one thing Senator, I felt nothing but hate coming from President Reagan as a gay man in the 1980s. I can never, ever forget how a President of the United States of America turned his back on thousands and thousands of sick and dying Americans simply for the fact that they had contracted AIDS - the "gay disease." Mr. Reagan wouldn't even utter words "AIDS" until halfway through his eight year term.

That, Senator is hatred. Those are the "principles" that I know of Mr. Reagan. I never "hated" Mr. Reagan, but I do recognize him as a vile, repugnant man - and that's my view.

...and it is true, that upon hearing of his death I did not shed a tear, I did rejoice in the fact that he was probably "going" to a place that he deserved to go...

So if the GOP wishes to embrace the "principles" of Ronald Reagan, so be it - I wish the GOP well.