Would you have voted for Ronald Reagan?

[Del Tachi]

No in 1980, yes in 1984

[Storr]

I don't think I would have in '84. He didn't soften his approach to the Soviets until his second term and I would have been excited about Geraldine Ferraro being picked for VP. For 1980 I could actually see myself voting for Reagan. The economy was in the tank at the time and Carter didn't seem all that up to the task of running the country. Pulling out of the Olympics would have felt like more of an election year stunt instead of an actual protest against the invasion of Afghanistan. The miserable failure that was Operation Eagle Claw wouldn't have helped my opinion of Carter either. It would have been with apprehension if I would have gone with Reagan, though. I think Carter is a great person, one of the first "Global Citizens", but he simply didn't figure out the role of President until very late in his term.

[zoz]

I'd take Reagan over Carter, so yeah

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Depends. I'm a product of the context in which I live. Before I came out, as you all know, I was big into deflecting by taking on the "conservative" mantra. Not identifying as gay also shielded me from having to confront the ways privilege operates in the West. It's likely that 1980s me, in the midst of the HIV/AIDS crisis and ensuing hysteria, would not have come out and would have kept trying to build my brand as a Republican. Likely I would have enthusiastically supported Reagan.

That said, if today's version of me did somehow exist in the 1980s, even without hindsight, I would have radically opposed him. It is easy to see me enthusiastically supporting Mondale and Ferraro especially.

[UWS]

Absolutely

[Skunk]

Hell no.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Nope

[WD]

It depends. If I was living in the 80s without hindsight , probably Reagan in 1980 and then Mondale in 1984. With hindsight, I’d vote Carter in 1980 and Mondale 1984.

[GeorgeBFree]

Definitely

[bagelman]

It depends on whether I could be persuaded by him, even if I regret it afterwards.

[NHI]

Definitely in 1980. Undecided in 1984. Definitely would have voted for Hart in the primary.

[MATTROSE94]

Depends. I'm a product of the context in which I live.

[Coastal_Elite]

No - aside from his handling of AIDs, War on Drugs, deficit etc., Reagan’s greatest legacy is the huge and perhaps irreversible increase in economic inequality. Any admiration for him is largely ideological, not based on any practical successes of his.

[Tamika Jackson]

Nope

[Hope For A New Era]

With hindsight, definitely not in 1984, probably not in 1980.


If I had been alive then, though, I may have thought differently. I suppose there's really no way to know.

[Interlocutor is just not there yet]

Yes

I'm stunned

[LabourJersey]

Definitely not.

Granted I might have different political beliefs if I had been born in the 50s or 60s rather than the mid 90s. But if my politics were a constant I think the last Republican I could have seen myself vote for was Eisenhower. And he would have been the first Republican since TR I would have voted for.

[foolcase]

Definitely. Both times.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

I think I would have voted Carter in 1980 and Mondale in 1984.

[jeron]

No. I think I would have voted for Anderson in 1980 and Mondale in 1984

[fluffypanther19]

Hard no

[The Right Honourable Martin Brian Mulroney PC CC GOQ]

With hindsight: No.

Without hindsight: Maaaaaaybe in 1980. Maybe. Probably not.

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

No, would have voted Carter reluctantly in 1980 and Mondale enthusiastically in 1984

[RINO Tom]

No, would have voted Carter reluctantly in 1980 and Mondale enthusiastically in 1984

This is living proof that a lot of people who left the GOP over Trump don't just bring their existing views to the Democratic camp; they actually become more liberal.

[Intell]

No, would have voted Carter reluctantly in 1980 and Mondale enthusiastically in 1984

This is living proof that a lot of people who left the GOP over Trump don't just bring their existing views to the Democratic camp; they actually become more liberal.

Same in the reverse direction too