Opinion of Ronald Reagan

[opebo]

Brilliant fascist front man.  But SS is right, the country wanted that at the time.

[dead0man]

I like to compare him to B.Clinton.  Both men sucked a lot more than their fans would ever acknowledge, but they certainly were nowhere near as bad as their haters try and paint them.

[DownWithTheLeft]

I like to compare him to B.Clinton.  Both men sucked a lot more than their fans would ever acknowledge, but they certainly were nowhere near as bad as their haters try and paint them.

I doubt Clinton ever would have been so popular w/the left if not for Reagan's popularity with the right

[Albus Dumbledore]

Ronald Reagan will be remembered as the man who completed the 100-year long suicide of the west(world wars plus exhaustion of the US/Russia in the cold war).

[Sam Spade]

I could make a long post on this, but simply put, most young people now don't remember why this country elected Reagan and henceforth, don't remember why a lot of the Reagan policies towards drugs, welfare and taxes (and other domestic issues) were necessary at the time. (and continued wisely by the Clinton administration, I might add).

Were you even alive when Reagan was elected?

Yes, although BRTD is quite right.  However, the issues that got Reagan elected were still in full force when I became fully cognizant.

[Saxwsylvania]

Wow, the vast majority say he's a horrible person.  This forum is out of step with America.

I vote freeedom fighter of courese (well actually I didn't vote).  Even though his supportres are a bit creepy sometimes.  "OMG we have to find the nexgt ronald reagan"

[Albus Dumbledore]

As the consequences of his actions(debt leading to economic problems plus his setting us back 20 years socially and killing alt-energy for decade) become more and more apparent, America will reject Ronald Reagan's legacy.

[AkSaber]

FF definitely. I miss The Gipper.

[NDN]

I like to compare him to B.Clinton.  Both men sucked a lot more than their fans would ever acknowledge, but they certainly were nowhere near as bad as their haters try and paint them.

I doubt Clinton ever would have been so popular w/the left if not for Reagan's popularity with the right

The Clintons really aren't that popular with the left, especially lately if Hillary was any indication. They just view them as less bad. Notice how Michael Moore called Bill our 'best Republican President'?

[Brandon H]

A better candidate than president. Still, given the competition at least in the last 100 years, he is one of the better presidents and the best in my lifetime.

Wow, the vast majority say he's a horrible person.  This forum is out of step with America.

Hope no one is surprised by that. I didn't even vote or bother to look at the results.

[SPC]

FF until 1966. After that, HP.

[Franzl]

FF, without a doubt.

But terrible president, which is an entirely different matter.

[RouterJockey]

FF - The best President we've had in my lifetime!

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Ronald Reagan set America back socially by 20 years.

True, but Ronald Reagan was merely reflecting the times.  In other words, America wanted to do that as much as Reagan did.

I agree with this. But that still makes him a horrible person. Especially in regards to the Central Americans.

[JSojourner]

Ronald Reagan was my hero in the 80's, but back then I was an extremist religious rightie and economically more conservative than Reagan.

Still -- even now that I am to the left of Mao (as GM describes me -- LOL), I find much in Reagan that I admire and for which I have a general fondness.

I loved his humor, his speeches and his winsome approach to people.  I love that he is well-known for getting along famously with liberals and other ideological foes on a personal level.  We need more of that, not less. 

I completely agreed with Reagan on the Earned Income Tax Credit and I think it would serve his party quite well to revive the idea of cutting taxes for working poor and lower-middle-class workers.  Reagan was 100% correct about the evils and horrors of Communism (at least as embodied by the USSR at the time).  And I will forever be grateful for his willingness to talk to our enemies, rather than just invade, occupy and hope that they pick up the concept of democracy by osmosis.  (If you think that's a shot at the Decider, you're right.  He's about as far from Reagan as Carter was from FDR.)

This doesn't mean I would vote for Reagan again.  If I could revisit the errors of my youth, I would surely vote for Mondale.  And probably for Carter, though Anderson might impress me enough to swing me to his side.

Reagan's immoral and utterly unjust approach to Central America and other countries where there were pro-U.S. but horribly brutal regimes was inexcusable.  And you bet I blame Democrats who have repeated the same error.  And I find his attitude toward the poor, the homeless and those with AIDS in our country utterly shameful.

Sorry I can't give a stock liberal answer.  The man did a lot of good.  And a lot of bad.  I suspect I feel toward him the way many intelligent Conservatives feel about FDR.

[Albus Dumbledore]

Ronald Reagan set America back socially by 20 years.

True, but Ronald Reagan was merely reflecting the times.  In other words, America wanted to do that as much as Reagan did.

I agree with this. But that still makes him a horrible person. Especially in regards to the Central Americans.