Reagan is largely a PR creation in the first instance, and massively so in recent years.
During his years in office, Reagan was not particularly popular. Gallup polls published recently compare him during office with other presidents. His average ratings during his years in office were below Kennedy, Johnson, Bush I, and Clinton; above Nixon, Ford, Carter. Those are averages during their terms in office.
By 1992 he was ranked just next to Nixon as the most unpopular living ex-president.
Since then there has been an immense PR campaign to convert him into a revered and historic figure, if not semi-divine, and it's doubtless had an effect, radically shifting the rankings. Not on the basis of facts: rather, extremely effective marketing. The current performance is reminiscent of the death of Hirohito and Soviet leaders. One of the more depraved moments of US media. The lying is quite impressive, even by people who surely know better.
During his years in office, Reagan was not particularly popular. Gallup polls published recently compare him during office with other presidents. His average ratings during his years in office were below Kennedy, Johnson, Bush I, and Clinton; above Nixon, Ford, Carter. Those are averages during their terms in office.
By 1992 he was ranked just next to Nixon as the most unpopular living ex-president.
Since then there has been an immense PR campaign to convert him into a revered and historic figure, if not semi-divine, and it's doubtless had an effect, radically shifting the rankings. Not on the basis of facts: rather, extremely effective marketing. The current performance is reminiscent of the death of Hirohito and Soviet leaders. One of the more depraved moments of US media. The lying is quite impressive, even by people who surely know better.
Ronald Reagan, the public face of the extremist, arrogant and violent neo-conservative administration of the 1980's
by Stimpej April 27, 2006
noun:
1. someone who took credit for the concerted work of Mikael Gorbachev, Jimmy Carter, Pope John Paul II, Lech Walesa, and Vaclav Havel.
2. Thought we could shoot down nuclear missles with lasers in space.
3. Why we treat the poor with contempt instead of compassion.
4. Oversaw some of the most mediocre economic performance of the last half century.
5. Actively supported some of the worst scum on Earth, including Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.
6. Sold weapons to Iran so he could finance nun-raping drug runners.
7. Why we have a 9 trillion dollar debt today.
verb:
to convince someone you are helping them while you are actually screwing them with their pants on
1. someone who took credit for the concerted work of Mikael Gorbachev, Jimmy Carter, Pope John Paul II, Lech Walesa, and Vaclav Havel.
2. Thought we could shoot down nuclear missles with lasers in space.
3. Why we treat the poor with contempt instead of compassion.
4. Oversaw some of the most mediocre economic performance of the last half century.
5. Actively supported some of the worst scum on Earth, including Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.
6. Sold weapons to Iran so he could finance nun-raping drug runners.
7. Why we have a 9 trillion dollar debt today.
verb:
to convince someone you are helping them while you are actually screwing them with their pants on
by AVoiceofReason June 19, 2006
by realbadman213 July 26, 2016
Ronald Reagan was one of the worst Presidents this country has seen. He was a total phony who would read from a script to hide his worsening dementia. He cared not an iota for the common man, but was a typical republican, only interested in enriching his big business buddies, and laying waste to the third world.
Least we forget, it was Reagan's policies that brought
1) Change to the federal tax system, giving massive tax breaks to the wealthy and big business, and shifting a horrendous tax burden to the middle class;
2) Change to environmental laws, wrecking havoc on natural resources, endangered species, and the health and welfare of all Americans;
3) Change to labor laws, wrestling hard-earned workers' rights from unions, and causing at least one industry, air traffic control, into paralysis, affecting the safety of air traffic for more than a year;
4) Change to American foreign policy, by selling arms to Iran, and forwarding the profits to right-wing Central American dictators to help fund their death squads;
5) Change to monetary policies resulting in his leaving office with the largest federal deficit yet seen in US history;
6) Change to education - when he could not disband the US Department of Education, as he campaigned to do - he succeeded in reducing Federal education spending by 50%, and ravaged local education control by diverting funding to the state leve.
In addition, there are millions of Californians whose minds and memories are not so feeble as to fail to remember not only the miserable years of the Reagan presidency, but the painful, bitter years of the Reagan governorship.
I for one, being a student at the University of California during Reagan's governorship, saw firsthand his efforts, and "success" in dramatically raising tuition costs while slashing budgets, terminating construction projects, firing Clark Kerr, the popular President of the University, and enraging faculty with his declarations that the state "should not subsidize intellectual curiosity".
His massive cuts to health and welfare benefits in California, and in particular, mental health care, is the single biggest cause of the massive increase in homelessness in California over the past three decades - the tossing out into the streets of thousands of sick people who could not function in society.
Least we forget, it was Reagan's policies that brought
1) Change to the federal tax system, giving massive tax breaks to the wealthy and big business, and shifting a horrendous tax burden to the middle class;
2) Change to environmental laws, wrecking havoc on natural resources, endangered species, and the health and welfare of all Americans;
3) Change to labor laws, wrestling hard-earned workers' rights from unions, and causing at least one industry, air traffic control, into paralysis, affecting the safety of air traffic for more than a year;
4) Change to American foreign policy, by selling arms to Iran, and forwarding the profits to right-wing Central American dictators to help fund their death squads;
5) Change to monetary policies resulting in his leaving office with the largest federal deficit yet seen in US history;
6) Change to education - when he could not disband the US Department of Education, as he campaigned to do - he succeeded in reducing Federal education spending by 50%, and ravaged local education control by diverting funding to the state leve.
In addition, there are millions of Californians whose minds and memories are not so feeble as to fail to remember not only the miserable years of the Reagan presidency, but the painful, bitter years of the Reagan governorship.
I for one, being a student at the University of California during Reagan's governorship, saw firsthand his efforts, and "success" in dramatically raising tuition costs while slashing budgets, terminating construction projects, firing Clark Kerr, the popular President of the University, and enraging faculty with his declarations that the state "should not subsidize intellectual curiosity".
His massive cuts to health and welfare benefits in California, and in particular, mental health care, is the single biggest cause of the massive increase in homelessness in California over the past three decades - the tossing out into the streets of thousands of sick people who could not function in society.
Ronald Reagan was a miserable President, a miserable governor, and a miserable person, whose show-biz persona produced a false image that unfortunately continues to endure.
by not found [Error 404] June 3, 2009
by Cold hawd nigga April 21, 2008
Probably the most overrated president in the history of America. His "trickle down" policies basically let the poor go to hell, while the privileged were allowed more privileges. Meanwhile, Reaganomics had a great success in raising national debt from $700 billion to $3 trillion.
He is given credit for ending the Cold War instead of the true heros like Gorbachev and to a lesser extent, Walesa. Communism was on its last legs anyway and the system was failing from within. Reagan didn't do much more than make a few nice, happy speeches.
The idea he supported freedom is a myth, shown by his support for brutal South American dictators which was/is glossed over. Reagan installed the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and propped up Saddam Hussein in Iraq despite the known atrocities. Later, the Republicans would do a HUGE U-turn on this, in their quest for oil.
And anyone who chooses shit like Donald Rumsfeld to work for them, can't be all that great.
He is given credit for ending the Cold War instead of the true heros like Gorbachev and to a lesser extent, Walesa. Communism was on its last legs anyway and the system was failing from within. Reagan didn't do much more than make a few nice, happy speeches.
The idea he supported freedom is a myth, shown by his support for brutal South American dictators which was/is glossed over. Reagan installed the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and propped up Saddam Hussein in Iraq despite the known atrocities. Later, the Republicans would do a HUGE U-turn on this, in their quest for oil.
And anyone who chooses shit like Donald Rumsfeld to work for them, can't be all that great.
by Sophoclisis July 29, 2008
1.) The second worst President of the USA, EVER! The first being GWB. For some reason he's the object of neo-cons' wet dreams.
2.) A nauseating conversation that always comes up during 2008 GOP Presidential Debates.
2.) A nauseating conversation that always comes up during 2008 GOP Presidential Debates.
1.) Remember back when Saddam actually did have WMDs in the '80s, and gassed the Curds with them. Ronald Reagan was the guy who gave them to him. Ronald Reagan was also responsible for Iran Contra, the overrated POS should've been impeached over it.
2.) Last night during the GOP Presidential debate, McCain, Romney, and Huckabee all went in graphic detail on how they'd like to perform necrophiliac acts to Reagan's remains.
2.) Last night during the GOP Presidential debate, McCain, Romney, and Huckabee all went in graphic detail on how they'd like to perform necrophiliac acts to Reagan's remains.
by Patriotic Leftie February 5, 2008