Last Thursday, I believe it was on Keith Olbermann, the guest interviewee made a statement that just threw me, and underscored how the Democrats have allowed the likes of Limbaugh, et. al to “over write” history. The guest, while discussing John Edwards said that the only people who think that Ronald Reagan was a bad president is the far left. He pointed to the absolute orgasm of the cult of personality displayed for the week long funeral of the former president of the United States as proof. No one challenged him on that notion.
Why?
Have we allowed history to become so fragmented in our minds that we forget all that happened, in it’s totality, under Ronald Reagan? Have we allowed the right to re-write history leaving out all the negatives and consequences that that presidency gave us? If we accept “Gospel of Ron,” by trying to ignore those pushing it, we are guilty of tacit approval of it and it’s eking into mainstream thought and reporting. There are many consequences of Reagan’s policies that we are dealing with today and dealt with on 911.
Reagan was not the greatest or maybe even a great president. And the left shouldn’t have allowed that meme to take hold. Now, brick by brick, they need to dismantle the falsehoods and the fragmentation of problems of Reagan, because his entire legacy, especially the horrendously bad policies he made are lost to popular history.
Here are some examples:
The Reagan Administration cut veterans benefits, especially those of disabled veterans. My ex-husband, a disabled Nam vet, had his benefits under Reagan cut from over 50% to 15%. It was the work of Senator Gary Hart’s office that got them raised back to at least 30%.
Ronald Reagan reversed the “green” direction of R&D and adoption of a lifestyle and technology that would have reduced our dependence on foreign oil, and therefore the possibility we would be held economic hostages to oil companies and OPEC. He removed tax incentives and credits given to businesses and homeowners for adopting solar energy and putting in solar panels. He ended SERI, the Solar Energy Research Institute. He also removed the solar panels from the White House. Conservation and going green was all “bunk” and an anathema to the American lifestyle as far as he was concerned.
Thank him every time you pay your energy bills this winter, or put gas in your car.
Reagan also ended the Air Marshall program. In so doing subjected airline staff and passengers to over a decade long “air rage” problem. With no law enforcement on board, passengers and staff were subjected to hours inside closed quarters to the belligerent and the violent. One man went so far as to defecate on a food cart, which the passengers and staff had to smell and even look at for the rest of their entire trip. If there had been Air Marshals still in the air, 9-11 may not have happened.
Speaking of the airlines, Ronald Regan broke the first air controllers union and there for set the model for breaking unions although out the country. Think that’s good? Big business has a ton of lawyers and money on their side, if you get hurt on the job, or you are subject to unfair labor practices, without unions, who stands up for you?
There, (viola!) four examples of the problems with the Reagan presidency and legacy right off the top of my head, and there are many more.
Ronald Reagan was not our worst president. The man currently in the White House has shown us that. But his policies disqualify him for “sainthood.”
Why are we allowing the right to write into history his deification?
This is the revised posting of my hurried and porring written attempt on Saturday. Thank you Sassmo
