Why is Reagan treated like a god-like figure?

[Jennifer]

Because during the time of the Regan administration, this country was enjoying a time of prosperity, cohesiveness, and the admiration of other countries. It was just a good time for the US of A and Ronald Regan was one heck of a president!

 

[liberteebell]

Even as a leftist, I recognize the fact that he was a good president, but why all the leg humping by the candidates and media? Why is being Reagan-esque the litmus test?

Why isn't there a progressive idol that the Democrats worship? Why aren't the Democrats held to a similar litmus test for their progressivism?

Heh, most of the Reagan worshippers would be condemning Reagan were he running today because he was *saying* the same things Ron Paul says. They conveniently leave out the parts they don't like, such as the fact that Reagan "retreated" from Lebanon or that he actually talked about how libertarianism is the basis of conservatism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STLR6tFP4S4

Despite his ills and faults, he was the result of Barry Goldwater's run for the presidency in '64.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KJABfBN6ew

Reagan was also a *fabulous* speaker. He made people feel good about America and being American.

If only Ron Paul was even half the oratar Reagan was...

 

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

because he died. and before that he converted a lot of democrats to the republican base.

Yeah, it's easy to romanticize the past. As for Lincoln, most of that is just history written by the winners.

 

[pinkmandy]

If Reagan is the litmus test then I don't understand. Honestly, RP is way more in line w/Reagan than any of the other guys. I don't think he would stay in Iraq like one of the idiots (McCain I think) said. Reagan pulled out of Lebanon because of the instability in ME politics. Not to mention he saw Afghanistan bankrupting the Soviets...he would have understood what is going on.

His big war on drugs, though...so not a fan of that one.

 

[Shellshock1918]

Even as a leftist, I recognize the fact that he was a good president, but why all the leg humping by the candidates and media? Why is being Reagan-esque the litmus test?

Why isn't there a progressive idol that the Democrats worship? Why aren't the Democrats held to a similar litmus test for their progressivism?

FDR

 

[Todd]

The same reason John F. Kennedy does for the Democrats. Some is true and some is a myth we have all created

 

[crazyfacedjenkins]

What's funny about that fuck Reagan is when he said tear down the wall to Gorbachev. Bullshit, my father is German and he told me the West Germans were paying for that shit a long time ago. As a matter of fact it would have happened much earlier but they had some sell out asshole leaders that fucked up some decades before. Americans are SO FUCKING STUPID!!!! HEY DUMB FUCK AMERICANS, THE WORLD DOESN'T REVOLVE AROUND YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ninja Homer]

Reagan's the last President that was a Republican. I think it's as simple as that.

 

[crazyfacedjenkins]

Reagan was a jack ass he jacked up the dept to help the economy. WOW how impressive. Let me borrow a million dollars a month to pay my bills, what a good idea.

 

[Xenophage]

41 was a disaster as well, but there were plenty of awesome Republicans before Reagan. Take Lincoln for example.

Personally, I think Lincoln was a disaster, but that's another discussion entirely.

Reagan was a decent man with good ideas, and he defined conservatism for an entire generation. He was a great orator as well. Unfortunately, I think he missed the boat on a lot of issues and I wouldn't have supported him in any elections.

 

[FreeTraveler]

41 was a disaster as well, but there were plenty of awesome Republicans before Reagan. Take Lincoln for example.

Yes, take Lincoln, PLEASE! I bet you're young, and from government schools. Lincoln was one of the WORST presidents ever. He didn't free ONE slave, but had no trouble locking up over 100,000 journalists, declaring an unconstitutional tax, and refusing to allow states that had entered a compact willingly to withdraw from that compact willingly, to the point that he murdered 600,000 Americans to prevent it.

 

[Rob]

It seems many of us disagree pointedly about this as well as other presidents. Reagan was a man, but now he is a legend so people don't objectivity look at him or his policies any more.

Few people still care that he insisted trees cause more pollution than cars or all the US nuclear waste produced in a year could be stored under his office desk. He also presided over an expansion of the size of government every year while in office as well as an increase in the national debt over his 2 terms.

He did stand for many admirable things and you can certainly argue he worked very hard to achieve them. "Government is the problem" is a motto I think this campaign could use today.

However, many people have elevated him to legend status, and these are in many cases the people we need voting for Ron Paul. When you become a legend, the facts about you become less important than what the majority of people believe you "stood for."

From my experience in campaigning for Paul, the majority of Americans fall into 2 camps, those who think Reagan is a legend to be revered and those who hate him with almost the same tenacity they hate bush.

Liberals almost all hate him, while conservatives almost all like him. You may have heard Hillary or Barrack say nice things about him, but trust me their base hates these comments and can barely stomach them. Those 2 are already pandering to conservatives because they understand his status among them.

If you've got a liberal, NEVER, EVER, EVER suggest Reagan was good or connect Paul to him. You might get lucky, but I've watched liberals tear apart the slimjims with Reagan on them in front of me once they saw Reagan's picture.

If you're dealing with a conservative, make it seem like Reagan and Paul were best pals. You certainly have a lot of ammunition for this.

 

[JMann]

He won 49 of 50 states (period)

Not to mention that he was the first bit of optimism to come to the country since the JFK was killed. After JFK, with the exception of the space program, things where horrible for 20 years until the country had a never ending optimist in the White House.

 

[Malum Prohibitum]

41 was a disaster as well, but there were plenty of awesome Republicans before Reagan. Take Lincoln for example.

Ugh. Please. Lincoln was a travesty. I am so tired of people praising that idiot.

 

[stevedasbach]

Even as a leftist, I recognize the fact that he was a good president, but why all the leg humping by the candidates and media? Why is being Reagan-esque the litmus test?

Why isn't there a progressive idol that the Democrats worship? Why aren't the Democrats held to a similar litmus test for their progressivism?

Let's consider the other recent Republican presidents & presidential nominees:

George W. Bush
Bob Dole
George H.W. Bush
Gerald Ford
Richard Nixon

No wonder Republicans practically worship Ronald Reagan.

The corresponding figure among Democrats was John F. Kennedy. Even today Obama is being compared to Kennedy.

 

[crazyfacedjenkins]

It cracks me up reading some of these comments, we've never had a decent president. This country has been the same shit country it's always been. God damn it! I can't believe after all this, some people still believe all this propaganda. These presidents are self serving shit garbage low lives. Always have been from day one those elitist fucks. If the "founding fathers" would have cared about democracy they would have allowed the public to write laws in the first place. Fuck em, every leader we've had has been garbage and doesn't give a shit about you.

 

[Spideynw]

Because of propaganda. Even Ron Paul has said Reagan was not that great of a president, and he wasn't. He increased the size of government and went on a spending spree for the military. Reagan was crap.

 

[Malum Prohibitum]

It cracks me up reading some of these comments, we've never had a decent president. This country has been the same shit country it's always been. God damn it! I can't believe after all this, some people still believe all this propaganda. These presidents are self serving shit garbage low lives. Always have been from day one those elitist fucks. If the "founding fathers" would have cared about democracy they would have allowed the public to write laws in the first place. Fuck em, every leader we've had has been garbage and doesn't give a shit about you.

Is there some way that I can 'ignore' you?

 

[VoluntaryMan]

Even as a leftist, I recognize the fact that he was a good president, but why all the leg humping by the candidates and media? Why is being Reagan-esque the litmus test?

Why isn't there a progressive idol that the Democrats worship? Why aren't the Democrats held to a similar litmus test for their progressivism?

Ever heard of "JFK"?

 

[mconder]

Reagan is one of those politicians who went to change Washington, but Washington changed him...mostly.