Reagan’s biggest accomplishments, tax cuts and increases in defense spending came at a price. He had to buy into bad faith deals by Democrats to get it done. Obama’s biggest accomplishment, ObamaCare, also came at a price. Congress to this day will not pass anything Obama asks it too.

Governing is not as easy as it looks. Sarah Palin passed bi-partisan legislation in Alaska only to have the legislature turn their backs on her as soon as she articulated her conservative views on the national stage. She was mired in frivolous ethics complaints and later resigned to avoid personal bankruptcy and disruption of the state’s business. You can go back and call her a RINO, but the fact is politicians act in the best interests of the people and must deal with legislation pragmatically. Everyone from Obama to Reagan did it.

Now here’s another one. Bill Clinton presided over an era of balanced budgets and welfare reform. He was adored by the Left, yet went along with the Republican proposals in Congress. When you see what Bill Clinton actually believes in, do you really think he’s as much a conservative as Reagan is a RINO?

I’ll stop now, otherwise I’d have to do a 3 credit political science course, and there’s not enough space here to do that.

What you left out:
1. The Democratic congress promised him $2 in cuts for every $1 in tax increases. As we saw with the ObamaCare debacle, politicians lie and they ended up tripling spending. In his memoir he was explicit in his anger for Tip O’Neil and company and his own naivety to believe they would enact their cuts.
2. Yes – real economic growth grew an AVERAGED of 3.2% for 8 years and percentage of revenue (as a function of GDP) DROPPED from 19.6% to 18.4 WHILE TRIPLING GOVT REVENUES. So as a % of tax collected – he actually kept govt about where it had been with Carter. Again, he lamented having to make a deal with the Democrats to get the economy going and not shut down DOE. His principle to cut never changed. But he had political realities.
3. Again. He was promised in Simpson Mazzoli that border security would be tightened as would increased pressure on business which the Democrats (and some Republicans) completely ignored. Both Simpson AND Reagan were heart broken that they ‘bought’ the lie from the Democratic congress that vigilance would remain. Reagan believed in LEGAL immigration (as do all Republicans).
4. You are an absolute idiot if you believe Reagan approved of the pro-abortion bent of judges appointed by he and Bush 1. When voter sentiment was 60%+ pro-abortion, he cared less about what it would cost him politically to protect the unborn child.

Part 1 economic facts: http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=1120

Like I said. Best for you to stay away from actual intellectual arguments until you learn to be honest. I’d hate for you to look this foolish a second time.

The Soviet Union’s spending and global agenda sapped it, which led to it’s demise, and you know it. The Soviets defeated themselves. If there was a list that triaged events leading up to the Soviet fall, Reagan would likely be number 5, 011. Sorry to bust the bubble, but Reagan was simply at the right place at the right time.

Mande, thank you for the article. This site could use more reality checks such as this one.

What makes Reagan’s precidency a decidedly conservative movement were the transformative steps his administration took in changing government’s relationship with the supply side of the economy. This of course led to 25 straight years of economic growth, something unprecedented in modern economics.

As far as the government growth that occurred during the Reagan years, we have to remember that Reagan’s plan was to grow government at a slower rate than the economy. Reagan succeeded at this goal.

Did Reagan raise taxes? Keep in mind that it is the legislature who controls the country’s purse strings. Also, The tax increases came later in the Reagan years, after the economy had recovered from Jimmy Carter’s trainwreck of a presidency. Maybe Obama could learn something from Reagan here. You don’t raise taxes during a recession.

The author of this blog is engaging in clear and obvious spin.

the Bowland amendments were not passed until after the Tehran hostages were released. Therefore, the illegality of the dealings in 80-81 were not really as much at issue, BUT if you will note William Casey (CIA) and Robert Carter, the deputy director of Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaignm, had dealings with Iran since the outset for the purpose of easing tensions with Israel and Iran for the sale of weapons for the purpose releasing those 52 hostage of which you wrote. The only “conspiracy” theory behind the 1980 “October Surprise” was HOW it happened – the thought being that G.H.W. Bush as VP slot on the ticket and former head of the CIA in 1977 used his contacts to (a) broker the deal and (b) make sure the hostages wouldn’t be let got until just after the inauguration. While that (and Bush I’s part in the matter) may only be speculation – the fact that it was done is pretty widely accepted now, and I think the evidentiary support is pretty well founded. It is part of the history of the Iran Contra scandal which did not begin in 1985, but likley in late 1979 or mid 1980. The specific arms for hostages deal and the 1986 November revelation which led to the Oliver North hearings came in the wake of the initial 1980 scheme to release the orignial hostages.
Mande

Thank you. Life after winning the award has changed significantly of course, and at times I wish I could turn back the clock and just go back to the more simple days before I won. I like to think the money and fame has not changed me, and I still try to make smart ass anonymous comments on S.C.’s political blogs when I can. For the record I actually did meet up with NVB for the promised lunch. Like Bobby Fisher, I am going back into seclusion now unless Borris Spassky comes back out for another challenge.