I wrote, knowing that it wouldn't go unchallenged:

I thought Reagan a very bad president also. I don't think he ever made a
tough
decision. And like Bush, he was a puppet of his handlers. The one thing he
can claim is egging his staff on into what became Iran-Contra, while
claiming
he would never negociate with terrorists.

Walt

Your opinion, is of course, your's. But, might you be willing to
consider the greatest tax cut since JFK as an achievment?

It -sure- takes a lot of courage for a politician to call for tax cuts. C'mon,
Ed.

As I am sure you recall, Reagan called Carter to task during the 1980 campaign
on budget deficits. They he like quintupled them. Reagan -never- made a tough
decision. He always took the easy way out. Always.

As an aside, do you recall Reagan saying that he understood what it was like to
be separated from loved ones during war? Shortly thereafter, someone pointed
out that Reagan lived in the same house for three years during WWII.


Or, maybe
the reduction of Carter's 21% annual inflation and 18% interest rates

Do you recall the 1979 oil embargo? Gee whiz, Ed. I'm not real impressed
here.

Reagan, I will give him credit -- was shot full of luck. Saddam Hussein
attacked Iran in September, 1980. Both those countries became beholden to us.
And we, I guess with some skill played them off against each other. But they
needed cash and the oil flowed in a way that Carter couldn't count on. With
the exception of some hostage taking, Islamic militancy largely feasted on
itself while Reagan was in office.

in less than two years to a more realistic 6% inflation and 10.5%
interest as worthwhile? Maybe the destruction of the Berlin Wall and
the collapse of the Soviet Union might be good things?

So........when you were flying missions over Viet Nam, that had nothing to do
with the containment of the USSR?

The containment of the USSR was a 40 year process pursued by every U.S.
president. Reagan just happened to be in office when the balloon went up, the
same way Nixon got to talk to the Apollo 11 astronauts. The groundwork was
already laid -- mostly by Democratic presidents.

You might even
want to consider the economic theories of Laffer--the idea that a
reduction in tax rates can lead to an increase in tax revenue because
the money in consumer's hands gets spent to create demand for goods
and services--a better choice than socialistic redistribution of
wealth in my opinion, but then I work for a living.

I think the consensus is that Laffer is a laugher. I don't claim to know much
about it. I do think that not paying your bills -- the course that Reagan
chose, does not denote any particular courage. Reagan -never- made a tough
decision. He always took the easy way out.


And, while Iran-Contra was certainly questionable, you might consider
that it was the result of the Congress first putting anti-communist
forces in the field in Nicaragua and then cutting the funds for their
support after they are in harm's way.

Puh-Leaze. That's what happened in Viet Nam too, right? Was Viet Nam the
right thing to do? --If-- the Congress did as you said, Reagan, still
-cowardly- went in secret and funded his own private army, helped by that
scumbag Olliver North.

While I freely agree that ends
should not justify means, it was a solution to a problem.

So was beheading Nick Berg, I guess.


Have you noticed that while everyone says, "we never negotiate with
terrorists", that the first individual that shows up in a terrorist
hostage situtation is the negotiator?

Who, like Jesse Jackson?

Listen, Reagan said --I remember this distinctly -- "this government will
never negotiate with terrorists", when he knew full well that exact thing was
happening.

And -this- is REALLY important. A democracy can only function if the people
have information to make informed choices.

In the case of supporting the Contras, it was entirely within the purview of
the voters to be presented with the question:

"Should we fund the Contras or not?"

But the Reagan adminstration went behind the backs of the voters, sold off
government property they had no title to, and used the money on a cause that
the people had indicated (through their representatives in Congress) that they
didn't care for.

My God, Reagan was SUCH a bum. Okay, maybe it's a toss-up between Bush 43 and
Reagan for worst president ever.

You know, President Lincoln said that:

"By the frame of the Government under which we live this same people have
wisely given their public servants but little power for mischief, and have with
equal wisdom provided for the return of that little to their own hands at very
short intervals. While the people retain their virtue and vigilance no
Administration by any extreme of wickedness or folly can very seriously injure
the Government in the short space of four years."

As long as the people retain their virtue, charlatans like Bush 43 and Reagan
will be held up to the ridicule they so richly deserve.


Walt