Reaganism: A failed theory

[wihosa]

It's been nearly thirty years since Republicans were in ascention with Ronald Reagan and his "theories" leading the way. The results are in on this grand experiment - FAILURE!

Precept number one: "Government is the problem". Well if you don't believe in the Framers vision of "Government of, by and for the People" one might come to see the government as the problem, but of course that is the same as saying that the People are the problem, since the People ARE the government. This idea of government as the problem, followed blindley by Repubs led to the foolish notion that deregulation of all parts of the economy would lead to prosperity because the theory goes that 'the economy will work best if there are no rules'. Allowing investment banks (gambler's banks) to merge with commercial banks was disasterous, thanks Phil Graham!

Precept number two: "Cutting taxes will bring in more tax revenue". The Laffer Curve turned out to be a laugh. Every time the Repubs cut taxes it has led to increased deficit spending. The National Debt was just under 1 trillion dollars of total accumulated debt from the days of George Washington until when Jimmy Carter left office at which point Reagan slashed revenue and increased spending. What a surprise, the debt exploded! We now owe more that 10 trillion dollars.

Precept number three: "Greed works". Greed does not work, it destroys. There is a big difference between a desire to prosper and greed. If you don't see a difference perhaps a little 'soul searching' is in order. Even Bill Bennit did not include greed in his book of virtues!

Reaganism is a failure and the best thing that could happen for the Democrats would be if the Repubs all rally around Rush Limbaugh and continue to espouse this failed 'theory'.

Why couldn't the Republicans govern? Because they don't believe in government!

 

[Freemason]

"Because they don't believe in government! "

Thank God for that. We the people do not need the government totally in our lives. We are Americans, the governments needs to leave us alone, provide us the right tools, and just do their jobs.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Tax cuts work, but the government has to cut it's spending as well.

 

[wihosa]

Freemason, it is our government, the one The Constitution spells out the rules for operating that makes us Americans. Without The Constitution we are just a bunch of people living in proximity to one another with no rules for civil discourse.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Freemason, it is our government, the one The Constitution spells out the rules for operating that makes us Americans. Without The Constitution we are just a bunch of people living in proximity to one another with no rules for civil discourse.

And yet the Constitution is ignored.

 

[wihosa]

Kevin K
"Tax cuts work" What do you mean by work?
Obviously if you want to cut taxes you must cut spending or else you will come up short on revenue. Unless you beleieve the pie in the sky "theory" that cutting taxes will lead to more revenue.

 

[wihosa]

Freemason
The most egregious ignorance of the Constitution was under W when the Fourth Amendment was virtually abrogated.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Kevin K
"Tax cuts work" What do you mean by work?
Obviously if you want to cut taxes you must cut spending or else you will come up short on revenue. Unless you beleieve the pie in the sky "theory" that cutting taxes will lead to more revenue.

Well you didn't mention it so I thought that I would. It's the one part of the equation that our Congressional and former Presidential Republicans have missed over the years.

 

[editec]

ACtually Reagans said THIS government is the problem.

He was referring to Carter's administration.

The revisionists who want to put Reagan into the Anti-government camp, like to rewrite what he actually said and and what he actually meant, too.

 

[Freemason]

Freemason, it is our government, the one The Constitution spells out the rules for operating that makes us Americans. Without The Constitution we are just a bunch of people living in proximity to one another with no rules for civil discourse.

I don't disagree with the above. Limited government is the foundation upon which this country was built .

 

[manu1959]

It's been nearly sisxty days since Democrats were in ascention with Obama and his "theories" leading the way. The results are in on this grand experiment -

Precept number one: "Government is the solution". Well if you believe in the Framers vision of "Government of, by and for the People" one might come to see the government as the solution, but of course that is the same as saying that the People are the solution, since the People ARE the government. This idea of government as the solution, followed blindley by Democrats led to the foolish notion that regulation of all parts of the economy would lead to prosperity because the theory goes that 'the economy will work best if there are lots of rules'. Allowing investment banks (gambler's banks) to merge with commercial banks was disasterous, thanks Bill Clinton!

Precept number two: "Increasing taxes will bring in more tax revenue". Every time the Democrats increased taxes it has led to increased deficit spending. and in less than a week Obama has spent 2 trillion dollars and decided not to increase taxes.

Precept number three: "Greed does not work". Greed does not work, it destroys. There is a big difference between a desire to prosper and greed. If you don't see a difference perhaps a little 'soul searching' is in order. Even Bill Bennit did not include greed in his book of virtues! Yet Obama, Barney Frank, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid do not cut their personal spending or their income. Greed works if you are in charge,

Trickle down Obamanomics may well be a failure and the best thing that could happen for the Republicans would be if the Repubs all rally around Chris Mathews and Keith Olberman and Rachel Maddow and continue to espouse Trickle down Obamanomics.

Why couldn't the Democrats govern? Because they don't believe in the ablity of the individual!

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Freemason
The most egregious ignorance of the Constitution was under W when the Fourth Amendment was virtually abrogated.

That's certainly not a good thing, but let's not ignore our current administrations unconstitutional actions. Such as bombing Pakistan and the "stimulus" package.

 

[midcan5]

In politics the past is not past, it is present and constantly changing. I thought this piece on Reagan interesting.

Ronald Reagan and Medicare

"Reagan was notorious for taking a real event and transforming it into a mythical story, which he then repeated over and over, making of it an archetype for some political principle he held. When a welfare recipient in Chicago was publicly exposed in 1977 for having defrauded state welfare programs out of $8,000 by using two identities, Reagan transformed the news report into a story regarding a “welfare queen” who drove a Cadillac and who collected an annual tax-free income of $150,000 by using “eighty names, thirty addresses, twelve Social Security cards and . . . collecting veterans’ benefits on four nonexisting deceased husbands.”4 Reagan repeated this story of the Chicago welfare queen multiple times over the years, growing it like some kind of political fish-story with each re-telling. In the end, it seems clear that he could not distinguish his own mythical version from the historical one."

 

[wihosa]

Kevin K
"Tax cuts work" What do you mean by work?
Obviously if you want to cut taxes you must cut spending or else you will come up short on revenue. Unless you beleieve the pie in the sky "theory" that cutting taxes will lead to more revenue.

Well you didn't mention it so I thought that I would. It's the one part of the equation that our Congressional and former Presidential Republicans have missed over the years.

Again, what do you mean work? Do you mean returning tax money to those who got their taxes cut? Cutting taxes is like giving out candy for free. Yes, cutting taxes worked in that it got Repubs elected but without doing the hard work of cutting spending accordingly it was irresponsible at best and crippling at worst.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

Mike Wallace: President Reagan, how much of the country's problems do you take personal responsibility for?

President Reagan: All of them, I was once a Democrat!

 

[Freemason]

Freemason
The most egregious ignorance of the Constitution was under W when the Fourth Amendment was virtually abrogated.

And yet Carter and Clinton stomped on the same amendment. For example, both used FISA. Even the current president supports FISA legislation.

Obama Supports FISA Legislation, Angering Left | 44 | washingtonpost.com

For your reading pleasure.

 

[rayboyusmc]

Define limited government so that your explanation pleases a majority of people.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Kevin K
"Tax cuts work" What do you mean by work?
Obviously if you want to cut taxes you must cut spending or else you will come up short on revenue. Unless you beleieve the pie in the sky "theory" that cutting taxes will lead to more revenue.

Well you didn't mention it so I thought that I would. It's the one part of the equation that our Congressional and former Presidential Republicans have missed over the years.

Again, what do you mean work? Do you mean returning tax money to those who got their taxes cut? Cutting taxes is like giving out candy for free. Yes, cutting taxes worked in that it got Repubs elected but without doing the hard work of cutting spending accordingly it was irresponsible at best and crippling at worst.

I mean that allowing people to keep their own money is a good thing and helps the economy.

 

[Freemason]

Define limited government so that your explanation pleases a majority of people.

The bailouts are just one example. This gov. is funding failure. Where are the real business men in the Obama administration?

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Define limited government so that your explanation pleases a majority of people.

FindLaw: Cases and Codes: U.S. Constitution

This would be a good start.