Bush's Reagan Moment by Peter J. Wallison.....Love to get some DU opinions

[Wetzelbill]

I would love to hear some DU opinions on this. This guy is basically saying Bush is doing great and needs to stay the course; he cites Reagan's presidency as the example to follow.

Bush's Reagan Moment
By PETER J. WALLISON

Last week was not kind to President Bush. On his Asia trip, Japan and China showed little enthusiasm for his economic advice. A survey by the pollster John Zogby put his job performance rating below 50 percent. He threatened to veto his own spending bill on Iraq after the Republican-controlled Senate voted to make part of the reconstruction package a loan rather than a grant. And, while the rate of economic growth continues to increase, the index of leading indicators declined for the first time in six months, reducing the likelihood of significant job growth before the November 2004 election.

As the election approaches, Mr. Bush will face enormous pressure to alter his policies — particularly to retreat from his tax cuts, scale back our commitments in Iraq and make foreign-policy concessions to our allies. But changing directions out of political expediency would be a grave mistake. And if he needs a model, there is none more apt than the man to whom he is often likened: Ronald Reagan.

Early in his first term, Mr. Reagan faced very similar pressures: his economic program was not yet producing the promised results, and his foreign policy — in that case, his confrontational approach to the Soviet Union — was criticized by the Democrats and the press and opposed by most Europeans and their governments.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/26/opinion/26WALL.html

[Sagan]

1. Oh, PLEASE stay the course, Chimpy!

That way, we're guaranteed to be rid of you.

[zbdent]

2. "Stay the course." Isn't that what that Niagara Falls guy said?

"Leave me alone, I want to stay the course!"

[northzax]

3. yeah, but he survived

so let's not think about that one.

[teryang]

4. There are so many unsupported assumptions

...and errors in this piece I don't know where to begin. How about with this, Reagans tax bill of 1985 passed right after the 1984 reelection raised taxes on the middle class. So anyone in middle income ranges watched their taxes go up after he was reelected.

Chimp's losing a war, lives and treasure in a war which he lied to get into. He has no exit strategy other than to get by the next election/appointment. There is no worse position to be as a leader.

Todays Republicans understand deficits are not harmful ...as long as the money goes directly into their corporate pockets and the bills are passed onto working taxpayers.

There is no proof that tax cuts have stimulated the economy. But the 50 percent increase in military spending has produced a marginal and inefficient impact as this money is mostly being lost overseas or in offshore accounts of gold plated contractors.

His staff is cohesive!!!! Ha.

He is not being accused of risking WW III? Au contraire, he is the biggest threat to world peace since stalin, hitler and Hirohito with his crackpot ideas of pre-emptive war and colonialism. He has repudiated the UN, the nuclear test ban treaty and provisions of Salt I restricting development of space based weapons. His belligerent behavior is provoking the rearmament of Russia and China while devastating the preparedness of American Armed Forces. His violation of the agreed framework of 1994 intentionally risks war with N.Korea and implicitly China. Any attacks by Israel on Iran assisted by the American regime which do seem to be a possible option to his advisors risk war with Russia.

Of course Chimp doesn't have to worry about the BFEE trying to take him out like they tried with Reagan. In that respect he is better off. Another way he is better off is that the press has ceased to function as anything other than paid propagandists for him. A third way he is better off is that his friends own the electronic vote machines so he doesn't need to do anything to get "elected."

[swinney]

7. REAGAN HAD 18 TAX INCREASES PUT ON HIS DESK

He signed 15 without a whimper. He vetoed three and two were overidden.

1 for 15 will not last in rookie league.

At end of decade of 1980's most were paying more taxes than in 1980.

The top 1%---1%--gained 70% of the National Income Gain in the decade of 1980's. 99% got 30%.
[e-mail]

[swinney]

5. 68 for Wallison

--------------------------RONALD REAGAN RECORDS AS FIRST---------------------------
(1900-1989)

(Peggy Noonan pay attention)

1.First to turn America into a DEBTOR nation
2. First to increase DEBT faster than growth of national income in eight years
3. First to increase DEBT faster than growth of gdp over eight years
4. First to double the deficit in just eigh t years
5. First to “almost”: triple the national DEBT in just eight years
6. First to increase SPENDING by 80%--over 8 years.
7. First to SPEND more in eight years than was spent in prior 50 years.
8. First to have “real” INTEREST RATES of 8% after averaging 1% over 35 years.
9. First to keep PRIME INTEREST RATES at 20%.
10.First to over value the dollar to the yen at rate of 262 yen to 1 dollar.
11.First to have served as Governor and increase STATE SPENDING by 112%
12.First to have HOME LOAN INTEREST RATES as high as 16%
13. First to CUT TAXES by 60% for his rich pals
14. First to allow the SAVINGS AND LOAN INDUSTRY to be raided after signing a deregulatory bill and proclaiming “I think we have hit the jackpot”. Come and get it the vaults are unguarded.
15. First to deal with TERRORISTS
16. First to send an AUTOGRAPHED BIBLE to a man he called “The Satan of Terrorists”.
17. First to have an ADMIRAL plead the Fifth Amendment.
18. First to have a stealing, lying, gutless wife abusing MARINE LT. COLONEL plead the Fifth Amendment.
19. First to have a “sitting” CABINET MEMBER INDICTED
20. First to have an ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE INDICTED.
21. First to have an ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE SENT TO PRISON.
22. First to have over 100 MEMBERS OF AN ADMINISTRATION CHARGED WITH CRIMES..
23. First to have more members of his administration charged with crimes than CUMULATIVE TOTAL OF ALL OTHER PRESIDENTS in the twentieth century
24. First to set a record for the LARGEST ONE DAY PERCENTAGE DECLINE in the DOW in history. 10-19-87
25. First to have over $10,000,000 INCREASE IN WEALTH from serving for 8 years as president.
26. First to testify ”under oath” 130 times that ”I DON’T REMEMBER” .
27. First to have an Admiral with a photographic memory testify 128 times “ I DON’T REMEMBER”.
28. First to undergo BRAIN SURGERY a few months after leaving office. No pain no gain.
29. First to, repeatedly, FALSIFY HIS WIFE’S AGE. As tho anyone cared.
30. First to promote his religious faith and never have an ACTIVE CHURCH MEMBERSHIP.
31. First to never use the term JESUS CHRIST in speeches.
32. First to seek GUIDANCE FROM THE STARS not from God
33. First to have had a SHOTGUN WEDDING.
34. First to have worked as a SHILL in Las Vegas.
35. First to call a Stealing, Lying, Psychotic, wife abusing Marine a “LIAR.
36. First to have been OPENLY ALIENATED from his children.
37. First To have served with ALZHIMERS
38. First to have UNEMPLOYMENT AT 10.8% since great depression.
39. First to attack a small unprotected nation with 88,000 inhabitants and 10,000 bb guns then PROCLAIM -“America stands tall again”— “we have whipped the Vietnam Syndrome”-we have defeated communism”. Gosh! What if we had whipped Cyprus?.
40. #1-in FARM FORECLOSURES
41. #1-In BANK FAILURES
42. #1-In SAVINGS AND LOAN FAILURES
43. #1-In Percent increase in PERSONAL BANKRUPTCIES
44. #1-In recorded MISSTATEMENTS
45. #1-In never having a single press conference in which he did not make at least one or more INCORRECT STATEMENTS.
46. #1-In needing a staff person standby during press conferences to tell the press “WHAT HE REALLY MEANT”.
47. #1-In having SERVICEMEN KILLED during peacetime.
48. #1-In largest DROP IN POPULARITY in one week.
49. #1-In being first to HONOR NAZI STORM TROOPERS by calling them” Innocent Victims”
50. #1-In being first to be labeled “BRAIN DEAD AFFABLE DUNCE’ by this writer.
51. First to lie-over and over-to reporters “I DO NOT DYE MY HAIR my barber uses a special shampoo”
52. First to have a wife who ”forced” him to WEAR THREE SUITS in one day
53. First to boast “Not bad for a DUMB GUY who worked only 20 hours per week”.
54. First to have his wife sit nearby and WHISPER ANSWERS to questions
55. First to FALL ASLEEP while the Pope spoke
56. First to invite the Pope to visit the White House and “BRING THE WIFE AND KIDS”
57. First to have his press secretary remove him from the microphone because he could not answer questions. Then, as the reporter
yelled out “answer my question” he replied “MY HANDLERS WON’T LET ME SPEAK”. Quick get the white coat.
58. First 20th Century president to have historians RATE HIM BELOW every president of the 20th except for Richard Nixon. 1994 Poll.
59. First to give us a First Lady with a past reputation for giving the BEST BJ in Hollywood.
60. First to suggest his eldest son undergo PSYCHIATRIC examination
61. First to have been voted in British polls (twice) as the ”MOST FEARED LEADER IN THE WORLD” sic em Rambo.


62. First to serve as Governor on a ”conservative” platform and INCREASE SPENDING BY 112%.
63. First Governor TO INCREASE personal income taxes by 60%, tax increase on cigarettes by 200%, state tax collections by 152%.
64. First to have a Special Assistant say on national TV “sometimes you had to HIT HIM ON THE HEAD with a 2 x 4 to get his attention”
65. First to have his official biographer state on national TV ‘After he was shot in 1981he GOT SLOWER AND SLOWER EACH YEAR. His speech got slower. He deliberated more and he hesitated more when he spoke. He lost his physical quickness and would not make decisions on the spot. It was a very, very slow and steady mental and physical decline”.
66. First to have a POPULARITY RATING OF ONLY 35% after his first two years in office.
67. First president to have been DIVORCED
68. First president to have the Geriatrics Department of a major
university study his behavior and conclude that AFTER THREE YEARS IN OFFICE HE HAD ALZHIMERS.

------------------------------------ THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE-------------------------------------------

[teryang]

9. I'm glad somebody kept track

I've saved your list of firsts. It's worth keeping for reference.

[indepat]

10. Praise God from whom all blessings (Reagan, Reaganism)

flow. <tad of scarcasm>

[swinney]

6. We had Reagan Waffle now converted to a BUSH WAFFLE HOUSE

Reagan talked tough with a wet noddle flag. He made promises then could not recall them. He took a sneaky hike on his Rambo promises to end abortion and get prayer in schools.
He cried all over the place when he got a letter from a poor person then cut as much as he could out of their programs.
Remember Tip O'Neil listening to him slobber over a letter from a poor person and Tip said to his face"Mr. President, your programs are taking millions from that persons programs".
Ronald Reagan did not give a damn for anyone but his Hoss and his protectorate called Nancy.
Ronald Reagan was a loner.
Ronald Reagan did not read except Washington Times and Reader's Digest.
Ronald Reagan tried to dodge the WWII Draft. He got two temporary deferments.
He applied for a Permanent Deferment but it was rejected. Some War Hero.
He spent WWII at work down the street from his home.

Ronald Reagan "acted" a role as a President.

Reminded me of Jackie Gleason's "Poor Soul" character.
[e-mail]

[indepat]

11. Again praise God from whom all blessings

flow.

[swinney]

8. wallison e-mail address

anyone know it?
[e-mail]