Eugene Robinson:The GOP's selective memory on Ronald Reagan

[cal04]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/07/AR2011020704538.html

As we mark the centennial of Ronald Reagan's birth, one of our major political parties has become imbued with the Gipper's political philosophy and governing style. I mean the Democrats, of course.

The Republican Party tries to claim the Reagan mantle but has moved so far to the right that it now inhabits its own parallel universe. On the planet that today's GOP leaders call home, Reagan would qualify as one of those big-government, tax-and-spend liberals who are trying so hard to destroy the American way of life.

Some Republicans, I suppose, might be so enraptured by the Reagan legend that they are unaware of his actual record. I hate to break it to Sarah Palin, but Reagan raised taxes. Often. Sometimes by a lot.

(snip)
What eludes the GOP's selective memory is that Reagan subsequently raised taxes 11 times, beginning with the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982. All told, he took back roughly half of that hallowed 1981 tax cut. Why? Because he realized that the United States needed an effective federal government - and that to be effective, the government needed more money.

[rasputin1952]

1. A lot of the comments are RW zealot tpes that appear to have

swarmed the column, someone got the word out that Mr. Robinson had hit a nerve.

I could not help but post in Comments myself, to wit:

"Reagan was everything Hollywood could produce...an illusion. Sadly, this individual cut the path that gw bush would later pave with gold leading the ultra-wealthy down that road to the Treasury...all the while tossing everyone else in the 98% that do not fit the "mold" to the curb to be washed away with whatever else went into the sewer.

The Republican party that gave us Lincoln, TR and Eisenhower changed dramatically into something that comes close to resembling the establishment of a totalitarian state. The only thing the GOP has, is to keep the level of fear up to the boiling point, that's it. They have no idea on how to deal with economy, the ongoing wars, the breakdown of society, poverty or anything else...except the notion that somewhere, somehow...Democrats will bring about a "Socialist State", even while they plot to move so far to the Right that John Birch Society will look like Cub Scouts at campfire marshmallow roast.

It is imperative that the people of this nation wake up and see just what the lunatics are trying to do, for if this nation does not rise, we will go down in history as a failed experiment on people controlling their destiny and the notion that somehow a certain class of people can rule with absolute authority over the population will be justified. We fought a Revolution to get away from that, and a Civil War to preserve the nation, millions have died to "preserve democracy", and now we are on the threshold of just handing it all away, our forefathers would be disgusted at how we have handled their legacy.

Mr. Robinson, thank you for your insight. As usual, I am impressed."




Now I suspect I will be lambasted by the Luddites of the RW...:D

[Blue_Tires]

3. brilliant

[yurbud]

2. I like the TRUTHOUT title better: Reagan Democrats.

http://www.truth-out.org/eugene-robinson-reagans-democrats67550

[cal04]

4. thank you for the link yurbud

:hi: