Obama Presidency Marks The Death of Reaganism

[stopbush]

The two bush presidencies were but a continuation and expansion of Reagan's flawed and failed ideology that government was the problem. Reagan authored the "every American for himself" mindset that extolled the virtues of a country where "anyone can grow up to be a millionaire" and the less fortunate among us were caricatured as "Cadillac-driving welfare queens."

This knuckle-dragging view of America has fueled the RW for decades, allowing the haves to imagine themselves as victims of the have-nots who are out to take away their hard-won (ie: inherited) gains. It was a belief that the rule of law need not be applied to those in power while being applied disproportionately to the weakest members of society. It was American imperialism, entitlement and self-importance run horribly amok.

The sorry truth is that Ronald Reagan was the driving force behind just about everything that has gone wrong with this country over the past 25 years. Without Reagan, there would have never been a bush. Without the Reagan us-against-them philosophy, Clinton would never have been impeached, even if his peccadilloes had been front page news from Day One of his first term in office. Without Reagan, the soft bigotry of religion would not have the cynical, tight grip on American society as it does today, even as the rest of the civilized world gladly consigns religion and poseurs like Rick Warren to history's trashcan.

Today is a significant day, the day that closes the chapter on the reality of what happened in November - the abject rejection of the Reagan Doctrine and everything that was wrong about that doctrine. The country has sobered up and is ready to move on.

It's a great day for the country and for the world.

[Wapsie B]

1. I agree.

The last election was a referendum on conservative politics as it's been practiced since Reagan. That ideology was soundly defeated.
The knashing of teeth you hear are from rwingers trying to come to grips with the fact that their day in the sun is over. They had a chance to lead and the blew it big time, time and time again. Enough chances for them. Time for something new.

[Optical.Catalyst]

2. It is time for President Obama to repair the damage and heal the wounds

[Vincardog]

6. The healing can only begin after their crimes are prosecuted

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. I wish Reagan were alive to see this day.

And die again from at heart attack after seeing it.

[ColbertWatcher]

4. LOL! That was unexpected!

His son, Michael, is alive to see it though, that's good enough.

[burythehatchet]

12. you would re-animate him just so he would croak again? Like a vampire Reagan

a zombie Reagan? Calling SwampRat

[FatDave]

15. For Pete's sake, no!

I don't want Barack to have to run against Zombie Reagan in 2012.

[Hanse]

17. Oh, I don't know.

Obama's run against John "Zombie Reagan" McCain went pretty well in 2008.

[Donnachaidh]

5. It's going to take a LOT of work to get rid of the Reagan ROT.

The Egyptians had the right idea when they wiped out the names of previous dictators from their buildings. The SAME should be done to the legacy of Ronald Reagan. Right down to burning his f*cking monkey movies.

[Usrename]

7. And the whole Bush Doctrine should be completely discredited.

I hope.

[kenny blankenship]

8. Unfortunately the patient had to reach his death bed before he'd allow his disease to be treated

Reagan will bury us all.

[PurityOfEssence]

9. We shall see.

I certainly hope so, but there's a HELL OF A LOT of evidence that he's going to continue the Clintonization of the Democratic party, as well as shoving much more religion down our throats. If that's the case, it's not much of a blessing because it'll mean the effective neutralization of ANY real liberalizing influence and pretty much the exiling of secularism.

The end of deregulation simply MUST be coming; I don't think that it can be otherwise, but we shall see. The economic team that's been assembled is cheek by jowl with the lesser of the worst, and they've got plenty of blood on their hands as well. Their competence is also an open question, as well as the depth of their culpability and the truth of their real allegiances.

I'm not young anymore, and all of my adult life has been dominated by reactionary control. The only respite was the VERY qualified slightly-right-of-centrist Clinton Administration, but that was also a systematic dragging of the party to the right while being besieged by conservative majorities in the legislature.

Don't get your hopes up too high here. Much disillusionment is in the immediate offing here as we see the true center-rightism of this administration, although there may be some competence and decency underlying this realignment.

[stopbush]

16. I'm not happy with Obama's religious speak, as I noted in early on in 2007.

But I get the feeling he's just going through the motions with the religious crap. I say this because Obama's religious speak is balanced with talk of returning science to its rightful place in the nation's business, in recognition of the rights of gays, in ending DADT, in talking about equality for all, none of which is possible if religious beliefs are what one hangs their hat on.

Maybe I'm just being hopeful in believing this, but this IS a time to hope.

[malaise]

10. Yep Reaganomics is dead

Keynes is back.

[burythehatchet]

11. Elect us so that we can prove that government is useless.

[Virginia Dare]

13. Government is no longer the enemy, it's the savior..

maybe we can get some talented young people interested in public service again since it will not longer be characterized as an unworthy path in life.

[Laelth]

14. I hope the book is truly closed and stays tightly shut.

I fear we have not yet seen the last of Reagan's failed ideology, but I hope you are right and it has, indeed, been vanquished.

:dem:

-Laelth