Presidential Rankings 2014

[tinselwolverine]

I don't think he'd say it if he did not mean it. He could have said Eisenhower or LBJ or anyone else.

Yes, my post had a snarky edge to it just to be kind of humorous.

And plus I'm libertarian.

 

[turok]

Former "Dixiecrats" are now firmly on the Republican right, thanks in large part to Tricky Dick's "Southern strategy". As far as Reagan, he was elected b/c of the Cold War and the increasing turmoil in the Middle East, along with the USSR's invasion of Afghanistan.

The US voters in large part wanted a POTUS who would instill fear in our enemies. Ronnie should have been a one term POTUS, since I believe that he was losing control of his faculties during his second term, and became a figurehead....much like GWB the so-called "Decider" during both of his terms.

Unlike many of my hypocrite friends, relatives, and neighbors who became "Reagan Democrats" and voted for him mostly for his first term, I loathed and despised the man, and was nearly fired from my job, when I blurted out "someone aughtta shoot his ass" while listening to a radio broadcast, when he gave a presser one weekend afternoon, soon after he assumed office, and while I was working @ my desk in a non-cubicle office. Management called me in and gave me a stern lecture on making verbal threats on our leader. Can't recall now what RR actually said, 30+ years ago but it was enough to make my blood boil.

Of course Reagan WAS shot <a year later by Hinkley. so I guess that I was fortunate that it didn't happen much sooner. But it didn't matter b/c I was perma laid off in the summer of '82 along with most of my co-workers,and joined the rapidly growing ranks of long-term unemployed Michiganders, many of whom were forced to soon leave our home-state to find jobs.

 

[Michchamp]

I don't think he'd say it if he did not mean it. He could have said Eisenhower or LBJ or anyone else.

media stars like Chris Mathews create their own reality... I don't think anything they say is objective proof of anything.

in Alan Greenspan's book, he stated that they had a chance to examine the USSR's budget figures in the 90's, and they revealed there was no change in Soviet defense spending in response to Reagan's 1980's defense buildup, and that the Soviet Union collapsed on its own. There's no basis to give Reagan credit for this, anymore than he deserves credit for Chernobyl happening during his watch, yet it's repeated as an unassailable truth. I've never seen anyone address this.

and Greenspan is a Republican, so I think his claim is more believable for that reason; he has no interest in countering the Reagan myth

 

[byco42]

Former "Dixiecrats" are now firmly on the Republican right, thanks in large part to Tricky Dick's "Southern strategy". As far as Reagan, he was elected b/c of the Cold War and the increasing turmoil in the Middle East, along with the USSR's invasion of Afghanistan.

The US voters in large part wanted a POTUS who would instill fear in our enemies. Ronnie should have been a one term POTUS, since I believe that he was losing control of his faculties during his second term, and became a figurehead....much like GWB the so-called "Decider" during both of his terms.

Unlike many of my hypocrite friends, relatives, and neighbors who became "Reagan Democrats" and voted for him mostly for his first term, I loathed and despised the man, and was nearly fired from my job, when I blurted out "someone aughtta shoot his ass" when he gave a presser one weekend afternoon, soon after he assumed office, and while I was working @ my desk in a non-cubicle office. Management called me in and gave me a stern lecture on making verbal threats on our leader. Can't recall now what RR actually said, 30+ years ago but it was enough to make my blood boil.

Of course Reagan WAS shot <a year later by Hinkley. so I guess that I was fortunate that it didn't happen much sooner. But it didn't matter b/c I was perma laid off in the summer of '82 along with most of my co-workers,and joined the ranks of long-term unemployed Michiganders, many of whom were forced to soon leave our home-state to find jobs.

Did they happen to inform you that you committed a Federal Crime? A lot of my liberal friends and workplace acquaintances were annoyed that Reagan was not fatally shot in 1981. Apparently compassion is reserved for those who agree with them.

 

[tinselwolverine]

I loathed and despised the man, and was nearly fired from my job, when I blurted out "someone aughtta shoot his ass" while listening to a radio broadcast, when he gave a presser one weekend afternoon, soon after he assumed office, and while I was working @ my desk in a non-cubicle office. Management called me in and gave me a stern lecture on making verbal threats on our leader...

Yeah, it's generally never a good idea to say this about any president, no matter who it is or how much a person might hate them...

 

[Michchamp]

Former "Dixiecrats" are now firmly on the Republican right, thanks in large part to Tricky Dick's "Southern strategy". ...

...

Reagan also deserves credit for that, see here.

Even more than anything Nixon did, that speech was the proverbial "dog whistle" Dixiecrat racists wanted to hear: under Reagan, the Federal government would not meddle in your institutional racism... he would've been just fine with separate drinking fountains if he were president in the 1960's.

 

[byco42]

Reagan also deserves credit for that, see here.

Even more than anything Nixon did, that speech was the proverbial "dog whistle" Dixiecrat racists wanted to hear: under Reagan, the Federal government would not meddle in your institutional racism... he would've been just fine with separate drinking fountains if he were president in the 1960's.

Well, Kennedy, like Lincoln, just wanted the whole thing to go away. The Negros were disrupting more important issues, in their view. For Kennedy, it was the Communists. For Lincoln, it was quelling the "region in rebellion." It took Kennedy two-plus years to introduce Civil Rights legislation and Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, well, we here know its stipulations. I'm reminded that Andrew Johnson was impeached for continuing Lincoln's policies, after the Radical Republicans gained control of Congress in 1867. And Kennedy was aware that his actions would affect his support from Southern Democrats in the House and Senate, which was why he delayed the legislation until he was forced to act.

And, hey, Biden called Obama "clean and articulate" and Clinton told Biden "a few years ago he [Obama] would have been carrying our bags." But that's not racist.

 

[Michchamp]

Well, Kennedy, like Lincoln, just wanted the whole thing to go away. The Negros were disrupting more important issues, in their view. For Kennedy, it was the Communists. For Lincoln, it was quelling the "region in rebellion." It took Kennedy two-plus years to introduce Civil Rights legislation and Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, well, we here know its stipulations. I'm reminded that Andrew Johnson was impeached for continuing Lincoln's policies, after the Radical Republicans gained control of Congress in 1867. And Kennedy was aware that his actions would affect his support from Southern Democrats in the House and Senate, which was why he delayed the legislation until he was forced to act.

And, hey, Biden called Obama "clean and articulate" and Clinton told Biden "a few years ago he [Obama] would have been carrying our bags." But that's not racist.

Whoa... Trying to equate JFK and Abe Lincoln with Reagan in the race-baiting hall of fame is bullshit.

 

[byco42]

Whoa... Trying to equate JFK and Abe Lincoln with Reagan in the race-baiting hall of fame is bullshit.

Aren't you running out of straw by now? I was only introducing other presidents' actionable decisions. Is it racist to attempt to minimize the inconvenience of race when "greater ideals" are possible? Like reducing the possibility of thermo nuclear war? Or the unification of a nation at war with itself? Or matters more pragmatic like preserving a political base in your corner? An interesting ethical question. Some may think so.

 

[turok]

I recall reading that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, that the Russians admitted to the fact that many of their ICBM silos were flooded, and some nuke missiles would have malfunctioned due to electronic and guidance mishaps, exploding in their silos or soon after launch.

But they still did have the capability to launch nukes from their submarines, and IMO, it was the threat of MAD that caused them to back off. Nuclear fallout is a globetrotter, even if the USSR was unable to fully retaliate or initiate an attack on the US.

During this period, several pseudo-reality movies were made regarding the potential result of a nuke attack exchange between the USSR and the US. The US movie was aired in prime time and was titled "The Day After", which paled in comparison to the the Brits' version of a nuclear apocalypse titled "Threads", which was far more vividly portrayed. The Soviets also produced one IIRC, but I never watched it and do not remember the title.

 

[tycobb420]

media stars like Chris Mathews create their own reality... I don't think anything they say is objective proof of anything.

in Alan Greenspan's book, he stated that they had a chance to examine the USSR's budget figures in the 90's, and they revealed there was no change in Soviet defense spending in response to Reagan's 1980's defense buildup, and that the Soviet Union collapsed on its own. There's no basis to give Reagan credit for this, anymore than he deserves credit for Chernobyl happening during his watch, yet it's repeated as an unassailable truth. I've never seen anyone address this.

and Greenspan is a Republican, so I think his claim is more believable for that reason; he has no interest in countering the Reagan myth

Gorbachev admitted the Soviets could not keep up in the arms race and it was ruining their economy. He basically confirmed the Reagan beat the Russians thesis.

 

[tycobb420]

I recall reading that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, that the Russians admitted to the fact that many of their ICBM silos were flooded, and some nuke missiles would have malfunctioned due to electronic and guidance mishaps, exploding in their silos or soon after launch.

But they still did have the capability to launch nukes from their submarines, and IMO, it was the threat of MAD that caused them to back off. Nuclear fallout is a globetrotter, even if the USSR was unable to fully retaliate or initiate an attack on the US.

During this period, several pseudo-reality movies were made regarding the potential result of a nuke attack exchange between the USSR and the US. The US movie was aired in prime time and was titled "The Day After", which paled in comparison to the the Brits' version of a nuclear apocalypse titled "Threads", which was far more vividly portrayed. The Soviets also produced one IIRC, but I never watched it and do not remember the title.

The Day After was one of the worst movies ever. I watched it when it originally aired and then watched it again just last year for the first time since it aired. My words that was as bad a movie as ever been made.

 

[Thumb]

The Day After was one of the worst movies ever. I watched it when it originally aired and then watched it again just last year for the first time since it aired. My words that was as bad a movie as ever been made.

Remember it was a TV movie though. It didn't exactly have the top Hollywood stuff behind it.

 

[Thumb]

Gorbachev admitted the Soviets could not keep up in the arms race and it was ruining their economy. He basically confirmed the Reagan beat the Russians thesis.

The Soviet economy was in ruins since WWII. Reagan might have just sped up the inevitable collapse by 10 years is all, he gets way to much credit for the sinking of a ship that was well on it's way to the bottom when he was still making B movies.

 

[spockmaster]

The Soviet economy was in ruins since WWII. Reagan might have just sped up the inevitable collapse by 10 years is all, he gets way to much credit for the sinking of a ship that was well on it's way to the bottom when he was still making B movies.

This. The Soviet Union was always going to collapse, it was just a matter of when. Reagan might've helped it along a little, but it was going to happen. People who think Reagan "won" the Cold War for us or whatever don't really have an idea of what the situation was really like or know much about the history of the Soviet Union. Honestly, Id say their war in Afghanistan in the '80s did more to hasten their collapse than anything Reagan did. It was their Vietnam, except that it basically completely destroyed what was left of their economy.

Reagan beating the Soviet Union is just a storyline used to polish his balls in service of the personality cult the GOP is building around him right now.

 

[Michchamp]

Yes, my post had a snarky edge to it just to be kind of humorous.

And plus I'm libertarian.

you are the exception to the other libertarians I know.

 

[biggunsbob]

These rankings are a joke..

 

[Gulo Blue]

you are the exception to the other libertarians I know.

Not the ones I know. Tinsel is exceptional, but not for that. I know you think most of 'em are just Republicans that don't want to be tied to the Republican party, but the ones I've known are more like fiscally conservative hippies, that rare breed of pot smoker that stays motivated and works his butt off to get ahead rather than sit on the couch all day...and they do tend to be funny. You kind of have to be able to laugh at yourself to be libertarian.

 

[Gulo Blue]

This. The Soviet Union was always going to collapse, it was just a matter of when. Reagan might've helped it along a little, but it was going to happen. People who think Reagan "won" the Cold War for us or whatever don't really have an idea of what the situation was really like or know much about the history of the Soviet Union. Honestly, Id say their war in Afghanistan in the '80s did more to hasten their collapse than anything Reagan did. It was their Vietnam, except that it basically completely destroyed what was left of their economy.

Reagan beating the Soviet Union is just a storyline used to polish his balls in service of the personality cult the GOP is building around him right now.

Keep in mind Americans didn't know much about the Soviet economy until it came down. It looked like Regan won the Cold War.

 

[Mitchrapp]

These rankings are a joke..

Why?