Irrelevant
In the midst of one of my mental rants against “60s liberals”, I suddenly realized that the start of the Reagan era was nearly 28 years ago. The 1980s are just as relevant to college kids today as the 1960s were to me. In other words, they’re completely irrelevant.
This isn’t news to a lot of us. All this constant pandering to old folks’ memory of Reagan makes the party look completely and totally outdated to anyone under 40.
Most people between 30-40 were too busy being teenagers to notice the Reagan presidency. If you’re under 30, you barely recall the Reagan presidency.
Reagan talked like a conservative but spent a whole lot of money, raised some taxes, and governed domestically like a moderate. Perhaps some of his themes are usable, sure. And he certainly had the talk down. But the sooner the GOP gets over its Reagan obsession, the better off it’ll be for the future.
Posted by Recess Supervisor on November 25, 2008 at 0020 hrs
Your right RS. Its time that we get away from the time when Republicans stood for something. We should all be more like Democrats and lick our finger stick it in the wind and see which way the winds blowing on any given day.
As the generation born since Reagan has showed us they are incredibly responsible. Buying houses they cannot afford, filling them with stuff they dont need,driving cars that have 8 year payment plans but are worthless after 4 years and living lives well beyond their means. But hey we have a government now that will absolve them of the need to save for retirement, childrens college educations, paying a mortgage, or their massive credit card debt. With government provided health care and mandatory sick days, this generation may someday learn just how hard life really is, but I doubt it, there will be a government program to help them transition to a 5 day work week.
Yes its time to bury the past and be more enlightened, more at one with our inner being and let some other sucker pick up the tab.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 25, 2008 at 0119 hrs
Slavery was ended a lot longer ago than 28 years but for some reason the Democrats felt it necessary to act like it was still going on. Maybe after President Obama announces reparations payments we can at last let the subject go?
On the other hand, if Democrats want something to disappear down a memory hole—9-11-01 for example—they have many allies in the news media to help them do it.
The whole point of studying History is that events and notable persons remain relevant for long after their time. it’s the job of historians and news reporters to remind people of the relevant facts.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 25, 2008 at 0145 hrs
You misunderstand me, Irwin. My point is that all the Reagan genuflection that occurs by middle-aged conservatives is a huge turn-off. It’s not the ideas, but the fact that so many in this crowd spend all of their time longing for a guy that led our country a generation ago. It’d be like the Democrats sitting around looking for their next FDR or JFK.
And please, you want to talk about irresponsible? Let’s talk about the Greatest Entitlement Generation first, the ones who are sitting back and bitching about how their government handouts aren’t big enough to live on. They want their fat Social Security check and their freebie prescription drugs and Medicare and think they shouldn’t have to pay property taxes or income taxes or any taxes at all, really. Some of them fought in a war once and now the rest of us should pay for their asses in perpetuity. Screw that.
Yeah, Irwin. It’s the younger crowd that’s the first one to figure out this government handout thing. Give me a friggin’ break.
Posted by Recess Supervisor on November 25, 2008 at 0221 hrs
What I found funny about the Presidential campaign is that Republicans mocked Obama as “The Messiah” when their own campaign, in the primaries, resembled some kind of bizzarre cult over Reagan. There was the initial debate at the Reagan ranch, the constant references to Reagan as a mythical and God-like standard to which any candidate must conform, etc.
This despite the fact the man cut and ran from terrorists, acquiesced to tax increases, presided (with Congressional Dems) over the end of responsible use of your tax dollars, and had little or no interest in social issues to which today’s GOP clings for the basis of its agenda.
Reagan really is a lot like God, an invention of man whose definition changes over time to meet the needs of those who need him.
Anyway Regan is indeed becoming irrelevant, and there is data to back that up. His myth is only important to older whites, who make up the shrinking GOP base:
http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/article.php?id=AIA2008050101
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 25, 2008 at 0744 hrs
But will his myth become even more powerful during an Obama administration as the myth of FDR ihas been for Democrats?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 25, 2008 at 0806 hrs
it’s the job of historians and news reporters to remind people of the relevant facts.
Lloyd makes a good point.
However It should read it is the job of news reporters to remind people of relevant facts as THEY see them.
With all this talk about the bailouts and how everyone is lining up outside DC, to get themselves a chunk, it almost seems to me like the media is trying to talk us off a financial cliff.
Also why is that FDR is supposedly so relevant now, and Reagan not so much?
Posted by Michael J. Cheaney on November 25, 2008 at 0937 hrs
So to the libs here, looking for the next Reagan is bad but comparing the big o to fdr, jfk, and most recently Lincoln is good? What gives. I get the argument all the time that I need to wait before I critisize o. He is not in office and so he has not done anything. I agree with them totally. I explain that nobody knows anything about him…because he has never done anything. What amazes me is that the media is trying to draw lines to jfk who didn’t do anything either(unless the Bay of Pigs is considered an accomplishment) but looked and sounded good doing it, or fdr who participated in starting the whole welfare state mess, and now Lincoln…You want over the top? look at your own fellows. They seem to not understand.
Posted by fishaddict on November 25, 2008 at 1141 hrs
RS, But isn’t that just what the Democrats have done? All we hear about is the return of Camelot, the next JFK, children back in the White House and so on. The Democrats are looking back to the good old days of spying on civil rights leaders and New Deal spending programs from FDR. So your right in that the Republicans have to keep the principals and put a new face on it. The Democrats have done that at it got them the White House.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 25, 2008 at 1903 hrs
Indeed Irwin, both parties have their myths, which they expect their standard bearers to uphold.
That’s part of party politics, getting people to buy into a myth.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 25, 2008 at 2128 hrs
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