Reaganitis.

Maybe it’s because the Grand Ole Party doesn’t have much to brag/preach about these days, or maybe it’s a reaction against the very people THEY voted for, but Republicans and conservatives have been obsessing over Ronald Reagan for a couple years now (it seems more like 5-ish). Each faction seems to claim the 40th president as their own; Neo-Cons and Fiscal-Cons (and everyone in between) alike label themselves “conservative Reagan Republicans”. In my [relatively] short life, I’ve never seen such an obsession/push-towards an ex-president. This anti-revolution revolution (Reagan would never support a revolution of any kind simply based on the nature of the word, which makes the term “Reagan Revolution” ironic as hell) is spreading wildly.

On my way into the city today I walked past a really nice Lexus. It was black, with tan leather interior and gold trim. On the back window, taped on probably because the original stickiness had worn off, this driver sported a “Reagan/Bush ‘84″ presidential campaign bumper sticker. Of course, this sticker is over 20 years old now. What exactly is the driver of this Lexus, and all the other Reagan groupies, trying to accomplish? I just don’t understand it. Yes, I understand they’re carrying the legacy of their favorite President. But beyond that, what’s the purpose? If they want Reagan ideals/policies to carry on into the modern age, why don’t they push for that in their own party/candidates rather than simply admiring the past? Take action rather than tell everyone you’d vote for this person, who ran 24 years ago, via a fucking bumper sticker. The past won’t come back into our lives because YOUR admiring it (not that I want it to).

Ronald Reagan was a good president, I’m not saying he wasn’t. He wrote many of his speeches, proving himself a great linguist and communicator. But let’s remember the guy’s past (since half the country wants to LIVE in the past) for a second. Obviously most people know he was an actor for much of his life. What lots of people DON’T know is that Ronald Reagan’s history is steeped in public relations. He was the director of the Screen Actors Guild, where he testified before congress. He also was a spokesman for General Electric, he also hosted GE’s “General Electric Theater”, for years before getting fired. ANYONE with a past like that (actor, corporation spokesman, director of a major entertainment guild) is a good communicator. But the entire public relations department, including the piss-ons, at Disney also are good communicators; that doesn’t mean they’d be good presidents. Much less great, or the best president ever.

And let’s not forget how Reagan got into office in the first place; he campaigned against Jimmy Carter (in some people’s eyes the shittiest president ever). He won in a ridiculous landslide: 44 states won to six lost. During this first term, when the air traffic controllers union went on strike, Reagan committed his biggest presidential sin. He concluded the situation with an ultimatum: “any controller who doesn’t return to work in the next 48 hours will be fired”. As a result he fired more than 11,000 government workers. In this case, the ends don’t bother me as much as the means do. When a large union, especially a government union, goes on strike, it’s imperative that we listen to what they have to say, why they’re saying it, and how to fix the problem. The complete lack of compromise, bullheadedness, Reagan showed here automatically bumps him down on my list of presidents. Good leaders LISTEN, which might’ve been Reagan’s biggest weakness. He always moved forward with his vision and gut, regardless of what anyone said around him. This aspect of Reagan, and only this aspect, is common with our current president; which has effectively torn the country apart for the last 8 years.

Clearly Reaganomics worked at the time. The 80’s economy boomed. But along with this, Reagan intensified the country’s military industrial complex which Eisenhower warned us about so gravely more than 50 years ago. 1981-85 recorded a 40% increase in defense funding. Critics of Reaganomics cite the “trickle down effect”. And increasingly, Reagan’s economic policy was seen as helping the wealthy, with an indifferent outlook towards the poor and/or minorities of the country. The economy boomed, until the market crash in 87. And by the end of his presidency, the country’s national debt went from $700 billion to $3 trillion, as a result of heavy domestic and abroad borrowing. One huge flaw in the “War On Drugs” was an obvious one, and went along with what critics said about Reaganomics. That is the fact that under his “higher drug penalty” implications, Reagan implemented significantly higher penalties for possession/use-of crack cocaine compared to powder cocaine. This flooded our prison system, predominantly with the poor and/or minorities of the country.

Reagan was a good president. But far from the greatest. And if we want to dig into the past to find a persona which the country greatly needs right now, they’re far better candidates (Lincoln for example, this country needs UNIFICATION. Although we’re getting that via the un-popularity of Bush). But let’s not dig into the past at all. What good does it do? This jackass with the Lexus wants to dream of 1985. Back to the Future, new-wave, hair-metal. These things are past us, and so is Ronald Reagan. Can you imagine if I walked around with a “Jewel of the Nile” shirt on claiming: “we need more movies like this!”? People would be so confused. “Dude, that movie’s over 20 years old… I don’t get your point”. If I’d had a chance to paint over this bumper sticker, I would have. People need to stop dreaming of the past, and citing “the good-old times”. They’re gone, and if you don’t want to shape the country’s future: FINE. That’s just one more person who won’t vote.

-Sonny

~ by sonnywilkins on March 27, 2008.