Europe: We Yearn for Reagan

Thought this article might be of interest: Reagan mythology is leading US off a cliff

During Reagan's presidency, the US went from a creditor to debtor nation and marked a take-off for financial inequality.

The idea that Reagan produced a uniquely booming economy is false

First, Reagan's record on the economy was not just exaggerated by his boosters, it's almost exactly the opposite of what they claim. It was a fairly ordinary time by the most common measurements of economic growth, looking good only in comparison with a selective time-slice of the 1970s. But once you start looking beneath the surface even the tiniest bit, the picture turns very dark indeed.

In terms of the most basic measure of economic growth - increase in gross domestic product (GDP) - the vaunted "Reagan boom" was an unremarkable period of time. If we look at Reagan's eight years, and compare them with Clinton's and JFK/LBJ's, Reagan comes in dead last, with 31.7 per cent compared with Clinton's 33.1 per cent and JFK/LBJ's 47.1 per cent. Only Nixon/Ford's eight years make Reagan look good, with a mere 26.2 per cent growth.

The idea that Reagan brought prosperity is true only for those at the top, not for average American workers

If we examine incomes, we discover that Reagan's eight years marked a real take-off for inequality, while average incomes stagnated. The income growth of the top once per cent was ten times that of everyone else during his term: 61.5 per cent versus 6.15 per cent. Under JFK/LBJ, the bottom 99 per cent actually did better: gaining 30.9 per cent compared with 26.9 per cent for the top once per cent. And while inequality continued to rise under Clinton, the bottom 99 per cent did more than twice as well as they did under Reagan, gaining 16.7 per cent compared with 56.6 per cent for the wealthiest one per cent.

I yearn for Reagan too, cause when we had Reagan we also had Bob Hope and Johnny Cash, but now we don't have any hope or cash..... bada binggg

i have no idea where that source got the information
i'm european, politically involved (in an indirect way), dealing with federal and european politicians from the left and the right. No-one ever told stuff that might have me think that "Europe yearns for reagan".

of course this is only anecdotical but i'd rather go from my own experience in this case than to take it from others

Regan ended the cold war, I'm sure that's why Eastern European countries love him.

What's Obama done? Send thousands of more troops to the middle east?

I just posted in another thread..linky-do. Reagan, Israel, Christians, Bush, Founding Fathers, Patriot, BAD!! BAD BOY!

You will not post such like on ATS.

It's funny to me the people who think they are awake and yet, it seems there is no hope.

Thought I would add, my dad said things were the worst ever under Carter, I even remember as a child, beans and rice one day and rice and beans the next for a long time. No gas to go anywhere but straight to work and back. Then Reagan comes along, and for years this country was great, food to eat, a little extra money for a fishing trip or cookout for the family, not even Clinton could break the upbeat tone of America. Guess nobody understands that most do not work for poor people. Want to know whats wrong with the economy? ask a rich person. They wont put their money out when theirs not a chance in hell they'll even break even. Would you?

Regan was at the head of the drugs war. As a European, he can stay the # out of my countrys politics and take the rest of them with him.

Comparably, Reagen was a liberal lefty considering todays politics.
Makes sense...Europe is pretty left of (our) center...aka, they are center center, not right center.

reply to post by nyk537

Originally posted by nyk537
Europe isn't the only country yearning for Reagan....so is America!

You couldn't have said it any better. Amen!!!!

reply to post by Misoir


well not in my case no respect for the differing old fool and if I ever get a chance I'll be vandaliseing that statue of him that they stuck up at that base cannot stand a thing about the guy he was a crazy old fool that actually did have mental issues when he was in power and was caught out lieing to americans about selling weapons to the contras god forbid we get another fool like him and the sooner OBUMA's out the better

He was the author of "Trickle down economics," ask Americans if they ever got the trickle? We continue this program and still there is no trickle.

I'm finding it interesting seeing history being rewritten by Progressives right in front of my face. Reagan crossed Party lines and had massive support from both sides of the fence. Genuine Leaders are very rare.

He was great because he was able to get Congress to work as a team for us, instead of the Partisan mess it is now. What defines Obama right now is his total inability to lead Congress. As proof I offer the fact that while his Party had complete and utter control of the government, he could not pass even one budget. Obama only represents a narrow ideological segment of society and openly scorns the majority of Americans. Huge difference here.

I suspect those too young to even know are just talking out their backsides and making it up as they go along, rewriting history to their liking.

Oddly enough the Democrats greatest hero, JFK would not even be a Democrat now. You could barely fit a sheet of paper between JFK and Reagan's views. The current Democrats are nothing like they were a few decades ago. The Democratic Party has been taken over by a tiny fringe of radical Progressives who have to their shame, decided that things like honesty can be thrown under the bus for ideological reasons. Same with the Republicans. JFK would be thrown out of the Party now. He would be ashamed of that once great Party for what it has become. It's lack of morals and honesty would disgust him. There was a time when both Parties were honest and had a sense of morality that is gone today.

Former Speaker of the House, Democrat Tom Foley once called Reagan the "Real Thing". Young people won't understand the significance of that though. Foley was a rabid Liberal who would not give a Conservative the time of day, but he praised Reagan as did many other Democrats. Reagan was a once in a century leader.

It is sad to see how radical ideologues are so willing to bastardize history, rewrite it and lie due to their outspoken bigotry. The only good thing in that is that they are a tiny, if very vocal minority, but they are a tiny minority that wishes to completely control all of us right down to what we may or may not eat. Sick, sick people and could care less how much the truth upsets you.

I think you will find many if not most former citizens of the Soviet Union hold Reagan in high regard and for good reason. Freedom is the greatest gift and for most of mans history Freedom has not been common. In fact it is slowly disappearing now. It's nearly non-existent in Europe and the US is headed the same. The illusion of Freedom is not Freedom.

As an interesting example the French Wine Industry is not doing well because the government dictates even what grapes they are allowed to grow, while in the US the market controls it and the best Wines all come from the US as a result. Once government starts taking over business you can kiss freedom and prosperity goodbye. France is giving up a big part of it's culture and identity because it has allowed government to have to much control.

A group of radical ideologues dictating to the majority what they should think, say and how they should live is not Freedom. A Dictator can be a person or it can be a group of people. Does not matter as it has the same end result.

what part of reagan do they miss, iran contra, double digit unemployment, savings and loan scandal or providing anthrax ingredients to iraq ?

clinton had a better overall approval rating, yet reagan is always remembered with such sappy sentimentality it's kinda amusing

it's funny actually, he has more in common with obama than some might think. he had the MS media eating from the palm of his hand, and they over looked the warts

Originally posted by WeRpeons
He was the author of "Trickle down economics," ask Americans if they ever got the trickle? We continue this program and still there is no trickle.

I got the trickle, but it was warm and on my neck......

Originally posted by KnightFire
reply to post by nyk537

 

Originally posted by nyk537
Europe isn't the only country yearning for Reagan....so is America!

You couldn't have said it any better. Amen!!!!

It's amazing how so many insular Americans believe Europe to be a single country.

The mind boggles.

Originally posted by yakuzakid
Regan ended the cold war, I'm sure that's why Eastern European countries love him.

What's Obama done? Send thousands of more troops to the middle east?

I'm sure all the farmers Reagan ran out of business really loved him too.

Originally posted by SaturnFX
Comparably, Reagen was a liberal lefty considering todays politics.
Makes sense...Europe is pretty left of (our) center...aka, they are center center, not right center.

Seeing how he openly supported terrorist he could still wear the conservative label.

Originally posted by syrinx high priest
clinton had a better overall approval rating, yet reagan is always remembered with such sappy sentimentality it's kinda amusing

I think the Reagan revisionist history has been happening for about a decade or so. He's sort of a poster child for the new Republican neocon party that exists today.

The big lie that is repeated regarding Reagan recently by some Republicans today is that he is one of the most popular Preisdents in recent history. That simply is not true. His overall average approval rating was 52% according to Gallup, which is barely above Nixon and Carter and it's lower than 5 other POTUS since 1945.

Reading this thread it just makes me want an end to big government worldwide.

Locally elected councillors in 'cantons' is what the world needs.

Originally posted by Blaine91555

As an interesting example the French Wine Industry is not doing well because the government dictates even what grapes they are allowed to grow, while in the US the market controls it and the best Wines all come from the US as a result. Once government starts taking over business you can kiss freedom and prosperity goodbye. France is giving up a big part of it's culture and identity because it has allowed government to have to much control.

I guess you got some fo your info mixed up. France is still number one in the world for fine wines. It is less competative in cheap low quality wines, which other countries are doing better in, and must be what you were thinking of. They aren't so good at making low quality stuff- america has beat them in fast food chains as well. They are rather proud of that.

Also, the government doesn't control what grape varieties can be grown and used. The present controversy is that France has it's appelation system which is based on region, not grape type, as in other countries. Each region has it's traditional production techniques and a wine is a certain type depending upon where it was produced. So you got it backward- other countries such as the US stipulate the wine cannot be called a certain type unless it was made by a certain grape variety, regardless of where it was produced.

The french want to keep their system because it protects their traditions, they want that. They also are being very obstinent about working on producing lower quality cheap wines, seeing that as a pulling away from their traditions and the pride of the families that have been producing for generations. They don't want to compete in the Mc Donalds type of wine exporting.

The french do not see the government as something bigger than they- it is their servant and what it does or doesn't do is according to what they want. The strike and stop up everything if it considers doing anything they do not want.

So the reason the present system has not been changed to that of the other countries is precisely because the people do not want that, they prefer to preserve their regional identies and traditions, and not succomb to the low quality cheap mass exportation. Quality ahead of quantity is part of their cultural values.

But these sorts of comments show the me,tality of the americans and how they see their government as something separate from the people, and mistakenly assume it is the same all over the world!

Originally posted by nyk537
Europe isn't the only country yearning for Reagan....so is America!

Europe is not a country. Neither is "America"