Tribute

[t2p]

Well ........ I thought someone should do it .... pay tribute to former President Ronald Reagan ...... so I guess it will be me.
.
I will not attempt to claim that Ronald Reagan never made a mistake ...... or was the greatest man to walk on the earth .... etc. etc. etc. ......
.
But I can recall that Ronald Reagan took over the helm of the US when the US economy was in it's worst state since the great depression ..... interest rates near or over 20% ....... double digit inflation rates - over 12% at one point ...... unemployment rate over 7% - and would grow to 10% soon after. The US DOD (Department of Defense) had deteriorated to a point where our national security was in question. And the morale of the US as a whole was at it's lowest point in decades.
.
So many - too many - forget the condition of the US in the 70's (and only recently (since his death) has some of this information re-surfaced).
.
Ronald Reagan - former radio announcer ... actor ... 'self made man' from a small town - turned the US around. He revitalized the US economy, rebuilt the US military into it's former proud self, restored US position as a (the) world leader, and (again) made US citizens proud to be American.
.
And for that, I thank him.

[Heraclid]

I was only starting to pay any attention to such matters when Reagan left office, but I have heard much about the times and what he did and he is definitely one of my heroes. I only wish I were old enough to have remembered him better. I wish I had been on vacation a week later. As I heard the news I was heading home from New York City, a route that took me right through Washington D.C. I wish I had been off this week instead so I could have paid my respects in person to one of the greatest presidents this nation ever had. He makes me that much more proud to be an American. May God bless America and Ronald Reagan.

[angrylittleman]

there will certainly be none other like him; in my opinion, Reagan was one of the greatest presidents this nation has ever had. his presence will be greatly missed - even more than it has been since '89!

[MachineVX]

"At his first meeting with new Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in November 1985, Reagan had perplexed him by talking about how they might work together if there were an invasion of aliens from outer space. Colin Powell, who became the national security advisor in 1987 after the Iran-Contra scandal decimated the NSC, later revealed that he and others had tried to contain Reagan's talk of "little green men," as Powell put it. Reagan had got his idea from the 1951 science fiction movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still," in which an alien warns of Earth's apocalyptic destruction if nuclear weapons are not abolished."

http://salon.com/opinion/blumenthal/...gan/index.html

Let us remember that the man had some wacky ideas.

[MachineVX]

Let us remember Ronald "Raygun" Reagan as a mass murderer, whose support of Nicaraguan Contras, conspiring with Iran, killed over 200,000 Men, Women and Children. Let us remember him as a supporter of the Taliban and someone who armed Osama Bin Laden and directly led to the deaths of thousands of Americans in the War on Terror. Let us remember him as someone who's supply side Reaganomic policies are still used by the Republican Emperors to run up a record debt, bolster the military-industrial complex, and cut social services, hurting millions of Americans. And lets not forget that he was a bad guy to his own children, treating the two children from his first marriage as such pariahs that there were official biographies that failed to list them. He also ignored the AIDS crisis and let thousands die.

[james1_10018]

guys I didnt know Reagan but one thing I can assure you and am
pretty confident most presidents have to choose the better of two evils and as all evils they do backfire and people like "machine Vx "start crying and sending blame.
Machine VX , I dont think you would get us one inch if you were a pres. You think the burden of taking people to war is a simple one ? Do you think being a president is as simple as riding you one car VX and thinking the world is going to bow....get a life VX and know that life is full of complexities and even more with citizens like you

[james1_10018]

you are sad man (machineVX) you are sad

[Kahuna]

MachineVX,

I'm embarrassed by you. How can somebody be so cold hearted!I can't figure if your serious or joking but either way....your wrong and very inappropiate. Any civilized person would be offend by your remarks.

I for one, will NEVER read another post or thread from you again.

[psychos2]

as the late Ronald Reagen would say .... WELL !!!!!

[azskyrider]

Not one person is perfect. We all make mistakes. People should embrace trouble times as this will make you stronger. Acknowledge your mistakes for it will make you wiser. Reagan did Both. He publicly gave his apologies for the Iran Contra affair and he took the first steps to make peace with an enemy and eased the threat of a nuclear war. He brought Russia as a friend instead of an enemy. The activist were against him yet they didn't see he was fighting along side them. He sent their message to the USSR to bring down the Berlin wall and he took the first steps for Nuclear Arms reduction. He helped the women rights cause by nominating a woman to the supreme court. Is Reagan Perfect? No one is. Has he made mistakes? Every president has as well as us. So again I say ...embrace trouble times as this will make you stronger. Acknowledge your mistakes for it will make you wiser...and remember that no one is perfect. We can only strive for perfection. Reagan at least tried to make this country better. Have we tried as well? Or would we rather work and enjoy our money and free time instead of going out and working to make this world better?
Some people would rather just voice an opinion or donate money instead of going out and putting in the time.


Reagan..... You did all right.....

[MachineVX]

Reagan's covert wars in South and Central America killed hundreds of thousands. He armed the Taliban and gave biological weapons materials to Sadaam Hussein. He ignored the AIDS crisis, allowing an epidemic to occur because his administration was convinced it was god's scourge on gays and drug users. His draconian social policies and fear of hypothetical welfare queens hurt millions of Americans and put many thousands of people on the streets.

And that's only him as President. He was more than willing to serve up people to HUAC behind closed doors when he didn't have the courage to do it on the House floor. There's also reports that he raped Selene Walters when she was 19yrs old he was 42. And as for the war on drugs, there's also evidence that he smoked pot back in the day.

"Reagan on a personal basis, is terrible. He just isn't pleasant to be around."

Nixon on Reagan.

[angrylittleman]

Machine, I certainly appreciate your incessant rambling. It's kook talk and the stereotypical liberal lack of personal responsibility you drone on about ad naseum that keeps people running back to the voting booths to pull the lever for Republicans every time...

On behalf of Dubya, Ronnie, and the rest of the gang - "not bad, Machine, not bad at all".

Your claim that Reagan didn't care about AIDS is pure bull**** - BILLIONS were spent on AIDS research during both his terms. There is a big difference between hating gays and disagreeing with the "gay lifestyle choice". Reagan - I believe - truly cared about all Americans, whether or not he personally approved of the life that they led, so long as it was within the bounds of the law, and was not harming others. I believe that most people may feel the same way, whether it be about gays or not.

I don't agree with homosexuality - although it would be OK if my wife wanted to try it at least one Saturday a month - but I don't hate people that choose (yes, I think it is a choice) to be gay.

You could probably sway more people to your point of view, if you didn't show your obvious hatred for the opposing view right from the start, IMHO, of course. Oh, and possibly a little respect for the dead.

UPDATE/ADD: Sorry, but I forgot to mention the fact that "welfare queens" are not hypothetical - look around, my friend, look around!

[PBR]

Machine you havent got a clue, you probably voted for Carter, now he did a great job dont you think?

[dutchie]

I don't agree with homosexuality - although it would be OK if my wife wanted to try it at least one Saturday a month - but I don't hate people that choose (yes, I think it is a choice) to be gay.

Back to your biology books boy, it's not a choice..it's decided by birth maybe it's what some people would describe as a "birth defect", but I rather describe it as a pleasant gift of nature to bring some variety in this world.

[Heraclid]

I'll tell you a true story. There were these two men. One was gay and one was not, and the one who was not knew the other man was. Nonetheless they were friends for many years. Then the gay man got AIDS. The other man called up his old friend on the phone and voiced his concern and offered his prayers and best wishes to the other. That dying gay man was actor Rock Hudson. The man who called him was President Ronald Reagan.

MachineVX, it's a good thing for you I don't live in Chicago any more. The offer still stands if you ever get down to Florida, though.