“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.’” –Ronald Reagan
“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘Republicans in control of all three branches of government.’” — Me, correcting him.
I remember when Reagan was elected. Carter was in the White House, but he appeared hapless and helpless, maybe even cursed; the Iranian revolution and the storming of the U.S. Embassy, the hostage crisis, the failed attempt to rescue them, the OPEC oil embargo. . . for all intents and purposes, it appeared America was battered and on her knees, and new leadership was not only warranted but imperative. Enter Ronald Reagan, charged with playing the role of Hollywood president, who talked tough and exuded confidence, but took his orders from the head of Merril Lynch. When discussing Reagan these days, it is important to distinguish between the historical Ronald Reagan, 40th president of the United States, and the mythical being Reagan™, hailed by the Republican party for shrinking government, cutting taxes, defeating the Soviet Union, and restoring America to greatness. The historical Reagan did none of these things. The mythical Reagan™, conservative idol, did all of them and more. For this post, I am primarily focusing on Reagan, the man, and his historical record."..............................
