My view of Reagan

[Postman]

I was 19 yrs old when Reagan took office in 1981. That summer I enlisted in the US Navy out of a combination of economic necessity, wanting to make something of myself and of course, patriotism. Which brings me to Ronald Reagan.

My view of Ronald Reagan has changed over time. Hindsight is 20/20 but we also have the benefit of the historical record.

When I was a young man in the military, Reagan was idolized. Whatever you may think of his policies, Reagan was a man who had the gift of connecting with Americans through patriotic rhetoric. There was a pride in being an American that I think wasn't there when Jimmy Carter was President. Is that a fair assessment? Probably not. Is it an accurate assessment? Probably not. I think Jimmy Carter was a victim of a bad economy and of the Iranian Hostage Crisis.

Having lived long enough to look back, having the pleasure of reading authors such as Howard Zinn, Noam Chomsky, Michael Parenti and being exposed to alternative media sources that raise interesting questions and analysis, my view of the Reagan era is that it was one that continued the empirical foreign policy of the "conservative right-wing" but did so in a more covert way as opposed to the present "in-your-face" fascism that we live with under George W. Bush.

At least Reagan recognized the fallen soldiers and sailors by attending their funerals and comforting the families somewhat.

[trotsky]

1. Very accurate.

Despite the harm Reagan's agenda and policies did to our country, his ability to connect with people was right up there with the best of 'em. That's what people liked about him, even more than his conservative agenda which the pundits are telling us is what people REALLY liked about him.

He was able to display compassion, regardless of whether he truly felt it. More than can be said for *.