The Reagan fest is nothing more than the right wing trying

[harrison]

to extinguish the legacy of FDR. FDR was the greatest president of the 20th century. The RW is attempting to make RR the greatest president of the 20th century.

After all, FDR was President in WW II, but RR did him one better: RR "won" the cold war without firing a shot.

FDR came in after the depression and gave America a new vision of itself through his optimistic leadership. RR came in and through his optimism brought American back to the front after a period of self-doubt.

It is all scripted, and it is all bullshit.

Now we have this big state funeral for this President. The caisson, etc, the week-long mourning, etc. Nothing more than attempt to extend Reagan's legacy.

History will not be kind to Reagan.

[Lars39]

1. Here's a description of what the national response was to FDR's death...

I posted this in another thread, but it's worth repeating.

http://www.kevinbaker.info/a_wp_walr.html

<snip>
The coffin sat in the last car, guarded by one man from each of the service branches, and as it passed, thousands of Southerners, black and white alike, knelt and prayed by the tracks, or sang "Rock of Ages" and "Abide With Me" and "Onward, Christian Soldiers"-the hymn he and Winston Churchill had sung so defiantly together, four years before...

...They were joined by the nation in their grief. "I'm walking south on Michigan Boulevard and I can't stop crying. Everybody is crying," wrote Studs Terkel. Outright strangers told John Gunther, "I never met him, but I feel as if I had lost my best friend."


The radio went still for the moment-and carried no commercials for four days. Newspapers carried no ads that day. Buses, streetcars, automobiles stopped where they were. Movie theaters and grocery stores closed their doors.

------------------------
more at http://www.kevinbaker.info/a_wp_walr.html
Grief seemed genuine, not foisted on the public.

[harrison]

2. Thanks for posting that. That's what happens when a President

gives a damn about all the people in America, especially those not as well off. Reagan only gave a damn for his rich buddies at the expense of the poor.

[calimary]

3. I think, and I certainly hope, that when the dust settles, people will

become a little more clear-eyed.

I suspect a lot of the wailing and gnashing of teeth over Reagan is REALLY mourning for what was supposed to be - in the conservative movement. THOSE were the glory days, that have spiraled all the way down to hell now. THAT'S back when conservatives were supposedly cool. Now, thanks to the latter-day self-styled "sons and daughters of Reagan," they're wretched.

Reagan. Buh-BYE. They'll get over it. I think some people are just caught up in the swirls of pageantry. We haven't had a big state whoop-de-doo in quite a few years. The baby-boomers have the JFK funeral. I guess the younger set has Ronnie's send-off. I'm glad I'm with the baby-boomers. MUCH more class and TRUE, well-bred, no Hollywood facade, regal elegance.

[rkc3]

Why would people become clear-eyed after this?

Have you seen any reports discussing the human rights violations that occurred during reagan's time in office?

Any commentary on the spiraling budgets?

Incerased disparity between rich and poor?

My guess - if you've watched mainstream TV - is you haven't. I also suggest you won't see anything remotely disparaging about reagan.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

4. I declare that FDR is the GREATEST PRESIDENT that America...

has ever had!

[DinahMoeHum]

5. Thing is, though, Reagan admired FDR. . .

and apparently the programs Reagan wanted to cut got their start in LBJ's Great Society, NOT FDR's New Deal.

In the end, Reagan saw that FDR's New Deal programs (ie. Social Security) were still worth saving.

Problem is, his GOP successors want to go whole hog and dismantle FDR New Deal programs as well.

:kick:

[ClassWarrior]

6. No, most in the RW seriously hero-worship Ronnie.

What they see as the potential to prop up Dubya and bash Dems are only fringe benefits of their lust for the Gipper.