I'm going to re-repeat my Reagan story from 1980...

[PCIntern]

I had just finished my clinical years in dental school, graduated, and opened a practice. Among my first patients was a gentleman who was and is a rather well-known mental health professional here in Philly. Reagan had just been elected, it was cold out, and I was generally disgusted.

When the gentleman came in for the third or fourth of his many long appointments for his full-mouth reconstruction, I said to him that what really concerned me about Reagan was that they had run an article about how wherever he goes, he always has a jar of brightly-colored jelly beans. I remarked that we had a guy on our block when I was a kid who was always interested in brightly-colored trash cans - in fact, he had them all over the house and would empty them all day. He wound up with a diagnosis of dementia of some sort - things were much more indistinct in those days.

The Ph.D. looked at me and said, "He's got early Alzheimer's - no question about it. You can see it in his eyes, in his hesitations, and his rote-speech."

We still see each other and talk about the old days and how we had an instant bond from this event.

[SpiralHawk]

1. "Huh? What? Huh?" - Ronald DraftDodger Reagan (R)

[crikkett]

42. You've gotten very good at getting your scorn across in one liners.

Sometimes your ridicule comes close to cruelty.

[1monster]

54. Not to be critical, but when you insult someone, make sure your insults are true.

Reagan never saw any military theatre service, but he provided theatrical services for the miltary. He was not a draft dodger. There are far more legitimate things for which to critize him.

Ronald Reagan United States Army Reserve, United States Army Air Corps Captain Stateside service during World War II (1942–1945); Army Reserve (1937–1942)

[eleny]

55. I'm no Reagan fan but he did serve in the military on active duty

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan#Military_service

[WinkyDink]

67. Are you two defenders of Stateside Ronnie for REAL?! Ty Power fought in the Marines;

Lee Marvin. Eddie Albert. James Arness. Henry Fonda. Mel Brooks. Art Carney. William Holden. Tony Curtis. Rod Steiger.

Audie Murphy.

Meanwhile, THIS is the evil LIE Reagan told:
"Once while receiving Israeli dignitaries, Reagan claimed to have accompanied World War II film crews to liberated Nazi death camps, when in reality he spent the war in California."
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/ronald-reagan-is-born

[apocalypsehow]

74. Most of us actually believe that our facts should be accurate, even if it impinges on our ability to

insult and/or besmirch the reputation of a political opponent. Even a dead one.

"Are you two defenders of Stateside Ronnie for REAL?!"

No one is "defending" Ronald Reagan, of course: they are defending the actual facts as they are, i.e. historical truth. That is a progressive value, just FYI.

[caseymoz]

80. He just gave the list of celebrities who actually served in combat in WWII

He forgot a few that I know of: Jimmy Stewart and Ed McMahon. A few on the list did some extraordinary things, BTW. Stewart was a bomber pilot, and the survival rate for that was about fifty percent. Albert and Ed MacMahon both distinguished himself in battle. (He shouldn't have counted Audie Murphy, because he became a star based on the incredible things he did in battle, and played himself. Why wasn't Murphy president rather than Reagan? Probably because he was too short, sadly enough).

Reagan didn't exactly dodge the draft, but he did pull strings to get a stateside Hollywood propaganda assignment. He scored better than John Wayne on that, who dodged entirely, but considering both built reputations and became role models based on things they never really did, and projected an image of masculinity they really didn't represent, they were major frauds, and they built a career on it. Reagan built it all the way into the White House.

[WinkyDink]

109. I didn't forget; just didn't feel like listing every one to make my point!

[WinkyDink]

108. Defending RR to any extent is not my value. SORRY.

[eleny]

76. The point that was made above is that he was a draft dodger - not a comparison of service

[caseymoz]

81. As I understand, he didn't, strictly speaking, dodge the draft.

He just pulled strings afterward to keep himself stateside, in Hollywood and safely away from combat. Just the opposite of the values he claimed to represent. He and John Wayne were the original chickenhawks, whose values Repubs would grow up imitating.

[eleny]

85. The official story is that his eyesight was compromised and that's all I actually know

Belief and knowledge are two different things.

Btw, the speculation about the intention of my response is incorrect.

[caseymoz]

87. Actually, I did get it from a reliable source, which is why I believe it.

I have since forgotten the source, I'm afraid, but the conclusion I drew from it remains, and no, I'm not going to track it down. This is a casual conversation, I don't have time. Facts about Reagan's war service, beyond Wikipedia, are easy to find.

And BTW, I didn't speculate about your intention. Check my message again, I didn't, anywhere. In that light, your strictness about facts seems just a little irregular on this subject. Just sayin, we're all human.

[eleny]

88. I understand if you've forgotten your source. Like you say, we're all human

But then I don't feel compelled to accept your conclusion.

As to someone being incorrect about my intentions, I didn't say it was you. In fact, it wasn't. Sorry that it sounded that way since it wasn't my intention.

But to your assertion that my "strictness about facts seems just a little irregular on this subject" - Sounds like you're willing play fast and loose with accuracy. All the more reason not to accept your conclusion on this matter.

[caseymoz]

92. That's okay with me, but look into it just a little more.

As for fast and lose with the facts, you were sloppy with what you said, leading to a wrong conclusion.

Now, I'm sorry about the conclusion, and the mistrust.

[eleny]

97. I came to the right conclusion - because according to my research he wasn't a draft dodger

And you haven't proved otherwise. I did search and search but found nothing to support what you believe about this issue.

Btw, it's all kind of funny because when he enlisted in the reserves and served Reagan was a Dem. Not that it gives him a pass. Just a fun fact.

Nite! Time to make supper around here. Have a good week.

[caseymoz]

120. You misunderstand, I'm sorry, I meant MY conclusion.

Following your sloppiness in telling me that you didn't do what I didn't say you did.

[WinkyDink]

110. Not in WWII. EVERYBODY and his infirm brother, practically, was sent to war.

[PSzymeczek]

94. James Stewart,

Clark Gable.

[BrklynLiberal]

82. Not really.....Does one deserve full credit for serving when one "managed" to not get sent overseas?

[eleny]

86. On the other hand, since he did serve, do you really think the term "draft dodger" is accurate?

He did enlist in the reserves and was then called up and ultimately served stateside. He served from 1937 to 1945. Unlike W, Reagan completed his service as required.

[WinkyDink]

111. In WWII, "served" did not mean "reviewed films for the fighting troops." CONTEXT is everything.

Ask a WWII vet.

[eleny]

115. The fact that he was in the military from about 1937 and was honorably discharged ....

.... makes the case that he was not a draft dodger. I've searched about this for some time and also read that his bad eyesight was known even when he was in college.

I'm open to reading anything you can find that contradicts this. I'm open to sources that we can all agree are reliable. Until then, I stand by my opinion that he didn't dodge a draft, joined the reserves in the latter part of the 1930s, showed up when he was called up and did what they wanted when his poor eyesight kept him from serving in the way that you say is legit.

[Marr]

112. I think the term fits, yes.

Considering the context of WW2, what Reagan did was essentially draft-dodging. It may not be technically accurate, but it encapsulates the truth much better than, "he served during WW2".

[eleny]

117. Please see my reply #115 above

[SheilaT]

2. Wow. What an interesting

story. What an interesting connection between the brightly colored jelly beans and early Alzheimer's.

I recall the jelly beans, and thought the obsession with them was a bit odd, but then I have never particularly cared for jelly beans.

[PCIntern]

4. Yeah...despite what some folks think around here...

I'm actually pretty perceptive at least when it comes to weird shit which comes into my office. It was one of my few real strengths in school compared with others: that for example, in Oral Medicine/Oral diagnosis Clinic I could figure out what underlying conditions someone had in addition to his or her oral complaint, which of course, was the point of the exercise.

[BuelahWitch]

61. Did he attend functions in the evening, toward the end of his Presidency?

The reason I ask is that people with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia experience something called "sundowning." This means that those who may act normally during the day become more confused at the end of the day. It's caused by one or more of the following: fatigue, low lighting and/or increased shadows. More info here:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sundowning/HQ01463

I was not aware that my mother's memory loss was as serious as it was until my neighbors told me that she was leaving the house while I was working nights (in order to take her to any needed doctor or social service appointments during the day), and was often brought home by the police. She was fine with me during the day, and when I got home late at night. Right before she went into the nursing home I did she the change in her around that time of day. She would think that she had to "go home" and wanted to leave the apartment. I had to make up stories as to why she needed to stay there. I know that Reagan had many more people to watch and take care of him, but since this couldn't be predicted from day to day I wondered if anyone could remember if he cut back evening appearances as the years wore on.

Oops sorry, wrong place. Meant to reply directly under the OP.

[SheilaT]

99. I'm under the impression that sundowning

is a rather late-stage behavior in Alzheimer's, and that by the time they're doing that it's obvious to the most casual observer that the person has Alzheimer's.

[quiller4]

103. Sundowning is not restricted to late-stage. There was a profound

difference in my mother-in-law's abilities day to evening when she was in the early and mid stages of this disease. By the time she was late-stage there was no discernible difference.

[SheilaT]

105. Thank you.

I always appreciate when some bit of mis-information or mis-understanding that I have gets corrected.

[BuelahWitch]

118. Thanks from me too

I believe this because it always used to occur in my mother while I was working in the evening. This is why I never saw it until much later.

[PatSeg]

53. Actually they were Jelly Bellys

and they are absolutely amazing, nothing like regular jelly beans. Each individual flavor tastes just like whatever food it is supposed to be imitating. It is very easy to get hooked on them.

[Edweird]

104. +1 I'm not a fan of jelly beans, but Jelly Bellys rock.

[Richard D]

65. That's it . . .

. . . I'm throwing my all jelly beans out.

[louis-t]

71. He used jelly to quit smoking.

Just sayin'.

[louis-t]

114. That was supposed to say "jelly beans".

(sigh)

[Joanne98]

3. That's interesting. He had it right from the beginning. Makes sense.

I bet his doctor knew. And so did BUSH!

[bobbolink]

8. Of course they knew....that's why he was picked. A good dummy for the puppet-masters.

Uh-oh....that sounds like conspiracy theory, so I must be certifiable.

:rofl:

[snot]

35. Not by me. It's been clear for years, they don't allow candidates they can't control.

That's why McCain's had to give up his maverick ways.

[bobbolink]

59. Its only clear to those of us who are willing to see behind the curtain.

For doing so, we are labeled "fringe", just like the shooter.

[kath]

36. yep - he was the original Puppet President. W was PuppetPresident2.0.

[bobbolink]

57. I don't know if he was the original...he was the first really obvious one.

But even now, only a minority of us dare to speak it..... so we are basically out on a limb. We are vulnerable to the same criticisms leveled at the massacre shooter.... we are "fringe". So, see ya in the looney bin!

[kath]

89. True dat - the first really obvious one.

Yep - to the loony bin with us!

[Myrina]

75. ... make that LBJ ...

.... he knew what the hell went down in Dallas and from the next day, he didn't take a piss without permission. That's why he chose not to run in '68 ... I don't think his conscience could bear what Viet Nam & the Military Industrial Complex had become.

[aquart]

79. LBJ and conscience. OK.

You forgot to tell us whose permission he had to ask.

[pink-o]

95. Also proof that Daddy Bush (Mr Ex-CIA) was responsible for Iran/Contra

and the pursuit of Manuel Noriega, who started out as the CIA's best bud.

They say Bush was a one-term prez. Only officially!

[Rhiannon12866]

5. Fascinating recollection

Thanks for sharing. Too bad your friend wasn't the White House doctor, then, or in 2001-2008. This might be a much different country... :( :hi:

[sweetapogee]

90. I graduated in 1981

In 1981 I received my B.S. degree and for a while worked in a fairly large regional dept store in the men's dept. Right after the thing about the jelly beans came out the men's clothing buyer purchased um-teen thousands of t-shits with a picture of raygun on it that said "Warning: Jelly Beans cause Brain Damage".

We had a really good laugh unpacking them but the buyer was fired over it because the company lost hundreds of thousands of dollars on the shirt. I don't remember anyone buying one. We were doing inventories of them like every hour and constantly moving them around and finally we were told to pack them up and send them back to "central". I was told that they couldn't even find a charity that was interested in them but I would guess that they would collectors items today. Just a little interesting story. At the time raygun was accused of stealing the idea from The Beatles, they called them Jelly Babies. To this day we call them jelly babies in memory of John Lennon.

[Rhiannon12866]

101. Wow. That is a pretty amazing story.

We tend to forget how popular Reagan was. But I probably would have bought one, LOL. And you are so right. They would be extremely popular today, at least among Democrats... and especially here on DU. ;)

[LuvNewcastle]

6. I remember that vacant look he used to have.

It was creepy as hell; looked like his soul had been swallowed and his face was just a mask. I hated Reagan for a very long time. I still think he was the worst President in history -- even worse than Dubya. Sometimes I think he might have been better if he'd had his faculties, but we'll never know.

[UTUSN]

7. K&R #14 for, add in al those "cute" stories about how he endlessly re-told

Hollywood tidbits to visitors and how he recited great lines from movies.


And, to somebody's saying (above) that Poppy knew, how much better for Poppy, to have a figurehead up front while he could sneak thing into the agenda and claim he was out of the loop.

[newspeak]

9. if he did have Alzheimer's, then chances are

someone else was running the show. Now who could that be? Hmmmm. Couldn't have been "out of the loop" Poppy.

[lfairban]

30. IIRC . . .

. . . it was Regan, Haige and Baker.

This is a good read:

http://www.amazon.com/LANDSLIDE-PA-Jane-Mayer/dp/0395517575

[yellerpup]

49. Also Meese and Sununu

they all had mini-presidencies under Reagan.

[Pool Hall Ace]

98. I like the term "mini-presidencies"

So accurate. :thumbsup:

[yellerpup]

100. His Alzheimers was the reason the Iceland summit

was inexplicably cancelled. Gorbachev was a gentleman about it and didn't rat him out, but he knew (courtesy: ex-secret service guy). The insiders were all aware of it. It was speculated that the gunshot wound he suffered pushed him over the edge. :hi:

[formercia]

41. You got it.

Poppy was the Ramrod. Ronnie was just there for show.

[sad sally]

84. Except HW was popping Halicon, so am not sure he was exactly in charge either...

[Demoiselle]

10. I'm glad you repeated it...I missed it the first time.

But I'm not at all surprised!

[lunatica]

11. You just made me wonder about George W. Bush

He sure had tightly controlled venues wherever he went. No questions to put him off his oft repeated messages. Constantly regurgitated soundbites.

I also remember how after every speech or comment Reagan made people would come out to tell us what he really meant.

[tridim]

12. My only Reagan story is I broke the White House while he was in office.

Was on a tour and I leaned up against the wall due to boredom (I was a kid) and a piece of wainscoting broke off and fell on the floor. :)

No gold behind it.

[stevedeshazer]

22. LOL!

Not many can lay claim to breaking the White House.

:)

[Odin2005]

26. OMG, LOL! I would have been embarrassed as hell!

:rofl:

[lady lib]

27. Hehe. You didn't break it. You just gave it a little owie.

;-)

[Enthusiast]

44. At least you didn't break the president

as in We're All Bozo's on this Bus by Firesign Theater.

[B Calm]

13. My Reagan story was three different wage and benefit cuts and

they still ended up closing the plant and moving operations to Mexico.

[BuelahWitch]

39. Mine is something like that

Only it was a very long wage freeze and benefit cuts, then moving the plant to Mexico.

[B Calm]

40. My union bent over backwards to keep the plant open, but

if you listen to the cons in this area, they blame the union for a piss poor management decision.

[tblue37]

50. My RR story: When my mother was a 17-year-old waitress in a diner in

Des Moines, Iowa, she went on a few dates with a 26-year-old sportscaster they called "Dutch," who used to come into the place where she worked. My grandmother, who was very intelligent, used to tell me, "Ronnie was a nice boy, but I didn't want her to ever get serious with him, because he wasn't very smart." Grandma wanted smart grandchildren, so "Ronnie" wasn't her idea of a good prospect for her daughter.

[PatSeg]

52. What a great story

Glad your mother listened to her mother.

[tblue37]

56. So am I! nt

[Enthusiast]

45. Your's too? nt

[unblock]

14. i think it was obvious, the mental deficiencies were part of his "charm".

most people find it adorable or endearing when someone isn't functioning at a full, healthy, adult level.
at least when it's not due to drugs or alcohol.

i find some of mini-unblock's speech adorable. it's partly because of what he says, but a lot of it is because he hasn't yet mastered adult sentence construction and proper enunciation. it's adorable, but i wouldn't want him as president, at least not yet : )

similarly, many seniors are adorable as they regress for one reason or another. reagan had this kind of charisma. the confidently-delivered but logically muddled responses, zig-zagging into comfortable, well-rehearsed speeches and talking point, is a characteristic coping mechanism many seniors have to compensate for everything from partial deafness to early alzheimers to short-term memory loss and so on.

and similarly, it can be very charming and endearing, but i wouldn't want it in a president.

[charlie]

16. It also sanded off his harder edges

He was a mean bastard before he became our genial, befuddled grandpa.

[Zoeisright]

20. Exactly. But the meanness still showed.

I saw it in every action he took. Mean bastard indeed.

[MrMickeysMom]

15. I can see where that would have forged a friendship...

... though I'm sure you will be properly challenged about the dementia link, Reagan was propped up and said his lines to "B" movies which led him into his best role... that of a "B" president devoid of original thought and certainly intelligence to lead. I recall knowing it was all a big act from the beginning, and even at that point in my life, saw how that schmuck was used by hateful Republican party of greed.

I honestly NEVER looked back in my disgust for how low the presidency had become, based on that demented fuck.

[CLANG]

66. The only way Reagan was ever a "B" president

Is if the only choices are "A" and "B". :rofl:

[MrMickeysMom]

102. LOL!

Good point!

[unblock]

17. i think it was obvious, the mental deficiencies were part of his "charm".

most people find it adorable or endearing when someone isn't functioning at a full, healthy, adult level.
at least when it's not due to drugs or alcohol.

i find some of mini-unblock's speech adorable. it's partly because of what he says, but a lot of it is because he hasn't yet mastered adult sentence construction and proper enunciation. it's adorable, but i wouldn't want him as president, at least not yet : )

similarly, many seniors are adorable as they regress for one reason or another. reagan had this kind of charisma. the confidently-delivered but logically muddled responses, zig-zagging into comfortable, well-rehearsed speeches and talking point, is a characteristic coping mechanism many seniors have to compensate for everything from partial deafness to early alzheimers to short-term memory loss and so on.

and similarly, it can be very charming and endearing, but i wouldn't want it in a president.

[Zoeisright]

18. Yep. And his circular thinking too. That wasn't just deliberate ignorance on his

part - that was early dementia.

[BlueIris]

106. Okay, I have to ask...what is this circular thinking people keep referring to?

Everyone here keeps posting that it is one of the early signs. Is it the same as circular logic or does it have different criteria?

[Vickers]

19. Here is how that addled old fuck affected me

in just the first couple of months of his term:

The summer of 1980 I was pretty much a fuckup pothead layabout (NTTAWWT), but somehow my dad hooked me up with this job working for the Youth Conservation Corps at a local national seashore. It was probably the best summer of my life...I learned a lot, worked hard, met some friends who I still keep in contact with, and I was really looking forward to doing it the following summer and, who knows, maybe become a park ranger later in life.

Then ol' Zombie Ronnie cut the program in March of 1981 (along with a lot of other great programs).

Thanks, ASSHOLE!

[upi402]

21. Republican chickenhwawk phony bastids

The media made Reagan a deity and he was the sous chef for the shit sandwich we're eating today.

[kath]

37. "the sous chef for the shit sandwich we're eating today"

Just had to see that again.
Wow, you've got a way with words!

[Enthusiast]

46. Accurate! Perceptive! Award winning post!

:patriot: :applause: :headbang: :fistbump: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :hi:

[femmocrat]

23. I suspected it all along. I saw the same symptoms in my grandmother.

Remember Nancy's whispering words in his ear and his repeating what she said, word for word?

Then there was that debate when he was rambling down a highway in California..... until they cut him off.

I think Nancy ran things. She fired Don Regan, didn't she? She always seemed tough as nails and overly-protective of him. She had to be.

[LuckyLib]

91. You're absolutely on target. Nancy had way too much power, most visible

to the public when she stood behind him prompting him when he got lost on his 3 x 5 cards. She shielded him as he deteriorated, propping him up, letting the players step in when he got tired. Since he left office and later died, she has been behind major honors, namings, and a perpetuation of the worship of "Ronnie."

[Angry Dragon]

24. That is why the republicans love him so much

because they only use part of their brains

[Odin2005]

25. That's very eerie!

[madrchsod]

28. my dad knew ronny when he lived in dixon...

after ron was shot my dad could tell he was slipping away....

[PCIntern]

32. my mom knew him in his days when married to Jane Wyman...

before my bro's dad died, he was BFF with Burgess Meredith and my mom was with him on a trip to NYC to see Meredith's Broadway debut. Ronnie was there and got so drunk that he bit Jane's nose until it bled. Great family story I heard for over 50 years...over and over and over again...

[Raine]

29. Well to be fair (though that's something they never are)

the jelly beans supposedly were what he used to quit smoking with. Instead of taking a cigarette he would eat a jelly bean and they got to be "cute" little schtick of his. :puke:

[PCIntern]

31. ...which means that it was an out and out lie...

they NEVER told the truth about anything...if they said it was to stop smoking, then that wasn't true.

[Raine]

34. I'm sure it was nothing but a lie

not much else ever comes out of their mouths. x(

[spooky3]

33. I'm a big fan of Ron Reagan (Jr.) - his dad's politics are fair game but

I hope we can be kind about his dad's mental illness. I am not in any way intending to criticize your OP--it's factual--but instead appealing to other DUers here who may react to it.

[truedelphi]

38. I find Ron Reagan Jr rather refreshing.

The talking Heads are out in force trying to quash the section of his book about his dad's Alzheimer. The big meme tonight is how Ron Jr. is saying his dad had Alzheimer's simply to sell books.

[PSzymeczek]

96. I tend to believe Ron Jr.

before I believe the Right Wing Noise Machine.

[MedicalAdmin]

69. About the mentally I'll - sure.

But the fact that he was whatever and didn't step down or those around him didn't step his ass down means that they were more interested in their own plunder than the country. And by that they disgraced the office of the president and the country.

So I'll excuse him for being ill, but I blame him and his retinue for everything else. I hope Reagan and Friedman are sharing the same BBQ spit in hell.

[Enthusiast]

43. Amazing story. K&R nt

[live love laugh]

47. My tipoff was the "Well...." before everything he said. His responses were dull

and unenlightening. But the press fawned over everything he said. I thought it was a passing phase in politics. Little did I know that he was paving the way for Presiduncy.

[Overseas]

48. K&R !

It is amazing the kind of leadership that the Republicans have foisted upon us.

[tblue37]

51. I still have a copy of a book that came out during his

presidency, entitled The Clothes Have No Emperor.

[Historic NY]

58. "there you go again"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It0Dtm1gFFQ&feature=related

[felix_numinous]

60. For my mother it is flowers

because of her memory loss they are new to her over and over, every time she comes in the room and sees them she is surprised all over again. Also recently I was told if we give her jelly beans she will carry them around all day, they make her happy.

Here is Reagan testifying about Iran Contra, he is definitely struggling:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0gXKwrxTbQ&feature=related

[newtothegame]

62. Is the timing of this story special?

:shrug:

[BuelahWitch]

93. Leadup to the media's February Reagasm Cenntenary

The 100th anniversary of his birth.

[Froward69]

63. makes for an easy puppet.

Altimeters and/or cocaine of course.

[Optimistic]

64. Obama Injected Reagan with Alzheimer's Disease

Everyone knows that Obama caused poor Ronny with this disease, If you look at the photo's of Dallas real close you can see it was Obama who shot JFK it was not Oswald, Obama wore an Oswald mask

[rasputin1952]

68. I knew there was something wrong when he would make remarks...

that seemed to come from a Hollywood script., many of them inappropriate. The whole whole post Challenger thing was as mess of weird rhetoric, but there were times before that when he showed problems, and many times after that.

Initially I thought it was just because he was a poor actor doing what he had to to get through the scene. The thought that an individual with a progressive disease like that can be left in power is startling to say the least. I'm almost convinced that he had no real power, that others were making sure he didn't do anything that would set the earth on fire. Others though were of influence as well. Going into Grenada, as if it were just some trailer for a bad movie is an example. Thinking about how Grenada was somehow going to threaten the US has always baffled me, and I think Reagan just wanted to live in the WWII Era; in fact, when USS Missouri was reactivated at an amazing cost and of no real value, I had very serious doubts about his competency, (and, it reinforced my idea he was living in a different area).

[mackerel]

70. I always attributed his mind meanderings to the dye in the

jelly belly's. I've had my kids on the Feingold Diet for years and would never let them go to the Jelly Belly field trip with the rest of the class. The dyes in most foods can really alter your behaviour.

[rasputin1952]

72. While I'm worried about some of the things in food...

there are also many medications that can mess one up as well. I still wonder if was "on" anything at times. There were times when he was very lucid, then he'd drift away into some weird place. He spoke of the WWII years as if he were living them at the time, but his additions were exceptionally strange considering he only did Signal Corps info's and battle scenes items from Hollywood, but he'd tell stuff as if he were actually flying over across the Rhine deep into Germany in a bomber. The surreal thing is, he would talk about it as if he was in that moment in time.

Regardless of the cause, one person having the potential to ignite a global nuclear war is a very frightening notion...and not just here. Stalin was a noted alcoholic and if he went off on some bender I'm almost sure some people in the old USSR would be there to stop him. Since there are other countries where nukes can come from...it's still a scary world.

[BlueIris]

107. "The thought that an individual with a progressive disease like that can be left in power..."

This has been bothering me for a very long time. Like, since high school, when the "Reagan has Alzheimer's" "revelation" was first publicly disclosed.

[bluesmail]

73. The Jelly Beans might've been medicine to keep him 'presidential'.

:evilfrown:

[trud]

77. oh, no - I like jellybeans, I'm doomed n/t

[tpsbmam]

78. I diagnosed it early on, too. It was zero surprise when it was announced. nt

[BrklynLiberal]

83. He was like a ventriloquist's dummy, with Nancy's hand up his butt.

[HughBeaumont]

113. Too late to R but can still K.

This is some good stuff. Just goes to show you what a corrupt sham our nation has become since Reagan/AMA put out that loathsome recording in 1962 decrying "Soshulized Medisin!" Every easily fooled boomer and senior wouldn't listen to their more educated peers, jumped on his bandwagon and have beatified him ever since (while the country, their jobs and their comfortable retirement went straight down the shitter). It was really the White House of Corporate Interests starting in 1981, for good.

[PCIntern]

116. Operation Coffee Cup...that's what it was called...

the docs' wives went door to door to ask people to call their Congressman to stop Medicare...

[HughBeaumont]

119. What's galling about the whole thing is this:

Reagan had to be one unfathomably stupid idiot if he expected an average citizen to be able to cough up 10 to 200 thousand dollars needed for life-saving medical treatment/surgery. How did they all think any working stiff would ever be able to pull that off?

Oh, wait, I forgot. It's not a matter of "don't know", but a matter of "don't give two bags o' monkey crap". "Everyone dies SOMEtime. What, is everyone just supposed to live ferEVer?"

[PCIntern]

121. they don't give a shit about you or me or

our respective families...

Once you're too old to make them money, they throw you and me away...I recall my Dad used to say: there isn't anything worse in America than being a 'former' anything.