Influential conservative says failing to raise debt limit bad

The full consequences of a default — or even the serious prospect of default — by the United States are impossible to predict and awesome to contemplate. […] The Nation can ill afford to allow such a result. The risks, the costs, the disruptions, and the incalculable damage lead me to but one conclusion: the Senate must pass this legislation before the Congress adjourns.
Ronald Reagan, circa 1983 • Regarding legislation to raise the debt limit. This guy seems like a flaming liberal, doesn’t he? Oh wait, maybe not. source

Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

Every single Senate Republican has endorsed a constitutional amendment that would’ve made Ronald Reagan’s fiscal policy unconstitutional. That’s how far to the right the modern GOP has swung.
Ezra Klein • Analyzing (demolishing is more like it) the merits of the Balanced Budget Amendment, which all 47 Senate Republicans have endorsed. The amendment would require 2/3 majorities in both chambers of Congress in order to enact any tax increases, and wouldn’t allow total spending per year to exceed 18% of GDP. Bruce Bartlett, former domestic policy advisor to Reagan, has said that the proposed amendment is “quite possibly the stupidest constitutional amendment I think I have ever seen,” and that it “looks like it was drafted by a couple of interns on the back of a napkin.” Ouch. source

Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

This is like Christmas for some people. Ultimately, Ronald Reagan was a great leader and one still widely-respected among conservatives as the kind of leader they still wish they had. Now, we’re not going to go so far as to turn the guy into a saint, but we will note that he was ultimately better for the American people than not. Above is one of his most famous political ads, “It’s Morning in America Again,” from this pretty awesome L.A. Times package about the dude. Below, a quick analysis of his approval rating throughout his presidency.

67% the highest popularity that Ronald Reagan had as president, reached three times – once in 1981 and twice in 1986
41% the lowest popularity he garnered, back in 1983; he neared that level again during the Iran-Contra scandal in 1987
60% his popularity rating after leaving office; to compare, Democratic icon Bill Clinton had 67 percent source

» Fluctuating, but never fading: One interesting note about Ronald Reagan’s presidency is that while he’s gained a high degree of legendary status among conservatives, as a president, his popularity had numerous highs and lows. However, he never reached the nadir of folks like Jimmy Carter (who left office with 34 percent approval) or George W. Bush (who left with 24 percent approval – the same low Richard Nixon reached when he left office). He left with respect. Then his legend slowly grew. And that’s where we are today.

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

2010 In Spain, air traffic controllers forced the country’s military to get involved to stop a strike. The workers are upset because their average wages are getting cut – from roughly $463,000 per year to $263,000 per year.
1981 In a similar strike involving air traffic controllers in the U.S., Ronald Reagan called a union’s bluff and fired nearly 12,000 striking air traffic controllers, which led to smaller staffs that did work that was just as good. source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

Just don’t let Fox News tell you otherwise. It’s kind of sad/hilarious that Jon Stewart has to point out the blatant lying taking place on Fox regarding Obama’s nuclear policy. Newt Gingrich and Sean Hannity, in particular, are bold-faced in their dishonesty.

Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink

Personally, if we had Zombie Reagan as president, we’d vote for him. Well, after we, ourselves, turned into a zombie, of course.

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

The problem we have is, we don’t know after 50-plus days in office what the distance of the race is and what’s the level of the president’s pace or his endurance.
Ed Rollins • Former political director for Ronald Reagan and the guy behind Mike Huckabee’s somewhat resonant presidential primary campaign, on what Barack Obama’s big problem is. Personally, we don’t like his ears. They stick out too much. • source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 May 2011 23:20