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2004-06-06 Home Front: Culture Wars

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Posted by OldSpook 2004-06-06 3:03:00 AM|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Figured we ought to have a thread to continue our tribute and memories to a man who was certainly the greatest President of the last half of the 20th century, and in the top of the all-time list. He changed the nation and the world.

Posted by OldSpook 2004-06-06 3:05:15 AM|| 2004-06-06 3:05:15 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 May want to move this to page 2 - sorry Fred, I misplaced it.

Posted by OldSpook 2004-06-06 3:05:46 AM|| 2004-06-06 3:05:46 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Now it's time to add his visage here.

Let's put Ron on the Rock!

Posted by The Kid 2004-06-06 8:38:09 AM|| 2004-06-06 8:38:09 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 The Brothers Judd have a really nice collection of links and obituaries.

Posted by Mike 2004-06-06 9:06:04 AM|| 2004-06-06 9:06:04 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 The Reagan Library online Condolence Book is here. Feel free to click on the link and add your messages.

Posted by Mike 2004-06-06 9:22:38 AM|| 2004-06-06 9:22:38 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 The top five (in order of service):

Washington
Jefferson
Lincoln
F Roosevelt
Reagan

Posted by Jake 2004-06-06 11:01:15 AM|| 2004-06-06 11:01:15 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 There are folks talkin nice about Reagan now who didn't talk so nice about him twenty years ago. In fact, some folks squawked at every policy, every speech, every decision Reagan made. They squawked about him bein just an actor and not sophisticated enough to understand the complex issues of the Cold War, or of economics, or of social issues. Does that sound famliar? If you are under 40 you may not remember that, but you can get an understanding about what it's like by watching the news today. It is familair because they same folks are doin it again, this time to Bush. Its the so-called intellectuals, much of the mainstream media, the Democrats. Some of the faces have changed, but its the same folks.

And Jake, I agree with your top five - just wish there was room for TR.

Posted by Hank 2004-06-06 11:20:13 AM|| 2004-06-06 11:20:13 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 Reagan believed the Soviet Union was an evil empire. He believed that the priciples of democracy, individual liberty, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, free enterprise were better ideas and would prevail over the emptyness of communinism. He set about to win the battle of ideas of the Cold War. While he was doing this, the (as Hank terms them) "so-called intellectuals" and the Democrats attacked him ferociously and unendingly. They may have grown to like him personally, but they hated what he stood for - they hated his ideas.

Today, Bush sees the al Qaeda type terroists, totalitarian Islamist states and deranged dictators like Saddam, or Jung il to be evil itself. Bush believes that the priciples of democracy, individual liberty, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, free enterprise were better ideas and would prevail over such evil. He has set about to defeat these evil forces by winning the battle of ideas, and taking the fight to them where appropriate. And history repeats itself. The same people attack. Bush is too stupid to understand the sophisticated issues. He is a cowboy. He is too simplistic. He is the greater danger. His policies are immoral. We heard all the same things twenty years ago.

Much to the frustration of 24 hour news coverage, history plays out at its own pace. If we could fast forward twenty years, we could participate in the argument over who you have to bump out of the top five to make room for Bush 43.

Jake, I too agree with your top five - at least for now.

Posted by Sam 2004-06-06 11:46:35 AM|| 2004-06-06 11:46:35 AM|| Front Page Top

#9 A man for all seasons.

Posted by virginian 2004-06-06 12:50:52 PM|| 2004-06-06 12:50:52 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 "If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants." scientist Sir Isaac Newton

And pretty much George W. Bush as well.

Not to disrespect our current president, but viewing the videos, courage, quips, quotes and speeches of Reagan, the man was a political giant. Bush, in terms of integrity and moral vision, is right there. But he comes nowhere near close in terms of communicating his vision, coherently and concisely - perhaps Bush should take a page from Reagan - go over the heads of the press and Congress and talk directly to the US public. And don't get me started on the moral midget Kerry. Were Soros (et al) and the press not keeping him afloat and keeping him from being swept downstream by his own words and misdeeds, he'd be drowing at the bottom of the waterfall of public scorn by now.

Comparing any of our presidents since Roosevelt to Reagan (And before FDR, going back to Lincoln), for better or worse: They all fall short of restoring the American Character and changing the world the way Reagan did.

Posted by OldSpook 2004-06-06 12:51:43 PM|| 2004-06-06 12:51:43 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 Bush cannot communicate like Reagan, you're right. No one ever did or ever will call Bush the great communicator. You give him credit for integrity and moral vision and you are right. But he also has the courage and conviction to take bold steps in support of his ideas, and there aren't many who do. He, like Reagan will be on a short list when history ranks the presidents.

The actual ranking of the presidents is controversial. Is Reagan higher than Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson? I put Jefferson at the top. He articulated the unique vision for this country, and all others have followed.

Posted by Sam 2004-06-06 1:21:45 PM|| 2004-06-06 1:21:45 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 The top five presidents are:

Washington
Lincoln
F Roosevelt
Kennedy
Clinton

Posted by Jennifer 2004-06-06 3:04:58 PM|| 2004-06-06 3:04:58 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 Jennifer,
You left out Carter.

Posted by ed 2004-06-06 3:14:58 PM|| 2004-06-06 3:14:58 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 Jennifer:

"We made the city stronger, we made the city freer, and we left her in good hands. "

Of all those, Clinton only did the last. He left America weaker (squandering our military strength in Bosnia and cruise missle strikes), and less free (vulnerable to attacks as 9/11 demonstrated, and don't forget Waco).

Stop dragging a man who is remembered for equivocation (it all depends on what the definition of "is" is), and deception ("I did not have sexual relations with that woman") into this discussion about a man who had character morals and honor. Compare the words: your guy comes nowhere near "Mr Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall".

He called the Evil Empire what it was, and freed Europe from the threat of militant Communism.

You dishonor yourself with such specious crap.

And as for Kennedy he was not in there long enough. Other then the botched Bay of Pigs, and the Cuban Missle Crisis, and cutting taxes, what did he do?

- why do you not support his words? Reagan did.

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty."

"A rising tide lifts all ships".

"We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed."

"All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin."

Reagan and Kennedy both lived by those words. Why do you and your little leftist friends abandon them? You demand abject surrender in the face of the moral evils of Islamic Fundamentalism and terrorism, you demand instant results instead of waiting for the long grind that is required for true change, you cower behind your betters who bear the burdens of freedom while at the same time you call them monsters and warmongers.

No wonder you hate Reagan - his mere existence and success show how small you and your kind are.

If you were smart, you should just refrain and shrink away - the depths to which you have sunk are even more apparent in the light of the heights of the life of a true giant, Ronald Reagan.

Posted by OldSpook 2004-06-06 3:38:29 PM|| 2004-06-06 3:38:29 PM|| Front Page Top

#15 I'm too young to remember much of what Reagan did, having only been in kindergarten when Bush, Sr. was elected, but he's always had my admiration. He was who we needed at a critical moment in history, just like we needed a man like Bush to stand up against the Islamonazis after 9/11. And it's been remarked in a few places that what was said about Reagan in his day is very similar to what's being said about Bush today - but the media today is so much more easily accessible that it just seems like "popular opinion" or some crap like that, stuff that hasn't been said before (love how history repeats itself, don't you?).

My favorite Reagan story - one that I haven't been able to verify, maybe one of you other RBers can - is the one where he was joking with the cameraman before a speech, and neither realized it was actually broadcasting. Reagan became serious, looked right into the lens, and announced something along the lines of, "My fellow Americans, I am here tonight to inform you that the Congress has just outlawed Russia. Bombing shall commence in ten minutes."

Posted by The Doctor 2004-06-06 3:53:53 PM|| 2004-06-06 3:53:53 PM|| Front Page Top

#16 Doc: Its true. And the press and liberals HOWLED for days, calling him a warmonger, etc.

Posted by OldSpook 2004-06-06 3:59:42 PM|| 2004-06-06 3:59:42 PM|| Front Page Top

#17 To the Doctor:

Actually, that was a sound test. Generally, they make jokes and say silly things. It helps the speaker relax a little and let off a little anxiety before a speech. Because of this, it is a rule that sound tests are NEVER broadcast. Except this one.

Posted by jackal 2004-06-06 4:00:47 PM|| [http://home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html] 2004-06-06 4:00:47 PM|| Front Page Top

#18 The Reagan bit was mistakenly broadcast by radio. He gave them only five minutes.

The beautiful people went nuts.

Posted by Jake 2004-06-06 4:01:17 PM|| 2004-06-06 4:01:17 PM|| Front Page Top

#19 Glad to see the Pope chime in. We had him on our prayer list of those who passed in Mass today.

Posted by OldSpook 2004-06-06 4:24:00 PM|| 2004-06-06 4:24:00 PM|| Front Page Top

#20 Jennifer, you're probably too young to remember Kennedy. I'm not. He had style but not much in the way of substance. His presidency was saved from mediocrity by his assassination. By being cut short, the image of Camelot remained and Lyndon Johnson was stuck cleaning up the mess. Reagan left the country better than he found it.

Posted by Random thoughts 2004-06-06 5:18:52 PM|| 2004-06-06 5:18:52 PM|| Front Page Top

#21 I was a victim of cumalot some years later. I sure wish we'd been in a Volkswagen I'd be alive today.

Posted by MJ K 2004-06-06 6:28:44 PM|| 2004-06-06 6:28:44 PM|| Front Page Top

#22 thanks MaryJo - a little too subtle there :-)

Posted by Frank G 2004-06-06 6:34:49 PM|| 2004-06-06 6:34:49 PM|| Front Page Top

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