Ronald Reagan's Political Legacy
Jon Margolis, Chicago Tribune
. . .
For a revolutionary, Reagan was a pragmatist who always governed more
moderately than he orated. He called the Soviet Union an "evil empire"
but adhered to the arms control treaties it signed and negotiated
another. He proclaimed that "government is the problem" but did not
reduce its size or impact. He pushed through the biggest tax cut in
history in 1981, then quietly allowed his aides to negotiate a large
tax increase in 1982. He assailed abortion but did nothing to alter its
legal status. He signed an executive order to inventory public land for
possible sale to private interests but signed several wilderness bills.
His
political heirs, led by Bush, are more consistent ideologues. Bush, who
lost the popular vote in 2000, lacks the electoral mandate Reagan got
with his 51 percent majority in 1980. But armed with the congressional
dominance Reagan never had, Bush has pursued his conservative agenda
with more single-minded fervor than Reagan did in his first term, or
even after he won 59 percent of the vote and 49 states in 1984.
Bush has
abrogated international treaties, launched a war opposed by important
U.S. allies, started construction of the anti-missile system Reagan
envisioned, cut taxes more often than Reagan and used his executive
authority to weaken protections for workers and the environment. He has
even proposed measures Reagan never dared espouse as president, such as
semi-privatization of Medicare and Social Security.
"There
is no evidence that Americans want to undo the New Deal," Republican
Rep. Jim Leach of Iowa said in 1982, when unemployment was above 10
percent, Reagan's approval rating was low and Republicans were running
scared. There is scant evidence that most Americans today might want to
undo the New Deal, but many of its central programs are being altered.
. . .
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Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of the late President Reagan.
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Sunday, June 6
Ronald Reagan's Political Legacy
by
Linda Thieman
on Sun 06 Jun 2004 03:47 PM CDT
Iowa Democrats Struggle to Regain Majority
by
Linda Thieman
on Sun 06 Jun 2004 11:19 AM CDT
Iowa Democrats Struggle to Regain Majority
Phillyburbs.com (Well, this is the headline on the AP wire, anyway. I don't know if I'd exactly characterize our quest to regain the Iowa House and Senate as a "struggle.") DES MOINES, Iowa - With only five seats standing between them and control of either chamber of the Iowa Legislature, Democrats say they're poised to regain power at the statehouse with enough wins come November. Democrats haven't held majority status in the House since 1992 or in the Senate since 1996, but party officials believe they are well positioned to win the needed seats to be in charge next year. Republicans now hold a 29-21 majority in the Senate and a 54-46 margin in the House. "We've got a great slate of candidates," said John McCormally, spokesman for the Democratic Party. "We're going to be in a good position to pick up those five seats." (more) How You Can Help Right Now . . . Which brings to mind DFIA Founding Member Dave Inbody's organization, Citizen Whip. Citizen Whip is an online fundraising tool that targets the 5 Iowa Senate and the 5 Iowa House races that Democrats are most likely to win in order to regain control of the Iowa Legislature. Adequate funding is key. Some of the candidates endorsed through Citizen Whip are fine progressives, such as Iowa Senate candidates John Drury (District 6) and Wayne Sawtelle (District 22), and Iowa House candidate Mike Owen (District 79). Through Citizen Whip, you can donate to a general fund to be dispersed evenly amongst the Top Ten, or you can donate to individual candidates. So, there IS a way that you can help, right now, sitting in your chair at your computer. We WILL regain the Iowa House and Senate. DFIA does not officially endorse any PAC.
Oh, Man, You Have Got To Read This
by
Linda Thieman
on Sun 06 Jun 2004 05:08 AM CDT
Oh, Man, You Have Got
To Read This
If you're in the mood for some heavy-duty Sunday morning reading, Liz Herbert from Rapid Response Network (formerly DeanRR) sent this along. Take a look at these articles from a website called Capitol Hill Blue: Because Nobody's Life, Liberty or Property Is Safe While Congress Is In Session. I've never heard of them before, and I can't vouch for the veracity of the reports, but Common Dreams picks up their articles, and with mainstream newspapers reporting on Bush falling on his face recently,... well, I guess that's totally unrelated. I just felt like mentioning it, for some reason. {smirk} Anyhoo, I'll let you make the judgment call for yourself. Apparently, it would seem that when at first your evil plan succeeds, you get really cranky when it falls to pieces. (Be forewarned - these may link to a bit of foul language. But what's even more shocking is that these stories keep referring to that guy who stole the election as "president" Bush!) Bush's Erratic Behavior Worries White House Aides Bush Fires, Then Praises, CIA Chief Tenet Bush Knew About Leak of CIA Operative's Name Now, here's an article by John Dean - no, not Howard's brother or father, as have alternately been reported mainly in the foreign media - but, of course, you'll remember him as the Watergate whistleblower, or the only guy in the Nixon Administration who actually told the truth upon occasion. The Serious Implications Of President Bush's Hiring A Personal Outside Counsel For The Valerie Plame Investigation Hope you can get through it all. But aren't the headlines at least intriguing? |
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