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calimary

(90,775 posts)

16. Reagan was the beginning of this end.

Reply to IronLionZion (Reply #12)

Mon May 18, 2026, 09:55 PM

19 hrs ago

He played up his “aw shucks” schtick (“he’s SOOOOOO charming and funny and he sure does know what to do when the cameras are rolling! Let’s vote for HIM!”) to the hilt.

I’m proud to say I was never taken in by that schtick, but I’m guessing it was because I was on the air at the time and saw and heard a LOT of schtick. I knew Reagan was trouble but I never dreamed he would leave a mark this big.

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Highlight:

Big Majority Say the U.S. Is In Decline [View all] applegrove Yesterday OP

We have been in decline for the last 50 years in my opinion. ☮ walkingman Yesterday #1

Election of Reagan, inflection point. harumph Yesterday #8

Yep that was a date for the history books. Irish_Dem Yesterday #9

It sure was, and I was fresh out of HS and was seriously lacking in common sense. harumph Yesterday #10

It has always been the Republicans slowly destroying the US dave99 22 hrs ago #15

It's the worst in my lifetime kimbutgar Yesterday #2

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and pootin behind the gop pushing hard. SheltieLover Yesterday #5

The slippery race-to-the-bottom slope of late-stage capitalism. Intractable Yesterday #4

OK. HOW MANY OF THEM VOTED FOR THAT? n/t CousinIT Yesterday #6

I think it'll be a long crawl back from where we're headed 0rganism Yesterday #7

Which means that 1% think that this year, 2026, is the country's best year. I'm not so sure about that.... TheRickles 23 hrs ago #11

I can tell you exactly when I saw declines in America: during Trump, Bush, and Reagan IronLionZion 23 hrs ago #12

Reagan was the beginning of this end. calimary 19 hrs ago #16

It has been bad before, but nothing like this. Grim Chieftain 23 hrs ago #13

Wow gilligan 22 hrs ago #14