General Discussion

Bucky

(55,334 posts)

44. You said something nice about Reagan. Prepare to be flamed.

Thu Dec 15, 2011, 05:58 PM

Dec 2011

I never saw it myself, but I know a lot of people were taken in. I agree with your larger point, that the current crop of nutballs are unpleasant and smarmy in comparison. I think Reagan only looks good in comparison to them. His dishonest "welfare queen" anecdotes played to peoples' worst prejudices. The ugliness in the 2012 candidates is a natural evolutionary result set in motion by the aloof misanthropy of Reagan's public persona.

And because their leaders have gotten meaner, the Republican Party's rank and file have gotten meaner in the last 30 years as well. He might've been charming in person, but my charm detector was always thrown out of wack by my proximity to the harms caused by his politics. I wasn't willing to see his charm.

Of all today's leading Republicans, I consider Mike Huckabee the most dangerous, because he's the one who talks intead of pontificating. I think he's the Gipper's natural heir; he's the one who can slap on a big friendly smile while cutting off funding to anti-poverty programs.

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Although I hated Reagan's policies, the man himself was likable, homey, witty, and personable. [View all] Bandit Dec 2011 OP

UH, I don't think so. givemebackmycountry Dec 2011 #1

Yes that was one of the many positions he and the Republicans took but the man himself Bandit Dec 2011 #4

He was an actor. SomethingFishy Dec 2011 #14

I know what you're saying PatSeg Dec 2011 #40

My impression was that he was soulless NNN0LHI Dec 2011 #2

Just look at any of the Polls ... Cigar11 Dec 2011 #3

He was an actor who was whatever the sufrommich Dec 2011 #5

Actually Newt kind of reminds me of Reagan rurallib Dec 2011 #26

Glib and clueless pretty much covers sufrommich Dec 2011 #47

I thought he was an ignorant ass RainDog Dec 2011 #6

Likable, homey, witty, and personable if you were white, rich or middle class. FSogol Dec 2011 #7

I couldn't bear to watch him. I felt he was ACTING likeable, homey, etc. All surface. Demit Dec 2011 #8

He was a phony and an idiot. I'm sure he had a mean streak, too--otherwise librechik Dec 2011 #9

He creeped me out really bad, like looking into the eyes of a dead rattlesnake. nt Zorra Dec 2011 #10

I have heard the W Drale Dec 2011 #11

Reagan was proof that personality trumps policy. Sky Masterson Dec 2011 #12

Things slow at the other site today? RiffRandell Dec 2011 #20

Which site are you talking about? Sky Masterson Dec 2011 #35

We see things in ways which better validate our own biases... LanternWaste Dec 2011 #37

smarmy asshole, more like it bigtree Dec 2011 #13

Reagan always seemed like a phoney to me. And look at Patti Davis. closeupready Dec 2011 #15

He would give you the shirt off his back, then sign a bill to impoverish millions. immoderate Dec 2011 #16

IIRC it was Tip O'Neill who said that hifiguy Dec 2011 #28

Much requoted, it could have been Sam Donaldson... immoderate Dec 2011 #31

In our house we call that "all frosting-no cake"... n/t SoCalDem Dec 2011 #65

The sound of his voice made me want to puke. Greybnk48 Dec 2011 #17

He was your creepy uncle Ron. Not yours specifically, but GoneOffShore Dec 2011 #18

Creepy. That's the vibe I always got. hunter Dec 2011 #29

He was an actor used in a role. You are mistaking mockery, smarm, gloating, and pestilence Fire Walk With Me Dec 2011 #19

A wooden spokespuppet for GE, Donald Regan, Poppy and their cronies. HughBeaumont Dec 2011 #21

Reagan's public persona was likable, homey, witty, and personal: indepat Dec 2011 #22

Fuck Reagan. Itchinjim Dec 2011 #23

Reagan was a soulless, vindictive, mean prick. Ikonoklast Dec 2011 #24

My parents hated his policies and hated him. RiffRandell Dec 2011 #25

He was creepy, phoney. Hatchling Dec 2011 #27

Sorry, never liked him as a politician or an actor. Lint Head Dec 2011 #30

So was Joseph Goebbels. baldguy Dec 2011 #32

Ghouls and Monsters They_Live Dec 2011 #33

For a drooling idiot with fascist policies he wasn't quite as stupid as a boiled turnip. Tierra_y_Libertad Dec 2011 #34

Not to me. He came off to me as wooden, patronizing and phony. marmar Dec 2011 #36

I always kind of got the "Weekend at Bernie's" vibe from him smirkymonkey Dec 2011 #46

I always thought he was creepy, kind of oily frazzled Dec 2011 #38

Yeah, but only when he was an actor playing roles as likable, homey, witty and personable. n/t RebelOne Dec 2011 #39

a likeable homey murderer unionworks Dec 2011 #41

...as most morons are. chaska Dec 2011 #42

He Was the Teflon President, Worried senior Dec 2011 #43

You said something nice about Reagan. Prepare to be flamed. Bucky Dec 2011 #44

I was a kid during his era and knew nothing about politics then Blue_Tires Dec 2011 #45

Reagan was like a colony of cockroaches wearing a wrinkly mansuit. a simple pattern Dec 2011 #48

He did try to come across as those things The Genealogist Dec 2011 #49

"He's a drug store truck drivin' man, unionworks Dec 2011 #50

It hurts me to remember these things unionworks Dec 2011 #51

I think he was far more evil than any GOP candidate today. David__77 Dec 2011 #52

I agree, he was a very likable guy quinnox Dec 2011 #53

Many died under Reagan's policies due to AIDS William769 Dec 2011 #54

OK, I need to change fonts. I thought you wrote "horny", darkstar3 Dec 2011 #55

He was professionally trained to present a pleasant personality to the public. Kablooie Dec 2011 #56

"When he laughed, stout senators rolled in the aisles. Hardrada Dec 2011 #57

Was he, though? Not being contrarian, but... Norrin Radd Dec 2011 #58

This says it all... ClassWarrior Dec 2011 #59

Thanks quaker bill Dec 2011 #62

Likeable? Witty? tawadi Dec 2011 #60

I did not find him likable quaker bill Dec 2011 #61

Reagan was a dick. n/t cordelia Dec 2011 #63

He was an actor SoCalDem Dec 2011 #64