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Awsi Dooger

(14,565 posts)

103. This was my father's theme toward the end of his life

Sun Jul 23, 2017, 12:59 AM

Jul 2017

He was born in 1933 and died in 2012. He taught middle school civics for many years before becoming a college professor.

Throughout his later years he described the eras he had witnessed and invariably he would pinpoint the Reagan '80s as the turning point, the decade all the meaningful declines began. Most was covered in the OP. My dad before he died told me several times that he worried about myself and others in the family because he was sure the Reagan trends would only continue, that he hadn't seen close to the bottom.

I visit the grave sites of mom and dad every Sunday. I sit there and talk but seldom mention Trump or anything politics. I don't believe in life after death but just in case I don't want to subject them to all the ongoing atrocities. Dad despised Trump based on the birther crap but he would never believe this.

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America's current situation is just chickens from the '80s coming home to roost [View all] misanthrope Jul 2017 OP

Agree wryter2000 Jul 2017 #1

Careful using that phrase, "Chickens coming home to roost". gtar100 Jul 2017 #2

"a slight tinge of guilt perhaps?" FiveGoodMen Jul 2017 #91

The 80's were awful. Solly Mack Jul 2017 #3

Yes! Alice11111 Jul 2017 #61

that's what I tell people all the time.. this didn't happen overnight nini Jul 2017 #4

all we have to do is fix the fucking radio now certainot Jul 2017 #67

My first election was in 1980 and I was 18. I do not have fond memories. BigmanPigman Jul 2017 #5

And he took away my Pell grant. progressoid Jul 2017 #44

the texas textbook commission- the beginning of the dumbing down of the u.s. mopinko Jul 2017 #6

I think of the 80s as "The Great Abdication" . . . hatrack Jul 2017 #7

Even Dennis Miller Mr.Bill Jul 2017 #9

I once said that my Boy Scout troop could've taken Grenada.... lastlib Jul 2017 #13

Well, we can't have people focusing on 220 dead Marines in Beirut can we? misanthrope Jul 2017 #28

People forget just how much this country indulges republican fuck wittery Cosmocat Jul 2017 #52

Very well said! misanthrope Jul 2017 #27

well said, noble hatrack 0rganism Jul 2017 #39

the reagan bush treason was discovered but they killed the fairness doctrine certainot Jul 2017 #66

Reagan tripled the national debt and the cons called him a hero BeyondGeography Jul 2017 #8

And don't forget Mr.Bill Jul 2017 #10

And the ascendancy of the so-called Religious Right BeyondGeography Jul 2017 #12

Yeah, the 80s debacle in science, environment and public health . . . . hatrack Jul 2017 #60

The warnings about Greenhouse Effect had been out misanthrope Jul 2017 #85

Except Keynes would have kicked him in the balls for doing what he did jmowreader Jul 2017 #17

That changed in the years preceding Reagan's election. misanthrope Jul 2017 #30

Not to mention . . . HughBeaumont Jul 2017 #57

I remember the 80's as the beginning of the assault against women katmondoo Jul 2017 #11

Well, the beginning of the backlash against whatever feminism had been able to accomplish in the 60s meadowlander Jul 2017 #108

The 80's should be a lesson for everyone who thinks that "Burn It Down" VermontKevin Jul 2017 #14

70's, We were not much better... mgardener Jul 2017 #15

Ronald Reagan The Wizard Jul 2017 #16

Thank you Alice11111 Jul 2017 #63

You're exactly right, I love the eighties, why wouldn't a 19-year-old MiddleClass Jul 2017 #18

"Bill Clinton was a breath of fresh air" misanthrope Jul 2017 #31

You had to be convicted of a crime, to be hurt by that MiddleClass Jul 2017 #33

America did not want an FDR at the time. Dawson Leery Jul 2017 #99

Sometimes the ugly truth pops up and stops me in my tracks. democrank Jul 2017 #19

Agree with your analysis bucolic_frolic Jul 2017 #20

Greed, for the lack of a better term, is good MiddleClass Jul 2017 #22

In the 80s we got Raygun. It all began there. kairos12 Jul 2017 #21

John Lennon murdered in Dec.1980. ms liberty Jul 2017 #23

The 80s was a desert, as far as music. I'm unfamiliar with a lot of the... Honeycombe8 Jul 2017 #24

I respectfully disagree Alpeduez21 Jul 2017 #53

Most of those you name who ARE relevant... Honeycombe8 Jul 2017 #73

Wow, you have missed a lot!! Coventina Jul 2017 #59

50 yrs from now, most people won't know who those people are or those songs. Honeycombe8 Jul 2017 #72

All righty then. Coventina Jul 2017 #74

More prophecy. LanternWaste Jul 2017 #87

I'm not criticizing people & music you like to hurt your feelings. Honeycombe8 Jul 2017 #95

I dig a lot of that list and others in this tangent misanthrope Jul 2017 #86

I think the quality stuff (as discussed here) will be durable, however. Coventina Jul 2017 #92

Yup. Its not our fault. It is our parents' fault. TomCADem Jul 2017 #25

I do see the reality of what was going on in the world in the eighties. Doreen Jul 2017 #26

For me, it was the Nixon pardon. displacedtexan Jul 2017 #29

We also came dangerously close to a nuclear war ThoughtCriminal Jul 2017 #32

Reagan made greed and idiocy fashionable Skittles Jul 2017 #34

Someone's relationship with a period in time is pretty personal Sen. Walter Sobchak Jul 2017 #35

yuppies. spanone Jul 2017 #36

Great writing! Spot on. BadGimp Jul 2017 #37

America chose greed. Dawson Leery Jul 2017 #38

Yep, I thought it took guts to deliver his "malaise" speech misanthrope Jul 2017 #41

Yes, the 80's were a belligerent repudiation of Jimmy Carter and the direction he laid out for us. NBachers Jul 2017 #62

In all fairness, I think the SUV trend revved up in the 1990s. misanthrope Jul 2017 #84

How did you like the 90s? oberliner Jul 2017 #40

In some ways misanthrope Jul 2017 #42

It was exciting to finally have a Democrat in the White House oberliner Jul 2017 #43

I thought bigotry was less excusable as well. Lyricalinklines Jul 2017 #46

NOPE - it got worse Cosmocat Jul 2017 #56

I agree with your timely, well written post. I'd like to add... Lyricalinklines Jul 2017 #45

Maybe it began with the invention of television BainsBane Jul 2017 #47

The 80s was the start of the class war against the middle and working class. Yavin4 Jul 2017 #48

I never understood runaway inflation of the seventies MiddleClass Jul 2017 #81

Yup that scum Rayguns started the ball rolling workinclasszero Jul 2017 #49

Well written, sir! chwaliszewski Jul 2017 #50

The fall of nixon madokie Jul 2017 #51

I can't despise the 80's because I was a child then. Zing Zing Zingbah Jul 2017 #54

same crazycatlady Jul 2017 #100

Yeah, I thought the 80's were good times Zing Zing Zingbah Jul 2017 #105

I don't remember the Challenger crazycatlady Jul 2017 #106

The 80's were when I realized how soulless and empty this country really is. alarimer Jul 2017 #55

We had a president who asked nothing of us and blamed all ills on "the other". Boomerproud Jul 2017 #104

yes and no... Javaman Jul 2017 #58

Without Reagan, that SCOTUS doesn't exist. misanthrope Jul 2017 #89

I remember it too well. byronius Jul 2017 #64

Greed is good. shockey80 Jul 2017 #65

Trumpism is zentrum Jul 2017 #68

I remember election night, 1980. TygrBright Jul 2017 #69

Meh the 80s we're awesome Egnever Jul 2017 #70

Please, please do not forget Reagan's vicious . . FairWinds Jul 2017 #71

Well said mdbl Jul 2017 #75

Totally in agreement with the exception of music. YOHABLO Jul 2017 #76

As I explained to another poster, the good stuff was mostly underground misanthrope Jul 2017 #90

Bingo. This coup started with Reagan. broadcaster90210 Jul 2017 #77

Reagan's trick, bad decisions and poor educations are the roosting chickens. Democrats_win Jul 2017 #78

Great rant! Also, Reagan colluded with Iran to manipulate U.S. election and in doing so kept suffragette Jul 2017 #79

k and r!!!!!! niyad Jul 2017 #80

I grew up in the DC Suburbs, went off to College in 1978, came back in 1983 Burma Jones Jul 2017 #82

and the teevee gnewz still sucking raygun's balls. pansypoo53219 Jul 2017 #83

Very good analysis Hekate Jul 2017 #88

I usually find Bill Maher obnoxious, but he accurately nailed Reagan for our problems today. robertpaulsen Jul 2017 #93

Precisely misanthrope Jul 2017 #97

Thanks. Watching it later. underpants Jul 2017 #101

Completely agree with your assessment GetRidOfThem Jul 2017 #94

I agree 100% joanbarnes Jul 2017 #96

This is when the Republicans began really using propaganda - Newt Gingrich's "Contract With America kerry-is-my-prez Jul 2017 #98

Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous underpants Jul 2017 #102

This was my father's theme toward the end of his life Awsi Dooger Jul 2017 #103

Good for your father in dedicating his life to education misanthrope Jul 2017 #109

That is when Newt Gingrich came up with his propaganda tools - used to this day. It was cited kerry-is-my-prez Jul 2017 #107