Thursday, August 4, 2011

Where have you gone Ronald Reagan?


The cruelest myth fostered by the liberals is that the Great Society was a great boon and benefit to the poor; in reality, when we cut through the frothy appearances to the cold reality underneath, the poor are the major victims of the welfare state. The poor are victimized too by a welfare state of which the cardinal tenet is perpetual if controlled inflation. The inflation and the heavy government spending favor the businesses of the military-industrial complex, while the poor and the retired, those on fixed pensions are hit the hardest.
The 1970s were perhaps the worst decade of most industrialized countries' economic performance since the Great Depression. Much like our situation today in America the 70s closely mirrors life today. Although there was no severe economic depression as witnessed in the 1930s or today, economic growth rates were considerably lower than previous decades. The oil shocks of 1973 and 1979 added to the existing ailments and conjured high inflation throughout much of the world for the rest of the decade. U.S. manufacturing industries began to decline as a result, with the US running its last trade surplus as of 2009 in 1975. Today’s inflation has been self induced in the name of stimulating our economy.
The seventies were a true trifecta of failure. Nixon’s tarnished presidency filled was with poor economic decisions and illegal activity. Just when we thought it couldn’t get worse along came Gerald Ford and corrected the record as he presided over a failing economy and more regulation. But then when we really thought that it couldn’t get worse, wrong again here’s Jimmy! As president Jimmy Carter presided over one of the worst economies in our history. He was the third strike in a really bad at bat for the American presidency. The whammy for our modern era is the combined effect of the presidency of George W. Bush who drove up our national debt geometrically while entangling us in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. This was capped off by Barack Obama’s misguided attempts to revive our economy using a massive credit card which will be paid for by succeeding generations.
Dealing skillfully with Congress, President Reagan obtained legislation to stimulate economic growth, curb inflation and increase employment after his election in 1980. He embarked upon a course of cutting taxes and Government expenditures, refusing to deviate from it when the strengthening of defense forces led to a large deficit. The central theme of Reagan's national agenda, however, was his belief that the federal government had become too big and intrusive.
In the early 1980s, while he was cutting taxes, Reagan was also slashing social programs. Reagan also undertook a campaign throughout his tenure to reduce or eliminate government regulations affecting the consumer, the workplace, and the environment.
In 1986 Reagan obtained an overhaul of the income tax code, which eliminated many deductions and exempted millions of people with low incomes. At the end of his administration, the Nation was enjoying its longest recorded period of peacetime prosperity without recession or depression.
Overall, the Reagan years saw a restoration of prosperity, and the goal of peace through strength seemed to be within grasp. At the end of his two terms in office, Ronald Reagan viewed with satisfaction the achievements of his innovative program known as the Reagan Revolution, which aimed to reinvigorate the American people and reduce their reliance upon Government. He felt he had fulfilled his campaign pledge of 1980 to restore "the great, confident roar of American progress and growth and optimism."
In the line of Paul Simon’s Mrs. Robinson, “where have you gone Joe DiMaggio, a nation turns its lonely eyes to you.” We might substitute for Joe DiMaggio, the name Ronald Reagan. As we then ask for America’s lonely eyes to be lifted once again to that city on a hill that President Reagan lifted us to. So where have you gone Ronald Reagan a country turns it’s lonely eyes toward you!