• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Is Ronald Reagan the best President all time?

Was Ronald Reagan the best President of the all times?

  • I'm a right leaning American, yes

    Votes: 2 2.2%
  • I'm a right leaning American, yes and the United Statss needs a President like him now

    Votes: 9 9.9%
  • I'm a left leaning American, yes

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • I'm a left leaning American, yes and the United States needs a President like him now

    Votes: 1 1.1%
  • I'm a right leaning American, no

    Votes: 23 25.3%
  • I'm a left leaning American, no

    Votes: 41 45.1%
  • I'm not from America, yes

    Votes: 1 1.1%
  • I'm not from America, no

    Votes: 14 15.4%

  • Total voters
    91
In 1984 Ronald Reagan got the best result in history of the United Staates Of America. The Reaganomics were popular all around the world. Do you think that he was the greatest President of the United States?

I loved Reagan at the time. I still rank him as one of our five best presidents ever, for one reason and one reason only: he won the Cold War without it ever really turning hot. That's huge, and overshadows everything else he did right or wrong. I also give him credit for restoring our national pride...it felt really good at the time, but now I think that kind of attitude played a big part in Bush Jr's decision to lie us into invading Iraq. But that's just unfounded speculation on my part.

Reagan screwed our economy but good. He tripled our national debt. His "trickle-down" Reaganomics was called "voodoo economics" by Bush Sr. for very good reason...because as Al Sharpton (whom I don't like) said, "we got the down, but we never got the trickle". After being adjusted for inflation, thanks to Reaganomics, the rich made out like bandits...but wage growth has stayed pretty much flat since then.

Reagan had to have known about (and approved of) Iran-Contra. If he'd have been a Democratic president involved in the same thing, the Right would not have rested until he was (rightly) impeached. But because he was a Republican president, it was "let's circle the wagons against those Democrats and those reporters!"

I give him credit for winning the Cold War because he was the captain of the Ship of State, and just like the captain of a ship, the one in charge gets all the blame...and all the credit. If not for his victory in the Cold War, Reagan was a truly crappy president. But because he DID win the Cold War - which literally threatened all of human civilization - he rightly deserves to be called one of our five best presidents ever.

The best two (in no particular order) were Washington and Lincoln. The other three (in descending order) were FDR, Reagan...and yes, President Obama. If you'll notice, all five of these presidents share one common thread - they ALL faced and overcame challenges that were greater than any faced by the other unnamed presidents. I know you won't agree, but you asked my opinion, and that's it.
 
Reagan was the best President of my lifetime. Of course that isn't saying much, since I was born when JFK was President, and all Presidents from him onward, including him, were less than mediocre, if not awful...except Reagan.

I can safely say that he was one of the country's greatest leaders and he had many accomplishments as President. But not sure if he was the best President ever.
 
I'm going to assume you know how legislation is passed. When the executive and legislative clash one thing happens but it often takes different paths. Clinton was dragged into a balanced budget by a government shutdown. Reagan on the other hand formed a working relationship with Tip O'Neil and they traded ideas on legislation. Democrats under Obama didn't even bother to pass budgets and instead relied on endless debt ceiling raises resulting in record deficits. By the end of his time in office Obama will have spent as much as all former presidents combined. Bitch about that.

And right on cue, the discussion turns to Obama. :roll:

Tell you what, I'll bitch about Obama's deficit when you acknowledge that the Great Gipper cared nothing about running up same throughout his presidency. Because that's where all this deficit spending began. If you can bring yourself to acknowledging that "Ye' Old Conservative Sage" had faults, then I can certainly (and have) acknowledge that Obama had made mistakes, too.
 
Where do I write that the government is manipulating the rich. Can you read English?

Try here at your post #7...

This mantra of "the 1%" is pretty silly and meaningless. But I take it you are referring to the rich. They are not "afraid" but they have the means and opportunity to make full use of the tax code. Another example of how greater government attempts at manipulation (through an ever more complicated tax code) has absolutely zero effect.
 
And right on cue, the discussion turns to Obama. :roll:

Tell you what, I'll bitch about Obama's deficit when you acknowledge that the Great Gipper cared nothing about running up same throughout his presidency. Because that's where all this deficit spending began. If you can bring yourself to acknowledging that "Ye' Old Conservative Sage" had faults, then I can certainly (and have) acknowledge that Obama had made mistakes, too.


Reaganomics Vs. Obamanomics: Facts And Figures - Forbes

As a result, while the Reagan recovery averaged 7.1% economic growth over the first seven quarters, the Obama recovery has produced less than half that at 2.8%, with the last quarter at a dismal 1.8%. After seven quarters of the Reagan recovery, unemployment had fallen 3.3 percentage points from its peak to 7.5%, with only 18% unemployed long-term for 27 weeks or more. After seven quarters of the Obama recovery, unemployment has fallen only 1.3 percentage points from its peak, with a postwar record 45% long-term unemployed.

The article is well done, I'd post the whole thing if it was good form.
 
In 1984 Ronald Reagan got the best result in history of the United Staates Of America. The Reaganomics were popular all around the world. Do you think that he was the greatest President of the United States?


He is arguably the worst president in American history. He also didn't get the best result in American history. Both Johnson in 1964 and FDR in 1936 got a larger percentage of the popular vote. In fact Reagan was surpassed in that by LBJ, Nixon, and Warren Harding. Not really a list of extraordinary presidents (though FDR is the greatest modern president, so it is not bad being behind him). FDR also got a higher percentage of electoral votes than Reagan, but there were fewer total electoral votes at the time, so Reagan has a larger total. So since FDR surpassed Reagan in both cases, can we then agree that he was actually the greatest president? Or does your illogical logic not work in this instance, since it goes against your partisan preconceptions?

Just because he fundamentally strengthened the economy, won the Cold War and had a wonderful voice?


The economy has been significantly worse since he was president. He had a minor role to play in ending the Cold War. And the wonderful voice part I imagine is a way for you to say he is likable and charming, which is actually true. Awful president, but a really likable guy.
 
Reagan was the best President of my lifetime. Of course that isn't saying much, since I was born when JFK was President, and all Presidents from him onward, including him, were less than mediocre, if not awful...except Reagan.

I can safely say that he was one of the country's greatest leaders and he had many accomplishments as President. But not sure if he was the best President ever.


What were his accomplishments? And please don't say he won the Cold War, because I can't deal with that absurd nonsense anymore. He was certainly charming and likable, but there was nothing of value he accomplished. He destroyed decades of American prosperity built on the back of a flourishing middle class, and started the restructuring of the economy to benefit almost solely the wealthy. A trend which continued under Bush, Clinton, Bush, and Obama.... But it was Reagan who started us down that unimaginably terrible path. He was a truly awful president for that reason alone. His place at the forefront of the neoliberal revolution along with Margaret Thatcher, puts him in a position where he should be completely scorned. Few things (with the possible exception of the war in Iraq) have been more destructive to American interests over the last decades.
 
The "Reagan recovery" (false stats aside) came from massive increases in government spending, hiring, and debt accumulation. Are you saying Obama should have matched Reagans pace in those metrics?

From the link: Reagan economic policy

1. Cut tax rates to restore incentives for economic growth, which was implemented first with a reduction in the top income tax rate of 70% down to 50%, and then a 25% across-the-board reduction in income tax rates for everyone. The 1986 tax reform then reduced tax rates further, leaving just two rates, 28% and 15%.

2. Spending reductions, including a $31 billion cut in spending in 1981, close to 5% of the federal budget then, or the equivalent of about $175 billion in spending cuts for the year today. In constant dollars, nondefense discretionary spending declined by 14.4% from 1981 to 1982, and by 16.8% from 1981 to 1983. Moreover, in constant dollars, this nondefense discretionary spending never returned to its 1981 level for the rest of Reagan’s two terms! Even with the Reagan defense buildup, which won the Cold War without firing a shot, total federal spending declined from a high of 23.5% of GDP in 1983 to 21.3% in 1988 and 21.2% in 1989. That’s a real reduction in the size of government relative to the economy of 10%.


3. Anti-inflation monetary policy restraining money supply growth compared to demand, to maintain a stronger, more stable dollar value.

Opposed to Obama stimulus, bail outs, too big to fail and constant pumping resulting in weak growth and the longest recovery in American history.
 
From the link: Reagan economic policy



Opposed to Obama stimulus, bail outs, too big to fail and constant pumping resulting in weak growth and the longest recovery in American history.


LOL, from your link
The Reagan recovery started in official records in November 1982, and lasted 92 months without a recession until July 1990, when the tax increases of the 1990 budget deal killed it. This set a new record for the longest peacetime expansion ever, the previous high in peacetime being 58 months.

what did "Reagan" do during THOSE years, and why does the author ignore them?
 
Reagan had the best Presidential personality of those who have come along in my lifetime. However, when he eliminated the top tax brackets, from 93 per cent down to about 35 per cent, in the name of tax "simplification" (this was before anyone thought to use the term 'class warfare'), he began an era that continues through the present. His actions have greatly widened a gap between the ultra-rich and everyone else. It will take another Teddy Roosevelt to reverse Reagan's success.

its an abomination that anyone should have to pay more than 25% of their next dollar to a bloated federal government
 
LOL, from your link


what did "Reagan" do during THOSE years, and why does the author ignore them?

He acted as president, ended the cold war, maintained a stable currency, saved lots of trees by not printing tons of currency.
 
Jimmy Carter was a far better president. No, I'm not joking.
 
No, I mean with respect to economic and fiscal metrics.
You know, the points I raised?

You asked what did Reagan do during those years. To which years are you referring?
 
Second worst is still bad.

In this post, you just admitted Reagan is the worst president of all.

LMAO!!!!


jack-nicholson-o.gif
 
TurtleDude, I agree with you about the size of government. It is way too large and is totally inefficient. However, back when I was a small boy and this nation was number one, after WWII, those high 90% tax rates were only imposed on the highest portions of income, in a progressive manner. Adjusted for inflation, if Reagan had not succeeded in eliminating those highest rate levels, today's billionaires would still be billionaires, but the taxes on the middle class would have been much less of a burden, and those of us in the middle class would be better off relatively. The troublesome widening divide between the super rich and the rest of us would not be quite so horrific. Sorry I did not make his point originally.
 
This may come as a surprise to you but the rich (and talented) have the habit of making themselves richer. They don't need a President or a government for that.
Interesting that they spend such an obscene amount of money to ensure corporate stooges are elected, then.
 
Lincoln and Washington are undoubtedly number 1 and 2. Reagan was a middling President and not in the same ballpark as either of those.
 
In this post, you just admitted Reagan is the worst president of all.

LMAO!!!!


jack-nicholson-o.gif

I'm gong to assume that you are intelligent enough to know what I was talking about. Should I not give you that much credit?
 
Lincoln and Washington are undoubtedly number 1 and 2. Reagan was a middling President and not in the same ballpark as either of those.


Were you around when Reagan replaced Carter?

I'd agree with you that Washington was a visionary and a great President in an interesting time. I would add Lincoln to your list.

The thing I remember most about the Reagan election is that feeling of despair that most people felt under Carter and the morning after the election watching the news and feeling that their was hope again. Honestly, that's what I felt and why I like Reagan. The country did recover from the Carter presidency and that hope turned into a pretty good eight years.
 
Were you around when Reagan replaced Carter?

I'd agree with you that Washington was a visionary and a great President in an interesting time. I would add Lincoln to your list.

The thing I remember most about the Reagan election is that feeling of despair that most people felt under Carter and the morning after the election watching the news and feeling that their was hope again. Honestly, that's what I felt and why I like Reagan. The country did recover from the Carter presidency and that hope turned into a pretty good eight years.

Lincoln is on my list ;). I usually rank him #1 and Washington #2.

I voted for Reagan, 1980 was the first election I was old enough to vote in.

I agree that he was a vast improvement over Carter, who I felt was a nice guy who was in way over his head. The economy did improve but income taxes were increases and he presided over a large expansion in the War on Drugs, which continues as an unmitigated disaster.
 
Lincoln is on my list ;). I usually rank him #1 and Washington #2.

I voted for Reagan, 1980 was the first election I was old enough to vote in.

I agree that he was a vast improvement over Carter, who I felt was a nice guy who was in way over his head. The economy did improve but income taxes were increases and he presided over a large expansion in the War on Drugs, which continues as an unmitigated disaster.

Largely agree however I kind of see the war on drugs as defense of culture. I agree some penalties for simple possession are overly severe but generally I don't think anesthetizing the populace is a positive move for society.
 
In 1984 Ronald Reagan got the best result in history of the United Staates Of America. The Reaganomics were popular all around the world. Do you think that he was the greatest President of the United States?

I didn't answer your poll because who was the 'greatest' is so subjective and in the eye of the beholder. But I have lived a good long life--hopefully to continue a bit longer--and therefore have been aware of many presidents. And for me, none of them could stir the sense of 'can do' or possibilities or appreciation for liberty and practical values like a Reagan speech could do and can still do to this day. He had a great capacity to make people believe and aspire to greater things. I believe he embodied and promoted the spirit of liberty, opportunities, options, and self governance better than any other President ever.

Does that make him the greatest? Again that depends on what criteria one uses to determine greatness.

But did he lift the concept of the greatness of a free people to new heights? I believe he certainly did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR5Akmygncc
 
Back
Top Bottom