What does a BIDEN Presidency look like?

[crazy canuck]

I do think that you can lay on Reagan making it cool to view the government as a problem rather than a solution, to the point where it is uncritically regarded as common sense by many.  I think that was ultimately the most lasting legacy of his, and also the most toxic one.

Agreed: "the nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help."

That's had a long legacy on right and left. Not least because he was phenomenally gifted polician and remarkably charismatic.

You can see BB quoting that from time to time.  Ignoring Reagan's impact of thinking governments are good for nothing and should be limited as much as possible cannot be underestimated.

It's funny cuz I work for the government.

Yeah, the one area Conservatives think there is a role for government. 

[Maladict]

I think the argument is that if you know you have dementia, you and insist on taking on responsibilities that put people's lives at risk then you are culpable.

But it doesn't always work like that with dementia, or other diseases.

[garbon]

I think the argument is that if you know you have dementia, you and insist on taking on responsibilities that put people's lives at risk then you are culpable.

But it doesn't always work like that with dementia, or other diseases.

Okay but we had a president who walked back policies at least some of the time when he faced a backlash. I think it would be a mistake to try to say he wasn't aware of what he was doing.

[Eddie Teach]

And Beebs kind of loses his mind. If he gives the right wing story, why, that is just part of the discussion. But if you give the left wing story, that is beyond the pale, and some kind of personal attack on him.

Sad end for a once great poster.

I'd like my royalty check now.

[Maladict]

I think the argument is that if you know you have dementia, you and insist on taking on responsibilities that put people's lives at risk then you are culpable.

But it doesn't always work like that with dementia, or other diseases.

Okay but we had a president who walked back policies at least some of the time when he faced a backlash. I think it would be a mistake to try to say he wasn't aware of what he was doing.

I'm still having trouble accepting people like Trump exist. 

[garbon]

And Beebs kind of loses his mind. If he gives the right wing story, why, that is just part of the discussion. But if you give the left wing story, that is beyond the pale, and some kind of personal attack on him.

Sad end for a once great poster.

I'd like my royalty check now.

[Admiral Yi]

Go get em Beeb.

Or ignore em.

[Sheilbh]

I wonder that the emotional reaction is kind of telling as to how the conservative right got to where it is today.

I wonder if part of it is he's the last good Republican president for the conservative right?

Bush I promised "no new taxes" and raised taxes. Bush II came into office as a compassionate conservative, failed to achieve most of their more conservative domestic agenda and embroiled the party in two wars. Trump is Trump. The only consistent "achievement" in the last 30 years for a sort of thoughtful conservative right (probably excluding Bush I) is taxes and judges. They have not emerged with a more circumspect role in the world, or a smaller state etc.

If Reagan is also tarnished, then you've got Ford maybe but he hardly sets conservative hearts alight. But basically the conservative right wouldn't have a President to call their own who wasn't tarnished in some way (Nixon: Watergate, Ike: didn't really undo FDR/Truman's legacy, Hoover: the Depression) you're probably reaching back to Calvin Coolidge. If you believe you're part of a living political tradition and one that somehow embodies the nation ("America is a conservative/centre-right etc country") then it's problematic if you have to reach back 90 years to Calvin Coolidge for inspiration.

[Admiral Yi]

Interesting point Shelf.

Too bad they don't have a boner for Ike.  Ike was a near perfect Republican president. Arguably the best Republican president after Teddy and Bubba. 

And I supposed Teddy is too far back.

[The Larch]

Didn't Ike basically choose at random if he'd run as a Republican or a Democrat when he entered politics?

[Barrister]

Go get em Beeb.

Or ignore em.

I'm game for a deep, good faith political (or other) discussion any day.  It's what I live for.

But if people just want to shitpost, I'm out.  I've deeply soured on Languish the past few months for this reason.

[The Minsky Moment]

Interesting point Shelf.

Too bad they don't have a boner for Ike.  Ike was a near perfect Republican president. Arguably the best Republican president after Teddy and Bubba. 

Modern GOP won't go for a guy with 90% marginal tax rates on the rich and who sent in the Guard to desegregate schools.  Not to mention someone who put real resources into infrastructure, instead of BS talk about fake public-private partnerships.

[Razgovory]

In fairness, pretty much every domestic or foreign affairs problem can be traced back to the actions of a previous president.  At least in part.

[Admiral Yi]

Didn't Ike basically choose at random if he'd run as a Republican or a Democrat when he entered politics?

My understanding is he had overtures from both parties and chose Republican.

[alfred russel]

I wonder that the emotional reaction is kind of telling as to how the conservative right got to where it is today.

I wonder if part of it is he's the last good Republican president for the conservative right?

Bush I promised "no new taxes" and raised taxes. Bush II came into office as a compassionate conservative, failed to achieve most of their more conservative domestic agenda and embroiled the party in two wars. Trump is Trump. The only consistent "achievement" in the last 30 years for a sort of thoughtful conservative right (probably excluding Bush I) is taxes and judges. They have not emerged with a more circumspect role in the world, or a smaller state etc.

If Reagan is also tarnished, then you've got Ford maybe but he hardly sets conservative hearts alight. But basically the conservative right wouldn't have a President to call their own who wasn't tarnished in some way (Nixon: Watergate, Ike: didn't really undo FDR/Truman's legacy, Hoover: the Depression) you're probably reaching back to Calvin Coolidge. If you believe you're part of a living political tradition and one that somehow embodies the nation ("America is a conservative/centre-right etc country") then it's problematic if you have to reach back 90 years to Calvin Coolidge for inspiration.

I think he basically killed the republican party by achieving what it was all about. The mission in the 70s was lower taxes, smaller government, and a robust foreign policy. The passion for the last one kind of died with the soviet union (credited to Reagan, unfairly), but he cemented the US path to have lower taxes and lower government spending as a percent of GDP than almost every other OECD country. The US was an extreme outlier in health care of not covering most citizens until the rube goldberg "universal coverage" of Obamacare.

Clinton represented a third way -- basically conceding on small government to an extent but having a more pragmatic and compassionate approach. He conceded on lower taxes for the middle and lower class, not leaving much room to reduce taxes except for the wealthy. Republican initiatives became a bit absurd: such as privatizing a popular program like Social Security, or zillions of tax proposals that were ridiculously regressive.

A new way, unfortunately brought by Trump, was overdue.