Happy Birthday Mr. President

[RecycleMichael]

I also loved his tax rates...for seven of Reagan's eight years as President the tax rates were higher than they are currently.

I guess that didn't kill the economy. But somehow under a democrat President it is today.

[Conan71]

I also loved his tax rates...for seven of Reagan's eight years as President the tax rates were higher than they are currently.

I guess that didn't kill the economy. But somehow under a democrat President it is today.

A lot of people who claim to be "Reagan conservatives" these days aren't.  Reagan realized the value of a compromise.  Being a conservative does not mean continuing to rack up huge debt while keeping tax rates incredibly low as some sort of panacea for the economy, at all cost.  There's more than lower taxes to a great economy.  

His greatest gift was his personality, his directness, his vision, and his ability to convey those in to his speeches which inspired millions of Americans to believe they weren't bound by class for the rest of their life, they could start their own business and succeed, there could be jobs for every American who wanted one.  He spoke of prosperity for everyone.  As a result, we experienced the greatest period of peacetime expansion in American history.  That's indisputable.  The means by which that happened are debatable, but sound leadership had a lot to do with it, IMO.

He was a fantastic unifier which explains why he beat Mondale so badly in 1984 even though the economic recovery at the time was still somewhat shaky and there were people who were not happy with his tax policies as well as his borrowing to cover shortfalls in the treasury.  We finally had a proud moment in history after the social unrest of Viet Nam, political scandal with Watergate, and a general malaise under Ford and Carter.

I had just started my freshman year at OSU in the fall of 1984.  I think most people my age were inspired by him as someone they would have loved to have for a grandfather.  I really didn't understand nor care in the difference between liberals and conservatives.  My dad was a Democrat and my mother was a Republican.  I registered as a Republican because I liked the direction President Reagan had the country moving in.

His political opponents and enemies may have disagreed with him or his policies, but at least they respected him.  I'm still embarrassed that Newt Gingrich slammed the door on respect between opposition leaders and sitting presidents.  I can't believe he's got the audacity to run for office again, not because of his blatant personal hypocrisy, but what he did to ruin respect between political foes.

That's the difference I see today.  No doubt President Obama faces a much more hostile political environment than Reagan could have ever imagined and that makes his job more difficult.  However, President Obama could look to President Reagan's speeches to see what made the difference in the economy.  It wasn't so much his tax policy, job programs, or any legislation, it was the confidence he inspired in the country and the economy.  President Obama talks about the prosperity of a few coming on the backs of others.  That creates hopelessness and creates a rift of class envy as well as conveying a message of hostility toward those who can best create private sector jobs right now.  Going back to the OP, it's interesting he takes up the cause of the poor but doesn't ever seem to associate with them.  It's as if he's always campaigning: put the sound bites out which keep the left happy as if he's still advancing their causes, but constantly appearing with and associating  with the wealthy while getting them to plunk down tens of thousands of dollars to hang out with him.

If Obama intends to win the 2012 election he needs to change the message and change it quickly to a message that we are all in this together, there's opportunity for everyone, and that he believes in American business and those who own American businesses.  Perhaps you could say it's due to a bias, but I honestly cannot think of when I've ever really heard a unifying message out of Barack Obama's mouth.

/Requisite Reagan gushing.

[AquaMan]

Its good to see, that in some ways, you are as conflicted with Reagan, republicans, dems and politics in general as the rest of us.

I keep humming a song that's popular right now, "Tonight, Tonight". I think it represents the feeling that politics imparts to those behind us.

[nathanm]

President Obama talks about the prosperity of a few coming on the backs of others.  That creates hopelessness and creates a rift of class envy as well as conveying a message of hostility toward those who can best create private sector jobs right now.

Ironic that Sarah Palin's Obama catchphrase became "hopey changey." It's also ironic that we constantly grumble about politicians being pathological liars, but as soon as one of them comes out and tells it how it is they get slammed for not being optimistic enough. It really is a game that can't be won.

I mean, like it or not, he's 100% right about the usual job creators not creating any jobs. The prosperity of Wall Street is in fact being made on the backs of the rest of us. It's not polite to say, but it is 100% true at the present time.

[Conan71]

Ironic that Sarah Palin's Obama catchphrase became "hopey changey." It's also ironic that we constantly grumble about politicians being pathological liars, but as soon as one of them comes out and tells it how it is they get slammed for not being optimistic enough. It really is a game that can't be won.

I mean, like it or not, he's 100% right about the usual job creators not creating any jobs. The prosperity of Wall Street is in fact being made on the backs of the rest of us. It's not polite to say, but it is 100% true at the present time.

It's as if he doesn't care why they aren't creating jobs and he doesn't realize that his very words are making CEO's very reticent about creating new jobs within our borders these days.  You can't sit around and demonize potential employers and expect them to feel very optimistic about expanding their business.  A big part of leadership is inspiration.

I'm not making this up, this is what people who are in a position to hire other people are saying.  I wish it weren't so, but it is.

It's sort of like someone who beats their dog constantly then they are shocked when the dog takes a huge hunk out of their donkey. 

[nathanm]

I'm not making this up, this is what people who are in a position to hire other people are saying.

That is indeed their excuse. Well, more like a talking point that distracts from the real issue: demand.

[guido911]

It's also ironic that we constantly grumble about politicians being pathological liars, but as soon as one of them comes out and tells it how it is they get slammed for not being optimistic enough. It really is a game that can't be won.

Who are you talking about? Certainly not Obama who's administration never lied when it announced that passing stimulus would prevent 8% or more unemployment. And if you are talking about Obama's optimism, his entire campaign was this "Hope and Change" crap, which of course led to this:

and this:

Now that he is in charge and failing, its time to eat our peas or whatever other insipid excuse for his absolute failed economic policies.

Obama and Julio.

Now, who here feels old after hearing that song.

[Conan71]

That is indeed their excuse. Well, more like a talking point that distracts from the real issue: demand.

I'd believe that if GDP were shrinking, but it's not.  It's still weak, but it's not retracting.  But that's fine, you don't have to believe what these people are saying, I'm willing to take it on face value. 

I know plenty of industries which aren't suffering from a lack of demand right now and their job growth simply is not exploding for several reasons.  There's still enough lack of confidence in a sustained recovery.  Talk of a double dip right now has a lot of people loathe to spend on expansion or to hire new people they might be letting go in six months to a year.  And out of pure ignorance of what all costs will be associated with Obamacare, it's making employers hesitant to add to their payrolls. 

Instead, their customers are now used to the idea that production times are longer, in many cases doubled for the same output as a few years bad, and sustained inventories are lower.

[nathanm]

I'd believe that if GDP were shrinking, but it's not.  It's still weak, but it's not retracting.  But that's fine, you don't have to believe what these people are saying, I'm willing to take it on face value. 

I generally hold statements of self-interest to a higher standard of proof.