2016 Postmortem

Eugene

(62,663 posts)

72. Reagan's policies were noxious but he didn't use Trump's naked appeals to barbarism.

Fri Nov 25, 2016, 08:36 PM

Nov 2016

There was also a Democratic-controlled House to keep back some of the most outrageous sh**.

Reagan could be fast and loose with the facts, but he did so in a likable fashion that could be attributed to senility. Trump is just crude and vile.

The Reagan cabinet gave us some stellar examples of bad governance (James Watt, Anne Gorsuch, etc.) Trump isn't even pretending to follow democratic principles of accountability or transparency. Trump and his alt-right allies are here to burn the place down.

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I am younger. Please help me understand,Is this how it felt when they elected actor "Ronald Reagan?" [View all] vrguy Nov 2016 OP

NO. This was more of a complete slap in the face in what you think the country stood for. boston bean Nov 2016 #1

No. elleng Nov 2016 #2

No SCantiGOP Nov 2016 #3

Reagan was more of a ham actor BSdetect Nov 2016 #4

Reagan was worse for me. jalan48 Nov 2016 #5

Reagan was an actor and I always felt his entire presidency was an act, hence "The entire election RKP5637 Nov 2016 #9

Agreed-he was good at reading cue cards-he was literally,"The Acting President". jalan48 Nov 2016 #11

When he beat Mondale by 49 states (1984), I was in total shock. femmocrat Nov 2016 #12

I was in a state of rage for much of Reagan's Presidency. jalan48 Nov 2016 #15

Iran-Contra came to light in 1986 -- two years after the 1984 elections philosslayer Nov 2016 #65

Your memory is better than mine! femmocrat Nov 2016 #85

That's the way I felt too, Raygun was more sickening to me. Raygun took the Raine Nov 2016 #46

I am older and I remember when Reagan was elected. It was NOTHING like this. skylucy Nov 2016 #6

Yep, Reagan was not crude and rude. I did not like his polices, but he was not a monster like RKP5637 Nov 2016 #13

Yep. It's too dark to even think about too much. Fast Walker 52 Nov 2016 #53

I'm sometimes good at premonitions and this is like something out of a RKP5637 Nov 2016 #70

Agree. The big difference was that w/ Reagan I was distraught, but moonscape Nov 2016 #41

Exactly treestar Nov 2016 #50

Yeap, my understanding is RayGun tried to keep his racism under wraps but DPutin is normalizing his uponit7771 Nov 2016 #112

I would rank Reagan third, Dumbya second...and this worst by far. NRaleighLiberal Nov 2016 #7

No, this is much scarier. Trump could literally get us all killed mtnsnake Nov 2016 #8

This is worse than Bush jmowreader Nov 2016 #39

a big NO! handmade34 Nov 2016 #10

Yes, for me: billymike Nov 2016 #14

although both right-wing, reagan was a world of difference. unblock Nov 2016 #16

Only somewhat. MicaelS Nov 2016 #17

No, this is much worse.. whathehell Nov 2016 #18

No, this is the worst ever in my life, even Nixon OKNancy Nov 2016 #19

It did for me DavidDvorkin Nov 2016 #20

Just like this year, Bush didn't "win". liberalnarb Nov 2016 #79

True. DavidDvorkin Nov 2016 #87

I remember being angry and frustrated NastyRiffraff Nov 2016 #21

Reagan's racism was slightly more coded. guillaumeb Nov 2016 #22

That sums it up for me too. immoderate Nov 2016 #67

Parallel vectors -- same direction, different magnitudes. eppur_se_muova Nov 2016 #23

At the time I thought it was horrible, disgusting. pangaia Nov 2016 #24

No because at least a ray gun had governing experience in California. kimbutgar Nov 2016 #25

Reagan had been cast in the part splat Nov 2016 #26

And as a result, RR had to have a fleet of competent people behind him, making LuckyLib Nov 2016 #61

This is worse. At least Regan was experienced and not openly hostile to so many people and the press bettyellen Nov 2016 #27

I was a young person when Reagan was elected. Red Knight Nov 2016 #28

No way. The country was kind of depressed when Carter was in office. WhoWoodaKnew Nov 2016 #29

Reagan didn't have......... MyOwnPeace Nov 2016 #86

No Trump is much worse than RR ever was and dumber n/t doc03 Nov 2016 #30

No, Reagan didn't spend 18 months of an election cycle insulting basic decency and individual rights Trust Buster Nov 2016 #31

It was bad, Richard D Nov 2016 #32

This is far, far worse. RR was an amiable sap who seemed to like humanity.... Hekate Nov 2016 #33

NO. i was too young to remember but Bush elections were closer but even they were nothing JI7 Nov 2016 #34

Reagan was more like a push in the back at the top of a dark stairwell. bluedigger Nov 2016 #35

I was devastated then and I'm devastated now. 50 Shades Of Blue Nov 2016 #36

No... tgards79 Nov 2016 #37

I was in the Air Force at the time, stationed in Germany. SeattleVet Nov 2016 #38

Reagan had put in two terms as governor Retrograde Nov 2016 #40

No this is really not normal lunasun Nov 2016 #42

No, Reagan wasn't an asshole or bat-shit crazy NoGoodNamesLeft Nov 2016 #43

This is a whole lot worse. FiveGoodMen Nov 2016 #44

Not At ALL ailsagirl Nov 2016 #45

Reagan was a cheap B-List actor, but he at least had political experience. Drunken Irishman Nov 2016 #47

No, unchartered terrortory here. I was NEVER afraid of his eagerness to use nukes. onecaliberal Nov 2016 #48

Reagan could hardly have been accused of being a Russian stooge. anamnua Nov 2016 #49

for sure-- major difference Fast Walker 52 Nov 2016 #54

This message was self-deleted by its author anamnua Nov 2016 #93

No. Turbineguy Nov 2016 #51

No... this racist Nazi supremacist is FAR worse!!! InAbLuEsTaTe Nov 2016 #52

This man is like death wish come true... MyNameIsKhan Nov 2016 #55

Reagan was horrible randr Nov 2016 #56

Not by a longshot Zambero Nov 2016 #57

Yes and he still figures in Protalker Nov 2016 #58

At least Ray-Gun had political experience MiniMe Nov 2016 #59

No! At that time, November 1980, I was 22 & and a shipmate GWC58 Nov 2016 #60

NO northoftheborder Nov 2016 #62

Reagan was an actor, Trump is a character of fiction... Blanks Nov 2016 #63

No - it was really obvious he was going to win gollygee Nov 2016 #64

One huge difference - the Democratic Party had a lot more power left in 1980 than they do today. Midwestern Democrat Nov 2016 #66

I agree LeftInTX Nov 2016 #76

This feels far worse. nt s-cubed Nov 2016 #68

Reagan had been governor of california JI7 Nov 2016 #69

Nobody hated Jimmy Carter like Barak Obama. no_hypocrisy Nov 2016 #71

Correction: Republicans hated Carter. They villified him everyhwere. Reagan, Bob Hope & Charlton TeamPooka Nov 2016 #100

I've wondered whether it was because of republican defensiveness due to Nixon being no_hypocrisy Nov 2016 #106

Nixon resigning is what drove the GOP over the edge. Because a Republican was the most TeamPooka Nov 2016 #111

Reagan's policies were noxious but he didn't use Trump's naked appeals to barbarism. Eugene Nov 2016 #72

Regan was good for Punk Rock and rap music. Gave you something to rebel against. zonkers Nov 2016 #73

This feels worse than that. Ken Burch Nov 2016 #74

Yes, it felt that way to me at the time. potone Nov 2016 #75

This is much worse n/t hibbing Nov 2016 #77

It was bad, yes shenmue Nov 2016 #78

Unlike now, Democrats still controlled the House comfortably when Reagan was elected. LonePirate Nov 2016 #80

This is much worse. mahatmakanejeeves Nov 2016 #81

I'm calling it a push BeyondGeography Nov 2016 #82

I was about 4 years old, but I can remember my parents' concern. aidbo Nov 2016 #83

No, this is more like Bush beating Gore ... kwassa Nov 2016 #84

Reagan set the downward spiral for our country. stopbush Nov 2016 #88

Someone just said bdamomma Nov 2016 #89

2016 was MEDIA MANIPULATION. PERIOD. pansypoo53219 Nov 2016 #90

I'm not a historian, but Trump could possibly be the worst president ever LastLiberal in PalmSprings Nov 2016 #91

Reagan was Act One, we thought it was over with Act III, Bush. Coyotl Nov 2016 #92

It says a lot about Trump anamnua Nov 2016 #94

Yes. He basically ran away from all his extreme positions in the debate with Carter andym Nov 2016 #95

In my opinion, it is exaclty the same. The country made a wrong turn because they'd rather eat FSogol Nov 2016 #96

Trump makes Reagan look like FDR, by comparison. (nt) Paladin Nov 2016 #97

I was quite young myself then ismnotwasm Nov 2016 #98

As bad as his policies were Reagan had put in time serving others: as head of SAG and as Gov of CA TeamPooka Nov 2016 #99

No. GWC58 Nov 2016 #101

I meant "no trouble this time." GWC58 Nov 2016 #102

Nope. this is much much worse. 0rganism Nov 2016 #103

My parents had deep disappointment, but not dispair. Dawson Leery Nov 2016 #104

How it feels to me: Ilsa Nov 2016 #105

No. This is much, much worse. Vinca Nov 2016 #107

Yes. Raygun begat Bush who opened the door for Drumpt. kairos12 Nov 2016 #108

No. Even in the 60s, on the Get Smart TV series, they made jokes about Reagan becoming President. randome Nov 2016 #109

Reagan used racism but he used dog whistles the media could easily ignore. KittyWampus Nov 2016 #110