2016 Postmortem

Ken Burch

(50,254 posts)

74. This feels worse than that.

Fri Nov 25, 2016, 08:42 PM

Nov 2016

A lot of us were sure, at the time, that it would galvanize the Left if Reagan actually got in. A lot of activism happened, but it never reached a point at which the potential people's majority that always exists was actually united in a common project.

There is a deeper sense of despair among people now.

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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