Ronald Reagan brought “an economic recovery that is still going on”?
What alternative universe is Scott Stantis writing from?
Reagan was the one who blew a hole in record deficits, and built a phony “economic recovery” on a house of cards — CREDIT CARDS. Sure, the drunken sailor feels pretty darn good while he’s running up the debts, maxing out the credit cards, having a wild time.
But when the cards are maxed out and the bills come due, the house of cards collapses. For Reagan, the first sign of cracks in the walls was October of 1987, with the biggest percentage stock market collapse since 1929. And then when his vice president, George H W Bush, succeeded him, the whole thing fell apart so badly that Bush was forced to break his “read my lips, no new taxes” pledge and Clinton ran on the platform of “it’s the economy, stupid” to make Bush a one-term president. Clinton then proceeded to eliminate the annual budget deficits and replace them with budget SURPLUSES, the first president to do so since LBJ.
Jimmy Carter had inherited wild inflation and high interest rates from his Federal Reserve Chair, Arthur Burns, who had been appointed by Nixon. Reagan ran against Carter citing the “misery index” of high interest and inflation rates, but those are set by the Federal Reserve, not the president.
IN HIS LAST YEAR AS PRESIDENT, Carter appointed Fed Chair Paul Volcker, arguably the greatest Fed Chair in history, who served through much of the Reagan years and brought down interest and inflation rates that Reagan shamelessly took credit for.
Around 1991 the late Prof. Walter Williams told me RR had brought down the Soviet Union by engaging them in an arms race they couldn’t afford but we could. I complained that Reagan wasn’t that smart, and Williams replied that the people around him were. It took me years to decide that this was true, but now I agree and put that as a huge plus on Reagan’s side.
Unfortunately, his encouragement of the Religious Right was the reason I left the Republican party for about 20 years. (I left it again because of Trump.)
The USSR likely would have collapsed under its own weight, but HOW that collapse played out is largely due to Gorbachev’s actions, including his relationship with Reagan. So, for me, Reagan gets credit there for not following the more hawkish members of his administration.
As for the “out spend” the USSR argument, I think there is some validity to that; but, again, I think it was more a function of how Gorbachev, as leader, responded to it. A different, Soviet leader might have been inclined to engage in a new arms race. A collapse certainly may have occurred, but I suspect the process may have been considerably more bloody. For that, I give the Gorbachev, Reagan & their relationship a lot of the credit.
Reagan “was responsible for the fall of the Soviet Union?” Is that the recurring Republican claim of miracle that Republicans are using toward Reagan’s cannonization? In truth, he played chicken against a weakening USSR with the threat of enormous, useless Military spending. Without unquestioning support from its satellite nations, the USSR dissolved like a queasy dream. Soviet Communism was a rusting artifact, as was clearing showing. And mocking that fall likely emboldened the Russian oligarchs and Putin to rebuild a more solid state with better controls and propaganda techniques.
ST. Ronnie is in no way responsible for an economic recovery that is still ongoing. That is a complete and total myth. If that’s the case, then Bill Clinton came closest to balancing the budget, DESPITE Republican sabotage, so give credit where credit’s due.
Either statement shows a remarkable ignorance of history and economics.
I would like to just say that almost anything good that came out of the Reagan administration was the work of, and because of the people he was surrounded by (and because his wife was very smart and he listened to her and his staff), NOT because he was a great leader…I believe the theory that he had Alzheimer’s from quite early in his first term.
Don’t know if Scott reads our comments. He has in the past and, one time, he even answered me directly! But that was long ago, and this strip appears to have been on „autopilot“ since.
Episodes like today’s are the reason I only check in on this strip once in a blue moon anymore.
Problem one: „Hate on Reagan“? What is Scott talking about? Yes, Reagan put this country on course for a crook like Trump, but right now, our attention is still on Trump and his (mostly unpunished) partners in crime.
Problem two: As most of you have eloquently stated above, everything Scott’s straw-man, Carmen, has said is totally beyond false, even lies.
This strip is nothing like it was in its beginning. It is no longer funny nor enlightening. Heck, it doesn’t even shed light on what a responsible conservative thinks.
Of course, of late, it occurs to me that maybe there is no such thing as a responsible conservative, and that’s both how and why Trump has taken over the party.
And before the lectures on „what“ a responsible conservative „is“, my question right back at them is, how do you justify an ever increasing wealth inequality based in part on ever busting unions, ever decreasing wages, ever shipping all manufacturing to capitalist totalitarians like the Chinese, all the while, ever increasing prices here at home?
All the while, blaming Biden for everything he has inherited…
DD Wiz Premium Member over 2 years ago
Ronald Reagan brought “an economic recovery that is still going on”?
What alternative universe is Scott Stantis writing from?
Reagan was the one who blew a hole in record deficits, and built a phony “economic recovery” on a house of cards — CREDIT CARDS. Sure, the drunken sailor feels pretty darn good while he’s running up the debts, maxing out the credit cards, having a wild time.
But when the cards are maxed out and the bills come due, the house of cards collapses. For Reagan, the first sign of cracks in the walls was October of 1987, with the biggest percentage stock market collapse since 1929. And then when his vice president, George H W Bush, succeeded him, the whole thing fell apart so badly that Bush was forced to break his “read my lips, no new taxes” pledge and Clinton ran on the platform of “it’s the economy, stupid” to make Bush a one-term president. Clinton then proceeded to eliminate the annual budget deficits and replace them with budget SURPLUSES, the first president to do so since LBJ.
Jimmy Carter had inherited wild inflation and high interest rates from his Federal Reserve Chair, Arthur Burns, who had been appointed by Nixon. Reagan ran against Carter citing the “misery index” of high interest and inflation rates, but those are set by the Federal Reserve, not the president.
IN HIS LAST YEAR AS PRESIDENT, Carter appointed Fed Chair Paul Volcker, arguably the greatest Fed Chair in history, who served through much of the Reagan years and brought down interest and inflation rates that Reagan shamelessly took credit for.
ajr58(1) over 2 years ago
The Soviet Union collapsed under its own weight, and would have fallen regardless of who was President.
pschearer Premium Member over 2 years ago
Around 1991 the late Prof. Walter Williams told me RR had brought down the Soviet Union by engaging them in an arms race they couldn’t afford but we could. I complained that Reagan wasn’t that smart, and Williams replied that the people around him were. It took me years to decide that this was true, but now I agree and put that as a huge plus on Reagan’s side.
Unfortunately, his encouragement of the Religious Right was the reason I left the Republican party for about 20 years. (I left it again because of Trump.)
Havel over 2 years ago
The USSR likely would have collapsed under its own weight, but HOW that collapse played out is largely due to Gorbachev’s actions, including his relationship with Reagan. So, for me, Reagan gets credit there for not following the more hawkish members of his administration.
As for the “out spend” the USSR argument, I think there is some validity to that; but, again, I think it was more a function of how Gorbachev, as leader, responded to it. A different, Soviet leader might have been inclined to engage in a new arms race. A collapse certainly may have occurred, but I suspect the process may have been considerably more bloody. For that, I give the Gorbachev, Reagan & their relationship a lot of the credit.
PraiseofFolly over 2 years ago
Reagan “was responsible for the fall of the Soviet Union?” Is that the recurring Republican claim of miracle that Republicans are using toward Reagan’s cannonization? In truth, he played chicken against a weakening USSR with the threat of enormous, useless Military spending. Without unquestioning support from its satellite nations, the USSR dissolved like a queasy dream. Soviet Communism was a rusting artifact, as was clearing showing. And mocking that fall likely emboldened the Russian oligarchs and Putin to rebuild a more solid state with better controls and propaganda techniques.
William Robbins Premium Member over 2 years ago
This mythology of Reagan being responsible for everything good that’s happened for 40 years is hilarious.
RobinHood over 2 years ago
What happened to the the robot? I had at least 3 more RR gags.
Darsan54 Premium Member over 2 years ago
ST. Ronnie is in no way responsible for an economic recovery that is still ongoing. That is a complete and total myth. If that’s the case, then Bill Clinton came closest to balancing the budget, DESPITE Republican sabotage, so give credit where credit’s due.
Either statement shows a remarkable ignorance of history and economics.
SeanT over 2 years ago
Russians credit their war in Afganistan for the fall of the Soviet Union, not Reagan.
rossevrymn over 2 years ago
Really, we’re going to stantisferstrawman on the Left hating someone, who has been gone 20 years?………….no offense to robby hood.
theincrediblebulk over 2 years ago
We’re still getting pi##ed on by the trickle down economic theories Reagan endorsed.
writerofstories over 2 years ago
I would like to just say that almost anything good that came out of the Reagan administration was the work of, and because of the people he was surrounded by (and because his wife was very smart and he listened to her and his staff), NOT because he was a great leader…I believe the theory that he had Alzheimer’s from quite early in his first term.
Bradley Walker over 2 years ago
On balance, Reagan wasn’t.
dlaemmerhirt999 over 2 years ago
To be fair: The USSR would have collapsed without Ronnie and he ANNIHILATED our economy. That annihilation continues to this very day!XD
dlaemmerhirt999 over 2 years ago
Both of what Carmen said are lies! And I thought she WASN’T full of bologna!
Ignatz Premium Member over 2 years ago
The USSR collapsed when H.W. Bush was President, and George Soros had a lot more to do with it than Ronald Reagan.
And “an economic recovery that is still going on”? You can’t possibly be serious.
Cheapskate0 over 2 years ago
Don’t know if Scott reads our comments. He has in the past and, one time, he even answered me directly! But that was long ago, and this strip appears to have been on „autopilot“ since.
Episodes like today’s are the reason I only check in on this strip once in a blue moon anymore.
Problem one: „Hate on Reagan“? What is Scott talking about? Yes, Reagan put this country on course for a crook like Trump, but right now, our attention is still on Trump and his (mostly unpunished) partners in crime.
Problem two: As most of you have eloquently stated above, everything Scott’s straw-man, Carmen, has said is totally beyond false, even lies.
This strip is nothing like it was in its beginning. It is no longer funny nor enlightening. Heck, it doesn’t even shed light on what a responsible conservative thinks.
Of course, of late, it occurs to me that maybe there is no such thing as a responsible conservative, and that’s both how and why Trump has taken over the party.
And before the lectures on „what“ a responsible conservative „is“, my question right back at them is, how do you justify an ever increasing wealth inequality based in part on ever busting unions, ever decreasing wages, ever shipping all manufacturing to capitalist totalitarians like the Chinese, all the while, ever increasing prices here at home?
All the while, blaming Biden for everything he has inherited…