Originally Posted by vivalaReagan

thx. we need another reagan these days!
Yes, we certainly do. We need the man whose "Vodoo Economics" and relaxation of financial regulations ignited the deficit/Federal Debt, created the S & L crises (called by many the "worst Public scandal in our history") that set the stage for the recent banking/financial/mortgage crises. This is the man who introduced the term HMO into our lexicon by permitting the privatization of medicine, largely creating the Health Care mess we face today. This is the man whose "Iran-Contra" scandal emboldened Iraq's Hussein, while signaling to our adversaries that hostage-taking was an effective tool in extracting US political and financial concessions. This is the man whose actions following the 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Lebanon convinced Osama bin Laden that the US was a "paper tiger" and could be attacked.
And, please, let no one suggest Reagan "ended the Cold War". We know now from documents and statements from high-ranking members of the former Soviet Politburo, Defense and Economic Ministries that Reagan not only prolonged the Cold War, his rhetoric promoted the shoot-down of KAL flight 007 and almost precipitated a Soviet nuclear missile launch (10/26/1983). The Soviet economy was imploding-the last straw was their Afghan invasion-before Reagan took office. The Soviet Union DID NOT and COULD NOT spend one additional ruble on their Defense Budget in response to Reagan's increase in defense spending. The notion that Reagan somehow forced the USSR into bankruptcy by doing so is utter nonsense. As Dr. Sergei Khruschev (son of former Soviet boss Nikita) said when asked if Reagan ended the Cold War: "Anyone who says this knows nothing of what really happened".