It might be easier and quicker to digest in podcast form from people who did the research: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-behind-the-bastards-29236323/episode/part-one-ronald-and-nancy-reagan-29967299/
In short: deregulation, wealth transfer to the rich, harming rights of labor, and genocide.
This policy is exactly the same policy being implemented today. What are the odds of that? Examples; Deregulation: railroad crash toxic chemical huge spill, wealth transfer to the rich: patriot act and covid economic response, harming rights of labor: making railroard strike illegal, genocide: supporting israel with money and weapons…
Yes, these things are all happening because Reagan paved the way for it.
War on drugs, aids epidemics badly managed because it mostly affected “sinners”.
Bonus question: Do you know who was in charge during mishandling of aids epidemic? Hint: There is a whole movie about it
Or are you talking about the doctor at the head of the commission?
Of the presidency… Reagan.
This question could easily be a college thesis, if not an entire course. I think anyone asking this question and learning more about Reagan is on the right track to better understanding… I really want to say ‘everything’. Politics, human nature, consumerism, economics, negotiation, propaganda, cover ups, racism, homophobia, the fallacy of Democracy, and so so much more.
If you’re any more interested in the subject than reading through a handful of comments on the internet, I recommend the book “The Man Who Sold the World: Ronald Reagan and the Betrayal of Main Street America”.
The podcast, “Behind the Bastards” did an excellent series on Reagan and the damage he did. I believe they referenced this book quite a few times in their research.
He and Thatcher were instrumental in bringing neoliberalism into mainstream politics. Neoliberalism differs from classical liberalism in that its about freeing capital and not people. This directly led to all the problems we face today with a government that used to be by and for the people but now the only people the government serves are the corporations we gave out rights to.
So on point, thank you!
He pushed the whole “the government is the enemy” mentality which has made it almost impossible to have national healthcare among other things. The republicans also jumped into bed with Christian fundamentalists at this point and the NRA went from being for gun regulations to no regulations. It was a continuation of the backlash against the 60s that started with Nixon.
Reagan, like Trump and Bush43, was the face guy connecting to people while behind the scenes the wrecking crew drafted their EOs and delivered on their patronage’s shadow agenda.
A lot of what Reagan’s admin did was foundational- as head of the executive (which includes regulatory agencies) he had the power to quietly dismantle regulatory agencies, and in so doing hamstring America’s capacity to regulate its own affairs at the request of lobbyists that didn’t want their industries regulated. His legislative affairs team gutted budgets and raided social security while he charmed audiences and the media.
Sorry to be that guy, but I’m trying to promote a community here.
The title should ask, “Why were Ronald Reagan and Nancy…”
This is because the subject, Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan, is more than 1 person.
If anyone wants to learn English I’m moderating lemmy.ml/c/englishlearning
I’m happy to answer any questions.
I think Reagan can be summed up as the start of “burn it all down”. He defined the government as the problem and the solution was to demolish it.
I guess it also warrants asking, what good, if any, did Reagan do for America?
War on drugs.
War on AIDS.
War on middle class.
War on unbiased news.
His policies on economy are responsible for billionaire class existing in the US. There is a good read on America only had a handful of billionaires 40 years ago. We’re now creating ‘centibillionaires’–and unless we tax them, trillionaires.
He tried to “starve the beast”. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starve_the_beast
The beast being the government itself. The idea is that the government is somehow overspending in comparison to the tasks carried out and it needs to be fixed by cutting funding.
The result is obviously that the government will function even worse, so it’s a self fulfilling prophecy.
For most of the Republican members of my family, the government is always out to get them. Something Reagan taught them.
Reagan cut taxes while increasing spending, despite talking like his goal was to reduce government excess. As a result, the national debt increase for the first time since WWII and has not stopped in that trend since then.
He was so popular he convinced democrats that they needed to move to the right if they wanted to win an election ever again.
Not many believe in faith and true nationalism but if you hold true to the world of god I think you will see Ronald Reagan really just was the devil.
They belonged to the bourgeois class and therefore defended the interests of that class to the detriment of the people. That simple
