The Failing Presidency

[Right_in_Virginia]

The Failing Presidency
NY Times, Jan 9, 1983

The stench of failure hangs over Ronald Reagan's White House. The people know it, judging by the opinion polls. Corporate titans know it and whisper disenchantment with a fellow conservative. Washington knows it when an Administration official calls the budgeting process ''an unmitigated outrage'' and when Mr. Reagan's closest friend in the Senate pronounces the President ''as very close to set in concrete.''

Mr. Reagan's loss of authority only halfway through his term should alarm all Americans. The economic nostrums he brought to office have not had the predicted effect. Only by recognizing his errors will he find better ideas. To rationalize the failure so far, or to blame his predecessors, the media and Congress, is to condemn the nation to two more years of destructive confusion.

By his own reckoning, Mr. Reagan became President for one basic reason: to restore the morale and power of America. By his own analysis, that meant above all ''the rejuvenation of our economy'' so that America could regain industrial strength, put all its people to work and defend its interests around the world.

But the economy totters, dragging down the West and eroding American influence everywhere. An ill-planned military buildup, which the recovery was to have made painless, now threatens to aggravate already huge deficits in future years. Instead of forcing the Russians to choose between guns and butter, Mr. Reagan is forcing that choice upon Americans. By putting missiles ahead of jobs and allowing the military to appear the enemy of prosperity, he is sapping more of America's strength than the Russians ever could.


More:  http://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/09/opinion/the-failing-presidency.html

[Right_in_Virginia]

Just a reminder that the past is prologue...and the press is dusting off and editing this very article as I type.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Just a reminder that the past is prologue...and the press is dusting off and editing this very article as I type.

The difference is that back then, it was just the media and Democrats who wanted a presidency to fail.  This time, there are a lot of Republicans who do as well.

[bolobaby]

Ah, yes. More comparisons to Reagan from Team Trump.

Please.

Let's compare with some actual facts, shall we:

https://www.usnews.com/news/history/articles/2009/03/12/the-first-100-days-reagan-pushed-his-agenda-of-tax-cuts-and-less-government

Reagan was an unmitigated SUCCESS in his first 100 days. He used the frustration with Washington to get his way, not CAVE IN.

Of course, one has to wonder just what, exactly, *is* "Trump's way," and is it even conservative or good for America.

[endicom]

Ah, yes. More comparisons to Reagan from Team Trump.

Please.

Let's compare with some actual facts, shall we:

https://www.usnews.com/news/history/articles/2009/03/12/the-first-100-days-reagan-pushed-his-agenda-of-tax-cuts-and-less-government

Reagan was an unmitigated SUCCESS in his first 100 days. He used the frustration with Washington to get his way, not CAVE IN.

Of course, one has to wonder just what, exactly, *is* "Trump's way," and is it even conservative or good for America.

From your source: It took Reagan more than 100 days to get his program of tax cuts and less government through Congress, but he did succeed.

[Free Vulcan]

More breathless hyperbole form the NYT. A little rudderless right now, yes. Failing? Way too early in the game. Plenty of time to retrench and get it together.

As usual NYT isn't reflecting reality, it's trying to shape opinion into the reality they wish to be.

[skeeter]

Ah, yes. More comparisons to Reagan from Team Trump.

Please.

Let's compare with some actual facts, shall we:

https://www.usnews.com/news/history/articles/2009/03/12/the-first-100-days-reagan-pushed-his-agenda-of-tax-cuts-and-less-government

Reagan was an unmitigated SUCCESS in his first 100 days. He used the frustration with Washington to get his way, not CAVE IN.

Of course, one has to wonder just what, exactly, *is* "Trump's way," and is it even conservative or good for America.

He was, but only in hindsight. The media was busy declaring him a failure from Jan '81 all the way to 1983. Google David Stockman.

Not intending to draw any comparisons to Trump, but thats what happened.

[bolobaby]

He was, but only in hindsight. The media was busy declaring him a failure from Jan '81 all the way to 1983. Google David Stockman.

Not intending to draw any comparisons to Trump, but thats what happened.

But, regardless of what the media said, Reagan didn't sit there and cave and then try to declare victory. He made a principled case and stood by it.

Foreign concept to some.

[skeeter]

But, regardless of what the media said, Reagan didn't sit there and cave and then try to declare victory. He made a principled case and stood by it.

Foreign concept to some.

We're commenting on a NYT article.

[Jazzhead]

The difference is that back then, it was just the media and Democrats who wanted a presidency to fail.  This time, there are a lot of Republicans who do as well.

Yes, and that's a shame.   I was as NeverTrump as anyone prior to the election,  but I do not want the REPUBLICAN OPPORTUNITY represented by President Trump's election and the GOP sweep of Congress to be squandered. 

If Trump fails, the GOP fails.  If the GOP fails, conservatism fails.   It's as simple as that, and with the Dems in full-blown resistance mode, the only way to succeed is to unify,  and bury the hatchet regarding misgivings and ideological purity in favor of compromise in the name of the greater, incremental good.   

[EasyAce]

. . . I do not want the REPUBLICAN OPPORTUNITY represented by President Trump's election and the GOP sweep of Congress to be squandered . . . the only way to succeed is to unify,  and bury the hatchet regarding misgivings and ideological purity in favor of compromise in the name of the greater, incremental good.

Been there, done that, told to go for the greater incremental good . . .and bought the regime of
His Excellency Al-Hashish Field Marshmallow Dr. Barack Obama Dada, COD, RIP, LSMFT, Would-
Have-Been Life President of the Republic Formerly Known as the United States, as a result . . .



I used to say it almost as a mantra: the road to Damnocratic hell was paved with Republican't good
intentions. Apparently, it still is.

[roamer_1]

I do not want the REPUBLICAN OPPORTUNITY represented by President Trump's election and the GOP sweep of Congress to be squandered. 

It will most assuredly be squandered. You cannot expect Conservatism from a NYC liberal. Predictable as the sunrise.

If Trump fails, the GOP fails. 

Let em.

If the GOP fails, conservatism fails.

It is a mistake to concatenate the Republican party with Conservatism. We're getting bupkis out of the Republican party (for decades). It's demise can only further Conservatism, as the pretenders will go join the liberal democrats, where they belong.

It's as simple as that, and with the Dems in full-blown resistance mode, the only way to succeed is to unify,  and bury the hatchet regarding misgivings and ideological purity in favor of compromise in the name of the greater, incremental good.

That's always the battle cry. What it means is compromise and appeasement. And it has gotten us *nothing* since the 94 Congress.
Which is why I am no longer Republican, and predictably never will be again.
People don't rally around pragmatism.
They rally around principles.

[skeeter]

That's always the battle cry. What it means is compromise and appeasement. And it has gotten us *nothing* since the 94 Congress.
Which is why I am no longer Republican, and predictably never will be again.
People don't rally around pragmatism.
They rally around principles.

When I hear someone using 'purist' or 'ideological purity' as demeaning terms right away I know I'm listening to someone who deep down (or not so deep down) not only despises conservatives but is perfectly happy with the progressive drift of the nation.

I usually don't listen to anything else these individuals have to say.

[roamer_1]

When I hear someone using 'purist' or 'ideological purity' as demeaning terms right away I know I'm listening to someone who deep down (or not so deep down) not only despises conservatives but is perfectly happy with the progressive drift of the nation.

I usually don't listen to anything else these individuals have to say.

That's right.

[Hondo69]

Interesting post and interesting replies as well.  I'll toss in my 2 cents.

As a child we learn many things quickly.  We only put our hand near a hot burner on a stove once.  It's not like we have to do this every so often, like once every four years, to learn that important lesson.  It's one and done.

But not everything in life is as cut and dried as a hand near a stove.  Life throws us a lot of grey areas.  A guy might buy cheap shoes 3 or 4 times before he learns his lesson not to skimp on shoes.  Or I might click on an email that looks suspicious, but it just might be from my bank as well.  We make a lot of judgement calls.

And that means that as humans we're going to make a lot of mistakes along the way.  Heck, I make mistakes all the time.  As an owner of several businesses I make a lot of decisions and not all of the are going to be the right decisions.  The trick, however, is don't do really stupid things.  Little mistakes can be overcome, big mistakes are different in that they can sometimes never be overcome.

Don't do really stupid things.

---

Jimmy Carter decimated our military, Reagan built it back up.  Clinton decimated our military, Bush built it back up.  Obama decimated our military, Trump will have to built it back up.  This is really, really stupid.

We elect the same members to the House and Senate over and over again, then bitch about the outcome.  Like a battered wife, we think, "this time will be different".  This is really, really stupid.

Our nation fought Muslims off the Barbary Coast after appeasing them in every way humanly possible and then some.  We eventually learned the hard way that appeasement is the exact wrong approach with some cultures.  Yet today we are giving them billions of dollars in cold hard cash and gift wrapping military equipment presents as part of our Reach Out And Hug A Terrorist program.  This is really, really stupid.

Little mistakes can be overcome, big mistakes are different in that they can sometimes never be overcome.

Don't do really stupid things.