Was George Carlin right about Ronald Reagan's administration ?
The list goes on and on, but we're limited in space here. Why anyone thinks this man was a saint defies reason.
Every word of it and then some.
- Reagan increased economic inequality and shifted most of America's wealth to the top. Reagan presided over the wholesale dismantling of our industrial infrastructure for short term profits for the very wealthy and to destroy the unions. Millions were thrown out of work. Remaining workers were told to work twice as hard. Productivity increased +45%, but wages remained frozen. We were encouraged to borrow money until household debt was nearly 100% of GDP. Personal bankruptcies went up +610%. Incarcerations went up +355%. Anti-Depressants went up +305%. Health care costs went up +78%. The ratio of CEO pay to worker pay went up +649%.
- Reagan did away with media ownership laws as well as the Fairness Doctrine. As a result, our media has shrunk from ownership by thousands to 6 companies owning almost all of it – that’s six people telling you what’s what, and blocking out any arguments. The airwaves were then flooded with pro-corporate, anti-worker Republican propaganda to keep the people stupid enough to vote Republican.
- Reagan raised taxes on the middle class six times -- twice in 1982 (including the largest peacetime tax increase in American history), then again in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987. In spite of all those tax hikes, Reagan didn't grow his way out of the deficits caused by his 1981 tax cut.
- As governor, Reagan oversaw the largest tax increase in Californian history. Democratic Governor Jerry Brown cut back the tax rate when he came to office.
- As president, Reagan expanded the federal government by about 90%. He allowed the welfare state to enlarge and the military budget to explode causing monstrous budget deficits and massive government growth. The number of federal workers rose 61,000 under Reagan, as opposed to Clinton who cut 373,000 jobs.
- Reagan bombed Libya, put the "war" in War on Drugs, allowed the continuation of Selective Service registration (despite campaign promise to end it), helped the Khmer Rouge terrorize Thailand, imposed brutal trade sanctions on Nicaragua, funded the murderous brutal Contras, sold missiles to Iran, gave assistance to Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden, and lied to the American people.
- The foreign policy of Ronald Reagan did more to impoverish and kill the poor and helpless humans of the world than any world leader before or since - with the possible exception of GWB. He was going to defeat communism (which was already falling of its own weight) and he didn't care how many children were burned alive or how many people starved to death on the way.
- It took an eighth tax hike from George Bush Sr. in 1989, a ninth in 1990, a tenth from Bill Clinton in 1993, and then another economic boom to erase Reagan’s deficit. Sure, a strong economy helped, but without all those tax increases the deficit would never have disappeared.
- Reagan increased unemployment from 7% to 11% in his first three years. The unemployment rate did not get better until his fourth year.
- The practice of rewarding incompetent cronies with gigantic useless contracts for unneeded military hardware was elevated to art form under Reagan. Reagan's legendary megalomania, hubris and abject ignorance led him to believe the tales of any crackpot who managed to slither past the goons who comprised his inner circle. Star wars missiles, atomic shields, space-age death rays, you name , he would fall for it and blow billions of your tax dollars on it.
- Reagan never met an American in need he wanted to help. His response to the AIDS epidemic is one of the most sickening cold-blooded expressions of pure murderous political evil in the history of the earth.
- Then there was Iran-Contra, the infamous orgy of unfettered criminality at the heart of the Reagan legacy. Look it up. Rogues, liars, crooks, murderers and ignorant heartless scum surrounded Reagan at all times.
The list goes on and on, but we're limited in space here. Why anyone thinks this man was a saint defies reason.
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