Tag: cold war

The Myths about Ronald Reagan, and why they are important to the GOP.

In summary, the Reagan years were ones of opportunities lost: at the end of the day, we had a weaker economy, a much greater national debt, a neglected infrastructure, were even more dependent on foreign oil, and were less secure.

chasdarwinLeave a comment

The Myths

  • Fixed the economy – by cutting taxes.
  • Won the Cold war – by expanding our military.
  • Intimidated the Soviets – by ‘Star Wars’ missile defense system.

THE FACTS:

Economy

  • National Debt went from $1.8 trillion to $3.8 trillion.
  • Unemployment by year: 5.8, 7.1, 7.6. 9.7, 9.6, 7.5, 7.2, 7.0, 6.2.
  • GDP from   $5.5 trillion to $7.1 trillion.
  • Industries which gained included weapons, electronics, computers.
  • Primary metals, automotive, and many core industries contracted: a plus for the NorthEast, California, and the sunbelt states; a minus for the great lakes states.
  • The US went from a creditor nation to a debtor nation.

Soviets

In 1980, what was the biggest security and economic threat to the US? Dependence on imported oil, esp. from the Middle East. (As today).

  • Soviet Military spending in fact declined in the 1980’s.
  • The difference between George Lucas’ “Star Wars’ and Reagan’s is that the Lucas version was closer to reality.
  • The US was in a much superior weapon systems/military situation, but Reagan  did not use it to negotiate an advantage over Soviet Russia.

Cold War

  • What was the ‘cold war’? A standoff between the USA that lasted from the end of WWII to the collapse of the Soviet state. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_War
  • When did it end? 1991  (Post Reagan).
  • Who won? Japan: industry; education; infrastructure, not weapons.

An Alternative History

  • Prepare for post cold war world: by spending on industry; education; and infrastructure ,not weapons.
  • Assist basic industries,e.g.:auto; steel; rubber.
  • Reduce dependence on imported oil, benefiting domestic jobs, national security, and the environment.

In summary, the Reagan years were ones of opportunities lost: at the end of the day, we had a weaker economy, a much greater national debt, a neglected infrastructure, were even more dependent on foreign oil, and were less secure.

see: http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2011020504/revisiting-reagan-nightmare

also: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2011/02/04/ST2011020403674.html?hpid=topnews

and: http://readersupportednews.org/off-site-opinion-section/102-102/4859-ronald-reagan-enabler-of-atrocities

and:http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2011020501/reagan-ruins

and:http://www.thenation.com/article/158321/reagans-real-legacy


Reagan and the Cold War

chasdarwinLeave a comment

From alternet:Reagan was inspirational, but to claim he defeated Communism is a disservice to the millions of Eastern Europeans who struggled against great odds for their freedom.

“It was not the military might of NATO, but the power of nonviolent action by ordinary citizens which brought down the system. The popular uprising against the repressive system that had ruled their country for much of the previous four decades — along with comparable movements, which came to the fore that year in Poland, Hungary and East Germany — marks a great triumph of the human spirit.

These movements were largely led by democratic socialists who mobilized workers, church people, intellectuals, and others to face down the tanks with their bare hands. Yet here in the United States, we are told that it was a result of President Reagan’s militarism and the supposed inherent superiority of capitalism. It is this false narrative that has played such a major role in shifting discourse to the right in subsequent decades and has been used to discredit those struggling for a more just and egalitarian economic system and a more sane and less imperialistic foreign policy.

President Reagan’s verbal support for democracy had little credibility in many of these countries. For example, while he denounced Poland’s martial law regime, he was a strong supporter of the more repressive martial law regime then in power in NATO ally Turkey and scores of other dictatorships. In challenging left-wing governments in the Third World, Reagan gave little credence to nonviolent action and instead backed insurgents with ties to U.S.-backed dictatorships and — in the case of Afghanistan — even Islamic fundamentalists.While Reagan was certainly capable of inspirational leadership and personal charm, to claim that he is responsible for the downfall of Communism and the end of the Cold War is a disservice to the millions of Eastern Europeans and others who struggled against great odds for their freedom. For it was not American militarism, but massive nonviolent action — including strikes, boycotts, mass demonstrations, and other forms of noncooperation — which finally brought down these Communist regimes. Indeed, the Charter 77 movement in Czechoslovakia and the Solidarity movement in Poland emerged during the period of U.S.-Soviet détente prior to Reagan taking office.”

N.B.: Who won the Cold War?  Japan won the cold war.

(Emphasis mine)

see: http://www.alternet.org/world/144069