McCain still miles from the Goldwater Standard…
The conservatives back-peddling from any association with Bush’s record are hysterical, but they still lean on Reagan as their idealogical stalwart. Why?
A Reagan reprimand, as seen on Slashdot:
“What I’m attempting to highlight is the idea that the Republican party would “naturally” tend toward this behaviour. 30 years ago? No, more like 20 AT THE MOST. Sure, the Regan [sic] and Bush I administrations were a betrayal of limited government conservatism, but they absolutely pale in comparison to the current incumbent. He makes them look like libertarians.”
No, you’re wrong. Bush has yet to surpass Reagan as the leader of the largest growth of the US government in history.
His war on drugs destroyed the 4th amendment. His corporate welfare programs haven’t been matched by Bush. Bush’s crimes against this nation are just the next step in the progression that Reagan pushed. He does not make them look like Libertarians, he makes them look just like he does. The problem isn’t that Bush is worse than Reagan, it’s that the Reagan cultists refuse to look deeper into the issue and spout nonsense like “Bush isn’t a Republican”. He’s exactly what a Republican is. The rejection of the real Republican Barry Goldwater in favor of the fascist Ronald Reagan was the turning point at which Republicans completely rejected their stated platform in favor of the biggest government that they could get. Ron Paul was a last ditch effort at bringing that party back to its stated ideals and it turned out the same.“So, because I believe in a smaller federal government I’m a “wingnut extremist”? Wow. I suppose the other “wingnut extremists” include Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Quincy Adams, and a host of others of similar reputation?”
No, if you believe in a smaller federal government and you support the Republicans, then you’re a fool. You’re a fool in that situation because there is no evidence backing up that link and all evidence points to the contrary.
I believe in a smaller federal government, but I’m not stupid enough to believe that supporting the (current) party of biggest, most invasive government is a rational choice. Thomas Jefferson is spinning in his grave at the idea of religious extremists (hell any religious people) destroying his careful construction. That you would dare to invoke the man who said “I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.”, in defense of unrestrained military spending at the benefit of said banking institutions *often in other countries*, demonstrates nothing but contempt for yourself, Thomas Jefferson, and everyone around you who’s stuck footing the bill for your willful ignorance.
“20 years wasn’t that long ago. That’s my point. It’s not ancient history or something.”
Like I said, 1980 was 28 years ago, and that’s discounting the excesses of Nixon and Eisenhower. I’ll ignore them in favor of simple rounding.
30 years is a long time. People born 30 years ago could vote for 12 years. That’s 3 presidential election cycles. It’s been a progression, and it started long before Reagan.So, repeating nonsense that was already nonsense 30 years ago is ignorant, and it doesn’t require the history to be ancient, recent, or modern. All it requires is for you to put a little thought and research into the matter rather than repeating old lies as if the mere repeating of them could make them true.