Play Guess the Senator: Senator A versus Senator B on the merits of Ronald Reagan.

If you like eriposte, you'll find this one worth a read. If you don't like eriposte, you'll note he cites Taylor Marsh.

http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/011750.php

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This is another one of my longish posts, so I've separated it out into three sections (all emphasis in quoted portions in mine, unless otherwise stated).

I. The Glorious 80s

II. The Bitter and Partisan 90s

III. Final Observations


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I. The Glorious 80s

Time to play the game of Guess the Senator!

Senator A:

I...was especially fascinated by the enormous changes Ronald Reagan had brought to Washington. I was impressed by the strength, comfort, optimism and idealism that President Reagan radiated...President Reagan's emphasis on economic growth and the ease and skill with which he talked about fundamental American values also engaged me. I found his antigovernment rhetoric much less appealing because I retained a steadfast belief in the need for a good government - to maintain security, to increase opportunity and to provide for those who truly cannot provide for themselves.

Senator B:

I do think that for example the 1980 was different. I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not. He put us on a fundamentally different path because the country was ready for it. I think they felt like with all the excesses of the 1960s and 1970s and government had grown and grown but there wasn't much sense of accountability in terms of how it was operating. I think people, he just tapped into what people were already feeling, which was we want clarity we want optimism, we want a return to that sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing.

Who can tell me who Senator A and Senator B are, without peeking below the fold to see the answers?

Senator A likes Reagan for a number of reasons that are somewhat similar to the reasons why Senator B likes Reagan. However, unlike Senator B who somewhat endorses Reagan's anti-Government rhetoric, Senator A came out against that particular attribute of Glorious LeaderTM Ronald Reagan.

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III. Final Observations

If there's one thing that stands out in Sen. Obama's campaign strategy, it is that what he's promising to deliver is *not* change. He's promising to deliver what is really status quo in Washington - namely, Establishment Democrats (and Independents like Joe Lieberman) who believe that Bipartisanship and Civility are most important to get things done (i.e., help Republicans succeed) in Washington. This is what led to seven appalling years under the Bush administration. This is why it is no surprise that although Sen. Obama campaigned for his U.S. Senate seat on grandiose visions on Iraq, the Patriot Act and so on, he could never deliver on those visions. His career in the Senate has made it clear that all of his Bipartisanship and Civility mostly helped Republicans continue their dangerous or obstructionist agenda. Today, he's running on more of the same. I believe that the reasons why he's been successful so far are the following:

**The youngest voters - a key part of his base - are not that familiar with the political history of the 80s and 90s and are not likely to notice that what Sen. Obama is campaigning on is ahistorical and is exactly what has enabled Bush and the Republicans for a long time
**The media - who have been cheering his candidacy and trashing Sen. Clinton - are inherent believers in the Bipartisanship and Civility model and love it when Democrats say nice things about conservatives or run on conservative memes
**Independents - whom Sen. Obama is actively courting - tend to like those who refer to bipartisanship and post-partisan solutions to the country's problems (just ask Joe Lieberman who won in the blue state of Connecticut against fighting progressive Ned Lamont)
**Republicans - whom Sen. Obama is also courting aggressively - absolutely love the hagiography of Reagan and lap up Sen. Obama's repeated attacks on fellow Democrats using right-wing memes
**Progressive Democrats who should know better keep wondering why "he doesn't get it" on so many of these things - or keep coming up with fanciful Theories of Change - when the truth keeps staring us in the face - he does "get it". He's one of the smartest people in the country and he absolutely "gets it". However, the success of his campaign depends on his pretending not to "get it" and on his continuing to campaign the way he is. (Unless, of course, he is much less smarter in reality than how he comes across - which I doubt).

more...

I really don't care who said what.

The Hillary supporters are going to hate this thread.

nt

damn you! ;)

:7

nt

:wow: