I lived my teen-age years through the Ford and Carter administrations. Carter was the last democrat I voted for. We had high unemployment, 12% interest rates, and we were in recession. There was this thing called the Misery index, which added unemployment rate to the Inflation rate. Carter’s policies took it from 12.72 to 19.72. We had a top marginal tax rate was 70%. The Soviet Union existed with no end in sight and expanded to Afghanistan, Africa, and Central America. Welfare system was out of control, my relatives, in the projects, knew how they can get more welfare dollars by gaming the system and dropping more kids. I joined the Navy in 1980. We had not shaken the stigma of the Vietnam era. I made less as a lower enlisted than when I washed dishes at a job after school. We had no support it was not common to cannibalize ships and planes to get another working. Our equipment was 1950-60 technology.
This was the world I lived in; most of you were not even a hot night of passion by your parents. I seen the changes Reagan did with my own eyes starting with given us military a much need raise bringing pay to and above the minim wage. He gave us to support to defend your rights when you were not even born or were real baby furs
. Reagan realized the way to grow the economy was let all keep more of their money. In the eighties tax receipts went up because instead of sheltering their money the rich invested in which created capital for small and large business to start and grow. Yes, the rich got richer so did the poor to where congress simply raised the level what it meant to be poor. More people moved up into the middle class. I dare say we would not have the PC. Revolution as intense if income (I e future capital) was taxed at 70%.
Final he was not satisfied with the status qua of the Cold War and the Soviet Union. He wanted to win the Cold War. In the end, his program free millions form Soviet dominance, Poland, East Germany, Latvia, Estonia, and other countries. For me Ragan bought back pride to be an American and to be a service member. I want form hiding it in 1980; back the service persons were still Vietnam era druggies, crazed baby killers and losers to 1985 I was thank by random persons for my service.
Ragan changed the world you all now living in before many of you were born; I am glad I was there and part of it.
Now with that I agree to a point, I am frustrated with the GOP living in Regan’s past. It is because even the conservative movement forgot to take what Reagan did and build on it. Instead, conservatives and the GOP abandoned Reagan’s principals and leavening the GOP and conservatism to live in the past.
