[quote]ZEB wrote:
[quote]Neuromancer wrote:
[quote]countingbeans wrote:
[quote]Neuromancer wrote:
As I remember, Reagan more than doubled , almost trebled ,the size of US govt debt, from just under 1 trillion $ when he took office to around 3 trillion when he left. Don’t remember the numbers exactly, can check. Also expanded government size considerably.
Hardly sounds like a small govt. exponent to me. His budget deficits put even Obama’s in the shade percentage wise…by a long shot.
Plus after he cut taxes early on he had many tax increases as time went by, no?[/quote]
Not adjusted for inflation he increased the debt something like 188% and government spending 88%.
Things to consider:
This was over 8 years, and inflation from 1973-1982 was insane. I mean 6% was a banner year here. How much does the inflation of the first two years of his term effect those numbers? I don’t now, but I would assume it would effect how he did things. I mean I assume FDR didn’t want to kick off Keynesian created Croney-Capitialism but he had to I guess.
The changes that came about in 1986 were the most comprehensive changes in history (I believe) and largely eliminated a bunch of leeway people had in figuring tax. So while there may have been % increases or whatever, you had much less “fun” being had with the numbers.
edit[/quote]
I hear what you’re saying. I’m not saying Reagan was either a disaster or a giant, What I’m saying is that he is very often misrepresented by the right as being something he wasn’t. More to the point , that some of his shall we say, more ‘revolutionary’ economic policies did not have the effects he predicted or rather, his advisers told him to trumpet.
Where was the enormous reduction in the deficit they promised as a result? Never happened.
Govt spending is the same as a household at its most basic. If you want to spend more, you better earn more. If not, you’re in debt. End of story.
Tax cuts are what we all want, of course. All over the world. But if they are not tied in to REAL cuts in govt spending, the only thing you’re doing is kicking the can down the road. Which Reagan did, big style. As most pols in most countries do.
So either the tax cuts didn’t stimulate an increase in tax receipts as was expected , or the govt spent like a drunken sailor. Or both.
PS, I also think Carter has been given the historical shaft by the right wing propaganda machine (Go ZEB!) as much of the policies Reagan took credit for had already been initiated by him, and Fed Chairman Volcker had done what was required to bring inflation down.
[/quote]
Propaganda? If you think it is propaganda all you have to do is point out one thing that I have posted regarding Reagan that is not true.
Can you do that big man?
If so do it.
If not shut the fuck up.
Simple really.
I’m really tired of you message board wonder boys trying to rewrite history.[/quote]
I’ll shut the fuck up when I’m damn good and ready, big boy.
I think there’s more than enough just in that small post to refute quite a bit of what you say.not to mention the link I posted. Perhaps some reading comprehension would benefit you?
And I couldn’t give a flying fuck at all what makes you tired online…
See? how fucking easy easy was that?
Run along, man child.
