Ronald Reagan is the New Jesus Part 1: Name Recognition

Ronald Reagan is the new Jesus Christ.

Don’t believe me?  Check out the Reagan Legacy Project.  An initiative of none other than Grover Norquist, founded in 1997; while Reagan STILL ALIVE.  The original motivation was intended to put his name on Ronald Reagan National Airport, previously just National Airport in Washington.

From what they’re doing now, it seems that they’re almost as much about inspiring a conservative generation as they are about Ronald Reagan.  From reading the description on their website, they seem about mind control:

The Ronald Reagan Legacy Project is committed to preserving the legacy of one of America’s greatest presidents throughout the nation and abroad.

One of the ways we work to further the legacy of Reagan is by asking the governor of every state in the nation to make a proclamation declaring February 6th, “Ronald Reagan Day.”  An average of 30 governors a year over the last few years have made such a proclamation, choosing to honor character over partisanship.

Okay..  So sure Reagan caused lots of problems, but if I passed a JFK commemoration petition to GOP governors, they might sign it.  This country likes to honor our presidents; even the ones we regret.

This is the real issue:

In addition to ensuring that every February 6^th is known as “Ronald Reagan Day,” we work to encourage the naming of landmarks, buildings, roads, etc. after Ronald Wilson Reagan.  We continue compiling a list of Reagan dedications that remind American society of the life and legacy of President Reagan.  Each one of these dedications serve as a teaching moment for those who were not yet alive during his presidency or to grant those who remember him with the opportunity to reflect on his accomplishments.  Whether it be the Ronald Reagan Parkway in Indianapolis, IN or Ronald Reagan National Airport in Arlington, VA; each and every dedication will serve as a teaching moment for generations to come.  Our goal is to eventually see a statue, park, or road named after Reagan in all 3,140 counties in the United States.  The first project that RRLP worked to name after Ronald Reagan was National Airport, in 1998 renamed Ronald Reagan National Airport.

I embolded that part.  I’d like you think about that.   “Teaching moments for those who were not alive during his presidency.”    It also makes perfect sense.  If someone’s name is on a bridge or a school,  kids think he/she must have done great things.

Just look at this amazing list of the amazing accomplishments of Ronald Reagan:

• Providing Al Qaeda and Iran with weapons
• Cutting taxes for the rich
• Expanding the national debt
• Deregulating agriculture
• Reducing the power of the EPA
• Causing massive inequality
• Attacking women’s health
• Antonin Scalia is on the Supreme Court
• As Rosalynn Carter said “He made us comfortable with our prejudices.”
• Undoing nearly every common-sense policy Jimmy Carter put in place

That’s a long list.

After googling Lincoln legacy project,  Jefferson Legacy Project, JFK LP, Washington LP, FDR LP, MLK LP, and similar queries I am unaware of any similar projects.  This is both surprising, after all, Lincoln is commonly considered to be one of the greatest presidents of all time; and not, he doesn’t need half a zillion bridges so people will know he was so good.

I’ll be writing more about the effects this has on people: stay tuned.

Is the Era of Isolationism in this Country over?

A quick game of Who-am-I?

I was one of the greatest presidents of the United States.  Yet I did not invade any other country during my presidency.  Instead, I focused my foreign policy on peace building and human rights.  Who am I?

I almost wish Newt Gingrich, Darrell Issa, and Grover Norquist read my blog, because I’m about to punch them all in the face.  No you stupid Reagan worshipers:

It’s Jimmy Carter.

Jimmy Carter never dropped a bomb.  That’s only one of the great things he did as president.  Where we’d be if Jimmy Carter had won a second term keeps me up at night.  Let me tell you this-I doubt we’d be in this mess.

Jimmy Carter was our last isolationist president.  When Obama and/or the GOP Congress are letting me down, it often feels like he was the last true liberal to occupy the White House.

It often feels like isolationism is loosing momentum.  1981 was over thirty years ago.  Ever since then, this country has barely had a minute where we were not involved in some sort of overseas conflict.  Reagan secretly sold weapons to Iran while publicly supporting Iraq in the Iran-Iraq War.  His vice president flipped the position when he was president and took us into Iraq.  Although Clinton deployed troops and dropped several bombs, we never had a real war on our hands.

The W. came along and soon after that 9/11(thank-you, Ronnie) and we plunged into Afghanistan.  Then came Iraq, much like Syria now: except with a more hawkish administration.  We all know how those turned out.

None of this is like what James Monroe outlined for US Foreign Policy in the Monroe Doctrine:

The citizens of the United States cherish sentiments the most friendly in favor of the liberty and happiness of their fellow-men on that side of the Atlantic. In the wars of the European powers in matters relating to themselves we have never taken any part, nor does it comport with our policy to do so. It is only when our rights are invaded or seriously menaced that we resent injuries or make preparation for our defense. With the movements in this hemisphere we are of necessity more immediately connected, and by causes which must be obvious to all enlightened and impartial observers. The political system of the allied powers is essentially different in this respect from that of America. This difference proceeds from that which exists in their respective Governments; and to the defense of our own, which has been achieved by the loss of so much blood and treasure, and matured by the wisdom of their most enlightened citizens, and under which we have enjoyed unexampled felicity, this whole nation is devoted. We owe it, therefore, to candor and to the amicable relations existing between the United States and those powers to declare that we should consider any attempt on their part to extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere as dangerous to our peace and safety. With the existing colonies or dependencies of any European power we have not interfered and shall not interfere. But with the Governments who have declared their independence and maintain it, and whose independence we have, on great consideration and on just principles, acknowledged, we could not view any interposition for the purpose of oppressing them, or controlling in any other manner their destiny, by any European power in any other light than as the manifestation of an unfriendly disposition toward the United States.

Indeed, while Carter’s policy of “strict neutrality in conflict” would have seemed like a radical statement for Obama to make in his campaigns, it was in fact the blueprint US Foreign policy for almost a century.

I suppose I’m expected to use this post to endorse Rand Paul, who wants to take this country back to the isolationist level.  A Paul presidency, while being in support of American isolationism, would probably ignore women’s health, the Voting Rights Act, and a lot of other principles that are important to this country.

No.  On this issue I’m endorsing a second term for Jimmy Carter.