Anyone interested in fact over fiction in the debate on Reagan's tax legacy should check out today's excellent Daily Howler article. If you aren't already aware, Reagan's tax record isn't as simple and straightforward as conservatives would have you believe. Of course, we all know that president's don't raise or lower taxes all by themselves—only Congress can do that—but Reagan sure wasn't afraid to sign bills to raise taxes substantially, twice I might add. Somerby points out that Reagan's first tax cut, adjusted for inflation, was bigger than Clinton's biggest tax cut "in the history of civilization".
Don't let conservatives stifle real discourse by telling you that examining these facts are a disrespect to a dead man. We don't need to pretend to be politically correct in place of truly understanding the foundational legacy that has become unquestionable dogma in today's politics.
Once again, the record isn't as simple as simple-minded pundits would have you believe.
A day after former President Reagan's death, news of his departure and the subsequent reactions from those who knew him, those who worked with him, those who lived through his two terms, and those who build him up to mythic proportions dominate the airwaves. It's the only thing I can find on the news today. Regardless of what you thought of Reagan, you can't deny the reaction his death has evoked.
On my own bloglist alone the reaction has ranged the gamut. For some, he is a hero who defeated evil and rebuilt the Republican party, while for others, he is an all-but contemptible man with "blood on his hands" in a very personal way. For yet others, Reagan's death seems to be a touchy subject—if you can't find something good to day, your work might be boycotted. Some take this opportunity to obliquely criticize George W. Bush, who many in the media are lovingly comparing to Reagan, while others like the Highest Himself are simply happy to have a break from having Bush under the microscope.
However, most, like myself, are left without much emotion, save perhaps a bit of sympathy. I was pretty young during Reagan's two terms and much of what I remember is a kaleidescope of cultural images.
However you feel about ol' Ronnie, his death has caused great waves around the blogosphere and mainstream media.
Former president Ronald Reagan died today, at a ripe old age of 93. As everyone knows, Reagan battled Alzheimer's disease for years. Scary stuff to suffer through, especially to me, with a history of Alzheimer's in my family. Reagan was a dreamer, a purveyor of dubious theories, an articulate and moving speaker, a B movie actor, and a controversial president (also known as the Teflon President). As a "hero" of the conservative movement, his presidency has left us with a plethora of interesting phrases, like Reaganomics, "Just Say No!", "Star Wars", Iran-Contra, Reagan-Democrats, "ketchup really is a vegetable", "Winners Don't Use Drugs", "trees cause more pollution than automobiles do", and voodoo-economics.
Waxy.org is hosting a mirror of the Fahrenheit 9/11 trailer. Get it while it's hot, but free software users be forewarned, it is a Windows Media file, so make sure to use mplayer or another capable app.
Do you want to dispense Asswhoopery like the US government? Learn the 1000 Styles of Rumsfeld and your skills will be almost unmatched! But can you beat his Appease a Corrupt Dictator on Camera technique?
Via Dave.
Found a fun link over at Kuro5hin, about the FBI issuing warnings against people with almanacs. That's right, "almanac carriers" all over the United States, beware! The FBI is after you and they would like to chat about that fine reference book in your possession.
As a part of an ongoing discussion over at LaughingMeme, I have taken it upon myself to do a bit of link digging for material related to Regan-era foreign policy towards Iraq, and the supposed sale of chemical weapons agents by the US to Iraq.
One of the best resources I came across was the National Security Archive at George Washington University. They have a good collection of documents and writeup related to shift in US policy in the early 1980's to aiding Iraq in the Iran-Iraq war. The writeup includes a WMV movie of Donald Rumsfeld shaking hands with Saddam, while he was visiting as a special envoy of President Reagan. Find there also a publication covering what came to be known as Iraqgate, including aid that violated our supposedly neutral stance on the Iran-Iraq war at the time. The archives at GWU are a great place to start.
Moving on, check out a time-line of events between 1980 and 1990 related to our policy towards Iraq.
Digging further, it isn't hard to find find material critical of Clinton's dual-containment policy in the region. It is fairly humorous, however, to read a pre-war article that concludes with a warning about an "awful, shocking, but seminal event." Something that could have happened had Saddam still had those weapons of mass destruction that he turned out not to have.
On the subject of non-conventional weapons in Iraq, many people allege that the US sold chemical and biological agents to Iraq. The claim is that the Department of Commerce and the ATCC provided these shipments to Iraq. The American Gulf War Veterans Association cites Senate Report 103-97 (alternate link) on this topic, which as best as I can tell, doesn't cover the topic. Is there any reliable evidence of US sale of chemical or biological agents to Iraq? I haven't found anything definitive, but the best resource I've come across is a collection of article references at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, although that is scant little. Also check out their Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Middle East page.
Well, that about wraps it up for two hours worth of link digging. Feel free to comment and contribute links or other information.
(Via Beats & Rants 2.1.) State District Judge Timothy Ellender, a white judge from the Terrebonne Parish, attended a Halloween party in black-face makeup, an Afro, an orange jail jumpsuit, and shackles. A fucking judge!
This case may go to the Louisiana Supreme Court if it is recommended by the state Judiciary Commission; I really hope it does. This kind of shit from a judge—a man whose job it is to put people in jail, mostly for non-violent crime I would bet—is unacceptable.
How can anyone in Ellender's court expect to get a fair trial? And for that matter, assuming they did, one would expect more mistrials declared and more appeals granted, on the mere suspicion of racial bias. That is a disservice to every citizen of Louisiana.
Ouch. Mr. Rumsfeld caught in a red-handed lie. (Via Eclecticism.) You can't match the power of the all-knowing GOOGLE.
Mark, the real problem, IMHO, is lack of healthy skepticism.
The polls continue to show that the voters think that Bush is of good moral character personally, despite their discontent with his performance in office. Perhaps they understand that he runs an administration where mendacity is treated as a family value, and just don't associate deception by politicians with bad moral character, or perhaps they misunderestimate the extent to which Bush and his aides make up for their profligacy with public funds by observing a strict economy with respect to the truth. Probably, both are the case.
I don't believe your average voter is as jaded as you suggest, but I agree, they may "misunderestimate" Bush. However, I think the real sickness of the American voter is gullibility. I'm weary of excuses from people along the lines of "Bush must know something we don't—he can't give out all of the intelligence now, it would aid the Enemy." People simply don't know how to be skeptical of their leaders.
Why is it that some American POW's are treated differently after their return to America? Read on (via Blunted On Reality).