Why do so many people hate Ronald Reagan as a person?

Question

I got a copy of every journal entry he made during his presidency at a book store. It revealed what he really thought without the media editing what he said about his thoughts and what not. He seemed really smart and likeable. He mentioned his assasination attempt and said how he hoped God forgave the attempted assasin. He mentioned how he befriended a child with muscular dystophy, how he thought most politicians were corrupt and dishonest, and also, how he was angered when he saw drugs being popularized in the media because he knew kids would see it. I can't believe some people actually think Ronald Reagan was a bad guy when he was probably one of the most friendly, honest, and likeable Presidents we have ever had no matter if people did not like his policies or not. And he put down what he really thought and you can tell that because the journal was released after he died, so there would be no worries about what things he said.

The only people who don't like Bush are extreme liberals or commies.

And even most liberals and Democrats liked Reagan.

EDIT: the only people who hate Reagan are extreme liberals or commies.

Answer 1

Most people hate Reagan? That's a false statement. MOST people actually liked him. His policies helped America to a high extent.

Answer 2

In a nut-shell: Reagan was a good looking amiable guy who worked is way to the top. Nobody can fault him that. But he was one of those people who just magically slides up the ladder from kid on the local radio to movie star, to governor, to president. He was just plain likable and people wanted to help him and see him succeed. So far...there is nothing wrong with him. His fatal flaw was in not seeing that he was special. He was the EXCEPTION to the rule. When he got on top, he began to side with the upper crust (most of whom did not work their way up, nor were they likable) and developed a disdain for the less fortunate who did not know how to magically climb the ladder. He took the "I did it, they can all do it" attitude, which is prevailent in the conservative party today. Contrary to conservative fiction, the less fortunate do not hate the wealthy because they have money and are successful, they dislike them for looking down on them with disdain and claiming that they are not trying hard enough because they cannot afford to make ends meet. Ironically, if the Republican party were to offer some reasonable support to their fellow americans, and quit sneering at their potential constituency, they wouldn't be the mess they are. But the minute the subject comes up, screams of socialism and welfare state hit the airwaves en mass. This attitude can be traced to the Reganomics era (trickle-down theory). As for Regan, the Republicans have built a myth around his memory, much the same as the Democrats have around JFK. The Regan of myth could do no wrong, brought the Soviets to their knees, cut taxes on the upper crust, etc. Most people don't hate Regan the man per se, they hate Regan the myth, because it embodies an economic policy that is favorable to the fortunate, and not so much for the less fortunate.

Answer 3

I don't think people hate Reagan as a person. The ideologues he had in his 1st term were gone in his 2nd term. Reagan had some interest in working out compromises, due to a Democratic Congressional majority. Reagan was kept in line from not being able to install a cretin like Bork on the Supreme court, compromising with an acceptable moderate as a replacement. Reagan had a HUGE tax increase to save social security and started backing away from the screwed up "trickle down" economics.

Worse knock which can be made against Reagan is that he was losing control in the latter part of his 2nd term, but what would you expect with the onset of Alzheimer's and being over 75.
The current President is a despicable person who thrust his war of vengence on America. If you like Bush then go die for his war crimes.

Answer 4

You had an intelligent question until you added "The only people who don't like Bush are extreme liberals or commies".

Do you really think that the 70% of the population of the country who disapprove of Bush are ALL "liberals or commies"?

Answer 5

I'm neither an extreme liberal or a commie and I dislike Bush intensely.

Where do you get your information that "so many people hate Ronald Reagan as a person?" That's WAY to generalized a statement to be worthy of any meaningful response.

Answer 6

I was never so proud to be an American as when Ronald Regan was president (1980-1988). He inspired confidence and compassion. I think the people who hated him hated him because he wrote a book against abortion entitled "Abortion and the Conscience of a Nation" (1983). In the 1980s pro- abortionists where fighting mad about abortion. It seemed that TV news reports in the 80s couldn't say anything good about President Regan. If abotion was legal when I was born I expect I would have been aborted to.

It is a sad truth that today people act hatefully towards each other because of differences of opinion. Hatred of people does not help anyone's cause in the long term. It can only hurt it. President Regan was especially careful not to hate anyone. You could hear it in his voice when interviewed. People would try to get him to say negative things about people and he would simply not respond to it.

Answer 7

The only people who don't like Bush are extreme liberals and commies? LOL

Let's look at his most recent Job Approval rating shall we? The latest Newsweek poll puts him at 26%. I guess there was a Red invasion between 2002 and 2007, right comrade? ;)

Answer 8

Reagan was a crappy actor who stabbed his fellow actors in the back as head of the "Screen Actors Guild" during the communist witch hunts of the 1950's...he personally had thousands of writers and actors blacklisted while helping his buddy Joe McCarthy.

He then became the worst governor in California history militarizing the police forces and over reacting to the 1960's race riots. He left California $5 Billion (Billion with a B) in debt from his first implementation of "Reaganomics" causing a fiscal crisis in the state.

Then as president he ran up a debt of $5 TRILLION (with a T) as well as selling weapons to the enemy (Iran) to fund an illegal war in Central America. Indeed Reagan set precedences for corruption that we are still suffering from today. Anybody who knowingly commits TREASON while smiling and selling some BS to his people can't be a "nice guy".

I only wish he could have died more than once.

As for Bush...Name ONE THING he has done right or that has helped this country? Don't say sh it about 9/11 because that criminal bastard perpetrated that act of "terrorism".

Answer 9

Well Reagan was corrupt and dishonest as well! Selling rockets to our enemy, cutting and running from Beirut after 242 of our Marine were killed by Hezbollah, ands being convicted in World court in an attempt to overthrow another government by using Contras!

Reagan was no lily white person.

He liked kids so much, he tried to make ketchup a vegetable in kids school lunch's, and was saved by an Md. who went to school under student loans and parents were immigrants! A program Reagan wanted to eliminate. Just the wealthy then could go to college!

Yea he was a great guy, and a terrible actor!

Travolta, the deficit for the war is not included in Bush's figures and that is approaching 3/4 TRILLION dollars! And Corporate Welfare!

So, we have to like David Stockman and Reagan's "Voodoo economics (trickle down my As_s!) or we are commies!
Well, that says a lot about you. Unfortunately, you think that most of America loved Reagan, who probably was so senile his last 4 years he couldn't run anything, and most America did not love him! How many convicted in his administration?

Answer 10

What would Ronald W. Reagan have known about God. I have in my possession a tape of Ronald Reagan taking God's name in vane no fewer than 6 times. (For those of you who do not know or follow the Christian belief, it is a cardinal unforgivable sin to take the name of God in vane)

So lets dispense with the "mind manipulation" here. He was no saint, and certainly no devout Christian. And as for drugs? Reagan was an alcohol abuser. (Ask any member of the AA or the NA if alcohol is an addictive drug and hear what they tell you.) He had been for many years. He was a womanizer, and a two faced character, who turned his back on unions, though he himself was a union member.

He was a jelly-bean eating clown who played the "straight man" to a chimpanzee in "Bonzo Goes Bananas". And this was the best that the Republicans could muster to "lead" (HA!) our nation in 1980.

Ronald W. Reagan was just another puppet manipulated and controlled by the Republican National Committee and it's funders. No more, no less. Someone who's face had been trained to look good for the cameras. And the people bought this lemon.

Edit: I'm a liberal........and if you would give me the pleasure of calling me a commie to my face, I'll smash your fascist little azz out of place for you. You see........I'm one of those "passive" liberals who don't like to fight.

Answer 11

I always felt he was a good person with strong ideals and morals, and well if that's not enough he had the balls every US Pres should have.

EDIT: To Perry L below try looking into things before you spout unwarranted hate. Yes in the McCarthy years he was Pres of the SAG, and yes he testified before Congress (Under Subpoena) but never publicly named names*. Also McCarthy was no buddy of his. McCarthy was a Republican, Reagan was a Dem, that is until he saw the light in 1962, well after the "Red" scare of McCarthy's 50's rampage!!!

* see Wikipedia under Reagan or SAG