If Ronald Reagan Is Your Hero, Then Shut the Hell Up About Deficits and Debt

There is currently a movement to replace Ulysses S. Grant's image on the $50 with Ronald Reagan. The GOP trots out the Gipper every time it wants to drum up nostalgic support for its neo-conservative agenda. Ironically, all we hear from these so-called fiscal conservatives today is how our future generations are going to be crushed by our national debt. And it is ironic.

When Ronny ran the White House, he ran the national debt up from $908 billion up to $2.6 trillion, an increase of 186%. This increase in debt-to-GDP ratio surpassed FDR's new deal and WWII. Where do these Reaganites get off criticizing ANYONE for deficits and debt?

And where were these debt hawks when W and the GOP started 2 wars with no money to pay for them. No effort was even made to pay for them. They just spent, spent, spent, with no regard or objection from any part of the party (except Ron Paul).

The last time our nation saw sustained economic growth paired with reduction in national debt was the Clinton Administration. Yup. The philandering bumpkin and the so-called "tax-and-spend liberals" know more about economics that Reagan, W, Cheney, basically the entire GOP. So please just shut the fuck up. You have no credibility when it comes to this issue.

Trying to canonize Reagan as the patron saint of conservatism would is like trying to canonize Dick Cheney as the patron saint of charm, or Sarah Palin as the patron saint of moderately intelligent. It just doesn't pass the straight face test.