What was it about Ronald Reagan than made even many Democrats like him and vote for him?
595858
Here is what made even Democrats like Reagan:\n\nImagine you are a regular working class guy in 1980.  Your whole existence is starting to look outdated and shabby.  There is shag carpeting in the living room and avocado green appliances in the kitchen.  Your car is rusting in the driveway.  Your salary can't even keep pace with inflation, and the American dream is starting to look like the American nightmare.\n\nInstead of talking about the superiority of noble American ideals such as freedom and democracy, social critics start talking about "moral equivalency", as if democracy is no better than Communism.  To make matters worse, the Soviets are on the march all across the world.  It's starting to look like the Communists will eventually gain global domination.  People are wondering how much longer the American way of life can continue.\n\nJimmy Carter is talking about malaise, and how our best days are behind us.\n\nThen, Ronald Reagan gallops onto the scene, like John Wayne arriving just in time to save the fort against the indian attack.  Reagan tells us our best days are ahead of us.  He reminds us of the incredible accomplishments our nation has achieved throughout the years.  He restores our pride, and he gives us confidence.\n\nPeople start to feel better about the future.  They feel that, with Reagan in charge, things really will get better. For the first time in a long time, they are proud to be American.\n\nI remember seeing a political cartoon in the Chicago Tribune in which Reagan is flying out the window like Peter Pan.  Inside the room, are nervous investors, but Reagan tells them not to be afraid... they can fly!\n\nThat was Reagan's genius.  People sensed his strength of leadership and his resolve.  If he told you things were getting better, it became a self-fulfilling prophecy.\n\nReagan gave incentives for businesses to invest in future technologies, upgrade their existing infrastructure, and engage in more research and development, all of which led to the tech boom of the 1990s, during Clinton's presidency.
36192
Basically because the people he was running against were dumber than he was.\nThe general public recognized that, and voted for the lesser of two evils.
166692
Ronald Reagan was president and advocated the Star Wars missle defense program.
240378
because he has an accent and most voters are from middle america and can relate to him. The rich poor all their money into supporting him, because he is pro corporation and pro wealth class (see his tax cuts which only help the rich). He is a front man for rich america, so they poor all their resources into him and all the republicans to make sure everyone likes him. Additionally, the uneducated masses love him because he appeals to their barbaric instinctual feelings of war and testorerone instead of using their forebrains and looking at the facts.
139361
Okay, Dave, now I see, you're trying to still my answer! But it's okay, because Ronald Reagan was 'great president and man'. And there'll never be another like him. \n\n\n P.S.   Make sure to view your comments, Dave.
1119131
No way, Ronald Reagan was a great president who loved his country more then anything, he saw the good in all people even if they hated him, he was a true patriot who had balls, unlike many US presidents, i would take him over bush and definately clinton anyday, we'll be lucky if we ever get another president like Reagan, other countries were scared of him because they new he meant business and that he stood for freedom for all people not just Americans, did everybody forget the Berlin Wall? i think if anybody questions his character they should read some of his writings and great quotes, he really did love this country and wasn't in the presidency for himself but for us
144625
That more people voted Republican than Democrat.  The Democrats have not yet learned that the country is in fact becoming more conservative each day.  This would not be a problem if the Democrats would run a more moderate candidate with a moderate platform.  The reason this will not happen is Howard Dean is chairman of the Democrat party and will have a liberal platform that only a liberal candidate can even try to sell.
533340
Ronald Reagan was the first president I ever voted for. Love him or hate him, he did one thing very well, appeal to other parties. Hence the term Reagan Democrat.\n\nI'm not sure I'd vote for him again if he were still alive. But with the grim choices both parties have been giving us the last few election cycles, maybe.\nEdit:\nThe first, for those of you who don't know, is prostitution.\nEdit:\nCottonmouth: Some Reagan facts: When Reagan left the White House, the deficit amounted to 2.8 percent of Gross Domestic Product, after having hit 6 percent of GDP in 1983. The economy grew out of the 1982 recession and by the end of Reagan’s presidency the unemployment rate was 5 percent, less than half what it was in 1982.\n\nI can't believe I'm actually DEFENDING a Republican...
1063019
Ronald Reagan (Modern Times) Saving the US from Communism and Liberalism\n\nAbraham Lincoln - Preserving the Union
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LBJ:  Very into social progams (called the Great Societies).  Started the War on Poverty or the War on Drugs.  Into taxes and unpopular wars.  Pro-civil rights\nReagan:  Started what is now called the Reagan Revolution, and reinvented conservativism.  Supported trickle down economics (called Reaganomics) in which the wealthiest get their taxes cut so they'll put it back into the economy.  Spent a lot of money on weapons building, and defeated communism.  Anti-death of babies due to abortion.\n\nClinton- pro-taxes, pro-abortion, anti-guns, anti-morals, pro-lying, loved Nixon's illegal activities (and copied many :)).  Came up with the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy in the military, allowing gay people as long as they weren't openly gay.  He screwed up when he asked Congress to pass DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act), legally defining marriage as something between a man and a woman.
288806
Only the most "red cat Republicans" (people who would vote for a red cat if it was running as a Republican, cf "yellow dog Democrat") still support the man.  Check out Bruce Bartlett -- a conservative economist with EXTREMELY strong right wing credentials.  He wrote a book called "Impostor : How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy".  I think the title says it all.
1094985
President Ronald Reagan was a liberal as an actor and was head of the SAG, screen actors guild. Conservatives are always against Unions.  When Reagan met his wife Nancy her father was a conservative involved in the Republican party and Ronald Reagan joined the republican party. He went from democratic to republican.
766514
Ronald Reagan. He made me feel proud to be an American!
449236
A tie between Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan. They are on opposite sides of the ideological spectrum but they both had the ability or charisma to make people like them personally even when they disagreed with them on policies. I'd sure like to have had a backyard barbecue with those two, Uncle Ronnie and Good Ol' Bill.
1010517
Who ever you are masquerading as Kerry, I doubt he appreciates it.  I haven't seen any vision from the democrats for years.  Reagan was the last republican with a vision & JFK the last democrat with one.  Please have your party offer up someone with vision.  Please stop both parties from attempting to buy votes.\n\nAnother item you should consider pushing through - Have each item stand on its own when voted on.  Stop putting unrelated items on the bill.  Yes this is effect being a line item veto, but the politicians would now be accountable.  Lobbist would also lose their power!
613891
Economics during the Ronald Reagan administration.
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People I know say they vote Republican because they want morality and fiscal responsibility.   After a while they couldn't ignore the magnitude and the cynicism of the betrayal their elected official were perpetrating.