This was an interesting view of Reagan, cited as "the greatest American of the 20th Century" in the piece.  Since a lot of the stuff that's currently gone sideways on the GOP originates with the Reagan "revolution" I suspect that the folks are hoping to create a rewritten historical puff piece to bring some of the wayward back into their fold...before using them to smother the nation and cover up the crimes of the Bush Regime.

(Caution: to get it all on one page, I used the "Print This" link -- you'll get prompted for your printer, but should be able to cancel and read the article as one page.)

Reagan's Love of Freedom A Lesson For Today

The piece is definitely pro-Reagan, anti-Carter, and slightly out-of-focus with a few of the realities that were in play.

In short, it's a pretty good piece to review, rebut and reflect upon for why it may be showing up now -- perhaps to recall some of the "good old days" and Reagan "revolution" magic, and perhaps to erase some of the stains and obscure the wounds of the Bush Administration and last 12 years of GOP malfeasance, mismanagement and corruption? Or simply to rewrite history, before reality sets in and too many people realize that the GOP of today evolved from the new direction that launched with the Reagan years?

It's a good time for discussion -- grab some coffee or a beverage and jump right in.

This is, of course, an Open Thread.

Operation Coffeecup: Ronald Reagan’s Effort to Prevent the Enactment of Medicare

The bright lights that sweat the brows of posturing politicians usually avoid throwing shadows onto the curtains that obscure their campaign machines.  Recent elections have provided more than enough evidence for how ugly it can get behind the scenes.

But President Ronald Reagan was so effective in the emotional appeal of his persona that, no matter the legacy, the images of the Reagan era have inescapably haunted his followers ever since. 

As I've learned to peer behind the curtains to understand what is really intended by the holograph at the podium, more often, than not, it's another alumnus of the Reagan-Bush White House that I find piping messages about the shining city on the hill into the wireless microphone. 

The need for Reaganist appeal is apparently vast and marketable.  At least enough to create an entire industry and lifetime careers pitching policy dreams and nightmares through 'third-party' astroturfing and PR campaigns for moving just enough of public opinion to enable boots-on-the-ground lobbyists to convince elected officials to their objectives at thousand dollar a plate fundraisers.  Modern astroturfing includes forests of policy think tanks that launder the industry message through anti-tax or 'freedom' philosophical arguments and then push their expert opinion through cable news and Sunday talk shows to be picked up and carried on the banners of outraged 'non-partisan, non-profit' corporate-funded fronts of grassroots activists.

How fascinating it is to find that Ronald Reagan was a 'third-party' message-launderer of the American Medical Association's fight against the evil of socialized medicine, now known as Medicare.

It is completely unconscionable how far the Republican leadership has strayed from anything resembling responsible governance. While they thrive on their claim of patriotism, their petulant obstructionism during one of the most serious financial crises in American history betrays a total disregard for this nation, and an absolute disdain for the American people. Their childish behavior is nothing short of political malfeasance.

This past Friday night, Dec 12, 2008, Air America radio host and progressive author Thom Hartmann appeared on Countdown, hosted by David Shuster, to discuss the rescue of the U.S. auto industry. Hartmann eloquently defended American workers from the numerous anti-labor themes being spun by Republican and wrong-wing think tanks. But the most important thing Hartmann did was point Barack Obama and the American people back to the too-long forgotten roots of the U.S. economy and financial system, Alexander Hamilton.

Who manage to get appointed to plume federal jobs, that we pay the salaries for, by the way.

I just caught this little gem a few minutes ago, will FOX and O'Really be reporting on this, seems right up the O's alley.

US judge who posted sex images halts obscenity trial

A senior US judge yesterday suspended an obscenity trial in Los Angeles after admitting that his personal website contained sexually explicit photos and videos.

Read more

2008-02-21 00:34:46 -- cho

And Immigration.

Think they don't mix?

Well, GOP lobbyist had no work permit

And guess who he worked for:

A former California Republican Party official who resigned last year in a controversy over his immigration status had no valid visa or work permit during his high-profile career as a Washington lobbyist for conservative icon Grover Norquist, newly filed court records show.

Media Reform Information Center

In 1983, 50 corporations controlled the vast majority of all news media in the U.S.
...

in 2000, the number had fallen to six. Since then, there have been more mergers and the scope has expanded to include new media like the Internet market. More than 1 in 4 Internet users in the U.S. now log in with AOL Time-Warner, the world's largest media corporation.

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