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News & ArtsThursday, September 20, 2012
2012 Ryan Is Still on that Obama = Carter Crack
Posted by Charles Mudede on Thu, Sep 20, 2012 at 7:56 AM
Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan told House GOP lawmakers in a closed meeting Thursday that this election was just like the 1980 contest between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.The problem is not comparing Obama with Carter. The problem is this: No one believes, not even the members of your own party, that Romney is Reagan.
Ryan said Carter lead Reagan late in the race, and Republicans have taken to comparing 2012 to the campaign three decades ago.
1
Bring it on. Carter, while his actual term in office was underwhelming to put it kindly, has had one of the greatest EX-Presidencies ever. Not only have people reevaluated his actual Presidency much more favorably in recent years, to anyone under thirty he's that kick-ass global peacemaker and elder statesman who builds houses for the homeless.
And even after Republicans making his name a byword for presidential failure, he's stayed out there, doggedly continuing to do vast amounts of good in the world. More power to him.
And even after Republicans making his name a byword for presidential failure, he's stayed out there, doggedly continuing to do vast amounts of good in the world. More power to him.
2
Former Governor Romney is closer to the REAL Reagan (a social moderate who was willing to raise taxes) than the version of Reagan that today's Republicans seem to remember.
3
Pardon me, but the conservatives always going back to comparisons of Carter v. Reagan is really starting to wear out. They've overused it.
When you apply a criticism to everyone then you've essentially applied that criticism to no one.
When you apply a criticism to everyone then you've essentially applied that criticism to no one.
5
Also, gotta give him credit, Jimmy Carter totally broke Jon Stewart once, which not everyone can do: bit.ly/ca8azg
6
It's more of the "I miss the good old days".
When we knew who the enemy really was (it was the Soviets!).
And our only social problems were welfare queens.
And there was no way a black man could be president.
When we knew who the enemy really was (it was the Soviets!).
And our only social problems were welfare queens.
And there was no way a black man could be president.
7
The last time a Republican defeated an incumbent Democrat for the presidency before 1980 was when Harrison defeated Cleveland in 1892. So really, it's all they've got.
8
The last time a Republican defeated an incumbent Democrat for the presidency before 1980 was when Harrison defeated Cleveland in 1888. And even then Cleveland won in the rematch 4 years later. So really, it's all they've got.
9
Chuck-
why didn't you post that Obama's CounterTerrorism Director said the murder of Chris Stevens was a terrorist attack?
Not the result of a protest riot.....
That Stevens was on a terrorist hit list?
And knew it?
And spent the last weeks of his life fearing for his life?
And that Obama did not protect him?
Why didn't you post that?
why didn't you post that Obama's CounterTerrorism Director said the murder of Chris Stevens was a terrorist attack?
Not the result of a protest riot.....
That Stevens was on a terrorist hit list?
And knew it?
And spent the last weeks of his life fearing for his life?
And that Obama did not protect him?
Why didn't you post that?
10
The only thing I know about Carter is that he was the first modern ex-POTUS to criticize the then sitting POTUS (GW).
11
Also, Reagan led Carter for months before the debates where the Republicans like to claim he came from behind. It's just part of the mythical Reagan.
Also, it shows that Ryan is still crap with numbers.
Also, it shows that Ryan is still crap with numbers.
13
Obama doesn't have a hostage crisis and the economy IS recovering. Besides, everyone remembers where we were at the end of every Republican: at war and in debt.
14
@10 that's all you know? It's odd you'd readily admit to such colassal ignorance. But it's at least honest. So then I'd suggest you read more about American history and the important events that have shaped your society.
Hold back on commenting until you're more informed.
Hold back on commenting until you're more informed.
15
There's really no comparison. The bad economy under Carter was inflation--which he inherited from Nixon and Ford, and the 1980 recession, which was the result of the Fed raising interest rates to fight inflation. To the extent that Carter had a hand in that, by appointing Volcker, it was for the long-term good of the country. Reagan bobbled the handoff and the country plunged into a much deeper recession after he was elected, which again was in part due to actions of the Fed.
The current situation is not caused by restriction of the monetary supply by the Fed, as it was under Carter. It's caused by lack of demand, with long-term roots in growing inequality which left most people without enough income and thus reliant upon consumer and mortgage credit, both of which now must be paid down. The best government policy in these conditions is pretty much the opposite of what it was back then.
As for foreign policy, Jimmy Carter had one of the biggest successes of any president with the Camp David agreement, and relations with the Soviet Union improved under his presidency as well. His big negative was Iran, and that was out of his hands. In Cold War conditions, a war against Iran was even more stupid than it is today. His only options were diplomacy and negotiation to get the hostages back, or a special ops rescue. He tried the latter, and it failed. And his negotiations led to the release of the hostages on Inauguration Day 1981. Reagan had nothing to do with it; in fact, it's likely that his campaign's behind-the-scene efforts actually prevented Carter from effecting the release before the election.
Take those elements away and Carter wins the election. And we would be much better off today if he had.
The current situation is not caused by restriction of the monetary supply by the Fed, as it was under Carter. It's caused by lack of demand, with long-term roots in growing inequality which left most people without enough income and thus reliant upon consumer and mortgage credit, both of which now must be paid down. The best government policy in these conditions is pretty much the opposite of what it was back then.
As for foreign policy, Jimmy Carter had one of the biggest successes of any president with the Camp David agreement, and relations with the Soviet Union improved under his presidency as well. His big negative was Iran, and that was out of his hands. In Cold War conditions, a war against Iran was even more stupid than it is today. His only options were diplomacy and negotiation to get the hostages back, or a special ops rescue. He tried the latter, and it failed. And his negotiations led to the release of the hostages on Inauguration Day 1981. Reagan had nothing to do with it; in fact, it's likely that his campaign's behind-the-scene efforts actually prevented Carter from effecting the release before the election.
Take those elements away and Carter wins the election. And we would be much better off today if he had.
16
Isn't it strange how they keep going all the way back to 1980, but anything from January, 2001 to November, 2008 is ancient history and completely irrelevant?
17
@15 Yeah, but didn't America's collective adolescent mentality play into that election? Middles Americans bristled at the engineer "lecturing," telling them the most truth I've ever seen spoken from that office (except in Eisenhower's farewell address) while the B-movie actor turned God Emperor (sound familiar) told them it's morning in America.
18
I take Ryan's remark to mean he's hoping for another foreign affairs disaster that his party can exploit and manipulate for their own benefit. Mitt tried with the Libya consulate tragedy, and botched it badly. They're hoping for a do-over.
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