Reagan cheered on the "war on government" with:

[SHRED]

"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'"

Then, during the assassination attempt, a government employee took a bullet for him.
He was hurried into a government car.
Rushed to government paid-for top of the line health care and saved by a government paid-for surgeon.

What a hypocrite.
He should have refused that "terrifying" help.

---

[bluethruandthru]

1. The phrase that started it all!

So many people I know who grew up during the Reagan years have such a hatred of the government...but, when you ask them why, they can usually only point to the long lines at the DMV!!!

[no_hypocrisy]

2. I honestly think that Reagan was a duped patsy and really didn't understand what he said.

Same damage, but different motivation.

[mulsh]

3. look at his 2 ruinous terms as CA governor- he believed.

we're still feeling the effects of the "B-Actor, D-Governor" as a republican party bumpersticker read at the time.

[bluedave]

4. He hit his high point in Bedtime For Bonzo

[mopinko]

6. i agree with that.

and senile long before anyone knew about it.

[unblock]

7. in a way, i believe you, but who cares?

sure, he was at his core an actor, he stood on his mark and delivered lines written for him and projected the desired emotion.

plenty of actors understand thoroughly their lines and motivations, but plenty of other actors are completely clueless about their subject matter (ever hear a sean connery interview?) reagan was surely in the latter category. he was doing a job and getting much applause for it, and he probably didn't care beyond that.

but there's FAR too much emphasis (by design) on the actual individual when it comes to the presidency. as always, but nowadays especially, and even more so in the republican party, it's not about the front man. there are powerful interests that put that man in office, and why should we care about their choice of front man? what we should care about is their power and the reasons why they chose the man and why they can keep choosing such people and keep on winning.

[LeftinOH]

5. He was good at memorizing his lines (written by someone else). n/t