Komrade Borat: That graph is pretty useless. Using nominal dollars is the worst option. Better to use real (inflation-adjusted) dollars. Best option: measure debt as a percentage of GDP. This last measure shows that debt has been dropping (non lineraly!) since WWII when it peaked. See the blue line here:

http://www.cedarcomm.com/~stevelm1/debt_gdp.png

if debt is a factor of inflation, why would you use the outcome of debt in order to modify itself?

maybe if you were measuring debt to something else, say population and then factored in inflation… eg., debt/per person inflation adjusted. then, you could have a graph that showed no debt or something equally ridiculous. justifying debt and inflation by burying the relationship they have to each other…

Until now I have avoided the political arguments because they have a only a slight influence on R/E and interest rates, with presidential politics having even less influence. I don’t know the age of the posters who are reagan bashing but if you weren’t at least driving a car during his first presidency or practicing nuclear attack drills in school, you are in no position to judge the man or the time he ran the country. I was there and he did all that you can ask and more than we usually get, he left it better than he found it. He won the cold war without a real war, the attitude and pride was entirely different and things were generally good under his watch. Another hundred years, he and Kennedy will be considered as the top leaders of that century. I won’t argue the details because it is as fruitful as arguing Jim Brown/Ladinan Tomlinson/Emmet Smith, they played in different eras, so you really can’t ever find the answer without a time machine.

Was Reagan the entire reason the country turned into the superpower it became, not entirely, but he helped. The 1980 Olympic Hockey Team is who I give much of the credit to, but i look at the world differently than most. What I don’t look at differently is what life was like from 80-88 and how I voted in 1984 (I am not a lock step republican or democrat, I am not religious, I actually voted for clinton and think he did a good job in many respects getting my vote for second place in my lifetime and I didn’t vote for our current president). In 1984 Reagan won every state but Minnesota and D.C., for those who lived then, it was a no brainer. Even Lewis Black, a somewhat liberal comedian, has said that we should dig up Reagan from his grave, stand him up at the podium and even saying nothing and dead he could probably do a better job than the current president and those we have to choose from to replace him.

I’m sure you can whine about some thing he did that was bad while sipping coffee in your favorite coffee house. Fine, have at it, but rest assured you won’t convince me. I was there and from Jimmy Carter to today, he’s still the best in my lifetime. Sometimes a feel good president is all you need when nobody feels good, the world punks you all the time, the economy is in the crapper, interest rates are 17% and you can’t get gas on even numbered days. Those are the cards he was dealt and the was a crappier hand than even the next guy will get, leave it better than you found it, that’s all I ask.

I was there too.

But I don’t need to feel good. I want to be told the truth. All Reagan did was paper over the mess by deficit spending and military spending. And he was a liar too (at least Carter was honest).

It’s like living on your credit cards for a few years. How many $30,000 limit cards do you have? Eventually the bills will come due. But in the mean time, you’ll feel good partying every weekend and your friends will think you’re such a great, generous guy. You old friends will be gone soon enough and unfortunately can’t tax your future friends to pay the bills. After Reagan and Bush 2nd, we’re now at bill paying time.

I think that Bush 1st was a great president. He made some hard choice that got us back on track. He was aloof but he’s a statesman. The Republican Congress caused Clinton to get in line and adopt pay-go.

Reagan was a little kooky and wasn’t always there.

The Soviet Union was bankrupt and would have fallen of its own weight (like housing today).

They WENT bankrupt trying to keep up in the arms race.

Ummmm I think the 10-year Afghan war had a little something to do with it too. I should know because I am from Kazakhstan. Jagshemash!

“And their economic philosophies, and corruption in the gov’t, etc, etc. It all played into it, I don’t doubt that.

Jeeman”

the us aint dead yet, no need to speak in the past tense. yet.

Reagan is the most OVERRATED president in history. This thread is just further proof. History, media, etc. have chosen to cast an almost fully favorable light on him. But a lot of bad things happened during that time as well, most notably the outrageous debt due to overspending which was a failed experiment of “supply side economics” (since trumped by W.) and the Iran Contra Affair.

I’m not saying he is the worst President either. He was a pretty likable guy (I loved Bedtime for Bonzo) and I shared his love for Jelly Bellies.

Reagan’s almost totally positive legacy is just further proof that people have selective memory and are brainwashed by the media.