Talk:Ronald Reagan

I've started work on this major article. I prepared the Bibliography originally for Wikipedia. Richard Jensen 11:35, 5 April 2007 (CDT)

Please leave this notice at the top of the article. So, Dr. Jensen, we aren't using any part of the WP article that you haven't written? --Larry Sanger 12:01, 5 April 2007 (CDT)

correct. Richard Jensen 12:33, 5 April 2007 (CDT)

I've got some questions about the Iran-Contra section. It seems to make a lot of statements about Reagan's state of mind and knowledge that aren't easily supported. I also believe the statement "No Reagan official was charged with illegal behavior in Iran-Contra; some were charged with cover-up afterwards, but those charges were reversed on appeal" is false. I could be wrong, but it was my recollection that Elliott Abrams, for one, was charged with multiple felonies, and convicted of a couple misdemeanors. I don't think the charges were reversed, and I don't think he was the only one. I do think Poindexter's conviction was overturned on a technicality. Bernardo Attias 01:38, 10 April 2007 (CDT)

officially, "Abrams pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges of withholding information from Congress. Abrams admitted that he withheld from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) in October 1986 his knowledge of North's contra-assistance activities."[1] that is, coverup after the event. Likewise McFarlane pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of withholding information from Congress. So it needs a rephrasing. Thanks Richard Jensen 10:55, 10 April 2007 (CDT)

War on Drugs

With President Reagan it cames the dramatic escalation of War and Drugs and his wife's "Just Say No" campaign that imprisoned millions of teenagers (sorry for editorializing it). Should this be mentioned? Yi Zhe Wu 10:07, 7 October 2007 (CDT)

yes but the goal was successful in reducing drug addiction and crime. Richard Jensen 17:42, 7 October 2007 (CDT)

at the same time the president cut drug treatment funds, while sending those people who needs treatment to jail, I'm not sure if that's reducing drug addiction and crime. Yi Zhe Wu 19:17, 7 October 2007 (CDT)

In terms of juvenile arrests for drugs: they fell. from 87,000 in 1980 (Carter) to 72,000 (1988, Reagan) See Stat Abstract 1995 p 206 at [2] --Richard Jensen

Thanks Professor Jensen for the statistics, never saw that before, and I think I probably got duped by the Wikipedia stuff. From the stat I also noticed that when Bush Sr. and Clinton took over the arrest went up again. It is unfortunate.

Personally speaking I didn't much hate Reagan as a person, the pre-presidency Ronnie was a principled conservative with a Goldwater libertarian streak. But, after he got the power and prestige, he did not hesitate to spend federal money and created this huge deficit. He was one of the leaders that I feel bad for. Greed to power blinds wise men's eye. Alas. Yi Zhe Wu 22:29, 7 October 2007 (CDT)