I believe the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the beginning of the end for the United States of America even though President Johnson signed into law many ideals of his deceased predecessor during Johnson’s push for “The Great Society”. With Vice President Johnson waiting in the wings, a coup d’etat had taken place. I’m one of those old conspiracy theorists that believes this to be true.
I believe President Jimmy Carter suffered the same political fate as JFK, because of George H. W. Bush. Bush made a deal with an Iranian cleric Mehdi Karrubi, Speaker of the Parliament, through William Casey to keep the hostages until after the Presidential election. Campaign manager William Casey became CIA Director as H.W. Bush became Vice President and Reagan became President. William Casey died seven years later of a brain tumor the day before he was to testify before the Senate about the Iran contra scandal.
Since then I cannot, but think about what the Israelites went through on Masada after the crucifixion of Christ. Israel went through the awful destruction of Masada because of the uprising of zealots and Titus of Rome squelched the insurrection and razed Masada to the ground. What are we going to go through for the Southern Republican Uprising?
The Republican base was largely Democrat before we lost the South due to the Civil Rights Era’s activism and the resulting legislation of the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations. Many a Republican Presidents have since used racist code and tax breaks to the rich to rile up the southern base into a frenzy against minorities and common sense.
Since then Reaganomics brought about the moral and economic decay of our country, even if it has been shrouded in a cloak of religious piety. We keep making excuses for bad behavior because of culture, religious ties and creepy relational mores.
Many southern states went on bidding wars “Corporate Tax Breaks”’ to capture corporate offices and facilities relocating and the northern states following too late. There was a boom in the south and places like Atlanta cleaned up, so did Texas. The north then started to feel the curse of Wall Street and the South celebrated its new found fortune. The biggest losers have been the Rust Belt Cities, state and local governments, pension programs and especially the working class and minorities.
The Presidency of Bill Clinton and the signing of the NAFTA agreement that was drafted by H. W. Bush and birthed in the first campaign of Ronald Reagan, brought the South along with the rest of the country to the ground, especially if you worked in a factory or were outsourced.
The creed of Reaganomics is greed is good. Just tell that to the child that doesn’t see his parents anymore because of a two job work load or is going to bed hungry. Is this the so-called “Promised Land”? Now that the South is experiencing “Paradise Lost” and they have a mad man as their messiah who holds nothing sacred but violence and placating the business community, our future is as uncertain as the people who voted for him.
Phil Lynch says
Right on, Jack. Reaganomics is institutional greed whose growth is attempting to choke the middle class.
David Anderson says
Interesting article. Not a bad review of recent history.
Though I think Masada is a little removed to have much relevance here, its excellent you point out the “Reagan Revolution” was a time many loved, and oldies still remember with a tear in the eye (and possibly no health inurance), it was still bad for many people.
And its where this terrible wealth inequality started to begin, wrecking the unions, health care, welfare “queens” etc. Deficits highest under Reagan/Bush, Bush 2, and now Trump.
And the ramp up of the terrible War on Drugs, absolutely Nixon/Reagan’s longest and most miserable memorial.
Good piece though. I always enjoy your articles.
David Anderson, JD
NYC
Jack Jones says
I’m sorry David if you think I was trying to leave any respect for Reagan in this article at all, on the contrary I tried with all My might to explain in a point by point process of how he and his cohowarts destroyed America. Concerning Masada my intent was to show what the wrong type of uprising could do to a nation, comparing the zealots with the Republican Party of late “Tea Party”, besides the special relationship the U.S. has with Israel.Thank You for reading and responding.