Editorials & Other Articles

He ushered in the era of neoliberalism, even though he's called a neoconservative. He made deals with Iran to not release hostages so he could win an election and then traded weapons for money to fund the Contras in South America even though Congress had explicitly denied any and all funding to those anti socialist forces.

He believed in people, goods, and capital, not being restrained by borders. He opened the way for massive low cost labor importation, legalised some 4 million illegal laborers, opened commerce with low wage labor countries for the importation of goods, and opened the way for US capital to invest in foreign manufacturing.

The Reagan Democrats commonly referred to as southern racists were actually the mid level professionals who suddenly got huge tax breaks and much cheaper goods via importation. The middle class while happy with the tax breaks ignored the increased taxes on Social Security and the declining wages of the working class, and most especially the sharp decline in taxes for the most wealthy.