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Lonestarblue

(13,501 posts)

33. I would say it all started with Reagan.

Tue Apr 7, 2026, 01:26 PM

Tuesday

He embraced subtle racism, put forth Friedman's economic policies favoring the movement of the country's wealth to the rich, caused poverty to increase, denigrated poor people on welfare with his "welfare queen driving a Cadillac" line, and broke the back of the air traffic controllers union and set the anti-union tone still being pushed by Republicans today. One of Reagan's media consultants, Roger Ailes, went on to turn Fox News into the Republican sewer it is today.

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ck4829 Tbear

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When and how did it happen? [View all] ck4829 Tuesday OP

Murdoch,Limbaugh and the great redneck brainwashing of the last 25 years Blues Heron Tuesday #1

Lee and Hitler must be looking up right now ck4829 Tuesday #4

Hitler DID have a media propaganda machine. A pretty comprehensive one, for the times. Aristus Tuesday #34

Oh no, he had one for his own country for sure ck4829 Tuesday #35

YES! GaYellowDawg Tuesday #27

And I think in this case, psychology and socialization are factors here too ck4829 Tuesday #42

100% this Cosmocat Tuesday #28

All of this and more 31st Street Bridge Tuesday #36

That was so much another part of the decline, along with the electoral clown college ck4829 Tuesday #48

Yup. I'd even argue it goes back further. bearsfootball516 Tuesday #53

Talk radio was being fed pro-fascist propaganda planted by Washington Times. blm Tuesday #56

Consolidation of media,... magicarpet Tuesday #62

It was a continuous process. Trump is the end result dalton99a Tuesday #2

If Republicans have taught us one thing: They only go one direction... downhill! ck4829 Tuesday #5

Ask student Gaza protestors leftstreet Tuesday #3

Yep, I can see that. All factors for sure. ck4829 Tuesday #6

We had two very good opportunities to avoid that. MineralMan Tuesday #7

You're describing, perfectly, the manifestation of the decline. I'm curious, though, about what caused it ck4829 Tuesday #9

This is only one factor, but it is a big one LR3 Tuesday #11

For sure. Remove wealth inequality, remove right-wing politics and the decline for sure ck4829 Tuesday #12

I'm citing two specific elections where it made all the difference. MineralMan Tuesday #13

Agreed 👍 MustLoveBeagles Tuesday #14

I see what you are saying ck4829 Tuesday #15

Like going broke it started slowly, then fast -misanthroptimist Tuesday #8

Dang! Excellent points. Can certainly look at it like death by a thousand cuts ck4829 Tuesday #10

I am taking a history class on understanding Tree Lady Tuesday #16

Oh yes, a key part of the beginning of this ck4829 Tuesday #19

Social Media question everything Tuesday #17

Oh that is very important, media correcting itself ck4829 Tuesday #23

Citizens United. nt intrepidity Tuesday #18

Indeed, the ball rolling down sped up after that for sure ck4829 Tuesday #24

It was built broken, on a framework of white supremacy. If we don't dismantle white supremacy, we'll keep struggling. WhiskeyGrinder Tuesday #20

THIS Just_Vote_Dem Tuesday #22

For sure ck4829 Tuesday #25

The failure of Reconstruction and rise of the Gilded Age.. Taft splitting from Roosevelt haele Tuesday #21

Oh yes, others have pointed this out. We couldn't have this decline without the failures of reconstruction ck4829 Tuesday #26

Temporarily overcome by the country and people of muriel_volestrangler Tuesday #29

There is a cause and a reaction, definitely ck4829 Tuesday #31

Great lessons, all who posted. Really. All factors for sure. Read on them people reading this thread. I need to add this ck4829 Tuesday #30

So the circle really has nothing to post now, huh? ck4829 Tuesday #54

1770s Cirsium Tuesday #32

I see that, I want to believe in something more hopeful ck4829 Tuesday #37

of course Cirsium Tuesday #40

I would say it all started with Reagan. Lonestarblue Tuesday #33

Things definitely sped up downhill at that time during his term ck4829 Tuesday #38

Borowitz in his book "Confederacy of Dunces" Shipwack Tuesday #49

The Civil War and Reconstruction Johnny2X2X Tuesday #39

We really are. ck4829 Tuesday #47

I saw it coming with Reagan gay texan Tuesday #41

They really are gonna have to learn that way ck4829 Tuesday #45

James Earl Carter was the last of the greats. CoopersDad Tuesday #43

Before my time ck4829 Tuesday #44

Solar on the white house, Habitat for Humanity, his Malaise speech... CoopersDad Tuesday #46

"What was to come" - That is the truth right there ck4829 Tuesday #50

november 22 1963 to be precise. rampartd Tuesday #51

Would be interesting to see what happened had that day took a different course ck4829 Tuesday #52

WashTimes feeding pro-fascist propaganda to talkradio in 80s, begetting FOX 'news' in 90s. blm Tuesday #55

Hey, the Unification Church was also involved with the Washington Times, right? Sun Myung Moon made it happen I think ck4829 Tuesday #57

Sun Myung Moon had a longtime association with Poppy Bush blm Tuesday #58

Same here ck4829 Tuesday #61

We just got tired of progress in the 1970s meadowlander Tuesday #59

And that is so unfortunate ck4829 Tuesday #60