Obama: The Democratic Ronald Reagan?

[LBJ Revivalist]

Of course, some will say the Democrats already had their "Ronald Reagan" in FDR--And while that may be true, do you think there's any possibility Obama will step up and mold/shape/influence the Democratic party in the same way for the coming decade/decades that FDR did in the 30s up until the 60s, or like Reagan did and continues to do for the GOP in the 80? Do you think he'll become as iconographic of the 2010s as Reagan was in the '80s or FDR was in the '30s? I mean for example how the GI Generation associated FDR with their youth as do many of the kids of the 80s associate Reagan with their youth--whereas other presidents are not as fondly or nostalgically connected with their era.

[Obnoxiously Slutty Girly Girl]

No. Reagan was re-elected.

[Bo]

It's possible. Even though I think Reagan is way overrated.

[Bo]

No. Reagan was re-elected.

So will Obama.

[Magic 8-Ball]

This comparison has never been made.  Especially not on this forum.

[exopolitician]

No.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Obama has pushed for some important things that have been passed but he's not God, people.

[Joe Republic]

Sure, if you like.  But what do we all think will be Obama's parallel to Iran-Contra and the senility?

[opebo]

...Reagan was right and his policies produced an economic recovery, two deacdes of prosperity without inflation, and a peaceful end to the Cold War.

No, his policies produced enormous debt, severe inequality, radically heightened social ills, and our current economic collapse.

It is worth noting that Obama cannot be a 'Ronald Reagan', simply because Reagan was a right wing extremist.  Obama's policies are just centrist, nothing to write home about - no Ronald Reagan of the Left is possible in America as he would not be elected, and even if elected would be quickly assassinated.

[Oakvale]

In terms of legacy, maybe, in that he'll be re-elected easily, and be generally popular, universally praised by his party, and strongly disliked by the other.

[Free Trade is managed by the invisible hand.]

Obama does not have that cult of personality like Reagan did.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Obama does not have that cult of personality like Reagan did.

Didn't you just get that backward?

[Mechaman]

It took Obama over a year to get his pet issue (health care reform) passed with pretty significant majorities in the House and the Senate (the fact that the Democrats couldn't get it passed with a 60 seat filibuster majority should say something about the party leadership).  How long again did it take Ronald Reagan to get his tax cuts passed with only a 53 Republican majority in the Senate and a noticeable minority in the House?
In terms of getting things done, I disagree.  If however you mean Obama will be greatly overrated like Ronald Reagan, I agree.

[Badger]

No. Reagan was re-elected.

The bigger difference is that Reagan was right and his policies produced an economic recovery, two deacdes of prosperity without inflation, and a peaceful end to the Cold War.

No, no and no.

[Brittain33]

It took Obama over a year to get his pet issue (health care reform) passed with pretty significant majorities in the House and the Senate (the fact that the Democrats couldn't get it passed with a 60 seat filibuster majority should say something about the party leadership).  How long again did it take Ronald Reagan to get his tax cuts passed with only a 53 Republican majority in the Senate and a noticeable minority in the House?
In terms of getting things done, I disagree.  If however you mean Obama will be greatly overrated like Ronald Reagan, I agree.

It's so hard to oppose tax cuts and remain politically popular.

[Oakvale]

It took Obama over a year to get his pet issue (health care reform) passed with pretty significant majorities in the House and the Senate (the fact that the Democrats couldn't get it passed with a 60 seat filibuster majority should say something about the party leadership).  How long again did it take Ronald Reagan to get his tax cuts passed with only a 53 Republican majority in the Senate and a noticeable minority in the House?
In terms of getting things done, I disagree.  If however you mean Obama will be greatly overrated like Ronald Reagan, I agree.

It's so hard to oppose tax cuts and remain politically popular.

[opebo]

Obama does not have that cult of personality like Reagan did.

Didn't you just get that backward?

you must be joking - people worshiped Reagan.  Obama is only liked strongly by a much smaller segment of the population.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Obama does not have that cult of personality like Reagan did.

Didn't you just get that backward?

you must be joking - people worshiped Reagan.  Obama is only liked strongly by a much smaller segment of the population.

Blacks?

[opebo]

Obama does not have that cult of personality like Reagan did.

Didn't you just get that backward?

you must be joking - people worshiped Reagan.  Obama is only liked strongly by a much smaller segment of the population.

Blacks?

Actually I forgot about them - I was thinking of left-leaning college students.  But regardless, yeah about 20% of the population thinks Obama is the greatest thing since sliced bread, and another 25-30 percent just like him because they're sick of the horrible alternative.  Reagan had like half the population thinking he shat gingerbread cookies.

[rebeltarian]

Barack Obama is more like the JFK of the 21st century.  He's an inspiring, likeable President who looks cool and symbolizes a new era in American culture, but is also a young, relatively unqualified President who isn't making much headway in terms of hard policy.  Hopefully he won't also cheat on his wife and get assassinated.

[LBJ Revivalist]

Barack Obama is more like the JFK of the 21st century.  He's an inspiring, likeable President who looks cool and symbolizes a new era in American culture, but is also a young, relatively unqualified President who isn't making much headway in terms of hard policy.  Hopefully he won't also cheat on his wife and get assassinated.

I'd say Clinton was more like the JFK of the 21st century--After all, he served until 2001. JFK wasn't a liberal; JFK was more of a moderate in the same way Clinton was--He was also strongly opposed by the GOP Congress and like Clinton failed to get his major agenda passed (For JFK it was the New Frontier/Medicare/Medicaid; For Clinton it was Healthcare and gays in the military)--Both were in their time regarded as youthful, warm, vital, invigorating, charismatic relatively young men and both were in their time regarded as sex symbols by the young and middle aged woman of their eras.

Obama is neither moderate, nor warm, nor invigorating nor regarded as a sex symbol except by perhaps ''Obama Girl.'' He's more successful at getting legislation passed, unlike JFK and Clinton; He's too willing to bend or compromise (His "I won" attitude) whereas Clinton and JFK to a lesser extent were willing to work with the Congress they had but fought hard on the big issues to them--For example, the 1995/1996 Government Shutdowns.

[Sewer]

He's too willing to bend or compromise.

Um, not really...

[RosettaStoned]

Not at all.

[Oakvale]

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fail

[Landslide Lyndon]

It took Obama over a year to get his pet issue (health care reform) passed with pretty significant majorities in the House and the Senate (the fact that the Democrats couldn't get it passed with a 60 seat filibuster majority should say something about the party leadership).  How long again did it take Ronald Reagan to get his tax cuts passed with only a 53 Republican majority in the Senate and a noticeable minority in the House?
In terms of getting things done, I disagree.  If however you mean Obama will be greatly overrated like Ronald Reagan, I agree.

It's so hard to oppose tax cuts and remain politically popular.

Not to mention that unlike today's Republicans, Democrats in the 80's were willing to work and compromise with Reagan.