Question for Dems: W or Perry? You choose

[Stranger in a strange land]

Massive spending?

The 50s was pre-Medicare.

So there can't be massive spending without medicare? 

The United States was spending more and more on military costs during Eisenhower.  So much money was flowing into the defense industry and it became so invasive that during his farewell address Eisenhower addressed the military industrial complex. 

I have a feeling that even if medicare was completely abolished the conservatives would still complain about big government and massive spending.

Also, ever hear of the Interstate?

[TheGlobalizer]

Indie - Dubya, duh.

[courts]

Ike was the best post-war president from either party. Come to think of it, it kind of strikes me as odd that conservatives are so nostalgic for the 50s, when it was a time of high taxes, high regulation, massive government spending and expansion, and social discontent (which granted, didn't come to a head until the 60s, but still).

The 1950s economic liberalism is exaggerated by the left. The 1950s weren't that regulated at all compared to every decade after. Compare the Federal Register in the 1970s to now, for example (to say nothing of all the local ordinances, environmental regulations, anti discrimination/sexual harassment legislation, etc. passed the last 30 years). Taxes were also easier to evade due to all the loopholes and lower for the average person if you factor in payroll and all that contrary to what USA today might say. Also we spent much less due to not having various departments and the sort of entitlement expansion we got under LBJ and Reagan, although I'm sure a lot of the geriatric teabaggers whining about getting GUBMINT OUT MY MEDICARE11 would be cranky if they actually had to live back then because of that.

[TheGlobalizer]

Ike was the best post-war president from either party. Come to think of it, it kind of strikes me as odd that conservatives are so nostalgic for the 50s, when it was a time of high taxes, high regulation, massive government spending and expansion, and social discontent (which granted, didn't come to a head until the 60s, but still).

The 1950s economic liberalism is exaggerated by the left. The 1950s weren't that regulated at all compared to every decade after. Compare the Federal Register in the 1970s to now, for example (to say nothing of all the local ordinances, environmental regulations, anti discrimination/sexual harassment legislation, etc. passed the last 30 years). Taxes were also easier to evade due to all the loopholes and lower for the average person if you factor in payroll and all that contrary to what USA today might say. Also we spent much less due to not having various departments and the sort of entitlement expansion we got under LBJ and Reagan, although I'm sure a lot of the geriatric teabaggers whining about getting GUBMINT OUT MY MEDICARE11 would be cranky if they actually had to live back then because of that.

I'd love to roll back most laws/policies to the 1950s, or if done in an informed manner, the 1890s.