GOODave wrote:
He supported it in his presidency, too. I'm really sorry you missed that part: I know you would have enjoyed the Grace Commission findings.
He campaigned on a platform of smaller government. He enlarged it in reality. I agree with Fordy on this issue. While he commissioned the Grace Commission, he implemented none of it.
You want to believe I am disparaging him by pointing out that he not only enlarged government, but he increased taxes to do it. If nothing else, he campaigned as a conservative, but governed pragmatically.
His fiscal policy is anything but conservative. Few people may remember that when Ronald Reagan took office, the federal budget was only $678 billion. During his 8-year tenure, the budget grew by 69%.
The annual average increase in government during Reagan's administration was 6.8%, compared with "big government" Bill Clinton's average annual increase of 3.6%.
Reagan promised to balance the budget within his first term. Instead, the annual deficit rose from $79 billion to $212 billion in that first term — and the Reagan years added $1.9 trillion to the federal debt.
His pragmatism is one of the many reasons I believe he should be considered a great president.
That same pragmatism would also have him failing the GOP Purity test that is wanted by those folks.