Politics

Ronald Reagan Was a ‘Socialist!’…At Least According to This Magazine Cover

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Most likely going for shock appeal, Bloomberg Insider plastered the word “Socialist!” in bold red letters on an image of former President Ronald Reagan for the cover of Tuesday’s edition of its daily magazine. And get this, the magazine is going to be distributed throughout the Republican National Convention, almost certain to cause a stir.

Bloomberg Insider Cover Brands Ronald Reagan a Socialist!, Too Moderate for Republicans

For some conservatives, just seeing the word “socialist” and Ronald Reagan on the same page is cringe-inducing.

Bloomberg’s Michael Tackett argues, somewhat sarcastically, that under the Republican Party of today, even conservative hero Ronald Reagan would be considered too moderate for the party, which he claims has moved to the far right over the years.

Though the cover itself is obviously intended to be an attention-grabber, the text of the article itself doesn’t try to make the case that Reagan was in fact a socialist. As Business Insider points out, the term is used in hyperbolic fashion, poking fun at conservatives who have charged President Barack Obama of being a socialist himself.

From the Bloomberg cover story:

Ronald Reagan remains the modern Republican Party’s most durable hero. His memory will be hailed as The Great Uncompromiser by those who insist the GOP must never flag in its support for smaller government, lower taxes and conservative social values.

His record tells a different story.

During Reagan’s eight years in the White House, the federal payroll grew by more than 300,000 workers. Although he was a net tax cutter who slashed individual income-tax rates, Reagan raised taxes about a dozen times.

His rhetoric matched that of many of today’s most ardent Christian conservatives, yet he proved to be a reluctant warrior on abortion and other social issues. Perhaps most tellingly, he was willing to cut deals, working closely with Democratic leaders such as House Speaker Tip O’Neill of Massachusetts to overhaul Social Security and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Rostenkowski of Illinois to revamp the tax code.

The Bloomberg piece also accuses Republicans of driving out politicians that are considered to be too moderate, some of which were former Reagan allies, like former Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar. Lugar was defeated by Tea Party-backed state Treasurer Richard Mourdock in May.

“The idea is not simply to boost the Republican Party but it is to purify the party, and if this requires two or four or six years, so be it,” Lugar said recently. “The need to move the middle-of-the-roaders, moderates, out of the picture is an insistent one.” Lugar says Reagan would find today’s Republicans “a much more difficult group of people with whom to work.”

Read the entire Bloomberg Insider story here.

Comments (221)

  • alpha2omega47
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:46am

    Well this just shows that the Bloomberg Insider is full of it and publishes lies; just like all of the anti-capitalists (anti-American) worthless losers, corrupt liberal politicians and corrupt labor union leaders. I personally will never buy another magazine or newspaper because this is all they have to write about ~ lies; just like MSM.

    Report Post » alpha2omega47  
    • progressiveslayer
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:51am

      Journalism died many many years ago,today so called ‘journalists’ are nothing more than a propaganda machine for radical leftists and whoever happens to be the democrat occupying the oval office.

      Report Post » progressiveslayer  
    • poorrichard09
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 9:09am

      Yeah, morons like this think Jesus was a socialist, too. Absurd.

      Report Post »  
    • doomytram
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 9:13am

      The ridiculous leftist’s, President Obozo’s bunch, has been throwing out this narrative for a number of months now. This is the same bunch that is trying to convince women that Prez Obozo is conservative.

      These ridiculous narrative are like weather balloons. What’s going to be the next War on Hispanics……Fast N Furious. War on Dog‘s Eat’s dog War on Women – He is a muslim misogynist. What’s next? Obozo is more Conservative than Romney? I wouldn’t be surprised if Axelrod pulled that Obozo is like Reagan. We all know that Obozo is like those gay visitors to the White House that flipped off the Reagan bust. Obozo hates Reagan with the intensity of the Sun.

      Report Post » doomytram  
    • pdw
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 9:55am

      There is hope in comments such as these. For me it says they have to throw anything that will stick. A comment from Obama himself. :)

      Report Post »  
    • Ars21689
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 10:14am

      I didn’t even know Bloomberg published a magazine.

      Report Post »  
    • sWampy
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 10:26am

      Everyday is opposites day to liberal minds. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjhCXa0tO48

      Report Post »  
    • Jaycen
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:48pm

      So what? Who cares? What does this change?

      Let‘s assume for argument’s sake they’re 100% spot-on. What does it matter? I don’t care if George Washington compromised and if the federal budget grew under his administration. That changes nothing.

      We have a job to do, and we’re going to do it. Communists and Progressive Socialists at Bloomberg might not be able to think for themselves, but we can and we do. It doesn‘t matter if one of our hero’s was wrong on some points. It changes nothing.

      Report Post » Jaycen  
    • Caballosinnombre
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:50pm

      Amen to that.

      Report Post »  
    • Nebraskatypewriter
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:06pm

      In order to cover the Democratic Party’s move to the far left under Obama, (his marxist war on wealth and private property), the democrats are forced to accuse Republicans of moving to the far fight. They hope this type of accusation will cover their own movement left, but this is a strategy that has lost its pulse. It only works on the small, but willfully ignorant portion of the citizenry.

      It is a sign of panic. To call “socialist” the one President who intiated the fall of the largest socialist government in world history smacks of desperation. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics would like to take issue with that bogus (but humorous!) headline.

      May the desperation of the so called Democrats continue! November victory and the repeal of the Central Planning scheme towards Healthcare (Obamacare) is almost here.

      Despite their claims of working for liberty, Marxists and their thugs in the democratic party revile all individual rights and civil liberties. We welcome their defeat in November.

      Report Post » Nebraskatypewriter  
    • TomSawyer
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:16pm

      On Reagan’s radio program he encouraged his listeners to join a letter-writing campaign to Congress with the message: “We do not want socialized medicine.”

      Reagan was very clearly against Socialism.

      Report Post »  
    • P8riot
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:28pm

      Everyone knows that the Paulistinians would call George Washington a socialist if he ran against Ron Paul…

      Report Post » P8riot  
    • sillyfreshness
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:52pm

      Just a propaganda piece. Why doesn’t Michael Tackett write an article that Barack Obama is a fascist? I mean the Democratic Party was taken over by communists in the past decade. Radical, ultra leftist, progressive, communists have taken over the Democratic Party from “chosen person” Debbie Wasserman Schultz to “Cuba, best health care system in the world” Michael Moore. It’s funny that the Democrats can be as communistic as they want and nobody call them out, but if the Tea Party shows up, OMG we have to say they are reactionary, racist, hate mongers. Like I said, just another propaganda piece.

      Report Post » sillyfreshness  
    • rockribbedrushy
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 4:08pm

      P8RIOT
      “Everyone knows that the Paulistinians would call George Washington a socialist if he ran against Ron Paul…”

      Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a Winner!

      To paraphrase Uncle Joe Stalin:

      It’s not how many people that have opinions, it’s who decides what those opinions mean.

      BTW what do you mean when you call them Paulistinians?

      And when did you start calling them that?

      Report Post » rockribbedrushy  
    • P8riot
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 4:20pm

      @ROCK

      I started using the Paulestinians phrase around the time that the Paul supporters began resembling the mentality of the Palestinians towards Isreal. Then is stuck when they began bullying anyone who disagreed with them on ANY issue (e.g. if you’re not a Paul supporter, you are apparently a socialist, communist, constitution-hater).

      Report Post » P8riot  
    • FlyFishForFreedom
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:28pm

      @Sillyfreshness. Thank you for pointing out that Obama is really a fascist. We like to throw around terms with various “ists” tied to them to describe Obama. Marxist, Socialist, Cmmunist, and the like. But Fascist fits him to a tee. He is a crony capitalist. While he doesn’t like capitalism per se, he realizes that generating revenue is necessary. So, he wants to pick and choose the winners and losers in business, hence he bails out certain banks, certain auto manufacturers, etc. He won’t allow for drilling off shore or support the Keystone Pipeline, but will glady drop half a billion on Solyndra. The progressives love to blame the banks for the collapse of the housing market, when in fact it was governent regulations (CRA Act) that forced banks to write the bad loans which is the root cause of our current economic crisis. And Obama is dividing the country by waging war between the rich and the rest of the country. This is not unlike the behavior of another infamous fascist, Adolf Hilter. Hilter also blamed the banks of Germany (instead of the gov’t.) for many of the country’s economic woes, and waged a war on the Jews, many of whom were managed these banks. And he successfully divided the country to turn on the Jews. The only thing we are missing in this country are the concentration camps. Perhaps that is what Obama has in mind for the 2nd term?

      Report Post »  
  • progressiveslayer
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:44am

    These people are way out of line here calling one of our greatest presidents a socialist,it‘s absurd on it’s face.Reagan was a free market capitalist and I hoped he would have abolished the Dept.of education,he tried but wasn’t able to.

    Report Post » progressiveslayer  
    • Locked
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:53am

      “I hoped he would have abolished the Dept.of education,he tried but wasn’t able to.”

      Correct me if I’m wrong, but while he was an outspoken critic of the DoE, he never even attempted to abolish it as president, right?

      Report Post »  
    • 13th Imam
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 9:32am

      If he had subscribed to Barry’s dictator method of governing , he could have just proclaimed the DOE eliminated. He should have.

      Report Post » 13th Imam  
    • encinom
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 11:01am

      Reagan raised taxes, included capital gains taxes and talk about the rich paying their fair share. Reagan’s policies would cause the tax party to revolt.

      Report Post »  
    • CatB
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 11:15am

      Just more PROJECTION by the left … what they accuse others of is what THEY THEMSELVES ARE OR DOING.

      R & R 2012

      Report Post »  
    • DLV
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 11:34am

      Enicom- just….. no. Fail.

      Report Post » DLV  
    • sWampy
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 11:58am

      Reagan lowered taxes dramatically, and closed loopholes that allowed rich liberals sob’s to hide wealth, the conservatives/tea party loved him. Weak minded liberal idiots hated him, again they are on the opposite side of reality, like everything in their small minded view of the world.

      Report Post »  
    • progressiveslayer
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:23pm

      @LOCKED Education: In his two terms in office, Reagan slashed federal aid to schools by more than $1 billion, and he cut the Department of Education budget by 19%. [4] One of Reagan’s campaign promises was to abolish the Department of Education, which he considered a “bureaucratic boondoggle.” After intermittent attempts to fulfill this promise, he gave up in 1983 due to lack of Congressional support. [38]

      Report Post » progressiveslayer  
    • AvengerK
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:31pm

      Really ENCIDIOT/WHACKO/MONICNE/HORSEDANCER?

      Reagan raised taxes?

      “In the last year of Reagan’s presidency in 1988, there were two tax rates for individuals; a 15 percent rate for those making less than $17,850 and a 28 percent rate for those making above that level.

      Today’s tax code includes six rates, with the highest tax bracket paying 35 percent on income above $379,150.”

      Reagan REDUCED the top individual tax rate from 70% to 28%. s a result, tax revenues grew at an average rate of 8.2 %. Obama has proposed increasing the top tax bracket from the current 35% to well over 50%.

      And how much have federal revenues grown under little Barry’s “leadership”? Well they haven’t have they ENCIDIOT/WHACKO/HORSEDANCER? They actually have decreased by 2%.

      Let me reiterate that for you ENCIDIOT/WHACKO…Reagan LOWERED the top individual tax rate from 70% to 28%, closed loopholes in the tax code and INCREASED government revenue by 8.2%. Obama wants to raise the same rate above today’s 35% and government revenue has DECREASED by 2% during his tenure. Ok…I have to be fair…under Obama there’s less people working at full employment anyway than under Reagan…heck its the highest underemployment rate since WWII….which of course means..less taxpayers to begin with which in turn means less revenue from taxes. But you’re too stupid to understand that part.

      Report Post »  
  • barber2
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:35am

    Sounds like the same garbage the so-called Ron Paul Lefty Trolls post here. All part of the foxy Democrats’ Plan B: Divide the Dumb Conservatives ( over “progressivism and mormonism ”)

    Report Post »  
  • bigben357mag
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:30am

    The RNC hasn’t moved to the far right, the DNC has however, moved so far left it’s unrecognizable. If Ronald Reagan were reincarnated, he would get the RNC nomination, easy. If John F Kennedy were reincarmnated, the DNC would label him a right-wing nut-job and run him out of their party, for being too conservative.

    Report Post »  
    • barber2
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:37am

      Bingo. You nailed it ! This is NOT your grandfathers’ Democrat Party…unless pappy was Karl Marx.

      Report Post »  
    • woodyl1011fl
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 9:36am

      Today‘s democrat party is Marxist at its core and it’s leaders operate just like Lenin, Stalin, Mao. Stalin is the one leader that penetrated every facet of American culture during his reign with Marxist/Communists form our universities to our churches. In our time it has come to be that there is not a “dimes worth” of difference between the democrat party and the communist party USA. Khrushchev banged his shoe at the UN and said “we will bury you” in sense he is correct it is we ourselves through our own “useful idiots” are destroying our own liberties, freedoms and constitutional limited government because we are stupid enough to turn away from our founding principles. We have embraced the state religion of Marxism through our government educational system and are funding our own destruction. Never thought I’d see the day!!

      Report Post »  
    • bobbiejean
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:30pm

      @BIGBEN357MAG Guess that’s why a Dem congressman is speaking at the Rep
      convention (he’s conservative) and a Rep is speaking at the Dem convention because
      he’s a liberal. Party doesn’t seem to matter much now, it depends on which way
      the person leans—right or left.

      Report Post »  
  • bikerdogred1
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:21am

    If Reagan,was a socialists then AhMADinejah,is a jew.

    Report Post »  
  • LibsFIB
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:21am

    I was raised a liberal and regret every second of it.
    Conservative values abound today!!!
    Forgive the liberals for they know not what they do.

    Report Post » LibsFIB  
    • darkknight91
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 9:11am

      They know exactly what they do.

      Report Post » darkknight91  
    • prosinator
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:19pm

      Sometimes ignorance can’t be an excuse. Especially when the truth is so accessible.

      Report Post »  
  • 13th Imam
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:15am

    Is the editor of this rag a Ron Paul supporter.? They seem to sling the mud around with the rest of their buds in the DEMOCRAT Party. They are the true 1%ers.
    RR is the man.

    Report Post » 13th Imam  
  • JUSTANOTHEROPINION
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:11am

    What else do you expect from these people. If you have no solutions all you have left is attacks. It’s disgusting but this is who the left is.

    Report Post »  
  • chickenfried
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:10am

    I think a magazine ought to circulate an issue at the DNC with Obama on the cover and the word “puss”.

    Report Post » chickenfried  
  • TyrannyNoMore
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:10am

    Wow…what would the left do without Rules for Radicals, or the Communist Manifesto , for that matter ? This is nothing but a desperate attempt to besmirch one of our most beloved, iconic figures in a vain attempt to demoralize us all. This is classic, text book commie strategy ! Guess what comrades ? The the bloom is off that rose now. Patriots have read your books and know how you operate now.
    So, Bloomberg……nice try comrade….but you have failed !

    Report Post » TyrannyNoMore  
  • gbfreak
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:09am

    Another LAMEASS attempt to change our History from the socialist pukes!

    Report Post » gbfreak  
  • grimmster
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:05am

    Just more desperate loonacy from the left.What things like this are meant to do, is incite anger in conservatives, so they will go off like a bomb and kill someone.You would think that since it hasnt worked yet, they would drop the idea,but alas, its the loonacy of the left….

    Report Post »  
    • TyrannyNoMore
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:20am

      Hmmm…..I understand why you would think that. Rather, I think it is an attempt to take the wind out of our sails, by making us believe our leaders whom we looked up to in the past, were really carrying the banner of the other side. It is kind of like the muslims always saying, “Jesus was really a muslim.” We all know it is an absurd utterance, but the intention is to plant the seed of doubt in the minds of the weak, or people on the fence with their belief system. In a close election, they only need a few weak minded Americans to tip the balance.

      Report Post » TyrannyNoMore  
  • Jeff Bassett
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:58am

    That is past desperate and now the act of a delusional liberal organization. It is a clear absolute sign, they are losing touch completely with reality.

    Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:55am

    This confirms the theory – based on Obama, Biden, Reid, Pelosi and Bloomberg plus Matthews; the facts are definite…

    LIBERALISM IS A MENTAL DISORDER EXTRAORDINAIRE

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • Celeste.Christi
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:54am

    Rewriting history with Lies, Lies, and Damn Lies.

    Report Post » Celeste.Christi  
    • barber2
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:40am

      The current Far Left Democrats are so removed from reality that they do not know the difference between fact and fiction. Between Lies and truth.

      Report Post »  
    • SimpleTruths
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 11:50am

      Facts are facts. The lie that is being told is the one to yourself. If anybody is rewriting history it’s you to conform to your idea of what some fantasy version Reagan was all about, not what the facts tell us he actually was and did. Reality, try it sometime.

      Report Post » SimpleTruths  
    • NOT A CRAZY
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:21pm

      Go away you Simpleton troll.

      Report Post » NOT A CRAZY  
    • AvengerK
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:44pm

      “Facts” SIMPLETON? Here’s some facts for you champ….Reagan REDUCED the top individual tax rate from 70% to 28%, closed tax code loopholes and RAISED government revenue by an average of 8.2%.

      Under Obama with todays top individual rate of 35% (and who also wants to raise the top rate to well above 50%) government revenue from these taxes has DECREASED by 2%.

      But that’s not the best part..the best part is the underemployment rate is the highest since WWII under Obama..that means more Americans are underemployed and therefore not paying taxes under Obama so as a result…less taxpayers paying federal taxes means less government revenue.

      Is this really so difficult for you SIMPLETON? No really…does it really have to be spelled out for you?

      Report Post »  
  • jackact
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:54am

    The hubris of Bloomberg.
    The little tyrant still thinks he’s headed for a diplomatic appointment in the 2nd Obama administration.
    Too bad the cover of Bloomberg News didn’t feature a story on the escalated violent crime epidemic in NYC.
    I guess that is not an issue?

    Report Post »  
    • barber2
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:38am

      Bloomberg : The future , new and exciting : Sugar Czar

      Report Post »  
  • Joe1123
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:44am

    There going to pass this around at the convention? Use it for toilet paper.

    Report Post »  
  • OneTermPresident
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:40am

    Truth be told… Obama IS a Socialist. You don’t get the nickname “Food Stamp President” without being one.

    Report Post » OneTermPresident  
  • MikaelScot
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:38am

    Relax, this is just the Obama gang trying to usurp another talking point. We’ve been pointng out his communist/socialist tendencies for four years and they feel if they can claim Reagan it will “turn” the undecideds in his favor away from the “radical right” alternative. It won’t work. No worries. There are already youtube vids using Reagan’s speeches (starting with his first inaugural) trouncing Obamas every move.

    Report Post »  
  • D-Fence
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:33am

    Both parties have become polarized. The democrats have morphed into progressive socialists, and the republicans have morphed into constituional republicans and not progressive republicans. Sorry DICK Lugar, you were a progressive. You can’t deal with progressive socialists. We;ve learned that. They do not compromise. Over the years we’ve seen the Constitution become less thn what it was intended. No more.m If you want a socialist country then move to one.

    Report Post » D-Fence  
  • DEMOCRATS.ARE.EVIL
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:29am

    Reagan had a Democrat Congress to deal with. He did the best he could, and he didn’t always win and he sometimes had to compromise. P*ss on idiots like this, who knowingly twist the facts, attempting to dishearten us. It won’t work.

    Are they trying to sell Obama by claiming Reagan was a Socialist? Isn’t that an admission that Obama is a Socialist?

    Clinton gave us welfare reform – not because he wanted to, but because he had to deal with a GOP Congress. Do they now call him a Conservative?

    Report Post » DEMOCRATS.ARE.EVIL  
    • sheriff32
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 10:58am

      This mythical super hero conservative never existed. Look at his actual record. He raised taxes, declared amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants. Spent more money than any other president before him. these are all things you call Obama a socialist for. If your honest with yourself you’ll see Obama is more conservative than Reagan.

      Report Post »  
    • Wool-Free Vision
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 11:04am

      Sheriff32, judging by the amount of pure BS you packed into that one tiny comment, I would have to submit that you don’t know the first thing about “your being honest.”

      Report Post » Wool-Free Vision  
    • DEMOCRATS.ARE.EVIL
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:58pm

      SHERIFF32 – you just proved my point. It’s not going to work. Vote for your Mao-Mao-Boy if you want – there’s more of us than people like you.

      Report Post » DEMOCRATS.ARE.EVIL  
  • RJJinGadsden
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:20am

    JZS must have contacted that rag to pass along his ideas. The trouble is that they view this through 0bama’s eyes and how he rules by fiat, so Reagan had to do the same thing. To those old enough to remember, just think about it. Did Reagan ever have the full support of either or both the House and Senate? Not no, but hell no! Reagan was known as the Great Communicator, but he had to play give and take with Congress to get anything he wanted done. Unfortunately the Dem-wit Congress got their way on a lot of things too. Yeah, taxes got raised under the Reagan admin, but how many of those tax bills started in the White House? None, they have to be originated in the House.
    Let them try and smear Reagan in such a manner. It only plays with the left wing loony base, and ****** off the rest of us. Did they even think they were going to change anybody’s mind?

    Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • bobbiejean
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:46pm

      @RJJINGADSDEN It’s a reminder about how many fools forget history.
      Or rewrite it.

      Report Post »  
  • BSdetector
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:19am

    Waahhh, these loser will be crying even more in Nov.

    Report Post » BSdetector  
  • GaryInTheMiddle
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:14am

    Who the helll reads the rag?

    Report Post » GaryInTheMiddle  
  • Wool-Free Vision
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 7:06am

    I think Michael Reagan should sue the hell out of that rag for defamation of character.

    Report Post » Wool-Free Vision  

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