'Did Reaganism contain seeds of Trumpism?': Max Boot investigates in new book - Velshi - MSNBC

[Rhiannon12866]

Back in 2013, historian Max Boot set out to write the definitive book on former president Ronald Reagan. After more than 10 years of writing and research, conducting more than 100 interviews, and spending countless hours poring over presidential documents as they were declassified and released, Boot developed a 700-page masterpiece called "Reagan: His Life and Legend".

The new book profiles Reagan and uncovers new details on his life and presidency. As we sit 37 days away from a monumental election, Boot's book also confronts the important question: Did Reaganism contain seeds of Trumpism? - Aired on 09/29/2024.

[TwilightZone]

1. Clearly. Some of us having been saying that for years.

Reagan and his political hacks like Lee Atwater, then Gingrich and his Contract On America, then W and his cronies, then Trump.

Reagan was the beginning of the end, and it's been almost entirely downhill for the GOP since. The seeds were always there. Trump just made it more socially acceptable (to about half the voters) for them to be open and overt about their bigotry, lack of ethics and immorality.

[House of Roberts]

2. For Reagan, it was all about getting more money into campaigns,

and thwarting the labor unions' support for Dems.
Pundits like Boot don't want to admit that Citizens United loosed the spoiled rotten worst of the wealthy into power in the Republican party, and as long as that factor remains, you're going to have the Vances, Greenes, and Gaetzs etc. doing their bidding.

[Rhiannon12866]

3. Well said, thank you!

[czarjak]

4. Max Boot?

Was going to drag us kicking and screaming to conservatism because we were scum. How'd that work out?