Alright! I won't vote for Zombie Reagan!

Okay, supporters of John Edwards and Hillary Clinton. You win. I will not cast my vote for Ronald Reagan in this year’s Democratic primary. You’ve been quite persuasive in your arguments regarding his failures as a President and a politician, and I agree. Ronald Reagan should not be President in 2008.

For a while, I was blinded by former President Reagan’s record. Here was a shambling undead horror who won a massive mandate to carry out his Party’s will and fundamentally changed the political dialogue in his country. Given how messed up my country has been since 1994, and especially since 2000, I’d say a fundamental change in our political culture is exactly what we need.

But, you’ve been very persuasive in showing me that Ronald Reagan is not fit to be the Democratic nominee for the Presidency (He’s dead, see.Besides which, he’s a Republican.). You’re right. He’s too Right Wing. He’s too corporate. He’d be another rotten Republican. So, you see. Your convincing arguments have been successful in showing me that Zombie Reagan is not fit to be President.

The problem is, we already knew that. Ronald Reagan is not running (Or shuffling forward whilst moaning, "Tax-cuuuts.") to be the nominee of the Democratic Party. You’ve confused a strong Democrat who stands strongly for the core principles of the Democratic Party with Ronald Reagan, because you misunderstood a quote from him.

To be clear, Ronald Reagan was not a good President. His Presidency fundamentally changed America. For the worse. I think that everyone, including the supporters of Barack Obama, already knew that. What Ronald Reagan was was a transformational figure in American Politics. Reagan’s Presidency and Candidacy changed the way Americans viewed politics.

And that was what Barack Obama was talking about in his interview with the Reno Gazette-Journal this week. Senator Obama wants to fundamentally change the way that politics in America work. What he wants is to end the Reagan Era of right-dominated political culture and return to an era where the dreams we, as Progressives, strive for, can be achieved.

I don’t know about you, but I have some visions for America that cannot be achieved while the Reagan-frame of political culture remains dominant. They include Universal Health Care, freedom from our addiction to oil, a White House not dominated by corruption, but rather by a sense of service, and a substantive change to our foreign policy in the Middle East, and elsewhere. None of those visions will be achieved until we can change not just the party in Washington, but the soul. Barack Obama sees this, and knows this, and he will fight to change Washington’s soul.

That’s why I won’t vote for Zombie Reagan this year. Instead, I will be caucusing, and hopefully voting, for Barack Obama. So stop trying to convince us to not vote for Zombie Reagan. We weren’t going to anyway.

•  Tips for Undead Rights?

  by Practical Progressive on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:30:47 PM PDT

•  I need a break from this place

  The constant selective outrage is wearying.

  by snout on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:33:06 PM PDT

•  We have zombie plans

  to deal with zombie reagan...

  by Dreggas on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:34:29 PM PDT

  •  If you're gonna pimp your diary,

    you should at least provide a link. ;-)

    by sbdenmon on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:42:22 PM PDT

    •  Well I wasn't initially

      Honestly I wasn't. But after seeing the zombie reagan graphic one user posted it was pretty funny.

      by Dreggas on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:57:00 PM PDT

•  Please, please, please

  add a "Zombie Reagan" tag, dear diarist. I will shower you with mojo, I swear.

  by sbdenmon on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:34:50 PM PDT

  •  Okay. Added. (n/t)

    by Practical Progressive on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:36:09 PM PDT

•  SHOCKER: Clinton HEARTS Reagan !!!

  

  Is Senator K-Street still acting shocked?  Well, I understand, praising Reagan is something a Clinton would never-ever do!

  REAGAN OFFERS POINTERS ON PRESIDENCY TO CLINTON

  Chris Black

  The Boston Globe
  29 November 1992

  President-elect Bill Clinton, still exploring the parameters of his new position, sought some personal pointers Friday from a man who mastered the magic of leadership. Former President Ronald Reagan obliged.

  "It was a good visit," said Clinton after a meeting that lasted almost an hour in Reagan's 34th-floor office suite near the old back lot of Twentieth Century Fox.

  Clinton has expressed admiration for Reagan's ability to get his agenda through Congress and to inspire a sense of optimism and hope.

  Reagan gives Clinton advice and jelly beans

  Straits Times
  29 November 1992

  Mr Clinton was asked by reporters whether he saw similarities between himself and Mr Reagan.

  "I hope I can give the country a sense of momentum, optimism and hope," he said.

  CLINTON GETS TIPS FROM REAGAN EAT JELLY BEANS, USE CAMP DAVID

  By KAREN BALL
  Associated Press
  28 November 1992

  Clinton indicated, even before leaving Little Rock, how impressed he was with Reagan's first year in office, when he won approval of his major economic measures from Congress.

  Clinton said the Reagan team that took over the White House from Jimmy Carter "gave it a lot of thought."

  "They went after their agenda pretty hard," Clinton said.

  I'm SHOCKED!

  I'm SHOCKED!

  Hillary (D-K Street), your acting is as bad as Reagan's!!

  *
  *
  *

  by Al Rodgers on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:35:38 PM PDT

  •  That was BEFORE he was Zombie Reagan

    Since his undead transubstation the Gipper (or as he's now know: the Dripper) hasn't been nearly as well liked in Washington.

    by Practical Progressive on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:38:31 PM PDT

    •  Well given the circumstances

      of his demise no wonder he wants BRAINSZZZZZ

      by Dreggas on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:59:01 PM PDT

•  asdf

  Didja hear the one about Zombie Reagan?

  Zombie Reagan walks into a bar and the bartender walks over. Zombie Reagen claws out his brain an eats it.

  If there's a bad zombie joke, I haven't heard it.

  by droogie6655321 on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:39:36 PM PDT

  •  Why Is Zombie Reagan not welcome in Senate

    Offices?

    He practices trickle down theory with his prey.

    by Practical Progressive on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:45:35 PM PDT

    •  asdf

      What is Zombie Reagan's biggest fear?

      Forgetting to eat his brains.

      by droogie6655321 on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:48:45 PM PDT

•  ahah.

  Thank you for this.
  It might have just made my night.

  by country of hollow lies on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:47:10 PM PDT

  •  Glad to Be of Assistance (n/t)

    by Practical Progressive on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:49:07 PM PDT

•  sometimes we all need a little

  brraaaaaaaains...er, i mean humor in our caucuses.

  and delicious braaaaaaaaaains.

  (there's an Alzheimer's joke in there somewhere, but that'd be way too mean ;)

  by fightinfilipino on Fri Jan 18, 2008 at 02:50:53 PM PDT