Crying for Reagan-Operation Sippy Cup? Coffee Cup?

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Oh my – it’s the Centennial of Saint Ronnie, and the Republicans are all weeping and drooling at the foot of his statue. Give them their sippy cups and put them to bed! Reagan was a destructive, dishonest fraud. As a country we’re still reaping the depressing effects of his policies, legislation, and back room secret deals. And now, so beloved is Saint Ronnie, that the types of destructive practices he favored are enshrined in the Republican Playbook as the base from which to operate. Thou shalt not deviate from the Saint’s message; thou shalt only make it more irrational and unworkable for the people.

Operation Coffee-Cup! Speaking out against Socialized Medicine!

Ronnie never had an Operation Sippy Cup, but he was involved in Operation Coffee Cup: the 1961 “grassroots” effort undertaken by WHAM – The Woman’s (sic) Auxiliary of the AMA aimed toward “…defeat of the King-Anderson bill of the 87th Congress, a bill which would provide a system of socialized medicine for our senior citizens and seriously curtail the quality of medical care in the United States.” Auxiliary chapters were sent packets of materials including a cover letter informing members that “the chips are down, in the next months Americans will decide whether or not this nation wants socialized medicine”, a ten-point list on how to write effective letters, lists of congressional members, etc. But the Prize of the Package was a vinyl recording entitled “Ronald Reagan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine.” The ladies of the Auxiliary were expected to invite friends to spontaneous coffee-klatches (“Drop a note—just say ‘Come for coffee at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. I want to play the Ronald Reagan record for you.”), then use the soccer moms of the day to write letters as maternal, grassroots defenders of medical care. Supposedly, Reagan’s homespun, folksy message – already the “Great Communicator” – would inspire the ladies to write those spontaneous letter to Congress. All of this was given a low profile by the AMA, of course, but Reagan’s ties were revealed by Drew Pearson in a Washington Merry-Go-Round column:

Ronald Reagan of Hollywood has pitted his mellifluous voice against President Kennedy in the battle for medical aid for the elderly. As a result it looks as if the old folks would lose out. He has caused such a deluge of mail to swamp Congress that Congressmen want to postpone action on the medical bill until 1962. What they don’t know, of course, is that Ron Reagan is behind the mail; also that the American Medical Association is paying for it.

Reagan is the handsome TV star for General Electric . . . Just how this background qualifies him as an expert on medical care for the elderly remains a mystery. Nevertheless, thanks to a deal with the AMA, and the acquiescence of General Electric, Ronald may be able to outinfluence the President of the United States with Congress.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. But today we see these types of operations on steroids, the voices are angrier, and we have no idea who’s funding the agitprop groups.

Ronnie relaxing with a smoke
Ronnie relaxing with a smoke

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mbarnato

mbarnato has ridden her bicycle around the block a few times, and is happily still riding!
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Omahwalkan
13 years ago

excellent commentary Maureen! The more they do stay the same…

Reply to  Omahwalkan
13 years ago

Thank you for your kind remark, Omahwalkan!

13 years ago

Thank you, Mike. If some of my friends were not at the age of grandparents, I wouldn’t know either…. fortunately…

Michael John Scott
13 years ago

“Sippy Cup?” I had never heard that expression until Charlie Sheen sang it as a kid’s ditty on Two and a Half Men :-). Made as much sense with regard to Reagan and his silliness as it did when Charlie sang it 🙂 Great post!

13 years ago

The problem is no one has initiated any bills to repeal Scalia.

Reply to  John Myste
13 years ago

And we sure need to — the man is a huge and real threat to our democracy.

13 years ago

I gave everyone ample opportunity to mention the worst Reaganism, but now I must burst: Scalia!

Reply to  John Myste
13 years ago

John, he did so many horrible things to the people of CA prior to becoming President of the whole country kind sir. I can not even begin to list them all. The first that comes to mind for me.. is cutting funding for mental health patients IN the hospitals, then releasing them into the streets.

As President he raised taxes 11 friggin times, always on the lower to middle income folks.

Scalia is horrible, but for everyday living..the things I mention above are nightmares.

13 years ago

that was great.

i have bets on what time his ascension to GOP heaven is tonite – which of course will be second banana to the Super Bowl

there will be a trail of elephant dung on the way down to that GOPer heaven

Reply to  distributorcap
13 years ago

Thank you, D-cap. Maybe Saint Ronnie’s ascension is part of the half-time show!

oso
13 years ago

Maureen,
great write-up on St Ronnie.

Reply to  oso
13 years ago

Thank you, Oso. Might I also say that you have a way with the words, heart and analysis yourself! Cheers!

Jess
13 years ago

AIDS, let’s not forget the AIDS crisis. I watched my aunts, when I was younger, go to funeral after funeral of friends of theirs in the LGBT community, after their taking care of them. I forget what year it was, but my parents took me to the Moscone center to see the AIDS quilt and that made me cry seeing all those lives gone.

This is supposedly a real honest look at RR’s legacy in the 80s. It has been released on ebook for his bday and they are just asking what you can pay for it.

http://www.theclotheshavenoemperor.com/

Reply to  Jess
13 years ago

Oh yes, Jess, the scourge of AIDS as a punishment from God….. We lost a generation to AIDS while we waited for the morality police to try and catch up with reality. Also true today. Damn, that man left a hateful legacy!

Jess
Reply to  mbarnato
13 years ago

Indeed he did, practising in CA first then rolling it outwards to the world. Now someone else that also has a birthday today, left an entirely different legacy and I shall leave a video and smoke a bowl to celebrate him today instead of Zombie Reagan. Which really does give zombies a bad name, associaiting them with RR.

Reply to  Jess
13 years ago

Much bettah!

13 years ago

It’s interesting that we used the same .jpeg, albeit in a different context.

I proposed we have not a moment of silence but a moment of piss as we close our eyes over the toilet and think of Reagan’s grave.

Reply to  jurassicpork
13 years ago

You posted such a complete post on Ronnie the Fraud, Jurassic Pork. It covers just about everything he got his teflon hands on. I love the term Folksy Fascism – fit’s him to a T. I believe I shall indulge in your memorial suggestion at some time today….

Reply to  mbarnato
13 years ago
13 years ago

Whatever is to be said against Raygun on domestic policy – and there’s much to be said there – his record on foreign policy was worse because it was criminal. Mining the harbors of Nicaragua was one criminal act. To make it worse, his administration ignored the World Court ruling that mining Nicaraguan harbors was a clear violation of international laws. It’s sad that “liberal” politicians in the U.S. mostly just let it slide. Not a fine period in U.S. history.

Reply to  Stimpson
13 years ago

I remember listening to the Iran-Contra hearings (I could listen at work at the time). For hours, I sat transfixed at the outright lies, chicanery, and bad deals, all wrapped up in the flag of patriotism. But it wasn’t till later that I really learned some of what went on with the the “freedom fighters” in Central America. Reagan was a bad deal, gone worse over time.

13 years ago

Well Ms. Barnato, I will include this great writeup in the mini-blogswarm taking place today in honor of St Ronnie of Cali! Very nice truthyness here! ;)Friggin dirtbag that he was. You can check out more of the same at my place where there is a list of others doing the same, if your so inclined of course.;)

Reply to  Dusty
13 years ago

Dusty, thank you for the inclusion — I’m totally honored to be part of the mini-blog swarm commemorating the Feast of Saint Ronnie of Cali! That graphic is a keeper! Cheers!

Reply to  mbarnato
13 years ago

Interestingly, your sippy cup and the Feast of St Ronnie graphic were both created by the same brilliant man Tengrain, my bud who runs Mock,Paper, Scissors a wonderful blog and who started the mini-swarm today. 😉

Reply to  Dusty
13 years ago

Dusty, I had that graphic in one of my folders waiting for the right opportunity to use it! I actually thought it was one of Blue Gal’s but I couldn’t remember any more and hadn’t noted… Oh well, it’s all one great big happy family! TG, Blue Gal, Nonnie — all great with the photo-shop!!

Reply to  mbarnato
13 years ago

This is part of the swarm of Reagan appreciation. I put in my two cents worth as well. Reagan was the gift that just keeps on giving.

Nice one, mbarnato!

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