(no subject)

[sophiaserpentia]

Some intelligent commentary about the Reagan administration and its legacy, courtesy of arisbe and winegodeatsyou.

I don't agree with much of the economic commentary, but it is interesting to see the paleo-conservative viewpoint with regards to the military-industrial complex and the War on (Some) Drugs:

Perhaps the most ironic thing about Reagan’s legacies, I believe, is the fact that the longest-term effect of his presidency will be the loss of freedom for many people in this country, and especially the loss of entrepreneurial freedom. That is because if there truly was a "Reagan Revolution" – and I am among the skeptics who question whether or not there were any truly "revolutionary" aspect to his terms in office – it occurred in the area of law, and especially federal criminal law.

... [I]n retrospect, the Cold War was a waste of many things, mostly lives and resources, as it gave this country a permanent military-industrial complex that burdens us beyond any understanding.

... The War on Drugs was not an original Reagan brainchild. Instead, it grew from a campaign that Nancy Reagan pursued. The victim of some savage press attacks, especially from the Washington Post and New York Times, Nancy Reagan looked for a "winning" cause and out of her search came "Just Say No to Drugs."

Much of the American public ignored Mrs. Reagan, but the real teeth in this new domestic conflict would come from Congress. Having lost Vietnam, along with the ridiculous "War on Poverty," Congress set out on yet another disastrous "cause." The government not only managed to federalize many drug offenses, but also began to seize property in earnest, a practice that has continued apace to this very time.

Within a short time, both the federal and state prison populations began to grow rapidly. The number of U.S. attorneys also continued to expand, as federal prosecutors began to find ways to manipulate the law in order to pile on the convictions.