Like everything he touched, ronnie reagan left a mark… I would say it was a black mark, but my feelings on the topic probably won’t count for much, especially as I’m about to taint the sainthood of ronnie.
As the 33rd elected California governor, reagan “lorded” over the state for eight tedious years, from 1967 -1975. Ironically, his governorship came between semi-progressive Edmund Gerald “Pat” Brown and son – extremely liberal Edmund Gerald “Jerry” Brown, Jr.
During Brown Sr.’s first term, legislation addressing higher education became one of his priorities. This framework known as the Donahue Higher Education Act was signed into law in 1960. The reasons why Brown believed this legislation to be hugely important (especially in California) can be accessed HERE. I do urge folks to read up because it has bearings on what came after reagan was elected…
In 1966 reagan was elected to the CA governorship – his main thrust was twofold ‘send welfare bums back to work,’ and, in reference to burgeoning anti-war, anti-establishment student protests at UCBerkeley, ‘to clean up the mess‘”. Depending on your political position, he was either hugely successful, or he opened the door wide enough for what inevitably followed (albeit, years down the road). Massive numbers of folks unable to obtain affordable housing leading to folks living on streets, and out-of-control student debt, courtesy of college privatization of sorts… positioning education so it became virtually unobtainable for many in our society. And this my friends is what we’re currently facing today – the sins of ronnie reagan. (Mind you, I’m only talking about a couple… there are far more to be addressed).
Fast forward – ten years down the road where… following the defeat of Jimmy Carter in early 1980, reagan’s views on welfare queens and college education had greatly advanced. According to a NY Times article “Ronald Reagan entered the White House with a commitment to overhaul the Federal role in American education. ‘Education,’ reagan told the country in a televised address, ‘is the principal responsibility of local school systems, teachers, parents, citizen boards and state governments.’ In his view, two decades of proliferating Federal programs had seriously undermined this local control.”
So, everything that’s happened in the ensuing years between reagan in CA and reagan as president can be summed up in a few short sentences… reagan was responsible for the purposeful collapse of the middle class (whether folks are able to make the connection or not), and aspirations for a greater, better-educated electorate have been cast aside – again, courtesy of this man. Now, I will say, reagan didn’t do this completely on his own… he was merely the puppet of those who decided this man, this Hollywood “star” would mouth the words necessary to move the country in a direction better suited to their purposes… which they did.
And here we are… 2022 and President Joseph “Joe” Biden just took the first step in a process which would eliminate for many students, the burden of achieving a higher education and place them on a path toward a better life. Yet, there are also many in this country who for whatever reason think this is a bad idea. I see the effects of reagan’s policies every single day… the ignorant misinformation and nutjob conspiracy theories being bandied about as though they were factual, and science being ignored – or worse. I’m reminded that we could easily slip into a situation where the “Pol Pots” of the country destroy the fabric that holds/binds us together, and sends us spiraling backward to an uglier time. In fact, it’s already happening in some quarters.
This is a moment where we must make choices – and while there will always be a level of ignorance permeating the land, I pray we don’t lose our way. In other words… history is watching to see which way the United States bends.
east.coast.katy 