Terrence Nolan: Reagan left a legacy of hateful politics

A recent letter (“Top of the ninth, voters on deck,” Oct. 26) claimed that during this midterm election, if you favor Obama you would vote Democratic, while if you favor Reagan you will vote Republican. As for the Republican Party today, the current cast of fringe ideologues that masquerade as party leaders would not tolerate the “moderate” Great Communicator.

We honor soldiers, the police and firefighters for their service to our country. When this trust is betrayed, we don’t tar and feather the lot, but punish the guilty. Government is comprised of men and women from all occupations – you, me, our neighbors. I don’t like all my neighbors, but I don’t demonize those not close to me. The current strategy of the radical right is to do just that.

Instead of honoring those who work for us in government, we make them a target for ridicule and slander (not that some don’t deserve it). Reagan fueled the hatred of government along with his policies of deregulation. He appointed people to government positions who also hated government and despised the very jobs they held (remember James Watt?). And into this political vacuum come the most vile opportunists. That is Reagan’s legacy.

This story was originally published October 30, 2014 at 6:44 PM with the headline "Terrence Nolan: Reagan left a legacy of hateful politics."