Mike,
As Mark Twain once observed, "there are lies, damned lies and statistics".
Take a look at the following site (the data is similar in Wikipedia):
***********.usgovernmentspending.com/federal_debt_chart.html
It shows that in 1988 (Reagan) debt stood at 51% of GDP, in 1992 (Bush Sr.) it stood at 64% and in 2000 (Clinton) it was at 58%.
So I guess what I am really saying is that it is a mistake to lump Reagan's and Bush's stewardship of the economy into one, as someone tried to do earlier in this thread.
I personally was never impressed with either Bush. But I must note that I was even less impressed with those who ran against them: Mondale, Gore and Kerry.
So let's not mix together Reagan and Bush.

In my view Reagan's biggest policy mistake was choosing George H.W. Bush as his running mate. Neither Bush was ever а true conservative. Recall it was Bush Sr. who coined the phrase "Voodoo economics" mocking Reagan's supply-side approach, approach, which proved to be correct.
Reagan should have selected Jack Kemp instead.

I don't think they will ever learn
yes, that's because they don't want to learn..their policies give they tremendous power over hundreds of billions of taxpayers' money..while dems love badmouthing CEOs of private companies making millions..their buddies (appointed by them) at F/F making millions (12 million??) on taxpayers' dime..that's hypocrisy..

In 1981 ( when Reagan got elected ) it was 31% of GDP, in 89 it was 52%.
what was your point again?

Svetlana, did the republicans learn?
Here is the problem
1) politicians want to get re-elected
2) the only way to get re-elected is to "do something"
3) doing something usually means spending money to benefit a specific group of people
4) this always causes unintended consequences
5) eventually the bubble bursts.
I don't cares dems or reps, they are all the same.

The point is simple, if you're a student of history. Substantial jump in debt as pct. of GDP was a direct result of Reagan's military buildup that was one of the major causes of the collapse of the Soviet totalitarianism.
This was done after years of neglecting military, which by the end of Carter's administration was falling apart.

Или как сказал Рейган на своём корявом русском: doveryaj, no proveryaj :-D :-D :-D

The Death of the Global Warming - Mini Cooling Age is here.

Send my regards to Al Gore and his cohorts...
***********.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1242011/DAVID-ROSE-The-mini-ice-age-starts-here.html

Dear All:
I am urging you to call your friends in Massachusets to vote for Scott Brown (R)on January 19th as Ted Kennedy’s Senate replacement. This is your chance to stop the harassment of banks and the witch hunt, along with all the rest.
Thank you!(v)(v)(v)(F)(F)(C)

<<< Reagan's biggest policy mistake....>>> etc.

Natan, I agree with every word in that post. (F)(Y)