Mad #255 (Albert Feldstein, Nick Meglin and John Ficarra) - Ronald Reagan Issue - June 1985

The editors and writers of Mad were generally much nicer to Ronald Reagan than they were to Richard Nixon even though they obviously did not agree with his policies.  Writer Frank Jacobs mentioned Reagan's one trillion "big ones" deficit by 1985 in the introduction to "The Mad 7-Point Plan for Balancing the Budget ... and Wiping Out the National Debt."  In fact, President Reagan's disastrous economic policies were responsible for increasing in the national debt by $1.7 trillion during his eight years in office.  His successors, Bushes senior and junior, continued the policies and added another $5.8 trillion to the debt in their twelve years.  These three Republican presidents are responsible for over half of the current deficit.  Jacobs suggests that the Reagan administration should sell "Ron and Nancy dolls" and publish rumors of an affair between the president and Princess Di to help pay down the debt.

This issue marked the beginning of the transition for editor Al Feldstein to be replaced by the team of Nick Meglin and John Ficarra.  Dick DeBartolo was added as "creative consultant." [JAM 4/2/2011]

Publisher Bill Gaines is on Sam Viviano's dart board; Viviano and Harry North also served jokes at the expense of newly-named co-editor John Ficarra.

Departments:
Wild And Crazy Guise - Gal of Me
Don Martin - One Fine Tuesday in the Dungeon; One Fine Wednesday in Detroit; One Fine Thursday in Seattle
Be Kind to Annuals - Things You Can Do for Your Dog on His Birthday
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side
Dick Schtick - Mike Hammy
Hickory Dickory Jock - The Physical Fitness Mother Goose
Post-Mocked - Mad's Talking Stamps
Device Squad - The Mad Television Writer's Rulebook
Dubious Or Not Dubious - Who Needs It?
Manual Belabored - How Simple Things Work
Dollars And Senseless - Balancing the Budget and Wiping Out the National Debt
Alone Application - Mad Tips on Moving Out and Making It on Your Own
Joke And Dagger - Spy vs. Spy
Sick-Com - The Clodsby Show

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