Reagan Isn't Good Enough
Many conservatives consider Ronald Reagan the greatest President in living memory. For that reason, it is often said that we should not expect another Reagan in 2012… that holding current candidates to such a standard is wishful thinking.
But perhaps that standard is too low.
How much did President Reagan shrink the government? What powers did he restore to the states? What adjustments did he oversee to entitlement programs to ensure their solvency? Why do we still have a tax system which encourages government expansion?
Reagan might have been the best possible leader for the time during which he served as President. But perhaps even that caliber of leadership is not enough to overcome our present dilemmas.
I don't want a leader who will merely keep America afloat a little while longer. If it's impossible to stop this slide into the abyss, then I'd rather we get it over with quickly so we can start over. But if we really can turn America around — produce sound budgets, restore Constitutional limits and separation of powers, address the entitlement problems that have been kicked down the road for decades — then we need a leader who is willing and able to do what even Ronald Reagan could not.
- Comment (44)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (1)
Comments :
Oct '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
Could not possibly agree more. We need far more than Reagan to right the ship. But..."If it's impossible to stop this slide into the abyss, then I'd rather we get it over with quickly so we can start over."
You speak for me and many others, probably including Rob Long, that the abyss is where we appear to be headed. We struggle to stay with this, but despair that in the end, it is futile. Is the restoration of America possible if the people no longer honor God. When this nation was founded, hypocrites were people who pretended to honor God, so they could be acceptable members of society. That pretense is no longer necessary. Do present day Americans even believe that God had anything to do with our prosperity as a people.
Edited on Apr 14, 2011 at 12:23pmMay '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
I appreciate your comments Aaron and understand your point about the scale of the transformation that is required, but it is difficult for someone that did not experience that time to appreciate the change in the zeitgeist and how meaningful it was.
Then, as now, there was a pervasive defeatist sentiment and it was echoed by the media. The Vietnam war was an embarrassing defeat in which we were still wallowing, America was in decline, things would only get worse and class and race conflict was constant. Meanwhile the Russians were seemingly ascendant and advancing their influence and agenda in a way that had Americans questioning the superiority of our system. All In The Family and M*A*S*H, with their sarcastic and depressing vision were the most popular shows on television.
It took Reagan -- charismatic, funny, insightful, empathetic -- to cut through all of that and provide the country with another perspective of how things could be. Granted there were other things that helped, but he reoriented everyone's perspective as well as the terms of the debate.
Changing policy first requires changing perspectives and that's the leadership skill that is sorely needed that Reagan had in abundance.
Jul '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
Amen, Gentlemen.
Feb '11
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
"But if we really can turn America around — produce sound budgets, restore Constitutional limits and separation of powers, address the entitlement problems that have been kicked down the road for decades — then we need a leader who is willing and able to do what even Ronald Reagan could not."
Seriously, do you think one person can or ever will do this forever? Forever? And that person would be gone in eight years. It is a continuous process of not doing those things. There are others who have a very clear vision that their rights include free health care, free housing, free food, a living wage, etc. Frankly that is a vision that entices others because it is Santa Claus. It is and will be an ongoing battle, and quite frankly it is those who claim to believe that there is no free lunch but do not govern as such who do the most harm. It is easy to fight an Obama because he is clearly on the other side. It is when you have the George Bushes preaching compassionate conservatism who will do even more damage because there is nobody to push back.
Oct '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
At the risk of appearing tedious, I would like to hear a response to my earlier question;
"Is the restoration of America possible if the people no longer honor God. When this nation was founded, hypocrites were people who pretended to honor God, so they could be acceptable members of society. That pretense is no longer necessary. Do present day Americans even believe that God had anything to do with our prosperity as a people."
I take the absence of response to be agreement. Or is it embarrassment?
Jul '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
I agree, raycon.
And I think most Americans do not think God, or Our honoring Him, had anything to do with Our prosperity.
Mar '11
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
raycon: At the risk of appearing tedious, I would like to hear a response to my earlier question;
"Is the restoration of America possible if the people no longer honor God. When this nation was founded, hypocrites were people who pretended to honor God, so they could be acceptable members of society. That pretense is no longer necessary. Do present day Americans even believe that God had anything to do with our prosperity as a people."
I take the absence of response to be agreement. Or is it embarrassment? · Apr 14 at 1:02pm
The restoration of America is impossible if people no longer honor God. Oh, there may be a temporary economic boom if we return to sound free market principles, but those very principles are rooted in the idea that we are created equal. We are equal because we are made in the image of God. When we step away from that concept we will soon step into ruin.
The danger of prosperity without giving God the glory is that we end up giving glory to ourselves. Make no mistake, God still judges the nations.
Jun '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
raycon: At the risk of appearing tedious, I would like to hear a response to my earlier question;
"Is the restoration of America possible if the people no longer honor God. When this nation was founded, hypocrites were people who pretended to honor God, so they could be acceptable members of society. That pretense is no longer necessary. Do present day Americans even believe that God had anything to do with our prosperity as a people."
I take the absence of response to be agreement. Or is it embarrassment?
I'm thinking! I'm thinking! I am not religious, but I believe that I am a true conservative. I am glad that a lot of people in my community go to church and raise their families there. They seem to be nice people and good citizens. I was raised in a church family, became an agnostic and still remained a nice person and good citizen. I don't know of a liberty-respecting secular humanist society but I think that the deists among the Founders probably envisioned one. I don't usually believe in G*d made manifest, but then I watch Charles Krauthammer and wonder.
May '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
Trace Urdan:
Changing policy first requires changing perspectives and that's the leadership skill that is sorely needed that Reagan had in abundance.
Agreed. I appreciate Reagan's manner and many of his policies, which undoubtedly required courage. His defeat of the Soviet Union and condemnation of communism was vital to galvanizing the American spirit.
But can Republicans make true domestic gains? Or must we settle for merely pausing the progressives' corruption of America's founding values and governance?
Hang On:
Seriously, do you think one person can or ever will do this forever? Forever?
No, I don't. But history suggests there is no real tug-of-war between Left and Right in the movement of American government. We move only Left, with brief pauses here and there. Republicans haven't undone any of Democrats' greatest offenses to freedom. They merely tinker around the edges until Democrats can create further permanent additions to their power.
Forget "forever". How about four years?
raycon:
"Is the restoration of America possible if the people no longer honor God [?]"
No.
The Constitution no longer reflects the values of all Americans. Culture is everything.
Oct '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
Pilgrim
I'm thinking! I'm thinking! I am not religious, but I believe that I am a true conservative. I am glad that a lot of people in my community go to church and raise their families there. They seem to be nice people and good citizens. I was raised in a church family, became an agnostic and still remained a nice person and good citizen. I don't know of a liberty-respecting secular humanist society but I think that the deists among the Founders probably envisioned one. I don't usually believe in G*d made manifest, but then I watch Charles Krauthammer and wonder. · Apr 14 at 1:34pm
Even the Deists acknowledged the Judeo-Christian beliefs, they merely disagreed with the organized theology of Biblical Christianity. As for the belief that being a good citizen is enough, remember the Christopher Hitchens conclusion. In essence it is: thanks God and Christianity for laying the foundation. We no longer need you. Lots of luck if you think that will carry your children into the future. You benefit, they will not.
Edited on Apr 14, 2011 at 2:35pmOct '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
From the above posts, I am glad that embarrassment isn't smothering honesty.
Bottom line for me... I believe that the salvation of America is no longer possible. Our personal salvation, and that of our children, is made the more difficult because we are now swimming in a polluted ocean. Nevertheless, we can be saved individually.
May '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
Ah, the classical liberal is strong in this one.
Apr '11
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
Whether or not the country rediscovers God, it is more important that it rediscover the work ethic. When a twenty-six-year old man or woman is a child in the eyes of the Department of Health and Human Services, the chances that the old "Protestant work ethic" is any less dead than Neitzche said of the deity are nil.
Jul '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
I disagree Aaron. Reagan aside, (though I think Trace is on the money) this dump the system and start over business strikes me as the wrong approach.
Even ignoring the potential ramifications of a quick collapse-which you might not be so sanguine about if you had kids- it's fundamentally wrong to quit. This is our country, in a way that Russia isn't the Russians, in a way that Egypt isn't the Egyptians, because we're responsible for its governance. It's failures are our failures.
Think about it, would you give the same advice to a married couple going through hard times? A parent with a difficult child? A homeowner who doesn't want to continue paying his mortgage because his house dropped in value?
I doubt you'd tell any of them to ditch their responsibilities for a fresh start.
May '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
Political change of the sort we're looking for will ultimately come from a cultural change. Its slow and we'll be dead before it occurs, if at all.
Feb '11
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
raycon: At the risk of appearing tedious, I would like to hear a response to my earlier question;
"Is the restoration of America possible if the people no longer honor God. When this nation was founded, hypocrites were people who pretended to honor God, so they could be acceptable members of society. That pretense is no longer necessary. Do present day Americans even believe that God had anything to do with our prosperity as a people."
I take the absence of response to be agreement. Or is it embarrassment? · Apr 14 at 1:02pm
Raycon, I am much of the same mind as Pilgrim on this one,
Pilgrim
I am not religious, but I believe that I am a true conservative. I am glad that a lot of people in my community go to church and raise their families there. They seem to be nice people and good citizens.
What I would like to know is how you propose we "honor God;" certainly not through government, right? Isn't it better to allow intelligent individuals to differ on the idea of God if we can be civil with each other?
Jul '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
You raise a good point, Michael. We may be talking about different durations.
I'd call a quick collapse 50-100 years, and a steady decline (with minor positive spikes along the way) 200-400.
Edited on Apr 14, 2011 at 5:48pmMay '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
One of Reagan's biggest mistakes, in my amateur opinion, was eliminating entirely the tax burden on the lowest income brackets. This bred a sense of entitlement in one half of the country, and resentment in the other. Step 1: make the tax structure less progressive. Unfortunately, we seem to be heading in the opposite direction.
May '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
Palaeologus: You raise a good point, Michael. We may be talking about different durations.
I'd call a quick collapse 50-100 years, and a steady decline (with minor positive spikes along the way) 200-400.
The smart ones will escape into space.
Jul '10
Re: Reagan Isn't Good Enough
Michael Labeit
The smart ones will escape into space. · Apr 14 at 5:55pm
I like my girl's chances; we'll have to see about the boy.
Does that ad hoc time frame seem appropriate? Too brief? Too long?