Republicans invoke Ronald Reagan constantly. They sing his praises every chance they get, and seem to believe there is no public policy problem that a good dose of Reaganism can’t fix. But has the Right got Reagan wrong all this time? In his new book, The Working Class Republican: Ronald Reagan and the Return of Blue-Collar Conservatism, Henry Olsen argues the classic conception of Reagan as an arch-libertarian on economic policy is misguided. Only by understanding the real Reagan can Republicans forge a lasting coalition capable of governing America well into the future.

Henry Olsen is a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where he studies and provides commentary on American politics. His work focuses on how to address the electoral challenges facing modern American conservatism, while staying true to conservative principles. Before joining the Ethics and Public Policy Center, Mr. Olsen most recently served from 2006 to 2013 as vice president and director of the National Research Initiative at AEI. He previously worked as vice president of programs at the Manhattan Institute and president of the Commonwealth Foundation. His work has been featured in many prominent publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, National Review, and The Weekly Standard.

Please Support Our Sponsor!

Protect your home the smart way WITHOUT the expensive long-term contracts using SimpliSafe. Visit SimpliSafe.com/ricochet.