Some good points in his book, but the Reagan legacy is far from dead world-wide. Consider the vast growth in expanding middle-class consumer societies in Latin America, Asia, Eastern Europe and Russia, and similar trends in Africa. Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and Russia have lower a lower tax rate than the Reagan-Clinton Era of limited government and low unemployment. China will sign 35-40 free trade acts. Groups ranging from the Clinton Global Initiative, the Bush Institute, and publications like The Economist, predict the end of poverty in 30 years, as does Bill Gates due to the capitalist renaissance, the explosion of free trade among nations, and the exponential technological revolution the Reagan Era ignited. Nonetheless, Reaganites can not expect permanent automatic global dominance as the free world is no longer limited to North America, Western Europe, Japan and Korea. One of the unexplained consequences of the American conservatives winning the Cold War through reason and persuasion, and driving the spectacular intellectual collapse of socialist/communist totalitarianism, is the liberation of 3 billion new competive workers and nearly every nation. Maintaining the American edge will require the flourishing free market of ideas and innovation Reagan nurtures among his generation, and grew our GNP and national treasury by 35 percent. and same values duplicated by Clinton, a Reagan Democrat, who cuts investment taxes even lower. As Mr Clinton says, There are more millionaires during my Administration than all combined past Presidencies. And thats a good thing, in the second decade of Reagans American led global expansion of economic of individual liberties that no leader in human history ever achieves. One indispensable critical observation this author makes to a wrong-headed, intransigent shrinking Republican Party, that has not earned 50% of the Presidential vote since 1988, is inclusion -- which conservatives reflexively and thoughtlessly disparage as pandering to minorities. Ronald Reagan gives his conservative movement and Republican Party three consecutive landslides, carrying 139 of 150 states in the Eighties by campaigning vigorously in all venues and includes all ideological audiences. History shows his complete confidence in his brand of conservatism as he appears often in labor union halls and among their assembly lines, visits Harlem, where there are no Republicans, to ask for Black votes. He dons a sombrero and joyfully celebrates Cinco de Mayo in Hispanic cities like San Antonio, Denver and Los Angeles. He and Nancy visit their old friend Rock Hudson dying of AIDS, and annually showcase their close gay friends, Jim Nabors (Gomer Pyle) and Johnny Mathis singing televised Christmas Christmas Carols during every lighting of the White House Christmas Tree and Gala. The dividends of Reagans inherent inclusion of all Americans in his conservative revolution is no longer understood by his predominantly well-meaning bedrock grassroots disciplines. For the happily inclusive Reagan garners 25+% of the Democratic vote -- a devastating defection rate for Democrats -- 40% of union households and Hispanics, over a million Black voters inspired by a 60% growth in Black owned firms and endorsements from Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Michael Jackson, Ray Charles and actresses Pearl Bailey and Nell Carter. Additionally, Reagan won up to 40% of Gay voters. The Reagan-inspired of 1994 Gingrich Revolution, a Republican tsunami capturing a solidly GOP Senate, House (for the first time since 1950), 32 Governorships, half the state legislatures of the day, and unimaginable Republican Mayors in the two largest cities -- New York and Los Angeles -- reveals similarities: 30% Black voters, 42% Gay voters, 40-45% Asian, Hispanic and union members...thus transforming the a country club party into a solid diverse middle class party supporting conservative public policies as an alternative to the party they previously align themselves with. In his three consecutive landslides of 1980, 84, and 88, the man the media brands the most conservative President ever, carries 44, 49, and 40 states respectively. His heirs can rarely win 30 since. The Sainted Reagan is an icon to modern conservatism, but the Happy Warrior is never exclusive, hostile, reticent, or angry toward people who appear different from him or the world he once knew. The electoral miracles of Reagan creates three decades of triumphant Rainbow Republicans, including and celebrating all colors that once brighten the last reign of multi-cultural, bipartisan, conservative renaissance that is now receding into the bitter darkness of gloom, despair, and demographic deline should it not vigorously embrace the Saints visible, principled, uncompromising outreach and inclusion. The author is correct in insisting his fellow conservatives embrace aspiring Americans outside their conservative, white, Christian, 50+ year-old grumpy universe and comfort zone. Thoughtful as he is in his pertinent and crucial analysis of severely underperforming Republicans, Reagan is not dead by any means. He is watching us from above knowing his multitude of grassroots followers and heirs to his mantle must do what he and the Saints are ultimately worshipped for: embracing the wayward flock, including the Black Sheep, and converting them to the wisdom of the embrace. As they always say in the Reagan Era, that gives us a glimpse, however brief, of what triumphant modern free market conservatism and American can really achieve: Be All You Can Be...and help everyone to do the same. Your thoughts, my fellow savants ?
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 04:16:30 +0000