The cover story of the Weekly Standard is called "Reagan in Opposition: The Lessons of 1977," by Noemie Emerie. It's a lengthy account of how Ronald Reagan spent 1977, one which you will find gripping, if you're surprised to learn that he gave speeches and radio addresses denouncing communism and calling for limited government. My favorite part of the piece is the last two sentences:
This is what Reagan did while in opposition. It is what conservatives could start doing right now.
That's the whole argument. After nearly 5,000 words detailing Reagan's activities, Emerie concludes by asserting that conservatives today should follow his example. You'd think she would feel the need to write at least a couple paragraphs explaining why Reagan's approach is well-suited to the current political landscape, but no. In conservative circles that step is simply assumed.
--Jonathan Chait
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COMMENTS (14)
I don't really care to read the article, but a buck gets ten the writer neglected to mention that Reagan actually raised taxes 2 or 3 times.
I don't really care to read the article, but a buck gets ten the writer neglected to mention that Reagan actually raised taxes 2 or 3 times.
Well, to be fair, denouncing communism and calling for limited government is exactly what conservatives are doing today. Never mind that they have to make up fictional communists -- er, excuse me, "socialists" -- to denounce.
Contra Chait, it's not the "why" that's missing from Emerie's analysis, it's the "how," as in, "How do we translate Reagan's approach to the somewhat different environment of today?" It would be as if I suggested that Republicans need to follow the example of the Whigs, which I actually believe, but then instead of offering ideas about how to be a modern-day Whig I told the GOP to campaign for frontier homesteading, federal roads, ... view full comment
Well, to be fair, denouncing communism and calling for limited government is exactly what conservatives are doing today. Never mind that they have to make up fictional communists -- er, excuse me, "socialists" -- to denounce.
Contra Chait, it's not the "why" that's missing from Emerie's analysis, it's the "how," as in, "How do we translate Reagan's approach to the somewhat different environment of today?" It would be as if I suggested that Republicans need to follow the example of the Whigs, which I actually believe, but then instead of offering ideas about how to be a modern-day Whig I told the GOP to campaign for frontier homesteading, federal roads, and a national bank.
WWRD bracelets have no apparent release mechanism. Anyone surprised?
Oh boy, Reagan slurred the commies. What a hero!
I think I did more to take down the Soviets with my black marketeering activitites than Reagan's Empire of Evil spewing ever did.
But wait - maybe Emerie means her WWRD crowd ought to do more Iran-Contra and supply Bin Laden's group in Afghanistan type antics??? Both of those efforts worked out really well. Republicans - the party of National Defense. A laughably inane notion.
One more thing, just for fun - Fuck Reagan.
(Sorry for my potty mouth lyrics).
WWRD bracelets have no apparent release mechanism. Anyone surprised?
Oh boy, Reagan slurred the commies. What a hero!
I think I did more to take down the Soviets with my black marketeering activitites than Reagan's Empire of Evil spewing ever did.
But wait - maybe Emerie means her WWRD crowd ought to do more Iran-Contra and supply Bin Laden's group in Afghanistan type antics??? Both of those efforts worked out really well. Republicans - the party of National Defense. A laughably inane notion.
One more thing, just for fun - Fuck Reagan.
(Sorry for my potty mouth lyrics).
Hell, why even go as recent as Reagan? What's wrong with a little Joe McCarthy?
Hell, why even go as recent as Reagan? What's wrong with a little Joe McCarthy?
Kim Jong Il.
Kim Jong Il.
From a speech from Reagan in 1977:
When a conservative states that the free market is the best mechanism ever devised by the mind of man to meet material needs, he is merely stating what a careful examination of the real world has told him is the truth. (no argument there, the arguments lie in how well regulated the market should be, and the conservative line of none hasn't exactly worked either)
When a conservative says that totalitarian Communism is an absolute enemy of human freedom he is not theorizing—he is reporting the ugly reality captured so unforgettably in the writings of Alexander Solzhenitsyn. (cold war is over, we won, useless to try to bring it back)
When a conservative say ... view full comment
From a speech from Reagan in 1977:
When a conservative states that the free market is the best mechanism ever devised by the mind of man to meet material needs, he is merely stating what a careful examination of the real world has told him is the truth. (no argument there, the arguments lie in how well regulated the market should be, and the conservative line of none hasn't exactly worked either)
When a conservative says that totalitarian Communism is an absolute enemy of human freedom he is not theorizing—he is reporting the ugly reality captured so unforgettably in the writings of Alexander Solzhenitsyn. (cold war is over, we won, useless to try to bring it back)
When a conservative says it is bad for the government to spend more than it takes in, he is simply showing the same common sense that tells him to come in out of the rain. (Cheney: Reagan proved deficits don't matter. ergo Reagan all talk, Bush the same)
When a conservative says that busing does not work, he is not appealing to some theory of education—he is merely reporting what he has seen down at the local school. (busing? oh please Republicans run an anti-busing campaign)
The guy is dead, when not speaking in platitudes most of the issues of the 1970's just aren't salient anymore. The way we defeated the Soviets doesn't apply to the jihadists, the economy in the 1970's was dominated by manufacturing, the Reagan Democrat who worked in the factory could afford a middle class lifestyle. The Reagan Democrat of that era is now retired, his children face challenges far different. By clinging to this vision of an eternal Reagan the Republicans are relegating themselves to nostalgia.
I'm thinking Ponce de Leon.
You've got the whole European-American can-do explorer foundation, but with the handy Hispanic angle. (A legal immigrant! Roll over, Horatio Alger!) Plus his love of the gold standard. Plus the whole fountain of youth thing--another important demographic. Plus the war hero, upper class contacts, rebellion crusher stuff. Then there's Florida--still a swing state, no?
You can get untold mileage out of the sailor business, trust me. Wooden ships, too--can't get hipper than a wooden sailboat. Wooden ships on the water, very free and easy.
Dude hangs out a lot in Puerto Rico (ergo trumping Sotomayor) before--dig this--dying from being shot with a poison arrow. How cool is ... view full comment
I'm thinking Ponce de Leon.
You've got the whole European-American can-do explorer foundation, but with the handy Hispanic angle. (A legal immigrant! Roll over, Horatio Alger!) Plus his love of the gold standard. Plus the whole fountain of youth thing--another important demographic. Plus the war hero, upper class contacts, rebellion crusher stuff. Then there's Florida--still a swing state, no?
You can get untold mileage out of the sailor business, trust me. Wooden ships, too--can't get hipper than a wooden sailboat. Wooden ships on the water, very free and easy.
Dude hangs out a lot in Puerto Rico (ergo trumping Sotomayor) before--dig this--dying from being shot with a poison arrow. How cool is that?
Watch and learn, people. Watch and learn.
I understand Reagan used his pinky to pick his nose. This is what Reagan did while in opposition. It is what conservatives could start doing right now.
I understand Reagan used his pinky to pick his nose. This is what Reagan did while in opposition. It is what conservatives could start doing right now.
p.s. Not sure if P.d. Leon was a Republican or not. If not, I don't think it's a problem.
p.s. Not sure if P.d. Leon was a Republican or not. If not, I don't think it's a problem.
"By clinging to this vision of an eternal Reagan the Republicans are relegating themselves to nostalgia."
"Clinging"? Blackie, you elitist Eastern intellectual liberal leftie Godless socialist.
"By clinging to this vision of an eternal Reagan the Republicans are relegating themselves to nostalgia."
"Clinging"? Blackie, you elitist Eastern intellectual liberal leftie Godless socialist.
The Tories buried Thatcher and they're only now looking like they are competitive again. I think it's time Republicans did the same with Regaen. Especially as people start looking at debt, government debt and deficits. Regaen's spectacular record on this is hardly one to look for answers.
The Tories buried Thatcher and they're only now looking like they are competitive again. I think it's time Republicans did the same with Regaen. Especially as people start looking at debt, government debt and deficits. Regaen's spectacular record on this is hardly one to look for answers.
"Limited government"? Excuse me? Last I checked, Bush didn't veto so much as a single spending bill his first term in office, and 2 years after 9/11 nondefense federal spending increased 36%. I don't know why in the world Democrats aren't rebuking the GOP with this ammunition.
"Limited government"? Excuse me? Last I checked, Bush didn't veto so much as a single spending bill his first term in office, and 2 years after 9/11 nondefense federal spending increased 36%. I don't know why in the world Democrats aren't rebuking the GOP with this ammunition.
Movement conservatives, Ronald Reagan and communism.
What they all share in common is the belief that everyone should share in common the same things they do. And, as with Ayn Randroids embracing the objective individual, just as absurd.
Communists, the conservatives tell us, devalue the individual in favor of the collective. But in order to be included in the conservative movement you must believe everything they tell you about what being a conservative is. In other words, as with Communists, you have to share the same points of view about social political and economic relationships they do.
The irony of this is on par with, say, Christians calling a devastating earthquake, "an act of G ... view full comment
Movement conservatives, Ronald Reagan and communism.
What they all share in common is the belief that everyone should share in common the same things they do. And, as with Ayn Randroids embracing the objective individual, just as absurd.
Communists, the conservatives tell us, devalue the individual in favor of the collective. But in order to be included in the conservative movement you must believe everything they tell you about what being a conservative is. In other words, as with Communists, you have to share the same points of view about social political and economic relationships they do.
The irony of this is on par with, say, Christians calling a devastating earthquake, "an act of God".
George
Our own Sean Wilentz has written a superb book on Ronald Reagan called The Age of Reagan: 1974-2008 in which he denominates Reagan as a great president. He is very critical of him, too. He celebrates Reagan for winding down the Cold War and for going against his hawkish advisers. I highly recommend this book.
Our own Sean Wilentz has written a superb book on Ronald Reagan called The Age of Reagan: 1974-2008 in which he denominates Reagan as a great president. He is very critical of him, too. He celebrates Reagan for winding down the Cold War and for going against his hawkish advisers. I highly recommend this book.