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February 22, 2012

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SUN EDITORIAL:

Reagan, reconsidered

Conservatives should pay attention to the real man, not the myth

Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011 | 2:01 a.m.

Republicans are gathering this weekend at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of nation’s 40th president. They will kick off a series of events to commemorate the life of the man known as the “Great Communicator.”

A tireless campaigner and eloquent speaker, Reagan won the presidential election in 1980 and revitalized a Republican Party that had been hobbled by the Watergate scandal. An enthusiastic optimist, he painted a picture of a better America, and the so-called Reagan Revolution was launched, based on the amiable president’s ability to articulate his strong conservative beliefs.

Since his presidency, Reagan’s name has been invoked regularly in Republican circles, but his name has been stretched to represent a philosophy he didn’t necessarily espouse.

Today, the conservative icon simply isn’t conservative enough. Political strategist Mark McKinnon, who has worked for the past two Republican presidential nominees, told USA Today that, “Given the current poisonous and partisan political environment we live in, I doubt Ronald Reagan would be elected today.”

That’s because the Republican Party, steeped in tea, has veered far to the right. Reagan couldn’t pass a litmus test on many issues. For example:

• Taxes: Many Republicans now demand a “no new taxes” pledge, and although Reagan slashed taxes after he took office, he wasn’t “pure.” When he saw the size of the deficit increase, fueled by the cuts, he agreed to raise taxes — even as the unemployment rate neared 10 percent. And he didn’t raise taxes just once. Overall, Reagan raised taxes 11 times, including on Social Security.

• Spending: Today’s Republicans bash government spending, and they have decried the size of the deficit. Under Reagan, government grew and budgets ballooned. And the federal deficit hit new records. Former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney once said that Reagan “taught us that deficits don’t matter.”

• Immigration: Reagan supported a major immigration bill that included amnesty for people here illegally, something that is anathema to the Tea Party. “I believe in the idea of amnesty for those who have put down roots and lived here, even though sometime back they may have entered illegally,” Reagan said during the 1984 campaign. Former Republican Sen. Alan Simpson of Wyoming told NPR that Reagan “knew that it was not right for people to be abused. Anybody who’s here illegally is going to be abused in some way, either financially (or) physically. They have no rights.” So Reagan provided them.

• Compromise: Republicans and Tea Party acolytes have, in many ways, embarked on a take-no-prisoners approach to politics, viciously bashing opponents. Reagan certainly was a partisan and engaged in tough political battles, especially with Democratic leaders in Congress, but he was never characterized by demonizing his opponents. Although strongly principled, he engaged his opponents and often worked to find common ground. James Baker, a former chief of staff, told USA Today when he and the president talked about issues Reagan was “so pragmatic” and often told him, “I would rather get 80 percent of what I want than go over the cliff with my flag flying.” On the campaign trail, Reagan was a strong advocate for his party. But Walter Mondale, who ran on the Democratic ticket in both 1980 and 1984, told McClatchy Newspapers that Reagan “never got mean, he never got bitter, he never got personal.”

Reagan reshaped his party and became the symbol of Republican success. But since he left office in 1989, the party has changed significantly, shifting farther to the right, becoming more rigid and ideological. Republicans want to recapture his success, but instead of imitating him, they're mythologizing him because he doesn't fit in anymore.

Discussion: 8 comments so far…

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  1. By dipstick (dennis williams)
    Feb. 5, 2011
    3:40 a.m.
    Flag

    reagan went AWOL toward the end of his second term letting subversives like oliver north and john poindexter run roughshod over the constitution, trading arms for hostages and negotiating with terrorists. his ' i dont remember' put a coda on his legacy that tainted all the good things he may have done up to that point.

  2. By fosimmons (frank simmons)
    Feb. 5, 2011
    4:36 a.m.
    Flag

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    The silly and immature child Oil Spill Sarah is now out making speaches about Reagan. KeatingFIveGuyMcCain gave her to America and for that he should be impeached, the old fool

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    in 1981 the dollar was worth .16 cents and in 1988 it was worth minus .44 cents ... due to Reagan ... that may say enough about his administration, period

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    Adding North and Pointdexter to his years top off what was not so great after all ... especially when looking at his school lunch program that put Ketchup in as a vegetable .... now you know

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    Ola - take that walk today before it's too late to get that nice posh job in Arizona so you can feed your family in Mexico - Think Carter was a better President? Think about it.

  3. By RHG (Robert Glancy)
    Feb. 5, 2011
    6 a.m.
    Flag

    Well, the America of today is a lot different then the America of the 80's and who is say if Reagan were alive today and running for the Presidency his positions would be the same. Reagan supported amnesty for two million illegals. Would Reagan support amnesty for 15 million now? Who knows, but somehow I doubt it. You say the Republicans have "veered far to the right", maybe it looks that way because the Democrats have veered so far to the left.

  4. By fosimmons (frank simmons)
    Feb. 5, 2011
    8:58 a.m.
    Flag

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    What was that movie Reagan made ... " Mo More Gonso for Mongo" ????

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    I recall he played a role opposite some monkeys ... well, that may have been as good experience for the Presidency as being a neighborhood organizer that the silly Republicans made an issue out of on Obama

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    Now the silly Republicans are screaming we should support Mubarak since he is and was such a friend of the US .... well, I guess Henry Kissinger is still running the show from back behind the scenes

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    One thing we should consider is sending AWOLBush and his group of Henchmen to Egypt to serve their war crimes prison time ... it would show the world that America is willing to straighten up it's act

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    Gracias !!

  5. By mred
    Feb. 5, 2011
    9:52 a.m.
    Flag

    Reagan - abortion.... years before Roe v Wade he signed an abortion bill in California that has resulted in lots and lots of abortions there. Bill O'Reilly of Fox News referred to "Diller the Baby Killer" should we refer to Reagan as "Ronny the Baby Killer?" He never would speak directly to anti-abortion groups, he would speak by phone. what was a matter Mr. President, didn't you want to look those "damn right-to-lifers" (as Nancy Reagan called them) in the eye? And your friend Frank Sinatra....well let's not go down that road, or "back alley" so to speak.

    Reagan - gun-grabber.... after Black Panthers marched with guns in California, he signed a bill banning open carry. He also backed the Brady Bill. In 84 I believe he signed a bill restricting fully automatic weapons (which are used in .0003 percent of crime.)

    The Hannity's of this world and other talk radio ranters like Mark Levine are belching out false history of their glorious gypper.

  6. By KillerB
    Feb. 5, 2011
    9:58 a.m.
    Flag

    "...Reagan "knew that it was not right for people to be abused. Anybody who's here illegally is going to be abused in some way, either financially (or) physically. They have no rights." So Reagan provided them."

    Wrong. As president, Reagan had no authority to "provide" any rights, only to enforce the laws Congress made, and as the courts interpreted. The federal Sixth Amendment was long ago (1891's In re Ross) interpreted to have applied to ALL accused within U.S. jurisdiction, not just citizens.

    Although Reagan projected a warm, wise and conservative face, it must never be forgotten he had this country export terrorism in at least the form of the Nicaraguan Contras. And that makes what our military -- and the U.S. -- is doing in its current global imperialistic missions supremely hypocritical.

    The worst part is this is nothing new in our nation's history.

    "I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class thug for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902--1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents." -- Major General Smedley Butler, a Marine and one of only 19 people to be TWICE awarded the Medal of Honor, from a 1935 issue of the socialist magazine "Common Sense"

  7. By newnvres (Ben Lambert)
    Feb. 5, 2011
    2:45 p.m.
    Flag

    Reagan was a major contributor to the Homeless Crisis in America by closing homes for Mentally Ill people in serious need. He fired the Air Traffic Controllers and started a war against unions and the Middle Class. He took away Income averaging on taxes, denying graduating students a fast track into the middle class. He opposed Mass transit. He took away interest tax deductions for most credit debt. He created the largest percentage of GDP debt ever, by giving huge tax cuts to millionaires. Republicans can try to rewrite history - but remember - now you're always just one step away from the truth with a Google search.
    Reagan was a Disaster for the country and the only thing names after him should be the county dump.

  8. By pazammatarojr (philip zammataro)
    Feb. 5, 2011
    6:26 p.m.
    Flag

    Hi Ben Lambert, Was President Reagan the only elected official that caused the problems you stated in your post today at 2:45pm? Can the President in act tax or budget legislation by himself? No. Under the Constitution of the United States The Congress of the United States has the following powers (Article 1 Section 8): a) The Congress has the power to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Impost, and Excise and b) Congress has the power to borrow Money on the credit of the United States. Tax legislation usually comes from the House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee. The Speaker of the House was the Honorable Tip O'Neill and the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee was the Honorable Dan Rostenkowski. Both of these Congressman were members of the Democratic Party. Dan Rostenkowski "as Chairman of the House's Ways and Means Committee, he played a critical role in formulating tax policy during the Republican Administration of Ronald Reagan, including the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, which cut taxes by 25% and the Tax Reform Act of 1986, which further cut taxes and reduced the number of tax brackets to two." (Per Wikipedia Dan Rostenkowski.) It seems both parties (Republicans and Democrats) are responsible for the tax breaks for the rich. And both parties (Republican and Democrats) are also responsible for the increase in the debt. The President proposes a budget to Congress than Congress can make adjustments to the proposed budget. The Congress than approves the budget legislation and sends it to the President. The President can sign the legislation into law or veto it. When revenues were less than the expenditures the Republicans and Democrats could not agree how to close the gap (1. increase taxes, 2. decrease spending, or 3. a combination of tax increases and spending cuts. Congress voted to increase the debt, which was approved by the President. (President Reagan, Chairman of the House's Ways and Means Dan Rostenkowski, and Speaker of the Tip O'Neill (to 1/2/87) and Jim Wright (to 6/9/89).) Both parties were responsible for the increase in the debt from 1981 to 1989. Phil

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