Ronald Reagan & the 2008 Election
By taking my official presidential portrait of Ronald Reagan to get framed sometime in 1992, I acknowledged that Bill Clinton would defeat George H.W. Bush and win election to the White House. Placing the Gipper’s smiling face on my mantelpiece reminded me of the optimism and political ideals of our nation’s fortieth president during a campaign where his designated successor failed to articulate them.
This year, I think I must have known Barack Obama was going to win when I vowed to buy The Reagan Diaries the day after the election should John McCain lose. A large part of that defeat stemmed from the Republican nominee’s difficulty applying Reagan’s ideas to the current economic situation.
Now, our task as conservatives who wish to rebuild the Republican Party is to do just that. Of course, we can’t mindlessly ape the Gipper’s past platforms, but need consider his vision, his confidence in the American people and private institutions, proposing solutions to contempary problems that rely on the ingenuity of individuals and avoid the instrusions of government intermediaries.
6 Comments
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
I think the Republicans will always be searching for the next Reagan. He’s the idol to the Right the same way that FDR and JFK are idols to the left. Rather than trying to find the next Reagan, a better question to ask is would he be proud of how his successors are faring, or not?
Comment by Rob — November 10, 2008 @ 11:06 pm - November 10, 2008
REAGAN DIARIES, good book. Very good!
Hope ya enjoy it.
Now to listen to a song that fits The Gipper.
Comment by Kit — November 11, 2008 @ 7:29 am - November 11, 2008
Okay, that last sentences was a goof.
Comment by Kit — November 11, 2008 @ 7:30 am - November 11, 2008
You should read David Brooks today. He says that the Republicans will only regain power when they become the Sam’s Club Party, the Grand New Party, not the traditional conservative party. He may have a point.
Comment by Mitchell Blatt — November 11, 2008 @ 10:02 am - November 11, 2008
To cheer me up about being a conservative, I sit and listen to Ronald Reagan speak. I listened to his amazing first innaugeral address on my ride home from work yesterday and the day after election day, I listened to “A Time for Choosing.” It’s not only his ideals, but the way he presented things that made Reagan an amazing President and the symbol of hope for the Republican Party.
Comment by MR Newman — November 11, 2008 @ 1:42 pm - November 11, 2008
If anyone is in Southern California, I could always join you at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. It really is a wonderful place to visit!
Comment by Dave_62 — November 11, 2008 @ 3:46 pm - November 11, 2008