Republicans Rethinking the Reagan Mystique

New York Times ^ | June 13, 2009 | John Harwood

[Navy Patriot]

The NY Slimes WISHES that the Republicans ignore Reagan's principles.

They don't want to have to answer the questions Reaganism will ask in 2012, because the answers will be: depression era unemployment, hyper inflation, US business moving abroad, and third world standard of living moving to the US.

Worse yet, voters will have lots of time to think about these things, while standing in line at the DMV, for their doctor's appointment.

[LibFreeOrDie]

The former idiot chairman of the NH GOP said the same thing about a week ago. (On the 5th anniversary of Reagan’s death, no less.)

I think this is a coordinated effort, not a coincidence.

http://www.theunionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Fergus+Cullen%3A+Republicans+must+stop+mourning+Reagan+and+move+on&articleId=df92da30-39fe-4b15-bd5f-8da3f8a5bae9

[FlingWingFlyer]

And I really miss him. When he was in office, I felt as though adults were in charge. Now, we have a "kids in a candy store" administration in D.C. and we're paying for it.

[Jack Hammer]

Odd words of praise coming from someone who is demonstrably the ‘anti-Reagan.’

[Oldpuppymax]

“...akin to his own aspirations...?” Oh, please. Reagan was definitely NOT an America hating, racist, fascist thug and liar. Reagan hoped to re-introduce the American people to the greatness of this nation. Hussein’s ambition is to destroy and then rule it.

[God luvs America]

Some Republicans have begun reassessing whether Mr. Reagan today affords the best example as they seek a path back to power. The economic crisis, which Mr. Obama last fall declared a “final verdict” on the anti-government philosophy that George W. Bush and Mr. Reagan shared, has made Reaganism less politically marketable than at any time in a generation.

Give it a few more weeks NYSlimes...

when people are forced to drive their government made vehicle to see their government appointed doctor then stop off at their government owned bank to get some worthless $$$ so they get by some food at McDonalds from the government directed menu, even the most independent of folk will be clamoring for anyone reminiscent of Reagan's philosophy....

[Rashputin]

Dedicated scum like him attempt to attach themselves to anything widely viewed as positive and then begin to rewrite history so that their target seems like it was “theirs” all along. Don't kid yourself, that comment was carefully crafted based on opinion polls to allay the fears of independents who by a huge margin loved Reagan.

They redefine words and revise history constantly, there's probably the exact same situation Orwell described in some chithole like Detroit with gray people showing up every day to revise the history books and dictionaries. Their instructions come from Barney Frank and James Carville, complete with power struggles over who gets credit for successful reinterpretations and word thefts.

Regards

[truthguy]

I love Ronald Reagan, but it has been a long time since he was president. The GOP is in danger of becoming like the Democrats were in the 70’s and 80’s

Okay I'm a Reagan fan as well but our party (Republican/Conservative) needs to be more than just Ronald Reagan. I was a paleo conservative long before Ronald Reagan. We need to have a Republican Party with a firm commitment to conservative principles. Yes we need a larger tent and we also need to bring in the economic conservatives. Many of these people have more in common with the conservatives than with the liberals. They should vote Republican.

We have to bring in these people or we will lose elections. This is controversial. Many don't like people who have even one view not consistent with their own. We have to FACE THE FACT that demographics is not on our side in this struggle. If someone is 80-90% Conservative, that should be adequate. Let's not scare some of the Libertarians away. We can fight the Abortion battle as a cultural war instead of a political war. If we win the culture war, we will de facto win the political war.

Many have attacked me on this. But ask yourself a question: In the years Ronald Reagan was president, what was actually done to curtain abortion? The answer regrettably is not much.

[devane617]

I don’t know much about the bible, but seems like I remember Moses coming down from the mount to find the folks in the hood dancing around a gold cow. Now I understand...

[Rome2000]

Can't wait to piss on the NYT's grave.

I hear the Sunday edition is "very thin" these days.

[Uncle Hal]

The MSM telling the GOP how they think about Reagan is really rich. Talk about gall. Wishful thinking on their part.

[socialismisinsidious]

Funny how liberal writers always present such challenging questions of conservatism as if it is everybody’s view and not just their own beliefs.

You know I don't think it is their beliefs....I think it's just what they want us Conservatives to believe; buy their jive and things will go just as they want them to go.

[GlennBeck08]

Well said.

[JSDude1]

might also ingratiate him with conservatives.

NO,

..and I reject Mitch Daniels also as he (has done some good), but isn’t really a RR Conservative when it comes down to it..!

[Bringbackthedraft]

Mr Obama, we knew Ronald Reagan, and you sir, are no Ronald Reagan. There I said it.

[headstamp 2]

I love this. We should “move on” from the “Reagan” era with all it’s successes in leading the country out of an absolute mess from the 70’s but it’s OK for the Democrats to continue pursuing 1930’s style “New Deal” policies.

[JSDude1]

You forget that it is the Constitution which “Unites” us; and the LEFT through the the judicary are the one’s who started the “culture war” (politically as well as culturally), WE NEED to fight the social issues becuase WE need to get back to the constituton, and reign in the courts (this includes overturning such rulings as Roe v. Wade, and “marriage” activism on the part of gays/lesbians.

THEY ARE THE BIG GOV (Expansion of Gov. Power here) advocates, not Conservatives- Cultural Conservatism and Libertarian/Economic Conservativism ARE NOT in conflict!

[JSDude1]

It’s kind of inconsistent, the author, in once sense wants us (conservatives) to move away from Ronald Reagan, but in the same token-they want Obama to embrace Reagan and be “the next Reagan (Which he has failed to do both in his politics, and personality)”..idiot NY Times writers are really unsophisticated these days! They must be scraping the “bottom of the barrel”!

[Maelstorm]

The problem with those who suggest we let Reagan go is that they don’t mean simply coming up with new ideas. This is so unnecessary. The Democrats never talk about letting go of FDR or JFK. Republicans prove themselves idiots when they obsess over such stupid ideas. It feeds their opposition and most of those complaining about Reagan are not real conservatives. They don’t believe in smaller government they instead have adopted the idea of of “efficient government”. They ignore the increasing costs of social liberalism while urging we distance ourselves from social conservatism. Down the line those who urge the getting beyond Reagan seem intent on making the GOP a clone of the Democrat party just a little more classy a clone but still a clone. One that is more comfortable pushing for nationalized health care, one that is comfortable feeding the Educracy, and one that is comfortable running on intentions and producing zero results.

[Maelstorm]

You are exactly right. All this rethinking is stupid and for what? Do we want to attract empty headed females who see no problem having babies scraped from their wombs and think such a behavior is a right? Do we want the votes of the sexually peculiar who want to equate their private sexual behaviors with civil rights? I don’t want any part of that stupid party. Give me a civil war first. We then can destroy the disease of socialism outright and honestly.