They are parallel leaders. Don't let the vapors of nostalgia keep you from understanding the reality of Reagan compromise and government growth.
Ahhhhhh, for those halcyon days of Reagan. (sarcasm)
I love the Gipper; he did a tremendous amount of good, but he compromised mightily because he had to. Like all Presidents (unless they're dictators, which doesn't fly in America). His rhetoric was flawless and you couldn't tell he was compromising nearly as much as he really was. When you look at the actual record it was not as flawless as were his communications to his supporters.
That's life. We're not in heaven, where all will be perfeçt.