Logical non-sequitur. 16 years is four Presidential elections. How was it that Bill Clinton (one of the savviest and corrupting political figures of the last half century) only managed to win 43% & 49% of the vote and could not get another Dem to succeed him?
The real lesson here is: We put up a Conservative and we win the White House. We put up something other than that and we lose. We nominate ‘the next guy in line’ and we lose. Lets take a look at the last 30 years.
Ford - Not Conservative - Loses
Reagan - Conservative - Wins!
Bush 41 - Not Exactly - Wins One - Loses One
Dole - Not Exactly - Loses
Bush 43 - Conservative - Wins!
(yes, Bush has many ethical lapses as a conservative but he didn’t campaign on any of them)
Right on the money! Just to add :
Bush 41 - 1988 election widely considered Reagan’s “third term”
1994 Congressional elections - huge boost from Reagan’s Alzheimer’s disease “twilight letter”; “Contract with America” articulated clearly the direction and actions of the GOP Congress, if elected.
Bush 43 - 2000 primaries, amid reservations that he is a conservative (Bush 41 “legacy”) a boost from talk show hosts (Rush et al) “unifying” the party behind him brought by the fact that he seemed the only one at the time (South Carolina) able to stop McCain.
Bush 43 - 2004 general election, down in the polls to Kerry, until Reagan’s death and outpouring in June 2004. And that turned out to be another unnecessary squeaker in November, too.