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Reagan took risks and won
NY Daily News ^ | June 07 2004 | FRANK J. DONATELLI

Posted on 06/07/2004 11:57:54 AM PDT by knighthawk

Presidents who accomplish great things are not afraid of risk. On the contrary, they welcome it. They realize that presidential popularity is not to be hoarded like poker chips during a game. Rather, popularity is to be expended in pursuit of accomplishments that make America more prosperous and secure in the long term. By that measure, Ronald Reagan was a risk taker and a President for the ages.

Reagan took office when the country faced its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. He chose a bold course of action, a "riverboat gamble," in the words of then-Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker. He focused on spending restraint, deregulation of key sectors of the economy and substantial tax cuts, all designed to increase growth potential. He was criticized for his course but persevered, and our country was rewarded with a long period of prosperity that has been interrupted only recently. Today, tax cuts to revitalize the private sector are pursued by governments all over the world.

Reagan took office when the Soviet Union and its surrogates were on the march in Afghanistan, Africa and Central America. Early on, he determined to confront this new reality, not to ignore it. He ratcheted up the rhetoric ("Evil Empire"), forced modernization of NATO's nuclear deterrent in Europe on reluctant allies (sound familiar?) and even rejected a deal for nuclear arms reduction with the Russians in favor of pursuing strategic defense. In each of these instances, he was met by doubters, naysayers and those who urged caution.

Thank goodness he didn't listen. His actions hastened the end of the Cold War and commenced the destruction of the second great totalitarian menace of the 20th century.

Reagan took office when the U.S. military was suffering from doubt. It endured budget cuts and feckless civilian leadership that led to defeat in Vietnam and humiliation in the Iranian desert. Reagan and his defense secretary, Caspar Weinberger, rebuilt the military, investing in new technology and weapons systems that continue to bear fruit today. He not only rebuilt the military but utilized it in strategic ways to liberate Grenada, tame Libya and hold the line against Communist penetration in Central America, thus breaking the "Vietnam syndrome" that strangled American action for a decade.

Theodore Roosevelt made clear what makes a great leader:

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled. ... The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena ... who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."

Ronald Reagan met this test. He identified the great challenges facing the free world at the end of the 20th century and then set about to solve them with steadiness, determination and an ability to rally the American people to his side at critical moments.

A great communicator, yes. A great visionary, yes. A great leader and historic President, absolutely.

Donatelli served President Ronald Reagan in many capacities, finally as assistant to the President for political affairs


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: frankdonatelli; nydaily; ronaldreagan

1 posted on 06/07/2004 11:57:55 AM PDT by knighthawk
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To: MizSterious; rebdov; Nix 2; green lantern; BeOSUser; Brad's Gramma; dreadme; Turk2; keri; ...

Ping


2 posted on 06/07/2004 11:58:20 AM PDT by knighthawk (We will always remember We will always be proud We will always be prepared so we may always be free)
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To: knighthawk
the second great totalitarian menace of the 20th century (referring to Communism)

Very minor quibble with an outstanding article, but by any measure of the quantity and duration of pure human misery, communism far exceeded nazism as the greatest totalitarian menace of the twentieth century. Nazism (and Italian Fascism) was a national variant of the international communist and socialist creeds and, as such, not nearly the global threat to freedom which communism was for nearly the entire century.

3 posted on 06/07/2004 12:55:07 PM PDT by katana
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