Everything that was done then needs to be viewed through the prism of the Cold War. In the mid-80s, stupid rock stars were singing about the threat of nuclear war, a "freeze" movement was in full swing, and 400,000 US troops were on the line in Central Europe. Although only a few years later the Soviet Union dissolved, no one knew at the time that it would happen, and the rivalry affected our relationships with every other country.
One example of the effect of the Cold War was on Reagan's tepid response to some terrorist acts. I believe that Reagan knew that Iran was ultimately responsible for the 400 Marine deaths in Lebanon, but to scream about that would require a US response, which would push the Iranians towards the Soviets and could lead to conflict with the Soviets in the middle east. It was the wrong conflict in the wrong place at the wrong time. The right place to engage the Soviets was in space (Star Wars, upgraded nuclear missiles), in the air (stealth fighters and bombers), at sea (more Aircraft carriers), in Europe (intermediate missiles and upgraded Army forces in Germany), in the pocketbook and in the press. The goal was not to fight them, but to defeat them without a fight. He achieved that. Going to war with Islamic terrorists would have increased the danger of a hot war against a still powerful foe just as we were about to win the cold war.
When Reagan could act against terrorism without involving a possible escalation in superpower tensions, he did so decisively--witness Libya.
I also agree that Reagan would not have had Bush's immigration policies. He was dragged kicking and screaming to sign the Immigration Reform Act by an idiot senator named Alan Simpson who for some reason thought it was an important priority for the nation. Reagan resisted it for a long time, as Simpson was pushing for about 4 years before it got passed, but he finally had to go along, I don't recall offhand why. He hated the idea of an amnesty, it went against everything he stood for, but it was supposed to be a one-time thing, and if employer sanctions had been enforced, it would have been. The law wasn't flawed, the execution (or lack of it) was.
Having seen what happened with the first "reform", he would never have gone along with the second.
FYI, the reason I remember this period so well is I was working for a GOP senator during this time, working on military and foreign affairs issues. Reagan was my hero, then and now.
All this having been said, I think Bush has done a creditable job. I think his Supreme Court picks have been great, and he has done OK on most aspects of the war on terror, although I would have fought it a lot differently. He has had to face the most hostile press in history. He will go down in history as a solid second tier President. Don't be too disappointed in him. A Reagan or Lincoln only comes around every century or so. I don't see another one out there right now either. Let's hope one comes along to lead us to the next wave of conservative government, but until then, I'll take all the second tier Presidents we can find, so long as they keep us moving in the right direction.
Thank you kindly. Your post was highly informative and clarified many points of this debate. I enjoyed reading it. Many people quickly forget the lessons of history, while some people just never knew any history. The US educational system has failed many students over the last 30-35 years.
>>>>I think Bush has done a creditable job. I think his Supreme Court picks have been great, and he has done OK on most aspects of the war on terror, although I would have fought it a lot differently. He has had to face the most hostile press in history.
Agreed. Bush deserves a lot of credit for his prosecution of the WOT. His steadfast leadership in Iraq and Afghanistan is quite commendable. His tax cuts, judicial picks and pro-life position are his strong points. However, his liberal spending habits, expansion of the federal bureaucracy and opposition to immigration reform are definitely his weak points. At least from this conservatives viewpoint.
By 2009, many Americans maybe missing GWBush, especially once they see who got elected. My hope is the American people will stick with the GOP. But nothing is certain in politics.