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What would Reagan say?
Boston Globe ^ | January 20, 2008 | Jeff Jacoby

Posted on 01/20/2008 9:15:45 AM PST by Daffynition

RUNNING FOR president on a third-party ticket in 1968, George Wallace famously claimed that there wasn't "a dime's worth of difference" between the Republican and Democratic nominees. Would anyone tuning in this year's crop of candidates say the same thing?

Consider some recent sound bites:

"You said we would fight for every job! You said that we would fight to get healthcare for all Americans! You said we'd fight to secure our border! You said we'd fight for us to be able to get lower taxes for middle-income Americans!"

"Guess what they're doing in Washington: They're worrying, because they realize, the lobbyists and the politicians realize, that America now understands that Washington is broken. And we're going to do something about it."

"Washington told us that they'd get us better healthcare and better education - but they haven't. Washington told us they'd get us a tax break for the middle-income Americans - but they haven't."

You don't have to be a political junkie to recognize those as specimens of populist Democratic boilerplate, right? The only challenge is to match each quotation to the Democratic candidate who said it.

Except that no Democrat uttered those words. The three big-government platitudes above were taken from Republican Mitt Romney's Michigan primary victory speech on Tuesday.

[snip]

(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: reaganites

1 posted on 01/20/2008 9:15:46 AM PST by Daffynition
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To: Daffynition

As much as I love Reagan, it’s time to let him rest in peace. We need an individual in 2008 who is a LEADER and willing to persuade folks to come back to Republican CORE ideology as Reagan did. Reagan is an original. It is foolish to try to be a clone. Times are different. We have different issues, however CORE Republican ideology an solves those issues - leave Reagan out of it.


2 posted on 01/20/2008 9:18:54 AM PST by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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To: Daffynition
What would Reagan say?>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"There you go again, putting words in my mouth!"

3 posted on 01/20/2008 9:20:03 AM PST by Candor7 (Fascism? All it takes is for good men to say nothing.)
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To: nmh; Candor7

Sadly the Republican party has devolved into a RHINO party, going the way of the Whig Party.


4 posted on 01/20/2008 9:30:24 AM PST by Daffynition (The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.)
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To: nmh

Its long past the time to let Ronald Reagan rest in peace.

OTOH, Reaganism is alive and well.

The issues that Reagan faced in the 1980`s are the same issues America faces today: the enemy maybe a different but a strong national defense still leads the way, along with limited government, tax reform and support for the right to life. Throw in the mix, immigration reform as a national security issue.

The best direction for the GOP to take is still the conservative direction and the Reagan policy agenda remains at the forefront.


5 posted on 01/20/2008 9:30:25 AM PST by Reagan Man (FUHGETTABOUTIT Rudy....... Conservatives don't vote for liberals!)
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To: Reagan Man

Reagan is a fine man but we need to let go of this Reagan wanna be stuff.

The issues are different. The world has changed since Reagan. We need a LEADER, not a follower of Reagan to solve todays issues using REPUBLICAN CORE IDEOLOGY. It is the ideology that Reagan pursued that left the legacy. Reagan for the most part followed CORE REPUBLICAN ideology. I want another leader that is willing to follow CORE REPUBLICAN ideology and not a finger in the wind zig zag ideology. What Republicans lack is a LEADER.


6 posted on 01/20/2008 9:48:27 AM PST by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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To: Daffynition
“Sadly the Republican party has devolved into a RHINO party, going the way of the Whig Party.”

Agree!

There is very little difference between Demoncrats and Republicans. Republicans lack a LEADER that is willing to offend and educate the public on CORE REPULBLICAN ideology. It’s not about resurrecting Reagan. Regan as did Lincoln, left a proud legacy. It’s time for someone else to follow core ideology.

7 posted on 01/20/2008 9:50:31 AM PST by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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To: nmh

We have a new generation that barely remembers Reagan; this generation needs fresh leaders, not one who’s been dead for years. Conservative ideas and principles need to be explained and defended in the present day; because saying that we should do things a certain way “because Reagan did it that way” won’t win any arguments.


8 posted on 01/20/2008 10:12:52 AM PST by eclecticEel (oh well, Hunter 2012 anyone?)
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To: nmh
Like the GOP, you're obviously alseep at the wheel. For most of the last 30 years, core Republican ideology has been based on a sound conservative agenda. Those issues that confront America today aren't any different from the issues that Americans faced 20-30 years ago. And the best working political answers are still the same.

Whenever conservatism and Reaganism are employed, they triumph over liberalism. Whenever the GOP moves away from conservatism and Reaganism, it loses.

Only one candidate has shown he understands conservatism and only one candidate embraces Reaganism --- Fred Thompson. Too bad Republicans have chosen to reject Fred and instead, embrace moderate and liberal candidates.

If you're looking for a third way, you're in the wrong party.

9 posted on 01/20/2008 10:27:53 AM PST by Reagan Man (FUHGETTABOUTIT Rudy....... Conservatives don't vote for liberals!)
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To: Daffynition
"George Wallace famously claimed that there wasn't "a dime's worth of difference" between the Republican and Democratic nominees."

Still true after all these years.

10 posted on 01/20/2008 10:50:22 AM PST by gitmogrunt
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To: Daffynition

“Well...”


11 posted on 01/20/2008 10:51:07 AM PST by Cringing Negativism Network (So-called free trade advocates = "China Firsters")
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To: Reagan Man
“Only one candidate has shown he understands conservatism and only one candidate embraces Reaganism -— Fred Thompson. Too bad Republicans have chosen to reject Fred and instead, embrace moderate and liberal candidates.”

Fred is the most conservative of the bunch but my point is Reagan is GONE. We don’t need another Reagan. We do need a LEADER TODAY that will stand up and not bend over to losing LIBERAL ideology.

Reagan is a good man but he wasn’t the ideal - “no fault divorce” fueled divorce. What I want is a LEADER that is willing to STAND and EDUCATE people why conservative ideology WORKS. Academia is pushing LIBERALISM and you see that in how YOUNGER voters VOTE.

12 posted on 01/20/2008 10:57:26 AM PST by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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To: eclecticEel
“We have a new generation that barely remembers Reagan; this generation needs fresh leaders, not one who’s been dead for years. Conservative ideas and principles need to be explained and defended in the present day; because saying that we should do things a certain way “because Reagan did it that way” won’t win any arguments.”

EXACTLY!

Fresh LEADERS! The DEAD cannot speak. Reagan is in heaven.

I agree with you completely we shouldn’t have to speculate on what DEAD person MIGHT say or do. The stupid Reaganites don’t get that. Conservative ideology is not tied to a PERSON.

13 posted on 01/20/2008 11:00:25 AM PST by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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Comment #14 Removed by Moderator

To: nmh
Pure psychobabble! LOL
15 posted on 01/20/2008 11:22:44 AM PST by Reagan Man (FUHGETTABOUTIT Rudy....... Conservatives don't vote for liberals!)
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To: Reagan Man
Pure psychobabble! LOL

No, your reply is “psychobabble” because you have no response other than name calling ... YAWN. It’s so LIBERAL of you ... .

Reagan is DEAD. Most voters don’t remember him and weren’t around when he was in office. You can’t cling to a DEAD man to carry the water for you. You need a LIVE person to stand up and be a LEADER. Copies are never as good as the original and Reagan wasn’t the “original” conservative. Lincoln more fits that category in politics. You need to tout a LIVING person that does espouses conservative ideology - not a DEAD person and SPECULATION on what he'd do.

16 posted on 01/20/2008 11:30:57 AM PST by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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To: nmh
Wrong. You're the problem. Republicans like you want to change the agenda. You want to shift away from what was successful for the GOP over the last 30 years --- that being Reagan conservatism, aka. "Reaganism" --- and redefine conservatism to meet some mindless goal. That is a formula for failure. There was only one Ronald Reagan and neither Giuliani, Romney, Huckabee or McCain are the best suited to advance Reaganism.

>>>>>Yawn

You're tired, take a long nap. Maybe when you wake up you'll be in a better mood and you'll drop the liberal psychobabble.

17 posted on 01/20/2008 11:47:22 AM PST by Reagan Man (FUHGETTABOUTIT Rudy....... Conservatives don't vote for liberals!)
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To: Reagan Man
Wrong. You’re the problem. Republicans like you want to change the agenda. You want to shift away from what was successful for the GOP over the last 30 years -— that being Reagan conservatism, aka. “Reaganism” -— and redefine conservatism to meet some mindless goal. That is a formula for failure. There was only one Ronald Reagan and neither Giuliani, Romney, Huckabee or McCain are the best suited to advance Reaganism.”

I prefer a debate with a LIVE person rather than a DEAD person. Reagan did not “define” conservatism. He was a good man that brought two parties together.

“There was only one Ronald Reagan and neither Giuliani, Romney, Huckabee or McCain are the best suited to advance”

(correction) conservatism.

Reagan did NOT invent conservatism. That is where your confusion lies. It’s always been there as an ideology. It’s the ideology we need resurrected, not a DEAD person who we speculate about what he’d do. It’s ridiculous. Espouse CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES and explain the IDEOLOGY to educate a new generation.

18 posted on 01/20/2008 11:53:07 AM PST by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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To: nmh

More liberal psychobabble.

Carry on ... LOL


19 posted on 01/20/2008 12:04:54 PM PST by Reagan Man (FUHGETTABOUTIT Rudy....... Conservatives don't vote for liberals!)
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To: Reagan Man
No, you live in the past. Dead people aren’t going to help you. LIVING , breathing people can make a difference that also know what conesrvativism is and act on it. Reagan isn’t going to do it - he’s dead. He left a great legacy but you really need to get with the PRESENT and encourage another LEADER to step up and carry the torch of conservatism.

I prefer a debate with a LIVE person rather than a DEAD person. Reagan did not “define” conservatism. He was a good man that brought two parties together.

“There was only one Ronald Reagan and neither Giuliani, Romney, Huckabee or McCain are the best suited to advance”

(correction) conservatism.

Reagan did NOT invent conservatism. That is where your confusion lies. It’s always been there as an ideology. It’s the ideology we need resurrected, not a DEAD person who we speculate about what he’d do. It’s ridiculous. Espouse CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES and explain the IDEOLOGY to educate a new generation.

YOU are part of the problem.

20 posted on 01/20/2008 2:38:35 PM PST by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God) .)
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