[riverdawg]

“Rush’s comparisons with Santorum to Reagan on social policies? Really? Now I’m not as old as Rush, but I remember Reagan Carter pretty well. I don’t remember much of anything about the social issues being an issue, even though we knew where Reagan stood.”

Rush and I are about the same age. I share your recollection that social issues played no important role in the 1980 election. Reagan's campaign was primarily about two things: (1) challenging the Soviet Union by restoring US military strength; (2) restoring economic prosperity by lowering marginal tax rates and reducing the growth of the federal government.

[C. Edmund Wright]

Rush and I are about the same age. I share your recollection that social issues played no important role in the 1980 election. Reagan's campaign was primarily about two things: (1) challenging the Soviet Union by restoring US military strength; (2) restoring economic prosperity by lowering marginal tax rates and reducing the growth of the federal government.

Glad you shared that, and glad to know we remember the same campaign the same way. It is stunning to me, STUNNING, to see Rush make this false comparison. Correcting such falsehoods is what he has done for 23 years. This is tremendous slippage in my opinion, and with potentially dire consequences.

[Lakeshark]

You are correct in saying that Reagan's main issues were the free market economy and keeping America great (peace through strength).

However, you are forgetting Reagan ran on what he called the three legged stool, which included the leg of a strong moral foundation as well. He actively sought evangelical (and catholic) support on these issues, and was very up front about his pro-life stance.

I think a candidate who shorts any one of the three legs Reagan spoke of is missing the mark. Reagan always tied the three ideas together, and did so masterfully.