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Reagan's "conversion" is extremely well documented. After supporting Truman in 1948 he had to deal with Stalinists in the Screen Actors Guild (he was head of that trade union). The 1950's and early 60's were a time when the intellectual seeds of what would become the Conservative Movement sprouted in the pages of Bill Buckley's National Review. By 1964 Reagan was fully on board and a powerfully articulate advocate. In 1966 he became California governor in a huge upset of Pat Brown (Gov. Moonbeam Jerry Brown's papa), was reelected in 1970, and ran for the Republican nomination for president (unsuccessfully) in 1976.

So Reagan was a movement Conservative for a full twenty years and had eight years of government executive experience before running for president. It's also worth mentioning that Reagan was the epitome of a happy warrior, never called any opponent names, and campaigned on the basis of ideas, not fantasies of Mexico paying for a border wall or a single payer health system. Sarah's entitled to her opinion and choice. And since she has had personal contact with Trump for at least the past couple years it's possible she is right about the man's sincerity. But her faith doesn't persuade me to change my opinion.

agreed.

but i will vote for him if he wins the primary

nice little education on Reagan :)

thanks

Actually, of considerable importance was the formation of Young Americans for Freedom. Some of the bigger names of today were members then and have now grown to and age of importance in executing and influencing conservative values. Trump is usually happy compared with Cruz, although he does tend toward hyperbole it is hyperbole that many agree with.

Regarding Stalinists after WW2, my father was fighting a communist takeover of his white collar union and other related struggles in the port of New York area. The same thing is happening now with the extreme left Marxist/Leninists trying to take over most of the left. For example infiltrating and trying to gain control in the Green Party. These are folks from the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) which is a dedicated revolutionary party. This is NOT Bernie’s type of socialism/social democracy which favors the Scandinavian model rather than the Soviet/Russian model promoted by the PSL.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_for_Socialism_and_Liberation