Posted on 10/28/2003 8:14:35 PM PST by ReleaseTheHounds
Ronald Reagan entered office at a time of great despair. The American economy was in the worst shape since the Great Depression. Inflation ran above 12%, and unemployment exceeded 7%. Consumers felt the pinch of the energy crisis and sky-high interest rates.
The Unites States’ standing overseas also was diminished. We looked helpless as Islamic militants in Iran held Americans hostage for the 444 days prior to Reagan’s inauguration. In the most recent chapter of the century's great ideological conflict, the Soviet Union had invaded Afghanistan with impunity. The Breshnev doctrine - wherever communism takes hold, it never leaves - reigned.
The Watergate scandal, military failure in Vietnam, and the directionless presidency of Jimmy Carter had sapped America of its natural pride. Carter himself acknowledged a crisis of confidence. "It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. We can see this crisis in the growing doubt about the meaning of our own lives and in the loss of a unity of purpose for our Nation. The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America."
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Reagan took bold actions to reverse these sorry trends - bold actions that ran squarely against the conventional wisdom of the time and required taking political risks. Embracing economic policy that would end inflation meant enduring a recession in 1981-82. Talking tough about the evils of communism shocked the sensibilities of "realists" in the State Department who did not believe it possible to win the Cold War.
But by 1984, Reagan’s vision for America was working. Supply-side tax cuts, deregulation, and restraint in domestic spending was producing an economic boom that continued almost uninterrupted (save a short downturn in 1990-91) for 18 years. In foreign policy, the Breshnev Doctrine had yielded to the Reagan Doctrine. Communism was not only contained, it was rolled back. Slowly, at first. And then faster than anyone expected.
Reagan was re-elected in an unprecedented landslide. The American people respected his leadership, trusted his personal integrity, and recognized in Reagan the compassion, fairness and idealism that is central to the American spirit.
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This is not to say that Reagan was perfect, or that his administration was free of mistakes. The historical record ought to be researched, scrutinized and debated, so that all Americans can learn from the Reagan Administration’s successes and failures.
But the Reagan Legacy must not be smeared.
There is always a gap between history as it occurred, and history as it is remembered. Those of us who believe history plays a constructive role in illuminating today’s circumstances must work to close the gap. That involves standing up to those who ignore Reagan’s achievements and invent episodes inconsistent with Reagan’s own attitudes, in order to cast his Presidency in a negative light.
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Americans and the world at large owe a great debt to President Reagan. He restored America’s pride. He helped unleash an 18-year economic boom that delivered unprecedented levels of prosperity. And he played a leading role in ridding the world of Soviet Communism that was responsible for more than 20 million deaths during the 20th century.
A first, small step to repaying that debt is to vigilantly set the record straight by reminding our fellow citizens of the true legacy of Ronald Reagan.
I just love your cute "Dittohead Ping" logo, BTW! :-)
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