Is America Going Soft? Will this election mark a turning point? Let's hope not.

The Wall Street Journal Opinion Journal ^ | June 14, 2004 | Pete du Pont

[quidnunc]

Since his death a great deal has been written about Ronald Reagan. About his vision and his ability to communicate with regular Americans. About the extraordinary economic growth his tax rate reductions created, and his belief that Soviet communism was an evil empire, not an alternative form of government that must be understood. About his foreign policy leadership that led Sen. Ted Kennedy to eulogize him as "the president who won the Cold War."

But Reagan was something more: a turning-point president who believed that the policy directions of the past were wrong, and that with different policies our future could be far better. We have had other such presidents, Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. Their elections were turning points in America's policies, as was Reagan's.

Could America be at another turning point in 2004? Another time like the '60s, and '80s when people decided it was time to change the direction in which our public policies were headed? That is the question political scholar Michael Barone indirectly poses in his new book, "Hard America, Soft America, Competition vs. Coddling and the Battle for the Nation's Future."

Following the postwar enthusiasm of the 1950s, America's policies softened. In the '60s and '70s government grew, regulation increased, welfare programs expanded, crime rose while prison populations dropped, schools lowered standards and limited testing, and the distribution of wealth became more important than its creation. As Lyndon B. Johnson said, we must accept "greater government activity in the affairs of the people."

Then came Ronald Reagan with the opposite view, and the '80s and 90's saw a hardening America, one in which liberty was more important than equality, so that expanding markets became more important than expanding government. Welfare was replaced with work, mandatory sentencing drove prison populations up and crime rates down, education began to return to testing and standards, and the creation of greater national and individual wealth became our economic focus.

-snip-

[Texasforever]

I didn't come up from Mexico if that is what you mean...;)

It also had absolutely nothing to do with this thread. Congrats on not coming from Mexico, neither did I …..whatever the hell that proves.

[teldon30]

I responded to your post with my thoughts...you responded with baloney...."Stay out da Kitchen"

[hinckley buzzard]

I had the same reaction. Then I remembered Pete DuPont is an East Coast elitist RINO who probably thought all Ike did was play golf.

[The South Texan]

"It is very hard to respond when Fox News is all you have. This is the most blatant media driven election I have ever seen. Kerry doesn't need a red cent since he has literally billions in free media every week. I don't know how the Bush team can counteract that."

Last week it was mentioned by several conservatives on TV and radio that President Reagan got bad press coverage similar to what President Bush is getting now. I was still kind of young during Reagan's first term, but started paying more attention around the Iran-Contra non sense and media treatment was pretty harsh, but not as systematic as it is now with Bush.

We have seen four Anti Bush books in a row get 24/7 coverage on all the cable nets and morning shows and a full hour on America's most watched news show, 60 minutes. Folks, we shouldn't be kidding ourselves about the power of the lamestream media still. True, they are losing ratings, but alot of folks (mainly senior citizens )that started watching the nightly news and morning shows and 60 minute since TV signals began broadcasting take these shows as gospel. Then, the consistent drip of the NY/LA Slimes and the Washington Compost that get reprinted in every daily in this country. My hometown paper this morning on the opinions page had no less than five editorials (three were the editorial excerpts from the NY/LA Slimes and Washington Compost and the other two were national columnists) bashing Bush over the torture stuff. Where is a pro Bush column to at least balance it out? Why don't they ask the liberal Alan Dershowitz what he thinks of torture? They don't because it goes against the liberal template.

Team needs to do what my coaches used to tell me when I was in High School when I was screwing up. They need to get their HEADS OUT OF THEIR BUTTS for lack of a better word or they will drawing unemployment benefits come Jan 22, 2005.

[goldstategop]

Some days I think more heavy-handed liberalism may be just the antidote to it we need. A lot of people, especially young people, have no idea what life was like in the Johnson and Carter years. Letting liberals make them completely miserable in the long run could serve to cure them of their pathology more than anything we could do. Experience of liberals in power is the best innoculation against them.

[Texasforever]

Team needs to do what my coaches used to tell me when I was in High School when I was screwing up. They need to get their HEADS OUT OF THEIR BUTTS for lack of a better word or they will drawing unemployment benefits come Jan 22, 2005.

Ok, you tell me. What should the "team" do to break the media blockade given they cannot force the media to tell their side of the story? I would love to hear it and I know Rove would too.

[rmmcdaniell]

You can while like a little female dog about how bad Bush is getting treated in the media. However, I have no sympathy for a man who signs blatently unconstitutional legislation and willing gives his enemies ammunition to fire back at him.

[rmmcdaniell]

You can while whine like a little female dog about how bad Bush is getting treated in the media. However, I have no sympathy for a man who signs blatently unconstitutional legislation and willing gives his enemies ammunition to fire back at him.

[CyberAnt]

Then maybe those of who do know of the reality of that disaster .. perhaps we should get out and help to register voters and stand on street corners and remind America she's the greatest nation on the face of the earth and we should start acting like it.

[Texasforever]

However, I have no sympathy for a man who signs blatently unconstitutional legislation and willing gives his enemies ammunition to fire back at him.

OK friend, how did CFR enable the media to block all good news on the economy and Iraq? Did CFR change how Dan Rather and the rest decide what gets on the 6 o'clock news?

[The South Texan]

"Ok, you tell me. What should the "team" do to break the media blockade given they cannot force the media to tell their side of the story? I would love to hear it and I know Rove would too."

If I were running the show (IE, myself as Rove), I would do the following.

1) Fire the White House Spokesmen. That guy that replaced Ari Fletcher needs to come back to Texas and work for his mom at the Comptroller's office. He cannot "give it back" to the media jackels and I've seen him dig bigger holes for himself and the President on minor things. Sometimes a one sentence answer and then telling the reporter to shut up and sit down and then yourself shutting up is better than rambling on.

2) Get President Bush on as many local TV and radio station for interviews as possible. That has Newt on the congress for the GOP in 1994 and the media was caught asleep not realizing the tidal wave that was about to hit. The local media people are not establishment Washington/New York/ or LA and would really think it is something to get to interview the President.

Those are just two suggestions of the top of my head.

[Texasforever]

Get President Bush on as many local TV and radio station for interviews as possible

That is a very good idea. I don't care for the press secretary but outside of daily press meetings I don’t see a lot of bang for the buck there. I think Bush needs some new blood in speechwriters.

[al baby]

I dont Believe Kerry will suvive a Kerry Presidendcy

What with the Clintons still on the loose

[teldon30]

Beautiful...are you reading this Mr Rove?

[nathanbedford]

.this Admin. is about the worst i have ever seen and getting a point across.

No, the first Bush administration was even worse, but I get your point and it is one I have been making for months now. Back then, one got flamed for the observation, now the obvious truth is met with stupification.

[Indie]

You can whine like a little female dog about how bad Bush is getting treated in the media. However, I have no sympathy for a man who signs blatently unconstitutional legislation and willing gives his enemies ammunition to fire back at him.

The bots may not like your statement, but see my tag line. It's the truth.

[oblomov]

South Texan, I really like your suggestions.

Maybe someone here is well-connected enought o get this to Rove and Mehlman?

[MEG33]

Bush did a good job of slamming David Gregory at his G8 press conference...He was feeling good and relaxed and was on top of his game...Of course it didn't get good coverage because of the death of Reagan...and probably would not have anyway.

[labard1]

Excellent suggestions.