[rob777]

"The quote you provided is from a 1975 interview published in the leading libertarian magazine. At the time, Reagan was challenging a Republican incubant, and looking for all the votes he could get. He tries as hard as he can to say something nice about libertarianism."


I have heard this spin before and it makes Reagan look like an unprincipled political prostitute who only says what he does to attrack votes. I am personla friends with the founder of the Ethan Allen Institute here in Vermont. He was a senior advisor to Reagan when he was in the WH and a speech writer for him before that. He claims was that Reagan's fidelity to libertarianism was deeper than just about any other modern president. The recognition of a connection between libertarianism and American conservatism goes well beyond Reagan. The modern conservative movement in America began as a fusion of libertarians, traditionlists and anti-communists. The fact that partisans of each of these strands of conservatism often try and excommunicate members of the other stands does not alter the fact that all three strands were part of the founding of the American conservative movement.

[ansel12]

I have heard this spin before and it makes Reagan look like an unprincipled political prostitute who only says what he does to attrack votes.

When you guys keep posting the same little quote from a libertarian interview in which he then proceeds to explain why he is not a libertarian and is a social conservative and strong on national defense from 35 years ago to tell a lie, then of course you have heard reactions to it.