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A stronger analogy and basis for prediction is offered by consideration of the administrations of not just Eisenhower, but also Eisenhower's understudy, Nixon. Both possessed exceptionally shrewd political minds and, after periods of liberal excess, they were determined above all to put US national security and public finances on a strong footing. Toward those ends, they cultivated a moderate image and often followed moderate, consensus driven policies even though their deepest instincts were conservative.

Notably, both also put the GOP on a solid enough foundation that the party could afford a clear right turn after they were out of office. Even as we conservatives prefer that Eisenhower and Nixon had been more conservative, the scope of their achievement ought not to be ignored: at critical moments, they broke the advance of liberalism and made later eras of conservative victory possible. And, most of all, they helped restore US national power and put us back on a path to victory in the Cold War.

You’re kidding. These guys were not Conservatives. When faced with exposure of two+ decades of pro-Soviet/Communist infiltration of government, they hung Sen. McCarthy out to dry. Ike was happy to leave office with a enormous Dem majority and a woefully unqualified JFK as his successor, not a mark of a successful “Conservative” President. More like Dubya’s failed administration.

Eisenhower was elected after twenty years of FDR and Truman. As Eisenhower well knew, FDR and Truman did not leave our national security in any deficiency. He inherited a mighty military, well equipped with the most modern of armaments and so far ahead of whatever was second that Americans KNEW they were quite secure. As an example, the B-52 bomber (a magnificent weapons system still deployed today. It was designed and began production under Truman and completed production under Eisenhower. A substantial fleet of high altitude B-52s was the backbone of the Strategic Air Command that kept a nuclear arsenal in the air full time to threaten the soviets into keeping their own nukes inactive.

Eisenhower's brand of "Modern Republicanism" was a disgrace and has haunted the GOP ever since. Modern Republicanism consists of apologizing for breathing while not being a Democrat. And, of course, existing to service the investor class at the expense of everyone else.

The final disgrace was Eisenhower's dishonest ravings warning us against "the military industrial complex." The very industries that kept us sae from the soviets became Ike's new devil figure. That was the point at which Ike became McGovern. Every leftist hack "journalist" has lived on that speech ever since as the welfare state has exploded at the expense of military innovation and expenditures.

Spare us any more Eisenhowers AND any more Nixons.

Nixon???? Kowtowing to Chairman Mao, Chou en Lai, et al., 1960 "Sellout on Fifth Avenue" to Nelson Rockefeller, Kissinger as Secretary of State, SALT treaty with the soviets, status quo on steroids, wage and price controls, devaluing the dollar, despised Reagan and actual conservatives, enshrined Luddite envirowhackoism in the federal government to harass business and landowners ever more. WHAT ACHIEVEMENTS???????

Reagan put a stop to the soviets with the threat of High Frontier. He bankrupted them. Nixon and Eisenhower had NOTHING to do with our victory in the cold war. They were conscientious objectors to the elimination of the soviets. Bush the Elder was a passive spectator when the Wall fell along with the ussr.

"Exceptionally shrewd?????" Puhleeeeeeze!