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"When I began entering into the give and take of legislative bargaining in Sacramento, a lot of the most radical conservatives who had supported me during the election didn't like it. "Compromise" was a dirty word to them and they wouldn't face the fact that we couldn't get all of what we wanted today. They wanted all or nothing and they wanted it all at once. If you don't get it all, some said, don't take anything. "I'd learned while negotiating union contracts that you seldom got everything you asked for. And I agreed with FDR, who said in 1933: 'I have no expectations of making a hit every time I come to bat. What I seek is the highest possible batting average.'
"If you got seventy-five or eighty percent of what you were asking for, I say, you take it and fight for the rest later, and that's what I told these radical conservatives who never got used to it.

~~ Ronald Reagan, in his autobiography, An American Life

"If you got seventy-five or eighty percent of what you were asking for, I say, you take it and fight for the rest later

Ronald Reagan moved the country toward the right incrementally.

He asked for tax cuts, military increases, and social spending cuts, even though moderates and liberals called it "Voodoo Economics." He had to settle for a percentage of what he wanted--he got most of the income tax cuts he asked for and the military increases--but he didn't get the social spending cuts. But he continued to fight for the rest.

Great quote, thank you. I love Reagan quotes even if they are being used against me in a discussion :)

If Pres. Bush was getting seventy-five or eighty percent of what Reagan asked for, I would be ecstatic. It's just that what he is asking for is not enough to encourage long term economic growth. I'll take any tax cut, but those vouchers were lame.

I do believe that, unfortunately, when it comes to economics Pres. Bush is similar to his father. He seems mainly interested in "governing", not reforming. Sadly, even if O'Neil goes, I predict he will be replaced by another corporate country club Republican, not anyone like the supply siders Reagan surrouned himself with.