On Hannity & Colmes last night Oliver North sought to portray Barack Obama as an "empty suit," at which point Democratic political strategist Bob Beckel erupted, "That's what they said about Ronald Reagan." Beckel went on to make the case that Obama's candidacy resembles the Reagan candidacy of 1980.
Is it possible that Barack Hussein Obama is the next Ronald Wilson Reagan? Well, Reagan too was a strong advocate for "change." When Reagan ran for office the economy was in a shambles. Inflation was in double digits, growth was stagnant, interest rates were high, and the stock market was barely higher than it was a decade earlier. Abroad, the Soviet bear had gobbled up 10 countries between 1974 and 1980. There were 100,000 Soviet troops in Afghanistan. In Iran, U.S. policy had helped topple the Shah and usher in the Ayatollah Khomeini. Hostages were being held by Islamic radicals. President Carter diagnosed Americans as suffering from a kind of national depression which he called "malaise." Clearly change was in order.
But Reagan was a man of large ideas. He positioned his career against the big idea of the twentieth century, namely collectivism. Reagan saw collectivism in a menacing Soviet empire abroad, and an expanding welfare state at home. When I first came to America the national ethos had been set by John F. Kennedy who told young people that if they were idealistic and caring, they should join the Peace Corps. To Kennedy it was the government servant who was the true noble American. Reagan disputed this. To him it was not the bureaucrat but the entrepreneur who was the embodiment of American idealism and greatness. Reagan sought to bring about a cultural shift in America in which parents would rather see their children become inventors and business owners rather than paper-pushers in the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Reagan also had concrete ideas about how to bring about his grand aspirations. He sought to roll back the Soviet empire by deploying Pershing and Cruise missiles in Europe. He sought to deploy missile defenses to shoot down Soviet missiles and also to invite the Russians into a defensive arms race that he knew they couldn't win. He proposed bringing the top marginal tax rate down from 70 percent to 28 percent. He proposed a 30 percent across-the-board tax cut. He sought a restrictive monetary policy to wring inflation out of the economy, combined with tax cuts to unleash entrepreneurial initiative. He backed privatization of government activities that could be better performed by the private sector.
Let's leave aside Reagan's astounding accomplishments in actually getting his ideas implemented, and the great political and cultural revolution they produced. Let's just focus on the fact that Reagan had the vision and he had the specific policies to produce it. Where is Obama's vision for America that goes beyond "bringing us together"? How exactly does Obama propose to do this? What are his imaginative fiscal and monetary proposals? If Obama wants to get troops out of Iraq, what is his alternative strategy for winning the war against radical Islam? Does he have anything more to offer other than the vacuous "really going after Bin Laden"? To ask these questions is to answer them.
The conventional wisdom is that it would be harder for John McCain to beat Hillary Clinton than it would be for him to beat Barack Obama. From what we've seen of Obama so far, this is not so. But it may be useful for let Democrats think this. The party that by all reckoning should win the White House in November may yet snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Reader Comments ( Page 23 of 24)
331. No one to talk to... :(
Mokele-Mobembe at 9:47AM on Mar 10th 2008
332. bump....
goddess1prevail at 10:05AM on Mar 10th 2008
333. I find it interesting that no one who seems to support Obama can comment on what exactly he hopes to accomplish in any concrete terms. Like himself his followers seem to be all hype and no substance. I would just like to hear something real. Change for the sake of change without a fully thought out plan for consequences is foolish.
kpturtlefeet at 3:42PM on Mar 10th 2008
334. "Obama's No Ronald Reagan"
Time will tell. Many are betting he'll be a much greater president than Reagan. We realize that this, like any election, is a judgment call, and we're trying to make an informed decision. We realize that an Obama presidency would be very threatening to the current order, so we expect constant attacks from Dinesh and the rest. We expect Rush and Ann will fall all over themselves in their race to sleep with the enemy. This might or might not be a true revolution. Survey says: we're voting "yes" this time.
best,
mw
michael white at 10:23AM on Mar 10th 2008
335. iits humerous indeed,
when you atheist and liberals run across a very articulate well thought out idea after a while you denegrate into the f-bombs and expletives instead of nice friendly engagement. please control yourselves. its very dis-heartening to see atheist act so un-becoming. besides where is the tolerance? the mantra of the left
brian at 11:12AM on Mar 10th 2008
336. botts,
if your out there where is the comment my wife made so i can finally keep my end of the bargain and never post again. you made no such bargain, i know. but i am still waiting,thanks for your diligence
brian at 11:14AM on Mar 10th 2008
337. brian, no atheists findings yet...some very interesting abortion comments however.
mac at 11:27AM on Mar 10th 2008
338. brian; please see comments 184-187 from this blog.
You posted that your wife had an abortion during the same post where you referenced the little girl died in the house fire.
It's post 258 from "The Stupid Party and the Evil Party" posted at 7:55AM on Jan 31st 2008.
Something is wrong with you.
Ryan Anderson at 12:23PM on Mar 10th 2008
339. In his book, D'Souza notes that American conservatives have more in common with Islamic Fundamentalists than with American liberals. Yes, absolutely, American Christian fundies are in symbiosis with their Islamic fundamentalist brethren. Hell, Colbert got DD to admit he agrees with alot of what bin Laden says about America! (Imagine the shrieking monkey fit the right would fly into if Obama, say, were to posit that maybe bin Laden and other Islamics have some valid points about this country.) Just like the Islamic Taliban, the American Taliban seeks to destroy our democracy and freedoms and replace them with a theocratic dictatorship. This makes D'Souza and the entire right wing far more subversive to our nation than any Communist could have ever hoped to have been. A far more powerful enemy from within since DD and his fellow subversives claim a legitimacy not remotely possible to groups formerly tarred with the "subversive" label.
David at 2:13PM on Mar 10th 2008
340. #338
"Change for the sake of change without a fully thought out plan for consequences is foolish."
Around 1961, JFK offered the idea that this country should set a goal, by the end of the decade, to send a man to the moon and return him safely. He did not put forth a 10-20 step concrete plan on how to do this but instead issued a challenge or goal with a vague outline. This challenge was eventually answered. It took time for the thing to occur. The rest is history.
Unfortunately we are cursed today with a mindset taken from the business world. i.e.
" without a fully thought out plan for consequences is foolish." This is commonly referred to as "Analysis Paralysis" in the high tech industry. Just keep the analysis going ( electing the same types of politicians over and over). As long as we do not have to make a decision that is good. Nowadays, nobody wants to be wrong, no one wants to say "enough already". I think some of Obama's appeal comes from his previous experience as a neighborhood level organizer. The individuals who are quite ignorant about such organizing dismiss it out of hand with the term "grass-roots".
Since it does not involve "master plans", cost/risk benefit analysis. Those things that enable some individuals to look down their noses and say "Hey, I am "involved", " I care", "I feel your pain", "Just look at my plan". Anything to keep the unwashed mob in line.
Change can come in many forms. The biggest one being getting the "hell of square one(1)" or we can sit down on that square an re-elect the same crowd that "must" have a precise plan, an exact timetable, must agree with what a poll claims.
Most great ideas start out as little ones with no overall master plans. That is what is unique about the human spirit/ingenuity that has been forgotten here over these many years.
M2D5 at 4:20PM on Mar 10th 2008
341. "339. Barack has been trying very hard to convince me he is a Christian but I still don't believe him. I think he is a Socialist as is Hillary. But of course our educational system is such that so many people don't recognize Socialism any more! This country started as a Republic."
Ruth, you mention a religion, an economic system and a political system as if they are all mutually exclusive.
Ryan Anderson at 5:03PM on Mar 10th 2008
342. To #336 well spoken my good man OORAH as we Marines would say. I have not read Mr. D'Souzas' book but he did have a post in which he fervently praised Sharia law over our own Democracy. As we would say in the service, "We got enemies in the weeds," when an adversary is too close, and this guy is in our country and getting paid to divide our great nation and belittle our Democracy. I cannot believe as a registered Independent, that Republicans would let this guy try to tie in Osama Bin Ladens' message with their own. That is truley startling and the word 'Subversive' now begins to take on a life all its' own. I have read a few of the posts by devout Neocons and Conservatives about love of nation and Democracy but the virtual silence and chirping crickets was deafening when he linked their message with Bin Ladens'. Though I try to avoid the juvenile name calling and out right outbursts that many are privy to. I am sorry, but when this guy attempts to put my agenda and opinion of America, my home, in the same sentence with Osama Bin Laden, Dinesh just lost the pin to that grenade. Yet, as I stated all was silent on the western front, and this guy in well worded fashion attacked our constitution and way of life in America while promoting Islamic Law here in the states. It does show that for all his education Dinesh is indeed on occassion stuck on stupid and waiting on dumb, when he reminds us of Obamas' middle name, over and over when he has touted Sharia over Democracy. Yes, #336 David, your word 'Subversive' does stand out. More words from good ole Logan
Logan at 5:10PM on Mar 10th 2008
343. chapstar, how does Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson get to voice their racist opinions? Bet it doesn't bother you that they do? Hypocrite.
Marty at 5:39PM on Mar 10th 2008
344. @ Godless Heathen Brian
Wow. How much more paranoid could you possibly be? You must be of those conspiracy theorists who believe the attacks of 9/11 were an inside job by our government. You’re too use to bloggers attacking Dinesh at every whim to realize that there are plenty of people outside of this site who agree with him. And no, we’re not caveman or clones with a single mindset. We’re individuals acting on our own behalf. You might also need to up your prescription my heathen friend.
Bryan CRT at 12:35AM on Mar 11th 2008
345. #343
"HILLARY CLINTON REC'D. THE SUPPORT OF THE "JOINT CHIEF'S OF STAFF"....ARMY..NAVY..AIR FORCE..MARINES..NATIONAL GUARD. OUR ARMED FORCES WANT HILLARY CLINTON AS "COMMANDER IN CHIEF".
Funny, how I remember one general officer being quoted that after obtaining his first "star" it all becomes politics. As far as giving "public support" to a political candidate that is for "after" retirement, not while still on active duty. So I doubt this "touted" support. Further more when the likes of a Norman Schwarzkkopf,David Beckwith, Hal Moore, the late "Bull" Simmons endorse a candidate then it will mean something.
M2D5 at 9:44AM on Mar 11th 2008