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 6 of 24)
76. Lloyd Weber
While it may be some folks 'custom' to place their hand over their heart during the national anthem, it is NOT the official custom.
All a civilian need do is to stand and face the flag, respectfuly in all manner.
The tradition of holding ones hand over ones heart is for the pledge of allegiance, which was ammended in 1954 to include the words "in god we trust", coincidentaly.
It shows no disrespect not to cover your heart during the national anthem It does, however, show disrespect to turn your back to the flag.
As for the etiquette of flags I look to the flag code:
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The flag should never be dipped to any person or thing. It is flown upside down only as a distress signal.
The flag should not be used as a drapery, or for covering a speakers desk, draping a platform, or for any decoration in general. Bunting of blue, white and red stripes is available for these purposes. The blue stripe of the bunting should be on the top.
The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use. Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or halyard
The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.
The flag should never have placed on it, or attached to it, any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind.
The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
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Sure seems like a lot of politicians are guilty of violating this one.
You are right, a lot of people speek of patriotism but do nothing, yet feel free to dispute someone for questioning the government. This country was founded on dissension, with the founding fathers disagreeing with mother England. People seem to forget that, it's a shame
mac at 7:46PM on Mar 7th 2008
77. Asking people to turn their music down and telling people who they can and can't have sex with/marry are two very different things.
K at 4:03PM on Mar 7th 2008
I agree K, and have never said or implied that that wasn't true. All I'm talking about is high risk behavior which applies to any high risk behavior including hetero. The garage analogy is about "what are we willing to tolerate" from other people or groups of peoples behavior when it can have an effect on our lives. I doubt I will ever say that my life should take a backseat to someone else's actions that might endanger my health or safety, just like someone else speaking up against me if I am endangering them somehow.
STaylor at 7:46PM on Mar 7th 2008
78. 44. K - STaylor is spreading his homophobe all over the blogs.
Gwen at 4:24PM on Mar 7th 2008
Homophobe isn't even a real word is it? Just someones attempt at trying to put straight people in the closet.
STaylor at 7:49PM on Mar 7th 2008
79. Perhaps someone will refresh my memory as to what outstanding social programs Ronald Reagan was responsible for.
Jerry Brown at 8:06PM on Mar 7th 2008
80. jerry,
since when did the goverment HAVE to be responsible for social programs. it was certainly never the intent of our founding fathers to be a social welfare state as we are fast becoming. it appears to me we are becoming that way because of the liberal agenda set forth by the democrats. i believe it was johnson who started our current slide down-hill with his great society idea which has proved anything but great
brian at 9:34PM on Mar 7th 2008
81. so all of you people on here who are insulting ronald reagan are truly ignorant. the democrats rely on stupid people like you to vote for them, because otherwise they wouldn't have a chance. the party has taken a "left turn" and is beyond help. conservatism will bring this country back into its former glory. why, you ask? because we conservatives stand for something. morals, tradition, the nuclear family (meaning a FEMALE mom, a MALE dad, and their children), smaller government, and the belief that God should be a part of our lives and revered as our Creator. what do the democrats/liberals believe? that God should not be mentioned in society, so as not to "offend" the insanely miniscule amount of people who don't believe in Him, that a less qualified black man or a mexican man should take a white man's spot in college or in the workforce simply because "he's a disadvantaged minority", that abortion should remain legal, so that classless women who can't keep their pants on can then kill their innocent children, and that the government should dominate our lives, all but removing capitalism from our society. so right on, Dinesh, because SOMEONE in the media needs to stand up for what is right. comparing obama to Ronald Reagan is an insult to a good man who became president right when our country needed him. they didn't coin the phrase "Reaganomics" for nothing. "Obamanomics" just sounds loike bullshit to me. vote for John McCain.
Jane at 9:39PM on Mar 7th 2008
82. jane,
you are my kind of woman. but realize that you are going to be labeled a hate-monger and all such labels for speaking your mind. the only way to speak your mind with liberals is to agree otherwise your branded. i think it is a shame. the conservative base of this country is in a war for the survival of our basice tenants. the was is not with iraq its with the liberal left who seek a decadent society with nothing but personal freedom as their mantra. but its a cloak
brian at 9:47PM on Mar 7th 2008
83. mac,
people do not forget. this country was founded on dissention for a good reason. that reason was oppression by the ruling english. we wanted taxation with representation and thats what we were not given. we were not rebellous without cause
brian at 9:49PM on Mar 7th 2008
84. McCain was heroic surviving the POW camp, but does this make him a hero? Does an ex-POW have leadership capabilities?
JefFlyingV at 9:53PM on Mar 7th 2008
85. jet,
does an ex-first lady who is mean?
brian at 9:55PM on Mar 7th 2008
86. Yes, brian I see Jane is your kind of woman.
What was your wife's name again?
Where does President Bush fit into the smaller government plan?
Please, don't confuse the christian right with political conservatism, or economic, or social conservatism. It's religious conservatism that Jane waxes philosophicaly on.
I want to quote Dan Acroyd here, but I won't..... I'm trying
mac at 9:59PM on Mar 7th 2008
87. McCain, Nader, Obama, Clinton. It is hard to believe these may be the candidates.
JefFlyingV at 10:01PM on Mar 7th 2008
88. mac,
surely to goodness you don't think big goverment just started with bush,or did all our trouble start with him? to here some tell it the whole worlds messes can be attributed to jr. but wait i thought the ebb and flow cause and effect thing worked in goverment? i am wrong all problems world wide are bushes fault. my apologies and they all started with bush too. pryor to him america was just great
brian at 10:09PM on Mar 7th 2008
89. jet,
who in their right mind,except liberals who think their candidate will bring salvation and cure all our ills, thinks a president has that much control? why should a president be expected to be an end all to end all? its absurd really
brian at 10:13PM on Mar 7th 2008
90. So, brian... I take it you're not going to answer my simple questions about decency then???
not-pboyfloyd at 10:13PM on Mar 7th 2008