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The perfect conservative?

by thoughtfulconservative

In Monday’s Waukesha Freeman, Victor Davis Hanson has a sober look at the Reagan presidency. His observations:

  1. Reagan raised taxes.
  2. Expanded government departments, rather than eliminate those he promised to eliminate.
  3. Two of his Supreme Court appointments, O’Connor and Kennedy are more liberal than George W. Bush’s appointments, Roberts and Alito.
  4. Signed the 1986 immigration bill, the source of many of our immigration problems today, granting amnesty to illegal aliens.
  5. Advocated nuclear disarmament.
  6. Failing to retaliate against terrorists in Lebanon after the explosion that killed 241 Marines helped embolden Hezbollah.
  7. Selling missiles to Iran’s terrorist-sponsoring theocracy, in Iran Contra.

In short, he sometimes baffled his conservative base, this writer included.

He concludes,

So what is the real Reagan legacy? It is mostly the great communicator’s uncanny ability to distill complex problems, offer a more conservative solution than America was used to or ready for, and then inspire and enact difficult change through a brilliant “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall” turn of phrase.

… But these candidates [Ed. And their followers] only do his memory – and their own careers – a disservice by claiming sainthood for Ronald Reagan, and thereby demanding a standard of immaculate conservative conduct that neither Reagan nor they could ever attain.[Italics mine]

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Posted on January 21, 2008 at 10:18 pm in Republican   |  RSS feed |   Reply   |   Trackback URL

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3 Comments to “The perfect conservative?”

    
  1. Jo Egelhoff
    January 22, 2008 at 5:00 am

    I appreciate you featuring the VDH piece Dean. VDH suggested in his Sunday “sermon” that anti-McCain-ites might best begin emphasizing the positives. (“His conservative ratings are, after all, iin the 80’s….”) I appreciate the sentiment; this posting helps toward that end as well.

    Reply
  2. underdog
    January 22, 2008 at 10:30 am

    James Carville, Bill Clionton, Karl Rove. Limbaugh, Hannity, Levin, etc. etc. etc.

    The inevitable conclusion of this chapter of American History and politics ends in one of two ways. The nuttering nabalms of negativity drive this nation into the ground with FEARMONGERING and obssession with power. Driving the wedge as deep as they can between the broad multicoloured texture of the REAL America. Eventually leading bankrupcy and war, perhaps even another civil war.

    or

    In the broad and deep waters of the CENTER of American politics – the common man will wrest from the hands of these power lusting men and women – the Constitution, our courts, law and justice, the proud honor of those serving in uniform, and take back this country.

    I am constantly amazed by the near dissaray and confusion, virtually on the brink of insanity – the sad state of my (once) fellow Republicans. Wholly not only abandoning the 11th commandment, but employing the same kind of vitrol hatred of Hillary to each other on the campaign trail, and in the intellectual black hole of the blogosphere.

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  3. thoughtfulconservative
    January 22, 2008 at 7:18 pm

    Thanks, underdog, for your comment. Some good thoughts there.

    Thanks, Jo, and that’s also what I was trying to do with this post. Do I vote for McCain with a lifetime ACU rating in the low 80’s or do I sit out and let Hillary, with a lifetime ACU rating of 9.8, or Obama, 8.8, win the election. Isn’t that quite a difference? It is to me.

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