SCD 29 Mar Reaganesque

Reaganesque

by
Suzann Darnall

I know a lot of American voters are wishing for another Ronald Reagan. It would be nice. But, I have a feeling a Reagan comes along once in a generation . . . if a country is lucky. Perhaps only once in a century. After all, we got George Washington in the 18th century, Abraham Lincoln in the 19th century, Ronald Reagan in the 20th century, and the 21st century is just getting started. Anyway, we have had our Reagan and we are unlikely to be so blessed again in the near future.

I also know that the Left fears the possibility of another Ronald Reagan. Heck, they even fear the memory of President Ronald Reagan who has been dead for nearly eight years and out of office for over 23 years. They fear his legacy so much that they even attack his elderly widow, Nancy Reagan.

Some of y'all might wonder why I am writing about President Reagan. Well, part of it might be me also wishful-thinking for another Reaganesque President coming to the rescue and saving us from all the worries and woes afflicting our nation and society. But, mostly it is 'cause a couple of incidents occurred recently that have caught my eye in the news.

Of first importance was Obama's exchange with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, where he was caught on tape having what is referred to as a hot mic gaffe. The comments are as follow:

President Obama: On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but it's important for him to give me space.
President Medvedev: Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you . . .
President Obama: This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility.
President Medvedev: I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir.

This was very disturbing to me. My father and husband were both career military men, who served during the Cold War. I do not trust the "new" Russia, which is led by the old KGB, in the person of Vladimir Putin. Nothing Putin says or does indicates that he has given up the Cold War mentality of adversary to the United States. He is, to use Mitt Romeny's phrase, a geopolitical foe. Not an ally, not a friend, and not even a frienemy. He is an enemy, pure and simple. So, why would Obama be making covert comments indicating he is going to make nice with this Russia dictator-wanna-be?

I could not help but contrast this exchange with President Ronald Reagan's speech, given in front of the Berlin Wall, on June 12, 1987. The entire speech is eloquent, but it really came down to one comment addressed to then General Secretary of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev:

General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

"Tear down this wall!" A message far different from, "After my election I have more flexibility." The first showed the strength of American resolve. It was delivered proudly and loudly, by one of our greatest American Presidents, on the world stage, for everyone to see and hear. The second seemingly shows a president willing to dissolve America's strength bit by bit, piece by piece, selling us out to our enemies behind closed doors and in secret conversations.

The second news story that brought Ronald Reagan to the forefront of my thoughts was a report that Jane Fonda has been tapped to play Nancy Reagan in a film about a butler at the White House. Why would anyone do this if not as a way to diminish and tarnish the former First Lady and her husband, one of the most beloved Conservatives icons of our time?

Jane Fonda (AKA: Hanoi Jane) is one of the most hated activists from the Vietnam era. I still do not watch her movies, read her books, use her fitness tapes, or do anything regarding her except sneer. My father is a Vietnam vet. I feel that she dishonored and endangered him and all others who served in Southeast Asia. She is a lowlife and nothing more in my opinion. I can see no reason why Hollywood would select her to play a Conservative icon like Nancy Reagan, except as a backhanded slap to the GOP and the Reagan family.

But, as much as these events brought Ronald Wilson Reagan to mind, I have to face the reality that he is dead and gone. Though his memory is very much alive and many wish for his reincarnation to lead the GOP and the country back to prosperity, it ain't gonna happen. We have to live in the here-n-now. We have to face reality. And, the reality is that Obama is the worst president ever and we need to do whatever it takes to get our GOP nominee elected in November!

And, along that route, I think it is important that we all remember that even Ronald Regan was always quite so Reaganesque as he became. After all, he started politics as a Democrat. To this day there are those further left who refer to themselves as Reagan-Democrats. So, evolution is apparently a natural part of politics. A change of heart or mind is not always a flip-flop . . . sometimes it is maturation towards greater wisdom.

So, let's quit the squabbling about who is more electable or who is more conservative. Remember Ronald Regan's 11th commandment:

Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.

Let's just resolve that whoever we come up with on the GOP side is a better option than who we are suffering under now. All Americans hoping for a change from Obama need to realize that the GOP, back in power, is the only way to relieve the stifling restrictions on our economy and start a true road to recovery for America.

Instead of looking for Reagan in each presidential candidate, let's look for the Reagan in ourselves. Let us remember and learn from him. I leave you with some of his words and ask that you apply them to today to see which way we need to vote on 6 November 2012:

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."
"We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much."
"I hope we once again have reminded people that man is not free unless government is limited. There's a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: As government expands, liberty contracts."
"Our natural, inalienable rights are now considered to be a dispensation from government, and freedom has never been so fragile, so close to slipping from our grasp as it is at this moment."
"Are you better off than you were four years ago? Is it easier for you to go and buy things in the stores than it was four years ago? Is there more or less unemployment in the country than there was four years ago? Is America as respected throughout the world as it was? Do you feel that our security is as safe, that we're as strong as we were four years ago?"

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