Ronald Reagan, the humble servant-leader, would have appealed to all conservatives, indeed all Americans, who believe in the right and ability to self-govern.
It is the political establishment that would have much to fear from Reagan—not grassroots activists, as Jeb Bush implies in his comments yesterday. Bush is accurate only in that the stranglehold the political establishment of both parties wields over Americans is greater today than ever. It is Republican Party officials, not the Tea Partiers, who would need to be nudged to embrace Reagan’s candidacy.
Jeb Bush’s definition of Reagan’s brand as one of “finding accommodation” and “common ground” is akin to summing up the Founding Fathers as rabble-rousers who really disliked taxes. He missed the essence of what Reagan provided for Americans
Reagan was more than a charismatic tax-cutter; he was an insurrectionist within the Republican Party, just as the Tea Party movement is in today’s establishment. In 1976, Reagan challenged Gerald Ford for the Republican nomination, and in 1980 he defeated the establishment candidate, George H. W. Bush, who later joined him on the ticket. His 1980 platform called for a return of the citizen activist; in doing so Reagan challenged the political establishment mentality, primarily by returning to this model of the servant-leader.
And all of this talk wasn’t just posturing. Reagan made tough decisions regarding the Soviet Union, tax code, energy regulation, and how to deal with the AirTraffic Controllers strikes.
Bipartisanship for the sake of bipartisanship is what has provided unchecked power to the political establishment. And bipartisanship over principle is what has led us to runaway deficits and a fiscal mess that will take generations to fix. To suggest that Reagan would somehow embrace this insulated tyranny of the political class over grassroots activism is utterly false.
Conservatives today would have clamored for a Ronald Reagan nominee; no one more so than the Tea Partiers with their emphasis on fiscal restraint and, more importantly, desire for a leader who believes that the people can govern themselves.
Reagan might have been barred from receiving the 2012 GOP nomination because of ruling elites in the political parties, but not because of a lack of popular support. Jeb Bush’s cheap shot against those who are invigorating the party from its center—yes, small government and fiscal conservatism is at the old GOP’s center, not its periphery—reveals just how much he has bought into the political establishment mentality.
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has recently exhibited Reagan-like qualities. Walker believes that government is here to serve the people and is leading the charge for today’s Republicans to take it back.
As Reagan said in his inaugural address of 1981, “From time to time we’ve been tempted to believe that society has become too complex to be managed by self-rule, that government by an elite group is superior to government for, by, and of the people. Well, if no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else?”
*First published in today’s New York Times
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
Gov. Bush is also delusional. (There’s that word again!)
Reagan was not “Mr. Accommodation”. He could do that, but he could also butt heads with opposition til they gave up in bloody defeat.
But Bush makes a cardinal error humans commonly make…he judges the Reagan of Reagan’s time by today’s standards.
If Reagan existed now, he would not be the Reagan in all particulars he was THEN. The basic character WOULD BE THERE, and people would LOVE it.
See Palin, Sarah.
When Juan McRINO introduced Sarah that day back in 2008, I was in my car listening to the announcement on the radio. When Sarah spoke, I got goosebumps listening to her because it was like I was listening to Ronaldus Magnus again.I felt safe and secure listening to her and when I got home I sent fifty dollars because I finally got excited about the RINO’s candidacy.
That’s one of the reasons that the establishment wants to prevent her from taking the stage–she’d mobilize us, who are the great unwashed to the Establishment.
Are you responding to Ragspierre’s comment or have you just found a nifty way to snag the second comment place?
Both!
Persecutor: Good answer! 🙂
Anne may be a young-Palin-in-training. We need Anne to lead thinking-people of her generation to the right.
That’s the future of conservatism and the way to re-shape the Republican Party by winnowing out the old Establishment types who will play patty cake with the leftist/progressives.
I remember that day, too, persecutor.
I thought, “Much as I loath John McAnus, this is political genius”.
Too bad it didn’t signal a trend.
Exceptional article, Anne. That last paragraph is a stunner: stunningly and profoundly true. And yes, Gov. Walker is an official in the Reagan tradition — we need so many more just like him.
Jeb Bush has national ambitions but he’s establishment though and through: he thinks we need to IMPROVE education using Jimmy Carter’s Dept. of Education. He seems to have no clue that top down education is a recipe not only for totalitarian control of the populace but a recipe for failing the needs of our children — as social engineering in the classroom displaces the fundamentals: the three Rs, history and science. And that’s only one area where Jeb has it wrong.
First, you invade Net Roots Nation, then you take it to the heart of the progressive leftists on the New York Slimes’ NO Room for Debate page. Just read the gnashing of teeth in the comments there.
Anne, we need An Army of Davids like you: insightful, fearless and ready to do battle with the truth.
Excellent article; keep ’em coming!
By the way, if you have not yet read Political Woman: The Big Little Life of Jeane Kirkpatrick by Peter Collier, i highly recommend it. You could follow in Kirkpatrick’s footsteps.
I heard Mr. Levin talking about this last night and I was kind of blown away at what Jeb Bush was saying. Then I looked at his last name and it all made sense.
Education is the 2nd largest industry in the world after retail. Much of what is spent has to do with political connections and securing the government monopoly to sell your product to the taxpayers. Whether they actually want it or not.
It encourages Corporatism and I am not sure Jeb is sufficiently aware of how bad some of these Digital Leaning initiatives he is a part of look to an outsider. Especially one having to pay part of the immense tab.
Jeb’s deeply involved with this whole Digital Learning as the future push. Last week his http://www.excelined.org/Pages/About_Us/Team.aspx Alliance sends out an announcement about the new executive director, John Bailey, of Digital Learning Now!. Now John Bailey was a founder and remains an exec of Whiteboards which of course benefits from the digital learning push in the school.
If you are a lowly parent or taxpayer and ask why all the emphasis on buying digital learning tools that are largely visual, you hear how Jeb Bush, former well-regarded Governor of Florida thinks it’s a good idea. So it must be. End of discussion.
We have got to move beyond the Republican view that winning elections is about whose people get to eat from the public trough.
Let’s get real. Jeb Bush is positioning himself with the Republican Establishment that tried it’s best to keep Reagan off the ballot in 1976 and 1980.
Lack of self-governance will be our Democracy’s downfall.
Jeb Bush is right. As governor of California, Ronald Reagan signed abortion and no fault divorce into law.
That means that Reagan is directly responsible for the lost (aborted) generation that isn’t alive to support today’s retirees and the fact that many kids who survived abortion had their fathers kicked out of the house by the state for no reason. (And their single mothers are demanding that the state step into the void for all sorts of government benefits).
Ronald Reagan was and is still part of the problem. A voter in 1980 had no guarantee he meant what he said and wasn’t, as his record suggested, a compromising RINO.
I placed my first vote for Regan and 2 years later was proud to serve in the 600 ship Navy that was a key part of his strategy to finally bring the cold war to its knees. Regan was a true hero to this country and I often wonder what Regan would do today. If our “political” leaders only had the strength, courage and foresight of Regan as we continue to navigate the unchartered waters of state sponsored terrorism.
I think nearly everyone is overlooking that clause “and I don’t.”
That changes the tenor of his comments completely.
Actually, not so much…
What Bush did is set up a straw-man…those who define the Republican Party as having an orthodoxy that doesn’t allow for disagreement…and differentiating himself from the straw-man.
Those straw-men are SO extreme, aren’t they…???
On this 25th anniversary of President Reagan’s famous words,
“Come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev—Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
Today, we need those who are prepared to “tear down” the fortress walls that have become our local, state and federal governments. We need them to be, likewise, just as human as he was, yet resolute about solid principles.
An excellent article for our time . . .
1. I don’t see how Jeb Bush’s remarks help us to unseat Barack Obama.
I am aching to say a lot more, but I don’t want to do anything that will strain the conservative coalition. We can resume the family feud the moment Obama finishes his concession speech.
2. I may change my mind about #1 if it looks like Bush is campaigning to be the VP choice.
3. Speaking of straining the conservative coalition, isn’t it interesting that the NYT is featuring a conservative debate about Bush’s remarks?
Steady… Breath deeply… You are doing so well.
Pfttt on the Bushes.
Anne has scored another first. A welcome addition to this blog that doesn’t screech but rather presents reasonable dialogue.
I see a bright future for her along with a growing appreciative following…
As a former brain-dead liberal who in self-indulgent, narcissitic stupidly once believed that Reagan was a ‘war-mongerer who caused aids’, today I now understand why Reagan was revoluntary. Reagan was revoluntary becasue he was the first President since FDR to say:
“Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem.”
Jeb Bush is admitting that he does not understand either Reagan or the American Tea Party movement.
It was Poppy Bush who “sought accomodation” and “compromise” at the Congressional Summit at Andrews Air Force Base. It was Dick Darman, at that fateful meeting in 1990, who consummated what William F. Buckley called the “most disasterous budget deal” of all time and blew any chance Bush had at a second term right out of the water. Jeb Bush has forgotten all that history, or wants it rewritten so that his father and brother can bask in Reagans reflected glory, but it’s a ridiculous effort.
Forget the Fabian Socialists (Romney, the Bushes, et al) pretending to be Repubican/Conservatives.
Walker, Palin, Newt Gingrich and a few others are our best hope for Reagan-style reform and restoration of the Republic and fiscal sanity.
“Walker, Palin, Newt Gingrich and a few others are our best hope for Reagan-style reform and restoration of the Republic and fiscal sanity.”
Uncle Samuel, a thousands likes and agreements!
I can’t see a circumstance in which I vote for someone else from the Bush-GOPE cartel.
The win in Wisconsin is an indicator that the TEA Party love of the Constitution is strong in the American People. And also the commitment to a small government that is good at its few assigned tasks. The American spirit is alive and well.
“Walker, Palin, Newt Gingrich and a few others are our best hope for Reagan-style reform and restoration of the Republic and fiscal sanity.”
Uncle Samuel, a thousands likes and agreements!
I can’t see a circumstance in which I vote for someone else from the Bush-GOPE cartel.
Also a shout-out to RobM, whose comment is below: I agree — electing a president isn’t enough. Also agree that H.W. was one of the biggest mistakes of the Reagan presidency. Eight years in concert with Reagan and he didn’t learn anything. How is that possible. I hope we can build on RR’s foundation. The internet, and the smarts of the American People, are our most powerful means.
The win in Wisconsin is an indicator that the TEA Party love of the Constitution is strong in the American People. And also the commitment to a small government that is good at its few assigned tasks. The American spirit is alive and well.
“Walker, Palin, Newt Gingrich and a few others are our best hope for Reagan-style reform and restoration of the Republic and fiscal sanity.”
Uncle Samuel, a thousands likes and agreements!
I can’t see a circumstance in which I would vote for someone else from the Bush-GOPE cartel. They’re Big-Government, Big-Brother Lite. Jeb Bush is just more of the same.
sorry for the partial reiteration. Accidental double post!
Hope, are you certain it wasn’t a purposeful double whiskey?
Has Jeb Bush not noticed that Republicans have just nominated Mitt Romney?
Good article of course! I have contended for a long time, the worst part of Reagan’s presidency was being saddled with G.H.W. Bush. I don’t know how much pressure was brought upon him to select H.W., but clearly the NE GOP were not comfortable with Reagan.. ever.
Ronald Reagan started it. He is a lesson in that just electing a President isn’t enough. RR was surrounded by a mix of RINO’s and get-a-longs and big government GOP as well as up against a democrat machine that had not been out of total control of the Congress for 30 years. I hope we can build on RR’s foundation.
I am the Tea Party. I don’t stand alone! There are millions like me and we stand together. If you fear us, maybe you have reason to fear. If you hate us, maybe you have reason to hate. When you denigrate the Tea Party and impugn our motives, I figure that you have your motives for doing so. I can only imagine your what your motives are and what I am thinking doesn’t reflect well on you.
If you do and if you are a Republican when you run for office then we will support your primary opponent. If is a local contest I will actively work for your opponent. If it isn’t local then I will send money to your opponent. If you don’t have an opponent then I and others like me will encourage someone to try. Aroused citizens are the strongest political force in America. A establishment politician does so at his own (political) peril.
Yes!!
Ted Cruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuz for the US Senate from Texas!
Yes!!
Ted Cruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuz for the US Senate from Texas!
Yes!!
Ted Cruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuz for the US Senate from Texas!
Folks like Jeb Bush would no more understand this concept than my dog can understand applied plasma field physics in a vacuum of inert energized gas. (what can I say, he’s part border collie).
Other than the Kennedys and Roosevelts, what politcal family has done more damage to the republic than the Bushes?
Umm…could I put the Clintons into nomination?
Hillary and Chelsea to come (one who knows how to fake and the other finally).
You’re right – I actually counted losing to Clinton as one of the ways in which GHWB damaged the nation.
Jeb and the entire Bush family and political machine has endorsed Romney. Romney has is completely surrounded by Bush people and even appointed Bush hatchet man Leavitt to lead his transition team.
This a all a ruse by the Romney camp to portray Romney as a conservative when his politics is closer to Ted Kennedy than Ronald Reagan.
Yes, apparently Leavitt orchestrates irresponsible ruses.
There was a time when he walked on water.
I posted my stated view on Jeb Bush and the rest of his GOP RINO ilk yesterday on other sites, but will now post it here..
Jeb Bush is a political opportunist hack, seeking to rewite political history, and the image and reality of President Ronald Reagan, vs the Bush’s, against the constitutional conservative Tea Party folks of today.
The only reason the Bush’s were ever in the Presidential White House picture, is because of Ronald Reagan and all the Reagan Conservative people, not because the Bush’s were GOP establishment Republicans, but in spite of it.
Let me tell you why- The “connection” to a real conservative, President Ronald Reagan.
If it weren’t for Ronald Reagan choosing GHW Bush as his VP, the Bush’s would never have been elected President, period. This connection is the only reason they were selected by conservatives over others in the 1988 election, as well as the 2000 election. American conservatives do not love, nor have they ever loved the Bush’s.
Secondly, the Tea Party uses President Reagan as a template for what we want and need in a conservative leader of America. Reagan was not prefect, but no one is, but that does not mean you should not strive for perfection in applying conservative values and principles, not the abandonment of those values and principles under the guise of collusional appeasement, ie; their so called compromise BS.
Ronald Reagan today would absolutely agree with every word I have just said, as he practiced it everyday, he didn’t just give lip service like these liberal progressive GOP RINO’s like Jeb Bush.
In 1976, then Gov Reagan was told in a letter by prominent GOP politicians at the time, to back down from challenging then President Ford. Reagan told them all to go to hell. Reagan stood firm for what he believed in, and mauled President Ford in advocating conservative values and principles over progressive GOP establishment policies at the RNC Convention in 1976.
And do you think those very same GOP progressive establishment RINO’s like the Bush’s, would have ever have implemented Reaganomics, that save not the US Economy, but the GOP Party as well. And do you think they would have defeated the USSR. No.. The Bush’s would have appeased and compromised every piece of American Sovereignty.
So Jeb Bush and the rest of his progressive GOP establishment buddies, can take their phony revisionism and attacks on the Tea Party Reagan Conservatives, and stick it where the sun don’t shine.
Jeb Bush understands Ronald Reagan about as well as his father did. Sorry to say but Reagan’s biggest mistake was giving that family a toehold in the executive branch.
Jeb was governor of Florida – one of those states Republicans need to win to get to 270 – and did a fairly presentable job here.
With that said, it disappoints me to no end whenever any Republican of any stature at all (which Jeb has by virtue of having served as Governor) buys into the trite “Republican extremist” garbage.
Jeb Bush couldn’t even deliver Florida to his own brother in the 2000 election. He publicly apologized to George for the failure which was at the height of Jeb’s alleged popularity. George Bush the First is largely responsible for institutionalizing global warming in the US government. Bush #1 put the “US Global Change Research Act” into US law including examination of “human induced changes” which has enabled the UN, EU, and Goldman Sachs crowd to assume we’re their property. Now we have 13 federal agencies doing ‘climate’ research and spending. The US military is now basically a global warming operation. Jeb Bush has been very big into ethanol, influenced George to get into it. Even proponents admit converting food crops to ethanol use causes starvation and death.
[…] Bipartisanship for the sake of bipartisanship is what has provided unchecked power to the political … And bipartisanship over principle is what has led us to runaway deficits and a fiscal mess that will take generations to fix. To suggest that Reagan would somehow embrace this insulated tyranny of the political class over grassroots activism is utterly false. […]
We have a well known Reagan-ite in our midst and her name is Governor Sarah Palin. But many so called conservatives have written her off as nothing more than a voice for the cause but no leader. Gingrich is a Reagan-ite. But many so called conservatives poo poohed him too. It seems to me that so called conservatives don’t really want a Reagan re-deux because they have had at least two prominent people who fit the bill nicely and they have brushed off the opportunity.
Jeb Bush’s comments were insightful and accurate. Tpartiers are not Republicans. I like to describe them as America’s version of Islamic Jihaddists, less the beheading’s of course. Unyielding, unable to compromise, anti labor, anti social security, anti medicare…on and on and on. Nothing more than puppets for corporate interests.
The mere fact that many of you still express Sarah Palin love is disturbing enough. The tparty ideology is bad for America, good for the rich folks though.
I forgot to add that I was also a Reagan supporter. I voted for him both times. I believe he would have been disturbed over the jihaddist tactics the tpartiers employ.