America's Most Powerful Voting Block

Financial Sense University ^ | 12/02/2004 | Reagan Renaissance

[Happy2BMe]

'A TIME FOR CHOOSING' - ping.

(How Conservatives can bring back Constitutional Reform to America.)

[writer33]

You're welcome.

[writer33]

"Since I've spent 26 years working on the subject of the BBA, I despise Harry Reid."

We tried our hearts out to get him dethroned here in Nevada. Here's his campaign slogan: Harry Reid, independent like Nevada. This couldn't be further from the truth. And of course the Dems and Moderates fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

[writer33]

"If another man of Reagan's philosphy were to emerge, how would he be received today?"

With scorn from liberals, and joy from conservatives. I think he wold make America stronger. No doubt in my mind. He'd win over the hearts instantly.

[eleni121]

Both men cut taxes and Bush continues to proclaim cutting taxes as his centerpiece. Reagan was committed to keeping America safe...and Bush has continued his policies of expanding and strengthening the military. Most Conservatives decry Bush's support of No Child Left Behind Act but fail to mention the deplorable conditions of the public school system and that forcing schools to improve academic performance is a positive step given the fact that it is the states who are being forced to reform their massive bureaucratic structures without much help from federal funds. Neat trick Bush pulled forcing the states (mostly the blue ones) to reform or go bankrupt.

Moreover, Bush surpasses Reagan in another respect. While Reagan only paid lip service to conservative social issues Bush boldly states his positions on them.

[VRW Conspirator]

What good is a balanced budget amendment if the budget keeps skyrocketing. What is needed is the right leadership to get the federal government back in its cage. I do not see that happening. The cattle prod that will force more accountability to the government is ridding us of the confounded income tax. A more desireable alternative is a national sales tax. That will put a tight leash on the beast. We shall see...or not.

[Reaganghost]

"What is needed is the right leadership to get the federal government back in its cage. I do not see that happening. The cattle prod that will force more accountability to the government is ridding us of the confounded income tax. A more desireable alternative is a national sales tax. That will put a tight leash on the beast. We shall see...or not."

Read the entire series for the Reagan Renaissance archived here.
Join the Reagan Renaissance effort whose goals are exactly as you have outlined. The Reagan Renaissance is about making it happen instead of talking about it and wringing our hands over it.

[tacticalogic]

Most Conservatives decry Bush's support of No Child Left Behind Act but fail to mention the deplorable conditions of the public school system and that forcing schools to improve academic performance is a positive step given the fact that it is the states who are being forced to reform their massive bureaucratic structures without much help from federal funds. Neat trick Bush pulled forcing the states (mostly the blue ones) to reform or go bankrupt.

I can appreciate that, but still find a substantial difference in philosophy. Using the federal government to force the states to reform their bureaucracies is a quite different thing than reforming the federal bureaucracy, and one should not be considered a suitable substitute for the other., IMHO.

Moreover, Bush surpasses Reagan in another respect. While Reagan only paid lip service to conservative social issues Bush boldly states his positions on them.

Personally I'm more concerned about politically conservative substance than socially conservative style.

[sheltonmac]

If another man of Reagan's philosphy were to emerge, how would he be received today? He spoke of a smaller, more limited federal government and a return to original Constitutional principles regardless of who's ox gets gored in the process, and of libertarianism in positive, rather than pejorative terms.

Unfortunately, too many professing "conservatives" think George W. Bush is this century's answer to Ronald Reagan. Michael Medved once said on his radio show that he thinks Bush is just as conservative as Reagan--perhaps even more conservative. As long as Bush is seen as the new standard of conservatism, I don't see anything changing for the better in the near future. The GOP is already poised to forge ahead with more liberal legislation like the New Freedom Initiative and spending increases on socialist programs like the National Endowment for the Humanities and global AIDS relief.

[tacticalogic]

Unfortunately, too many professing "conservatives" think George W. Bush is this century's answer to Ronald Reagan. Michael Medved once said on his radio show that he thinks Bush is just as conservative as Reagan--perhaps even more conservative. As long as Bush is seen as the new standard of conservatism, I don't see anything changing for the better in the near future. The GOP is already poised to forge ahead with more liberal legislation like the New Freedom Initiative and spending increases on socialist programs like the National Endowment for the Humanities and global AIDS relief.

I think that to some degree, the fact that George Bush is considered the standard of conservativism is a testament to the degree that Bill Clinton advanced liberalism.

[sheltonmac]

I think that to some degree, the fact that George Bush is considered the standard of conservativism is a testament to the degree that Bill Clinton advanced liberalism.

You have a point, but I believe it was Clinton's liberal agenda, especially in the area of health care, that prompted conservatives to take action. I fear that with Republicans in control of the White House and both houses of Congress, the complacency among conservatives may be worse than it was after the "revolution" of '94. The fact that government grew more in the last four years than it did in the previous eight is cause for concern.

[Reaganghost]

Without out saying it precisely, but what you both are getting at, is that Reagan was a statesman and Bush is politician. Reagan would not compromise what he would say about his principles even if he was willing to compromise with Democrats to achive a legislative political deal. Reagan was willing to say what he believed regardless of how it would affect his electability and he was not willing to say things that he did not believe even if he knew it would help him win elections. That is not true for Bush. And there is not a single conservative who frequents this website that is not holding their breath and wishing against hope that Bush is going to turn out to be a real conservative in this term. Most conservatives are, in fact, hoping that Bush was simply being a clever, but slightly deceitful politician doing exactly the opposite of Bill Clinton. Clinton campaigned as a moderate and governed as the liberal that everyone knew him to be. Bush campaigned as a moderate (compassionate conservative that supported and signed the largest expansion of Medicare in history) and everybody, including me, is holding their breath hoping that now that he has been elected that he will govern as we believe Reagan would have in his second term were it not for the possibilities created for dealing with the Soviet Union by the changing of the old guard to Gorbachev.

The Reagan Renaissance effort is precisely about convincing the leaders and elected representatives of the Republican Party that they must be true to the Constitution and conservative values. Socialism must be ended and as quickly and as fairly as possible. The Reagan Renaissance effort is about replacing elected Republicans or Republican leaders that will not support this effort. The Reagan Renaissance effort outlines the proof that it is possible to take our country back and that it can be done quickly, efficiently, and at minimal economic cost. And it can be done without firing a shot.

You can open the door to the Reagan Renaissance by simply reading the series archived here.

[ImpBill]

The author states, "We can take our freedom back and this time we can do it without firing a shot. We can end socialism in the United States before the boomers become eligible for Medicare and avoid the bankruptcy or hyperinflation that Medicare is certain to produce."

It sure sounds to me as if the author may have drawn the line between the nouveau Conservatives, yearning for a Reagan Renaissance and the "boomers", as if "boomers" were the enemy.

The "boomers" consist of both liberals and conservatives and of course the great group in the middle, but if the writer thinks he can return us to strict constitutional conservatism without the support of the "boomers" then he/she is really sadly mistaken.

If he/she realizes the current geriatric bloc is extremely powerful surely he/she realizes that in just two years from now the largest group of the "boomers" will be 60 to 61 and the powerful geriatric bloc of voters will be larger than ever.

Some form of Medicare is always going to be with us and the nouveau conservatives better grasp that fact and work with the traditional conservatives within the boomer generation to come up with real workable alternatives.

To cast "boomers" as the enemy is to do so at the peril of the objective.

[writer33]

I agree.

[writer33]

"Personally I'm more concerned about politically conservative substance than socially conservative style."

I completely agree. It's definitely about substance.

[writer33]

"It sure sounds to me as if the author may have drawn the line between the nouveau Conservatives, yearning for a Reagan Renaissance and the "boomers", as if "boomers" were the enemy.

The "boomers" consist of both liberals and conservatives and of course the great group in the middle, but if the writer thinks he can return us to strict constitutional conservatism without the support of the "boomers" then he/she is really sadly mistaken.

If he/she realizes the current geriatric bloc is extremely powerful surely he/she realizes that in just two years from now the largest group of the "boomers" will be 60 to 61 and the powerful geriatric bloc of voters will be larger than ever.

Some form of Medicare is always going to be with us and the nouveau conservatives better grasp that fact and work with the traditional conservatives within the boomer generation to come up with real workable alternatives.

To cast "boomers" as the enemy is to do so at the peril of the objective."

I think, not being the author, that the writer is simply stating the liberal boomer mindset that landed us in this predicament to begin with. No, not all boomers are liberal, but it is that era that changed American politics in the 20th century. Unfortunately, the boomers are the ones that got labeled with Social Security, when in reality, it was liberalism that created it.

[B4Ranch]

>>trustworthy like-minded candidates<<

This eliminates the incumbents.

[gcruse]

"Next week, our three part trilogy will..."

...deal with how all trilogies are three-part.

[tacticalogic]

I don't read it as being directed toward the boomers as being responsible. The politicians that try to buy votes with our children's money, and the people who are willing to sell them are responsible. The "boom" is the actuarial event that will bring the system down, and the "boomers" simply the manifestation or personification of that event.

[Ohioan]

This nation could not have brought the Soviet Communist empire to its knees without expanding government. Reagan was willing to sacrifice his long term ideals for that objective.

Strengthening the military should not be equated with expanding government. Expanding the expenditures on one facet of Government, to meet an ongoing crisis, which is within the sphere of that Government, is one thing. What is unconscionable, today, is the expansion of Government into areas that are not the proper function of our Constitutional Government--indeed into areas where Reagan sought to reduce, and eventually eliminate Government.

And the long term ideals might have been deferred. They were certainly not sacrificed.

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site