I get sooooooooooo tired of people mindlessly invoking Reagan and then going on to list some of the very trangressions --- amnesty, increased spending -- that Reagan did. Reagan was a wonderful man but people need to stop making him an unattainable, mythical figure! Reagan, at the height of his popularity, didn't have the make-up we currently have in Congress that is considered a disaster. If people are going to keep pitching a hissy fit until they get the ideal, we're never going to get anywhere.
I was one of those Reagan democrats back when he was first elected. I thought then as I do now that he was the greatest president in my lifetime. Having said that, I also believe GW Bush will go down in history as one of our greatest presidents. If the Iraq situation settles to where we have a functioning democracy and an ally in the region, history will be very good to Bush.
Reagan is no mythical figure or a god. Reagan is the modern day standard that all other Presidents will be compared to. Reagan was an historic figure of enormous proportions. Someone who comes along maybe once every 100-150 years. Reagan was famous, heroic and legandary. Reagan was a great American, a great President and a great conservative. The author of this fine article does an excellent job of expressing what the challenges are for the conservatives and the GOP between now and the next election. Bush has set conservatism back 20-25 years, and the election results from Tuesday prove that beyond a shadow of a doubt. Enough of this status quo-centrist garbage. Conservatism works every time its tried. If the GOP wants to win in 2008, its got to return to its conservative roots as advanced by Pres Reagan and Speaker Gingrich.