Let Them Go Their Way (Ronald Reagan's Post-Watergate Debacle Election Address Alert)

Cpac.org ^ | 3/1/1975 | Ronald Reagan

[goldstategop]

This speech was delivered over forty years ago after the GOP wipeout after Watergate. People wondered if the Republican Party would ever come back again. The person who gave it was Ronald Reagan. Its still relevant as ever and speaks to what we need to do today.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[skeeter]

And if there are those who cannot subscribe to these principles, then let them go their way.

Damn straight.

[Pondo]

Reagan really was a gift to our nation, I miss him terribly today.

[WoodstockCat]

Thanks for posting this.
Dare I say that NO one on our side could deliver something like this today with such power and at the same time elegance?

[Faith]

I sure miss him. Longing for a true conservative to emerge and LEAD . . .

[6SJ7]

Round and round goes history.

[Antoninus]

"A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency, or simply to swell its numbers."

How's that big tent looking today, eh, GOP?

[Liberty Valance]

placemarker

[SoConPubbie]

How's that big tent looking today, eh, GOP?

Trust me when I say that those pushing that idea will never stop nor admit defeat. They detest social and fiscal conservatives.

We have even had several examples today, here on the premier conservative web-site, of idiots still pushing this total failure of an approach.

[SE Mom]

We need a reminder today.

- I don ‘t know about you, but I am impatient with those Republicans who after the last election rushed into print saying, “We must broaden the base of our party”—when what they meant was to fuzz up and blur even more the differences between ourselves and our opponents.

- Our people look for a cause to believe in. Is it a third party we need, or is it a new and revitalized second party, raising a banner of no pale pastels, but bold colors which make it unmistakably clear where we stand on all of the issues troubling the people?

- Let us explore ways to ward off socialism, not by increasing government’s coercive power, but by increasing participation by the people in the ownership of our industrial machine.

[Nichevo]

Thanks for this, wish there was audio of it...

[misterrob]

I don’t disagree with the thought of a big tent. We have to make as much room as possible for people to follow a belief system that less government is the best plan and self determination and personal freedoms are what made America great before and will do so again and again. Where the GOP screwed up was in trying to do too much.

[OCCASparky]

I don‘t know about you, but I am impatient with those Republicans who after the last election rushed into print saying, “We must broaden the base of our party”—when what they meant was to fuzz up and blur even more the differences between ourselves and our opponents.

Amen, amen, AMEN!!!

And here's hoping some in the GOP learn this lesson before it's too late.

[Mac from Cleveland]

The bigger question is-who’s left to listen. I know there are plenty of fine young people and middle-aged people. But in 1972, you had adults who were nearly uniformly educated well, free of misplaced guilt or PC, self-sufficient, hard-working, and clear-headed, who loved their country. BTW, Nixon even won the under 30 year old vote in ‘72.

My point is, we have fewer people like that-when we used to be able to almost take them for granted. The ones who are worth a damn have little to no societal support-just the opposite.

It’s bad we have no Reagan-but what’s worse is if he came back today, would the audience he got be enough to win?

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

A Time for Choosing, Ronald Reagan (1964)

A Time for Choosing (transcript)

We need a Reaganesque candidate to lead the conservative opposition.

[Dianna]

Dare I say that NO one on our side could deliver something like this today with such power and at the same time elegance?

I happened to catch a little bit of Sean reading this speech on his radio show. I listened a moment, and then thought, "Who the heck is THIS guy?? We need him!"

I should have known it was Reagan. I was 6 years old when he gave this speech.

[WoodstockCat]

sobering thoughts Mac, I hope for the sake of my 10-year old that we can find both a speaker and some more listeners.

[Mr Rogers]

Thanks for the post!

If McCain had read excerpts from it during the second debate, instead of proposing we pay for everyone’s mortgage, we might have carried the election - IF anyone thought McCain believed it!

Me? I doubt McCain could have read this without giggling, or apologizing for giving offense to the other side.

[gogeo]

Oh yeah!!!

[TBP]

Good advice.