Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Reagan, Christie, and Those Unelected Elites
American Spectator ^ | 6.10.11 | Kevin Mooney

Posted on 06/10/2011 11:30:44 PM PDT by neverdem

As he transitioned away from New Deal liberalism to Goldwater conservatism in the 1950s, Ronald Reagan began to speak out against "the enemy within" in a series of powerful speeches that celebrated America's founding principles. In his commencement address at William Woods College in 1952, and at Eureka College, his alma matter, in 1957, the future president described America as a divinely inspired, historically distinct country.

This idea of "American exceptionalism" also figured into the 1964 "Time for Choosing" speech, Reagan delivered on behalf of Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona, the Republican candidate for president. But the 1964 speech included an additional component that foresaw the dangers of a renegade judiciary; one that willingly bypasses constitutional restraints. The conflict between Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey and his state's Supreme Court interconnects with the anti-constitutional impulses of unelected elites that Reagan foresaw during the Goldwater campaign.

Even as he remained focused on the external threat of Soviet communism during the Goldwater campaign, Reagan also felt a special need to uplift the political system created in 1776 and to defend it against a growing domestic menace...

--snip--

Whatever one's views are on the constitutional question, there is no getting around the profound impact courts have had on average citizens in their everyday lives, Giordano added. Moreover, despite the vast sums of money that have been poured into Abbott school districts, the weight of evidence shows there has been little, if any, improvement to education, Giordano pointed out...

--snip--

Like Reagan, Christie is relying on his court picks as a way to reinstate the separation of powers and to end the practice of judicial activism. But it is worth recalling that the end result of Reagan's own nomination efforts here were actually quite mixed and judges can be unpredictable.

(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: abbottvburke; christie; judicialactivism; reagan
It will be quite some time before Sandra Day O'Connor and weather vane Anthony Kennedy are forgotten.
1 posted on 06/10/2011 11:30:48 PM PDT by neverdem
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: neverdem
Like Reagan, Christie is relying on his court picks as a way to reinstate the separation of powers and to end the practice of judicial activism. But it is worth recalling that the end result of Reagan's own nomination efforts here were actually quite mixed and judges can be unpredictable.

While I appreciate some of the things Christie is doing and his rhetoric, he is not even close to being like Reagan.

At best, he is a moderate Republican.
2 posted on 06/10/2011 11:35:52 PM PDT by SoConPubbie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Coleus; jocon307; Alberta's Child; Pharmboy; Calpernia; Malsua; dead; nj26; OldFriend; Clemenza; ...

Christie is no Reagan, but at least he’s trying to deal with the activist, black robed moonbats.


3 posted on 06/10/2011 11:37:33 PM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SoConPubbie
At best, he is a moderate Republican.

When the alternative is Jon Corzine, if I lived in NJ, I would hold my nose and vote for Christie. I wouldn't throw my vote away or stay home. Ditto Scott Brown in MA, where the majority of registered voters are unaffiliated, and registered rats to pubbies is about 38 to 11 percent. In some places, thwarting the rats is the best you can do. It's the northeast, but there are some places where conservatives can win. Maine got a Tea Party governor and flipped its legislature to the GOP in 2010. Go figure.

4 posted on 06/11/2011 12:34:04 AM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

I don’t even like seeing Christie’s name in the same headline with Reagan. Christie has done a few good things, BUT he is NO Ronald Reagan and never will be.


5 posted on 06/11/2011 2:31:42 AM PDT by Katarina (God bless ElRushbo! Prayers for our troops! I stand with Israel.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: neverdem
Such is the problem with ideological purity. Some want to 'primary' Snowe, Collins or Brown but what would play right into Dem hands in those states.

Seriously, Brown has Kennedy's seat. How is he not an improvement over Teddy? Some people are just suicidal politically.

Christie seems like a good, reform-minded, Republican for NJ, not someone I'd particularly want in the White House.

This case of the NJ Supreme Court ordering more money wasted on schools than the legislature has decides or can afford is insanity. Worse is the chief justice making picks in violation of law. Christie has his work cut out for him.

CA doesn't have this kind of institutional insanity. Ours is an electoral problem. Public union coffers fund campaigns for those the moronic majority send to the statehouse.

6 posted on 06/11/2011 2:53:29 AM PDT by newzjunkey (Don't screw up the 2012 nomination.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SoConPubbie
On a national scale, you'd be right.

If you compare Chris Christie with Governor Ronald Reagan of California, I'll bet Christie would come across as a staunch conservative and Reagan will look like a Marxist.

I'm not a huge fan of Christie myself, but you have to look at these things in the context of the jurisdiction in which they operate.

7 posted on 06/11/2011 4:41:58 AM PDT by Alberta's Child ("If you touch my junk, I'm gonna have you arrested.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

save


8 posted on 06/11/2011 5:12:13 AM PDT by Rumplemeyer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: neverdem
This is a very interesting article, outlining the common themes in Reagan's take on the Supreme Court and Christie's battle with the courts in New Jersey.

The author never says "Christie is Reagan" or anything like it, but that's what all the reactions on this thread seem to be arguing against.

More should read the article, instead of just making the obvious counterpoint to a point the author never even mentioned.

9 posted on 06/11/2011 6:40:02 AM PDT by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child

I live in the “Belly of the Beast”.

Trust me.

Christie is probably the best we can hope for in New Jersey as Julie Annie was probably the best New York City could hope for. I voted for him as governor, although I supported Lonegan in the primaries.

But philosophically they are both clones of northeastern fiscally conservative, socially liberal Republicans.

Neither one is an appropriate standard-bearer for the GOP in national office.

And in no way is Christie even REMOTELY fit to stand in Ronald Reagan’s shoes.


10 posted on 06/11/2011 7:47:27 AM PDT by ZULU (Lindsey Graham is a nanometrical pustule of pusillanimous putrescence)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: neverdem
When the alternative is Jon Corzine, if I lived in NJ, I would hold my nose and vote for Christie. I wouldn't throw my vote away or stay home. Ditto Scott Brown in MA, where the majority of registered voters are unaffiliated, and registered rats to pubbies is about 38 to 11 percent. In some places, thwarting the rats is the best you can do. It's the northeast, but there are some places where conservatives can win. Maine got a Tea Party governor and flipped its legislature to the GOP in 2010. Go figure.

Oh, don't get me wrong, Christie is right for New Jersey, but the talk of him being POTUS material is laughable.
11 posted on 06/11/2011 9:18:26 AM PDT by SoConPubbie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: dead; neverdem
More should read the article, instead of just making the obvious counterpoint to a point the author never even mentioned.

Some points are made explicitly, some are implied.
12 posted on 06/11/2011 9:19:38 AM PDT by SoConPubbie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: newzjunkey
Such is the problem with ideological purity. Some want to 'primary' Snowe, Collins or Brown but what would play right into Dem hands in those states.

I wouldn't agree with a primary fight for Brown in MA, but considering the Maine results in 2010, I wouldn't have a problem with a primary fight with Snowe in 2012.

Akaka, Bingaman, Conrad, Kohl, Lieberman and Webb have annouced that they won't run for reeelection in 2012. While Sanders is probably a "shoe in" in Vermont, rats will have 16 other seats to defend in the U.S. Senate in 2012.

If we can successfully replace Snowe in 2012, then I would try to do the same with Collins in 2014. The rats have to defend over 20 seats in that year too.

13 posted on 06/11/2011 11:18:18 AM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Alberta's Child

Say what?


14 posted on 06/11/2011 11:23:06 AM PDT by 9YearLurker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: neverdem
Christie is no Reagan, but at least he’s trying to deal with the activist, black robed moonbats.

Sure he is!

Governor Christie’s Islamist Problem

15 posted on 06/11/2011 11:39:37 AM PDT by Lauren BaRecall (Boehner, you B@st@rd!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Lauren BaRecall

Thanks for the link, but the site made my computer crash. I had to reboot via the power button. My computer is too old.


16 posted on 06/11/2011 1:25:59 PM PDT by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: neverdem
Maine got a Tea Party governor and flipped its legislature to the GOP in 2010. Go figure.

Damn. Looks like my long-term plan to hold a constitutional convention and expel New England from the Union is suddenly in the sink. I'd given up on the majority of Mainers.

17 posted on 06/11/2011 2:24:42 PM PDT by lentulusgracchus (Concealed carry is a pro-life position.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: neverdem
A lot of these sites are turning to "live" content, like Hotmail, where they hose your connection with a constant stream of vid and live updates.
18 posted on 06/11/2011 2:26:20 PM PDT by lentulusgracchus (Concealed carry is a pro-life position.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: neverdem
While Sanders is probably a "shoe in" in Vermont.....

I believe the term is "shoo-in". As in, shoo fly pie.

Also, "home in on" not "hone", and "poring over the data" not "pouring", and "questions about" not "around". Several others are out there lurking in the darkness.

19 posted on 06/11/2011 2:29:54 PM PDT by lentulusgracchus (Concealed carry is a pro-life position.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson