Tax and Spent vs. Tax Cut and Spend

Steve Bainbridge thinks that "a high tax Democrat win in 2008 might have positive long-term strategic gains." Specifically, it would that remind Americans that "Democrats are tax and spenders not tax and savers" and could lead to the sort of backlash that brought Ronald Reagan to power in 1980. There's one little problem with that thesis: The Republicans haven't ...

The Era of Limited Government is Over

William Voegeli notes that, despite railing against big government for more than a quarter century, conservatives have done nothing to stop it. Some excerpts from an unusually long WSJ op-ed: A quarter century ago president Ronald Reagan declared in his first inaugural address: "In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem. . ...

Ronald Reagan Wannabes

Washington Examiner cartoonist Nate Beeler sums up the Republican contest thus far quite aptly: In the accompanying commentary, Beeler observes, "While the Republican heavies snipe at each other over who is the real conservative in the race, Barry Goldwater is rolling over in his grave." Part of the problem, though, is that while Reagan and Goldwater both called themselves "conservatives," ...

Viguerie Conservatives Meet in Phone Booth

Bill Dyer, who like me receives a lot of unsolicited emails from Richard Viguerie, unlike me actually read the latest installment in which it is proclaimed that, "Fred Thompson’s record may appear to be 'conservative,' but only by comparison with Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, or Mitt Romney." Bill nails it in his response: One of those four men is ...

Is John McCain the Next Ronald Reagan?

Patrick Hynes, who I'm relieved to see isn't one of the McCain staffers let go yesterday, sends along a David Brody piece entitled, "Is John McCain the Next Ronald Reagan?" He cites a 1979 AP story about Reagan's fundraising woes and a 1980 WaPo piece noting that "Reagan had to overcome doubts about his age and ability, an ill-advised ...

American by Birth, Southern by the Grace of God

Paul Waldman and Kevin Drum, understandably, resent the notion that rural folks and, especially, Southerners are perceived as more "authentic" and "American" than people from the cities and the coasts. Waldman finds it "deeply insulting" and Drum believes Southerners are downright "intolerant" because they won't vote for Yankees. Alex Massie, a Scottish-born, Irish-educated, D.C. journalist defends the South's honor, ...

Reagan ‘Tear Down This Wall’ 20th Anniversary

Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of Ronald Reagan's famous, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" pronouncement. Robert Stacy McCain reports that it almost didn't happen.

The Reagan Diaries

Ronald Reagan's personal diaries will be published tomorrow. Taegan Goddard notes this is "the first time a U.S. president's diaries have been released." The Politico's Mike Allen thinks it will shake up people's conceptions. “The Reagan Diaries,” a 767-page flashback to be published Tuesday, shows Ronald Reagan as few people knew him, jotting with candor during quiet times ...

You Can’t Make This Stuff Up

Via WaPo: Preacher's Wife Talks About ShootingBut Winkler said she got a job at the post office and that experience taught her to stand up for herself. "That's the problem. I have nerve now, and I have self-esteem. My ugly came out." That shouldn't be funny, but it is. h/t: My wife (whom I thought was joking when she first ...

Ronald Reagan’s Journey: Democrat to Republican

Stacy McCain interviews Ed Yager, author of a new book Ronald Reagan's Journey: Democrat to Republican. A key exchange: Q. Why is Ronald Reagan's early identification as a Democrat important to understanding his political career? A. Because over about a 17-year period, from 1945 to 1962, he struggled to make sense of the political world. And he learned from his personal experiences there ...

Reagan Would Not Repeat Amnesty Mistake

Former Attorney General Ed Meese informs us that his former boss, Ronald Reagan, would be opposed to any bill granting amnesty to illegal aliens who have been in the county for a number of years. This, despite Reagan having championed and signed just such a bill in 1986. Oddly, Meese offers no evidence--or even a suggestion--that Reagan came to regret ...

Michael Steele Charges Racism Over ‘Slavish’ Comment

I've gotten two emails this morning from the Republican National Committee's eCampaign flacking the idea that Rep. Stenny Hoyer made racist remarks about Maryland Lieutenant Governor/U.S. Senate nominee Michael Steele. Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele accused a leading Democratic congressman yesterday of racial insensitivity for saying the Republican candidate has "slavishly" followed the GOP. Steele, an African American running for ...

Conservatives Call for Republican Ouster

Washington Monthly collects a series of essays from prominent fiscal conservatives and otherwise disgruntled Republicans arguing that it's time for Republicans to go. Christopher Buckley, son of Wm. F Jr., leads the way with "Let’s quit while we’re behind." On Capitol Hill, a Republican Senate and House are now distinguished by—or perhaps even synonymous with—earmarks, the K Street Project, Randy Cunningham (bandit, ...

Nancy Reagan Tells Jim Webb Not To Use Video Of Her Husband

Former First Lady Nancy Reagan has told Democratic Senate nominee James Webb not to use video of Ronald Reagan praising him in campaign ads. Nancy Reagan has ordered Democratic Senate candidate Jim Webb, a former Reagan White House military aide, NOT to use video of her husband praising Webb in an upcoming campaign ad. A three-paragraph letter from the former first ...

Bruce Bartlett: Bush Is An Imposter

No, not body snatcher imposter, but an imposter in terms of being a conservative. I have been feeling this way about Bush for quite some time now. Bush's first reaction to any problem is to turn toward government. Government is what has brought about the new jobs he has been bragging about (and frankly it ain't much ...