I have viewed with interest the Republican candidates for President in this cycle. They are routinely pilloried by conservatives, many of whom view themselves as the heirs of Ronald Reagan. These same critics have determined that the candidates have not met their rigid interpretation of Reagan Republicanism. It is quite true that none of the remaining candidates can truly be identified as the President's ideological heir, but the intensity in advancing the conservative mantle more closely resembles a Stalinist purge, and as such undermines the demeanor that underlined Ronald Reagan's success.
I have heard incessantly by many other conservatives about Ronald Reagan's "coalition", as if to suggest that his place in history is secured by his political acumen in seeking office. That "coalition" consisted of fiscal conservatives supporting tax cuts, cultural conservatives who are Pro Life on abortion & Foreign Policy conservatives who wanted to aggressively stand up to the Soviet Union. Each wing of this "coalition" have at present taken a piece of Ronald Reagan's legacy and in turn claimed exclusivity as his legitimate heir.
Modern conservatives however have missed a key political faction that tipped Ronald Reagan's political fortunes in his favor. These are of course the so called "Reagan Democrats". They consisted of blue collar,union men and women representing the middle class. Sadly, the middle class moderate to right sensibilities of this now forgotten cog in Reagan's grand "coalition" are not being addressed. Their concern for future economic security is routinely villified by conservative pundits as gloomy panic mongering. Ronald Reagan had an almost intrinsic understanding for this class of people and knew how to communicate his conservative politics in a way that alleviated the perennial economic tension that is unique to middle America. To date, no conservative candidate or otherwise seems capable of bridging that gap.
The inability of the Republican candidates to bridge that gap has its foundation in their misunderstanding of Ronald Reagan's true legacy. Conservatives mistake agremeent on core conservative principles and issues with Ronald Reagan as the basis for his proper place in history. Ronald Reagan's success and in turn his legacy were derived from a fundamental understanding of the American people, our nation's history and a profound respect for the spirit that drives us all, a spirit that leads individuals to different conclusions and civilized dissent.
Contrary to so many of my conservative brethren, his place in history is secured due to his capacity to express to all Americans (Not just conservatives) his vision for the future. His vision however, was projected with a sense of optimism that pervaded the nation. Ronald Reagan's greatest legacy was the restoration of hope to our nation in despair. Prior to being elected, there was the enduring turmoil of the Vietnam War, Watergate, a gas crisis, rampant unemployment, double digit inflation and interest rates. There was a 444 day long hostage crisis in Iran and a botched rescue mission. Of course, then there was "malaise".
The true measure of his Presidency was to provide hope when despair was prevalent; to transmit faith to a people in a state of duress and lost in a wilderness; to summon courage against tyrannical philosophies; to provoke a greater sense of individual commitment to a cause greater than individual self interest and libertine excess, welcoming home our prodigal sons and daughters.
Transmitting Ronald Reagan's legacy to present and future generations in its proper context is essential to all of his presumed heirs irregardless of their ideological priorities. We profess to be faithful to his principles on the issues, while neglecting the abundant optimism that he imparted to us all. Ronald Reagan saw in each of us the capacity, if properly guided and grounded the inate ability to find within ourselves the resolve to confront the complexities and obstacles that life provides; a well heeled, firmly grounded American capable of rejecting the myth of a compassionate welfare state. It is our duty to convey to these generations his greatest feat in office and his greatest gift to the nation. It is our duty to reduce our love of "coalitions" in favor of our greater love of country. It is our patriotic duty to provide for a civil dialogue, never rejecting friendship for lack of political kinship. It is imperative that we impart to our posterity a sense of civic duty, individual courage and tenacity, with a profound respect for that which distinguishes, properly tempered by our common regard and respect for human dignity that liberty engenders. This was Ronald Reagan's legacy.
