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The title of this topic makes me laugh. It implies that the Reagan Republican of yesteryear is long gone, when, in fact, Reagan's progeny have held power and sway over this country for the last seven years. It's not exactly a hidden fact that George W. Bush prefers to carry the mantle of Reagan's presidency rather than his own father's.

Now, what exactly is a Reagan Republican? I would imagine we're talking about true conservatism here. The ability to get a handle on government spending, build a strong military and spread freedom and democracy around the world. Or maybe it's the term neo-con we're talking about, but I won't squabble over semantics.

The truth is, under both Reagan and Bush Jr. government spending and the gross domestic product (GDP) went up rather than down. The last time the GDP went down was in 1979 and in 1997, '98, '99 and 2000, respectively. That would be during the Carter and Clinton administrations.

Oh, but we're squabbling over numbers, aren't we? Okay, let's talk semantics. Bush has tried to be a cowboy like Reagan, but has failed miserably. Whereas Reagan said, "Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall," Bush Jr. said to the evildoers, "Bring it on." Even his own wife chided him on that one.

Reagan got away with bringing down the Soviet Union because he had help from Gorbachev and the two of them, um, had talks and negotiated, and things like that. Reagan wasn't as stubborn as he led us to believe. Bush is. We've replaced the great communicator with the great buffoon. And the fact that Jr. is so stubborn and incurious has led the USA to place of indecency in the world of nations. Reagan was no hero, but in light of recent developments he sure comes off that way.

Bush Jr. exhibits what could best be called "Reagan-lite" but without the believability.

As for the question "What happened to the Reagan Republican?": It's time for a new ideology to replace the old. Let's just hope the next demagogue to come down the pike is a little more nuanced and skilled in the ways of communicating, both with the electorate and the world.

Learn more about this author, Blake Guthrie.
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