Virtually every Republican politician claims to be a Reagan Republican. Yet few of them understand the real legacy of Reagan and fewer still act in the manner they proclaim.
Ronald Reagan understood that the struggle for freedom is not a struggle between different political parties, different races, or between anything else that seems to divide us. Reagan understood, as did the founding fathers, that the struggle for freedom is between the people who want to be free and an overpowering government that seeks to control and exploit them.
One of Reagan’s favorite sayings was that “the ten most dangerous words in the English language are I’m from the Government and I’m here to help you.”
The founding fathers gave us the Constitution because they knew that throughout history there had always been and there would always be people who would seek control and power over other people to exploit them.
In this election cycle Donald Trump is the candidate most like Reagan and the candidate most like what the founding fathers wanted. Here are the facts to support the assertion.
Trump is the one candidate who understands that he would work for the people. Yes, other candidates speak more eloquently and say this frequently, but they are all career politicians who have ties to special interests, big banks, super-pacs and the RNC elite.
Trump is the one candidate who would be a “citizen president.” He has no ambition for a political career. He would serve his term and go back to his private life just as the founding fathers expected.
Trump has largely limited himself to those issues that the Constitution says are the obligations of the President. These are national defense, international trade and law enforcement (immigration law).
In contrast Cruz and Kasich have inserted themselves into many issues that go beyond the limits of the Constitution.
Cruz considers himself to be a strict constitutionalist. He has argued successfully in front of the Supreme Court. By all measures, he is an expert on the Constitution. Yet, he is incapable of avoiding typical political hypocrisy. When the Supreme Court struck down California’s proposition on the definition of marriage and hence part of the Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA), Cruz was upset. He spoke out against the Supreme Court for denying the states right to define marriage, but turned around and tried to mitigate the result by introducing more Federal Legislation on the subject of marriage while arguing that marriage is a state’s rights issue. To the best of my knowledge, he has never claimed that DOMA violated state’s rights and hence the Constitution. This behavior suggests that Cruz is willing to ignore the principles he so adamantly expounds upon when things don’t turn out the way he wants.
Kasich’s approach is not so nuanced. His approach to limiting Federal Power is to take the money for the Federal program and give it to the states. This, of course, leaves the Federal Government in control of the level of funding and hence in control of the program. His approach fails to recognize and acknowledge how government controls many things through control of funding. One of the most glaring examples of this is the federal control over our universities through federal control of college funding and student loans.
One of the most striking things about this election cycle is that so many people believe our country is going in the wrong direction. This percentage has been as high as 68% and consistently in the low to middle 60’s as a percentage.
The American people have come to understand that both political parties are guilty of constantly increasing the size and scope of the Federal Government. In spite of the Tea Party successes, nothing has changed. For all his blustering, Cruz hasn’t changed anything of substance.
Donald Trump has given a voice to the people who now understand, as Reagan understood, that the government is the problem. He, and these supporters, have understood that the career politicians, supported and controlled by the two political parties and special interests, are the root cause of an ever expanding Federal Government.
Cruz and Kasich talk the talk but do not walk the walk.
Donald Trump walks the walk. Because he does, he is continuously attacked by everyone who is part of the machinery that maintains this excessive government control. Despite these attacks, he has stood his ground and not changed the things he believes. This is leadership. It is the reason his supporters are so loyal.
Ironically, Trump may lose the election because he has not learned to talk the talk.
In keeping with the concept of this website, ask yourself if the size and scope of government is an economic issue. It should be obvious that it is. If you would like to understand why and be able to explain it to other people, you should read through earlier posts and other menu items. A good place to start is here.
"Me? An Economic Expert"