January 16, 2016
PERHAPS NOT SURPRISINGLY...:
Right of Reagan : How the Extremism of Today's Republican Presidential Candidates Sets Them Apart from Their Conservative Idol (Charles Posner, Molly Cain, Anna Chu | Monday, September 14, 2015, Center for American Progress)
Clearly, part of the Reagan mystique is tied to the fact that he found a way to achieve something elusive to subsequent conservatives on the national stage: the ability to appeal to independents and Democrats and win the popular vote in presidential elections. Republicans have achieved this feat just twice in the seven elections that have followed the Reagan presidency. In fact, President Reagan enjoys an overall high favorability rating--60 percent of Americans approve of Reagan, more so than any of the current GOP candidates.How did Ronald Reagan appeal to Americans beyond his conservative base of supporters? Part of the answer is that President Reagan was able to mix pragmatism with conservatism. And at critical moments on critical issues, Reagan took positions that are anathema to the leaders of today's Republican Party--advancing sensible immigration reform, supporting pollution control, curbing nuclear arms, closing tax loopholes for the wealthy, and advocating gun background checks. As president, Reagan passed immigration reform with a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants. He also passed a landmark treaty on the climate and raised taxes 11 times. He even negotiated with America's main adversary, the Soviet Union, signing a treaty with the communist nation to reduce nuclear weapons.
...they omit the most important way in which Reagan was to the left of even the New Democrats : he saved Social Security virtually unchanged because he was a genuine New Deal Democrat. This even at a time when Margaret Thatcher was followiing Augusto Pinochet's lead and reforming Britain's welfare net.
Posted by Orrin Judd at January 16, 2016 12:37 PM