Reagan Is Dead
Yes, the man, the era, and any hopes that
another politician will be his identical twin are
dead. The ideas that made the man, shaped
the era and elude today’s professional
politicians are alive. Reagan’s
Conservative ideas are as alive as they were in
1980, or 1776. Yet, Reagan’s
Conservative thought needs to be updated as
Lincoln wisely advised, “As our times are
new, so we must think anew.” My
thoughts about the future form a Conservative
vision for the future – a Munificent
Destiny.
Conservative ideas can triumph. America
contains and contests radical Islamists
abroad. America prospers, growing the
economy and freedom together. American
families gain more support and security.
The march of progress for individual Americans is
marked with dignity, justice and hope. And,
it’s all updating the Conservative ideas of
the Founding Fathers and Reagan for a new time.
What has changed for the Fiscal, Social and
Defense Conservatives.
It’s the stupid economy,
Genius. Another 20 years of
transformation from the Industrial Age to the
Information Age permeated every aspect of
societies around the world. It means a new
economic reality where the middle class is like a
tube of toothpaste squeezed in the middle.
There are more wealthy folks and more people who
are getting by with few prospects for getting
much better – as long as they just settle
for where they are. The transformation of
the economy means the average American family has
less money at the end of the month than they did
30 years ago. But, the thief isn’t a
silly notion of corporations or the Haves taking
from the Have Nots. The impoverishment of
Americans is caused by the growth of governments
and the destruction of families.
Government taxes are the defining difference for
the average wage earners. In Virginia,
based on the growth of Virginia’s taxes
alone, the 30 year difference for the average
family of four making $51k is about $157 a
month. The average family can use the $157
a month far better than Virginia’s
governments. Also, that $157 a month will
create more capital. More capital creates
more jobs.
The global economy means energy costs are going
to go up and not come down. It’s
supply and demand. Demand from China and
India will drive oil prices up. The U.S.
must increase the supply of all
energy. Failure to act means we
continue to transfer trillions of dollars to the
despots who rule the barbarian Islamic countries.
Competition across the ‘flat earth’ of
a global economy means whole industries will come
and go in short order. The answer is to
protect the production of capital. Capital
will move to where it can make more
capital. Capital produces jobs, not
protectionism.
Any family can come up from poverty in one
generation. Look at our immigrants.
Impoverishment comes from illegitimacy, divorce,
alcohol abuse and drug use. Government
programs can’t fix these social
pathologies. Every social cancer has a sin
carcinogen. Only families can fix
themselves. Only God can transform human
hearts. Only the Biblical Jesus has the
truth that will set you free. Keeping
Government from being hostile to Christians is
all that is needed for the separation of church
and state to work wonderfully.
Back to the Constitution for Social Issues.
A strong majority of Conservatives will close the
border to illegal immigrants. Conservatives
will open the door to a large, legal immigration
of people who want to be American - speak
English and assimilate.
A gutsy majority of Conservatives can do their
Constitutional duty to restrict the power of the
judiciary. And get the Federal government
out of the states’ business. Allow the
diversity of sovereign states diffuse the U.S.
Culture War.
Shift the Ponzi scheme of Social Security to
self-controlled individual accounts. Create
Health Savings Accounts now.
Fight the Long, Long War. The
Conservative vision of defense keeps America as
the sole Super Power. It means we have
Imperial responsibilities without Imperial
ambitions to promote security and stability
– not nation-building. America’s
place in the world is to lead the West through
the World War Against Islamists. Islam
started wars of conquest in the 7th
Century. This phase of the Muslim-breed war
with everyone will go well beyond this
century. The U.S. must contain Islam until
Muslims reform their religion and modernize their
culture. As Reagan called the
Communists “evil”, so we must properly
pronounce the Islamic Civilization as “barbarian.”
We need a bigger Army.
America,
we have a Munificent Destiny. Let’s go
there.
James Atticus Bowden has
specialized in inter-disciplinary long range
'futures' studies for over a decade. He is
employed by a Defense Department
contractor. He is a retired United States
Army Infantry Officer. He is a 1972
graduate of the United States Military Academy
and earned graduate degrees from Harvard
University and Columbia University. He
holds three elected Republican Party offices in
Virginia. Contact at jatticus@aol.com
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