How will history treat Ronald Reagan? When asked about his legacy, will one quip Alzheimer’s and Iran Contra or Ending the Cold War and Resurrecting the Economy?
We at the GW College Republicans, quite frankly, worship the man. It’s as if he were a god brought to Earth to end the viscous tyranny of communist sympathizers and social-welfare liberals. What Reagan did for the economy, national defense, personal freedom and world safety can be measured not only in terms of CR loyalty, but in America’s day-to-day living conditions and Reagan’s place in history.
Reagan gave us tax cuts. We, as a nation, are wealthy and prosperous because we have worked for our own benefit. Reagan kept the government out of our lives and our pocketbooks. On eight of the 10 key economic variables examined, the American economy performed better during the Reagan years than during the pre-and post-Reagan years. During the 1980s the mean average of real income rose by more than 15 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The poorest fifth of Americans saw their real income grow by 12 percent and more than 18 million jobs were created, with a median earnings value of $23,333 (in 1989 dollars). The 1980s witnessed the largest economic peacetime growth rate in history. And as for the Decade of Greed argument, the annual rate of growth in private charitable giving increased by 5.1 percent in the 1980s, as compared to 3.3 percent growth in the prior 25 years.
Oh, and remember that pesky Berlin Wall incident and the Evil Empire that we made such a fuss over during that crazy period called the Cold War? Well, they are both gone, too, because of Reagan. Should we thank President Clinton for any of this? Perhaps, but only because he has been politically savvy by not changing the policies of the Reagan administration enough to turn our economy into one of Carter-like, disastrous proportions. And let’s give praise to Reagan for his third term – the 1994 Republican Congress of Reaganites, which serves to ensure our future and the state of the nation. All this, and Reagan made us proud to be Americans again.
The Reagan Revolution will continue, my friends. Sure, it may not parade through the White House in a bath robe munching on jelly beans, but it does exist in Congress, business, think tanks and Republican organizations across the nation – even at GW. And as we celebrated this fine leader’s birthday Sunday, we ought to give thanks to Reagan for changing the world for the better and giving us the opportunity to do the same.
Reagan might not have had the best of birthdays yesterday, but our love of the man will never grow old. So here’s to the Gipper and to the continuance of his revolution. Our beloved President Reagan may be in the sunset of his life, but the City on the Hill will shine again.
-The writer is secretary of the GW College Republicans.
