As we head to the polls on Super Tuesday in the midst of a spirited debate over the meaning of conservatism and who best represents Reagan conservatism, I’ve written a reminder about one of our core principles – limited government:
During the Republican presidential debates, much has been made of who can best re-energize the Reagan coalition. Some have suggested it is time to move beyond Reagan, and in one sense they are right.
But the continued popularity of President Reagan is not based on mere fondness and nostalgia for the 40th president, likeable though he was. In fact, if he were here he’d probably admit, with a wink and a joke, that his policies didn’t always live up to his own ideas.
Rather, Reagan’s enduring popularity is based on the reality that – as we approach his 97th birthday Feb. 6 — the big ideas he espoused for America still make sense.
These big ideas are timeless American principles of strength, prosperity and optimism.
Where we must break from Reagan and the past is in our recognition that application of these principles to today’s circumstances will require new ideas, new political skills, and new leaders.
One of those timeless big ideas is Reagan’s notion that the size, scope and power of government should be limited.
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