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Today's GOP needs to move beyond Reagan. It's like the Democrats still hammering on FDR's legacy in the 60s and 70s. Times and issues facing the country change. Reagan couldn't be elected in today's GOP. He paid lip service to the religious right but was not controlled by them and was far more moderate on a lot of issues than today's conservatives.
Actually, it is my sense that there are four natural "lanes" in the Republican party. These lanes are as follows:
Moderate Lane
Center-Right Lane
Conservative Lane
Libertarian Lane
It is my sense that Reagan would have been in the Center-Right lane. He was not "establishment," but he was not strictly "anti-establishment" either. The only candidate that would belong in the Center-Right lane in the current field is Marco Rubio, although I certainly would not compare Rubio to Reagan beyond them being in the same lane. Also, if Scott Walker had stayed in the race, he would have been in this lane.
Cruz is a conservative. Trump, Christie, Kasich and Bush are moderates. I have to admit I do not know Carson well enough to classify him in a lane, but I suspect it is either Conservative or Center-Right. And of course Paul was a kind of a libertarian, but not a very strict one.
Also, Reagan was very certainly pro-life and pro-family values.
I understand what you are saying, there are various sections within the party. I also agree about Rubio, and I think he would be like Reagan from the standpoint of working with both sides or going to the people. No, he is not a true Reagan by any means.
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As for Reagan and family values, he did hold them close to his heart regardless of the family challenges he had to deal with. And pro life? Well, he did have mixed feeling after he signed abortion into law, but mainly because he felt the wording left too many loop holes and he didn't think abortions should ever be paid for using government funding, but I don't think we can go so far as to say he wasn't 100% pro life.
Today's GOP needs to move beyond Reagan. It's like the Democrats still hammering on FDR's legacy in the 60s and 70s. Times and issues facing the country change. Reagan couldn't be elected in today's GOP. He paid lip service to the religious right but was not controlled by them and was far more moderate on a lot of issues than today's conservatives.
Reagan was the last non-establishment that won the GOP nomination....that is, until Cruz wins it.
He has never had the check book to see how he spends money. Speeches don't count. We can see how Trump spends money before our eyes even though he has never been in government.
Rush and Trump are personal friends that play golf together. I feel that is the ONLY reason that Rush has not come out and formally endorsed Cruz.
That's not all. He truly relishes Trump giving it to the media. Rush has been so frustrated by the media running our candidates out of town at the slightest misstep. What cemented his support of Trump was when he didn't back away from his McCain comment.
Didn't they say that Fred Thompson was going to be the next Ronald Reagan too?
Doesn't bode well for Cruz.
Except that Ted Cruz has a very long history and record of being a Conservative.
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