#187 (3/11) Sunday Special - "His Legacy Lives On"

[Note: As we look to another critical Presidential election in November, we MUST remember he who I believe was the greatest President of the 20th century and one of the greatest in history - Ronald Reagan. (I so look forward to meeting him in Heaven.) Today's article speaks to what would have been Reagan's 101st brithday this past Monday. (If you go to the website where this article is located, you will find a related video.) It is followed by a link to a short article on President Reagan's commitment to economic freedom.

Prayer:Heavenly Father, may you again bless America with another President of leadership, strength, good humor, and commitment to the Constitution as Ronald Reaan. Amen.]

One of my favorite Reagan quips is: "Government is like a baby - an alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
- Mike Brownfield; February 6, 2012
http://blog.heritage.org/2012/02/06/morning-bell-on-reagans-birthday-his-legacy-lives-on/

Today [2/6] marks President Ronald Reagan’s 101st birthday. Born in Tampico, Illinois, Reagan made his journey west to Iowa as a radio broadcaster, then on to California to take Hollywood by storm. He crossed America as a spokesman for General Electric, and then — after discovering the import of conservative values — entered the political arena, where he would ultimately lead his fellow citizens out of a wilderness of self-doubt, helping the country come to see that it could be morning in America once again...

Upon his inauguration, Reagan was confronted with a deep economic crisis, one of the worst sustained inflations in America’s history, historically high unemployment, the fallout from an energy crisis, stagnation, massive government spending, an untenable tax burden, a hollow military, and the Soviet threat. Yet in the face of the economic crisis, President Reagan turned toward not more government,but less. And in the face of a global threat, he turned toward a stronger military and international leadership — not a weaker military and retrenchment. Reagan understood as well as any that the framework envisioned by the Founders — and set forth in the Constitution — was one that trusted the people to govern themselves, not one that subjugated them to the rule of the few, as reflected in his First Inaugural Address:

"From time to time, we have been tempted to believe that society has become too complex to be managed by self-rule, that government by an elite group is superior to government for, by, and of the people. But if no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else? All of us together, in and out of government, must bear the burden. The solutions we seek must be equitable, with no one group singled out to pay a higher price."

"We hear much of special interest groups. Our concern must be for a special interest group that has been too long neglected. It knows no sectional boundaries or ethnic and racial divisions, and it crosses political party lines. It is made up of men and women who raise our food, patrol our streets, man our mines and our factories, teach our children, keep our homes, and heal us when we are sick—professionals, industrialists, shopkeepers, clerks, cabbies, and truckdrivers. They are, in short, “We the people,” this breed called Americans."

The circumstances that Reagan faced are not unlike those that America sees today. The United States faces the threat of entitlement spending growing out of control, a massive debt, a looming tax burden, soaring energy prices, and security threats around the globe. And like Reagan, America’s leaders are faced with a choice: more government or less, a weaker military or a stronger one? We know from history what Reagan would have done. And we also know why he would have done it.

As we look back, we remember that throughout his presidency, Reagan returned again and again to the idea that in all circumstances and with each decision, he was guided by the Constitution. In his State of the Union speeches, Reagan referred to the Constitution more than any other president in the preceding 50 years. A survey of his presidential papers reveals 1,270references to the Constitution during his eight years in the White House and another 113 mentions of the Declaration of Independence. As part of Heritage’s “Preserve the Constitution” series, we invited two former Reagan Cabinet members and two Reagan historians to discuss how the Constitution provided the foundation of the Reagan presidency. In examining Reagan’s recipe for success, former Attorney General Edwin Meese III, who served under President Reagan, noted “Why was President Reagan so successful? I would suggest that one reason is: He did what the Constitution said he should do, and he did what the Founders had in mind in terms of a constitutional presidency.”

Reagan looked to the Constitution as his North Star in leading the country forward. Today’s leaders have the benefit of that same star — and also of Reagan’s example. To truly honor Reagan’s legacy, we at Heritage each day carry forth the conservative values that our 40th President held so dear. Since 1973, we [of the Heritage Foundation] have worked to build an America where freedom, opportunity, prosperity, and civil society flourish. We were privileged to stand alongside President Reagan when he articulated his conservative vision for America, and we are proud to continue that work today.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow Reagan’s Footsteps; Renew Our Commitment to Economic Freedom
Anthony B. Kim; February 6, 2012
http://blog.heritage.org/2012/02/06/follow-reagans-footsteps-renew-our-commitment-to-economic-freedom/

"..Reflecting his strong conviction in freedom, Reagan pointed out in his address to students at Moscow State University in May 1988:'Freedom is the right to question and change the established way of doing things. It is the continuous revolution of the marketplace. It is the understanding that allows recognizing shortcomings and seeking solutions.' President Reagan’s wisdom and insight continue to shine through The Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom. In reality, his legacy has lived on through experiences of many developing economies that have joined the free world only in recent decades. The embrace of economic freedom by the young democracies of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union has proved particularly notable, and many other countries have made gains in reducing poverty by adopting measures that open up their economies..."

[bold and italics emphasis mine]