Mr. Reagan’s record

Our Opinion
Nashua Telegraph 11/25/1975
Mr. Reagan’s Record
Ronald Reagan, or so the ultraconservative legend runs, brought the yeasty state of California to the brink of perfection during his two terms as governor.

Since his tenure as governor constitutes his first and only governmental service and experience, Mr. Reagan and his flacks make much of it; too much, in fact.

When he announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination last week, Mr. Reagan performed the obligatory “mess in Washington” routine and promised to clean it up tidily, using the techniques he employed as governor of California to “manage government more efficiently.” “We found that fiscal responsibility is possible, that the welfare rolls can come down, that social problems can be met below the federal level.” So much for the rhetoric. Now for the record:
While Ronald Reagan was governor of California the state budget soared from $4.6 billion to $10.2 billion — a more than 100 per cent increase.

While Ronald Reagan was governor of California the state sales tax was increased from 4 per cent to 6 per cent, the corporate income tax was increased from 5.5 per cent to 9 per cent, and the top personal income tax was increased from 7 per cent to 11 per cent.

While Ronald Reagan was governor of California the number of state employees increased by 5.7 per cent. This is the mart who promises to cut armies of employees off the federal payroll, who promises to balance the budget, who promises to begin paying off the national debt and who, to top his program of conservative delights, promises to cut taxes to boot.

Some people may be charmed by Ronald Reagan’s pitch; some people may even be persuaded, but the difference between promises and performance, between the Reagan rhetoric and the Reagan record is a difference that should be made plain to the voters of New Hampshire and the rest of the nation.

Several of my friends on the right have questioned the conservative bona fides of Mike Huckabee. I thought this editorial from Reagan’s first run for the nomination against incumbent Gerald Ford was interesting. The Republican establishment was clearly against Reagan, and his run for the 76 nomination was unsuccessful.

Mike Huckabee is no Ronald Reagan. But, a fair comparison of the of the governance by both the Reagan administration in California, and the Huckabee administration in Arkansas shows some striking fiscal simlarities.

If Mike Hukcabee wants to win this election, he needs to serious up on National Security issues, speak clearly on foreign policy matters, and outline his vision for carrying forward the war on terror.

Fiscal conservatism is important. Social conservatism is important. But neither of them mean much at all without national security.

Mid-week linkage

Wednesday reading list from Boortz…

Check out Jamie Dupree’s analysis of the New Hampshire primaries.

In case you didn’t catch it, Hillary Clinton is suggesting that Al Qaeda wants Barack Obama to win the presidential election. Fact is that Al Qaeda would prefer almost any Democrat over a Republican.

Huckabee wants to end the absurdity of anchor babies … birthright citizenship. Oh wait, here comes the flip flop.

Voter ID laws? What’s the problem with asking a voter to prove who they are before they cast a vote? Who could possibly object?

Lamestream media journalists are admitting that it is hard to stay objective when covering Barack Obama … like they were to begin with. Do these reporters carry smelling salts?

Colin Powell sang his praises for Barack Obama on the eve of the New Hampshire primary. Powell says that Obama has not projected himself to be a black candidate – he has never made the race to be about his race.

And is Hillary losing the Hollywood crowd to Barack Obama? Maybe John Edwards?

President Bush actually endorsed Turkey’s bid to join the EU. He says that the Islamic nation could be a “constructive bridge” between the West and the Muslim world.

Clinton staffers seem to be getting desperate. So desperate that they are willing to call Portland, Oregon to make sure that residents are voting in the New Hampshire primary … wait, what?

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants a constitutional amendment to give him more power over state spending.

More than one million immigrants sought US citizenship last year so that they could vote in the 2008 election.

Schools in Britain are finger printing students at lunchtime to make sure that they get the meals that parents want them to eat.

The Supreme Court of Georgia is trying to decide whether or not to continue its policy of banishment, to get rid of criminals within populous areas.

The Dallas Morning News named an Illegal Immigrant as Texan of the Year 2007. Needless to say, there were some very unhappy (legal) Texans.

Four teenagers in Texas have been suspended from school for refusing to get their haircut. Their dress code also specifies that students are not to wear mismatched socks.

A Boy Scout in Maldives managed to save his president from assassination by a man in the crowd with a knife.

Americans are suffering from heart problems caused by fears of terrorism post 9/11.

A badly deformed baby was denied entry to New Zealand for surgery. Now she may be headed to Australia.

A New York town wants to ban silly string from parades because it chips away at the paint of fire trucks.

Police in South Africa say that they have caught the “dumbest criminal.” The man went to the police station and said he had been held at gunpoint by a gang who had stolen his cell phone. So when police called the “stolen” cell phone …

PETA has removed Britney Spears from their Worst Dressed list because “she might not be sanely responsible for her actions.” This includes wearing fur.

Earlier this week there was some discussion of a newsletter written by Ron Paul a few years back .. a newsletter that seemed to be a bit, shall we say, harsh in racial terms. Remember, now … The New Republic isn’t what you would call right-of-center, but here’s an article about Ron Paul as the Angry White Man. Just FYI.

McCain takes NH

Congratulations to Team McCain.

The Republican race is still wide open.

Here is an open thread for your posting pleasure