Republicans anticipate significant wins in the next legislative elections and the 2024 presidential race.
Meanwhile, forces working against Democrats include rising inflation, a sluggish economy, potential recession, crippling debt, and a populace growing more dissatisfied with the leftward shift of Democratic leadership.
Modern Conservatives
However, Republicans are also quite fractured, particularly over former President Trump. In their internal disputes, they also fail to take into account strong advantages that helped the Republican Party achieve its current fortunate situation.
These positive trends are largely a result of Ronald Reagan’s legacy. In three different ways, Reagan resurrected American conservatism.
First, he brought the Republican Party’s liberal and conventional wings together and restored its competitiveness in politics.
Republicans had just four years’ worth of dominance over Congress in the 48 years prior to 1981, including 16 years in the White House and four years in each of the House and Senate.
They had the power of the Senate for 22 years (Democrats for 20), the Congress for 20 years (Democrats for 22), as well as the White House for 24 years in the 42 years after 1981. (Democrats 20).
Republicans bemoan the fact this political shift did not succeed in winning the culture war, but they fail to recognize that without various conservative media outlets, they would not be in a position to significantly influence that culture war.
This feat was unimaginable 40 years ago.
President Ronald Reagan’s ideals inspired me to leave the party of my youth and become a Republican like he did and it was an honor to sit down with the @ReaganInstitute Strategy Group in Utah last week! pic.twitter.com/xI3RCHCS1s
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) July 10, 2022
Second, Reagan developed a limited-government, supply-side approach to economics that gave millions of people control over financial choices, rather than bureaucrats in the federal government and legislative special interests.
People who received tax breaks distributed resources and boosted the economy. Three decades of market-driven economic progress and global equality were sparked by their decisions.
Up until Reagan, the sole option was Keynesianism, which involved tax hikes and increased government expenditures.
Reagan Saved the World
Third, Reagan’s initiatives led to the abolition of the Cold War and the unprecedented spread of peace and freedom. His international policy was not liberal, but conservative.
It advocated for a world of powerful nation-states, as opposed to all-encompassing global institutions, autonomous national defenses, as opposed to collective security, and open competition, as opposed to expert-driven globalization.
Reagan’s agenda supported the defense of liberty where it exists, increased burden-sharing by allies, and agreements to promote democratic reforms.
Ronald Reagan never left office.
The reason 80s nostalgia has been so inescapable since the 80s ended is because, in every meaningful way, we are living in Ronald Reagan’s 11th term.
Everything he built still haunts this country, even the stuff that’s nominally been abolished.
— comicalArchitect enjoys funnybooks (@gynoidprincess) July 9, 2022
He referred to the Soviet Union as an “evil empire” and pushed it to a weapons race outside of discussions unless it underwent an internal change and agreed to agreements that supported freedom.
These are all important legacies today. If the Republican Party doesn’t have a passionate base (Mitt Romney?) or seeks to win with just its base (Donald Trump?), it won’t succeed in 2022 or 2024.
If government expenditures, regulations, and financial excess are not curbed, inflation will surge. The GDP will stagnate and debt will rise.
Unless America and its allies share the responsibilities more fairly and equip their diplomacy to safeguard the democratic victories of the previous 75 years, they will not be able to meet new challenges presented by authoritarian states in Russia, China, North Korea, as well as Iran.
