It's awkward trying to explain my generations infatuation with Ronald Reagon to the younger libertarians. How can you love this man? He increased the national debt, prosecuted the drug war, increased military spending, provoked international incidents, and involved us in foreign adventurism. Sounds a lot like Bush 43, right?
I admit Reagon is somewhat awkward to explain for a libertarian. To fully understand it you need an appreciation of America in the 70s. It was the time of the Iranian hostage crisis, the oil embargo, high gas prices, high unemployment, double digit inflation, and the constant expansion of global communism. It was a time when most believed the American was in decline.... then came Reagon.
Right after he won the election the Iranians released the hostages. Within his first term unemployment and inflation dropped. He went to Berlin to told the Soviets to "tear down this wall." Although the Soviets weren't listening the East Berliners were. He engaged in warfare against the Sovite economy by starting an arms race that bankrupted them.
Many believe, including myself, that had Jimmy Carter won the election in 1980, we still would have a Sovite Union today. Reagon was no libertarian however he created the climate in which libertarian ideas could flourish.
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