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In 1980, Ronald Reagan snagged the Republican nomination from the party's anointed candidate, George H. W. Bush. The elite political establishment and blabbermouth pundits went bonkers. After all, the failed presidency of Jimmy Carter virtually assured the Republicans the presidency.
"He can't win," they carped. "He's too old, too conservative, too dim to be president. What are the voters thinking?" they wailed, "a movie star from Bedtime for Bonzo as our nominee! He'll lead the party to galloping defeat." There was talk of a brokered convention, of resurrecting failed presidential candidate, Gerald Ford, and when those didn't materialize, Republican John Anderson ran as an Independent (1). Take that, Ronnie!
At the time, Iran held 52 American hostages, people were out of work in great numbers, interest rates on a home mortgage hovered around 18%, the country had endured gasoline shortages. In short, America was in a handbasket (2).
In spite of a savage media, the entrenched Republican ruling class who had more in common with the Democrat ruling class than the people, a third party candidate and a crepe hanging punditry, Reagan won. Perhaps afraid the American media was right and the war-mongering aging movie star with the skinny wife might actually send in the marines, Iran released the hostages on the day Reagan was inaugurated.
It took awhile, but slowly America came out of its doldrums. Four years later, Reagan ran for reelection using as a campaign slogan: "It's morning again in America". He won 49 out of 50 states. Only Minnesota (which has twice elected Al Franken) and Washington, DC (whose mayor, Marion Barry, was arrested for possession of cocaine), voted against him.**
As Yogi Berra might have said, "It's deja vu all over again". This year, political outsider, Donald Trump, snagged the Republican Party nomination from the party's anointed candidate, Jeb! who happens to be George H. W. Bush's son. The party establishment and the party's talking heads are appalled that a television reality show star had the unmitigated gall to take on and defeat the politicians in the primaries. "He can't win," they carp. "He'll lead the party into ruin. He's too brash. He's a clown. He's not serious." There was talk of a brokered convention, resurrecting the failed presidential candidate from the previous election (Mitt Romney), and when those didn't pan out, are now supporting an Independent (Evan McMullin). Take that, Donald!
In the ruling political class' insulated world, a Democrat (Hillary Clinton) who belongs to their class is better than a Republican outsider who can't be bought and might not dance at the end of the special interests' strings.
As in 1980, part of their vitriol comes from the belief that the Republican establishment had the presidency in the bag and the cronies who supported them back in clover. Eight years of Barack Obama had left the country in the doldrums. Despite Obama's economists and the media propagandists' claim that America is out of the Great Recession, last quarter's growth of 0.2% (2) has convinced the ninety-two million Americans who can't find a job (3) that's just not true. The border leaks like a sieve, radical Islamic terrorists are slaughtering Westerners in their cities and towns, beheading priests in their churches, and thanks to American intervention(s), Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya are failed states with Syria headed that way***. To complete the circle, Iran just collected a $400 million ransom for four hostages (4).
But there is one big difference between Donald Trump and Ronald Reagan. In 1980, the media, punditry and ruling political establishment were terrified that Reagan might pick a fight with Russia. This year they're afraid Donald Trump won't.
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*The same establishment elite who ignored Ronald Reagan's successful governorship of California likewise is ignoring Donald Trump's many years as a successful business executive.
**Enough said.
***In all honesty, Afghanistan and Iraq cannot be blamed on President Obama. Had President George W. Bush done a better job in Afghanistan and not invaded Iraq, President Obama could not have allowed the resurrection of the Taliban in Afghanistan or administered the coup d'grace in Iraq which then gave rise to the Islamic State and the hegemony Iran over the Middle East.
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