Sharing My Story

Ronald Reagan’s election in 1980 as President
was like a dream come true for political
conservatives. It seemed like the country
had finally caught to where Barry Goldwater
was in 1964. So much of what Goldwater
had espounded was repeated by Reagan.
Perhaps the difference between Goldwater
and Reagan was more in style and personality.
While Goldwater was perceived as being
hardnosed and blunt Reagan was more of
a bridge builder with winsome and, yes,
charismatic appeal.

The US was in a different position in 1980
than it was in 1964. In 1964 the economy
was strong and employment was good.
In 1980 both high inflation and high
unemployment gave Reagan a real
challenge during his first several years
in office and this wasn’t even counting
the threats from overseas from an
expanding Soviet communism.

As mentioned previously Barry Goldwater’s
memoir “With No Apologies” was written
in 1979 and was in large measure a
complaint on the US decline in the
international arena during the previous
40 or so years under both Republican
and Democratic presidents. The question
was could this this movie actor governor
from California halt this decline?

I had high but guarded hopes for Ronald Reagan.