Win One For The Gipper                                                                   By: Brian J. Phillips



Sad to say but I think that the passing of President Reagan signals the end of traditional Conservatism
in American. Dr. Samuel Francis has long contended that American Conservatism is dead. We just don’t know
it and are living like a zombie. We are really dead but think that we are alive. Sadly like a zombie we
are sucking the lifeblood, consuming the remaining brainpower and destroying our constitutional
republican form of government.

While listening to the many commentators during the week following the passing of President Reagan I
became enraged at many who spoke fondly of his great legacy. Many of those lavishing praises upon the
President have done exactly the opposite of all that President Ronald Reagan fought for bravely in his
life. No one picked up on this nor challenged any of these hypocrites.

Many of the so-called Conservatives of today are "fiscal only." Boy is that a joke when one looks at the
federal budget and our national debt. Then we have the new "compassionate Conservatives" that develop
more programs and spend more money then the Liberals. Seems they have forgotten the words of President
Reagan that, "Government is not the solution. Government is the problem." The words of President Reagan
echo those of President Thomas Jefferson who said, "The government which govern best, governs least."

The great legacy of President Reagan who revived and energized American Conservatism has been forgotten
and abandoned by the party whose standard he was proud to carry. Perhaps it is merciful that God did not
allow President Reagan to be unaware of this abandonment. However, it certainly would have been
interesting to hear his comments on this new "compassionate" Conservatism and the present state of
American politics.

Let me begin to list the abandonment of the true Conservative legacy of President Reagan:

*President Reagan argued for the abolition of the Department of Education correctly pointing out that
education was not one of the specific delegated powers of Congress or the national government in the
Constitution. Powers not specifically delegated to the national government are reserved to the people and
to the states. Under the present administration and Congress we have seen increased funding of the
Department of Education and more involvement of the federal government in education via the No Child Left
Behind Act. This Act is in fact regulation of a matter reserved to the states and to the people directly.

Sure the enticement is by funding to the states and local communities. However, to acquire the funding
local schools must meet a ton of regulations and conform to new national standards. The current program
even specifies the course training and certification for new teachers. Be wary of these efforts to create
a national educational system and to end state and local control of education.

*President Reagan would be appalled to see his party enacting into law the largest social welfare program
ever via the new federal program for senior drug coverage. This program will place into debt countless
generations of Americans and establish yet another federal bureaucracy that will entwine itself into the
daily life of millions of Americans.

*President Reagan would be appalled to see this administration taking the USA back into UNESCO....he took
the USA out of it for some very good reasons.

*President Reagan would be appalled at the current administrations sell out of Taiwan and our appeasement
policy towards Red China. We condemned the right of the people of Taiwan to even hold a referendum on
independence. You can not trade with your enemy and never should you trust them unconditionally.
President Reagan knew that appeasement never works and that evil must always be opposed.

*President Reagan would never go begging to the UN for support, as did President Bush. During the terms
of President Reagan the USA withheld contributions to the UN. We are now accessed over 25% of the UN
budget. Sadly, President Bush has paid all back-dues to the UN without question or protest.

*I am certain that President Reagan would be amazed that we invaded Iraq and now intend to hand over
power to a UN administrator who will oversee elections and the work of the new civilian government. The
prospect of US troops serving under the flag or command of the UN would enrage him as it should all true
patriots.

*Need I mention the ever increasing federal debt and the ever-growing federal budget.

*Social spending has soared under this administration and is out of control.

*Although it is a small budget item, this President increased spending for the NEA, a true waste of money
and yet another example of an issue that the national government has no constitutional mandate to be
involved in.

*The Presidents need to define his new policies as "compassionate conservatism" would make President
Reagan squirm. Does that mean Conservatives were animals, beasts or unkind and uncaring in the past?
Would President Bush place Mr. Reagan in this category of those who lack compassion?

*The sell out of our sovereignty under so-called "free trade" agreements such as NAFTA CAFTA and the
proposed Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) which has been endorsed by the Bush administration
continues without pause or question. Furthermore the Bush White House supports the UN Law of The Sea
Treaty (LOST) which would hand over control of the high seas and its resources to the UN. A colleague of
mine has pointed out that the USA and our national sovereignty is being sold out on the installment plan.
The UN eagerly wants control and regulation of the internet and we will probably give it to them.

*The Bush administration imposed a tariff on steel to "protect’ the American steel industry. When the WTO
ruled against our tariffs the current administration capitulated to the verdict of this unaccountable
world bureaucracy. No longer has Congress the right to regulate foreign trade and to impose tariffs. This
power now rests with the WTO, the UN or NAFTA regulatory bodies. Soon the FTAA will be in the picture and
ruling our destiny and future.

*I must add the direct or indirect promotion of "outsourcing" as a benefit to American economy and our
ever increasing trade deficit as we destroy our remaining industrial base and become more and more
dependent on foreign imports.

*Finally on abortion: The President and the GOP campaigned for on a pro-life platform. But since assuming
office the President has envisioned that the present mood of the nation will not tolerate a removal of "
abortion rights." This is clearly an about face and something that President Reagan would never have
done. Sure during the convention lip service will be paid to this issue and maybe a plank will get into
the GOP platform. However, action or in the case of President Bush, inaction speaks louder than words or
platform planks.

True Conservatives need to face these facts, wake up and get out there and win one for the Gipper. I know
he would want us preserve his true legacy and to hand on intact to the next generation the Conservatism
he professed and lived.