Fantasy Reagan

Republicans need to forget Fantasy Reagan. They remember the guy who declared war on Big Govt, brought down the "Evil Empire" and destroyed the Democratic Party.

They forget that Reagan signed treaties with Gorbachev, raised taxes in 1986, appointed liberals like Kennedy to the SC and was the head of the biggest Hollywood union. He nominated the guy who coined "Voodoo Economics" as his VP. He was largely an actor playing a role, while he compromised behind the scenes. Republicans are so enamored with Fantasy Reagan that they forget most of his successes came not from his Rambo image, but from compromising with Democrats. After all, Tip O'Neill ran the House under Reagan and Democrats retook the Senate in 1986 under Lloyd Bentsen's guidance.

Republicans need to realize that bloviating and rhetoric are only half of politics. Getting things done is the other half. Republicans fantasies about Reagan's rhetoric made them forget that he had to compromise to get permanent changes in Washington. Instead, they listened to Dick Cheney's lies that "Reagan proved deficits don't matter" and turned Reagan from a politician into a Super Hero. These myths are costing Republicans dearly, just as the JFK myth cost Democrats for decades.