America in need of dynamic leader

It’s time for a new leader to step up and determine the direction of the Republican Party as the day of the Reagan Republicans has come to an end, causing fragmentation of the Grand Old Party and politics as a whole.

Whether you loathed him or loved him, most people have to admit Ronald Reagan impacted the country like no president since John F. Kennedy. Reagan brought a newfound sense of pride in being an American, his administration beginning after the malaise of the Jimmy Carter administration, which came on the heels of a disenfranchisement of the people from their government caused by the Vietnam War and Watergate. In addition to a renewed confidence in America, Reagan also hastened the ending of the Cold War and brought on an economic boom.

Along with his impact on the country as a whole, Reagan had an even more profound impact on politics itself as he brought Democrats and Republicans to a middle ground, making it politically expedient to be in the middle rather than out on the extremes. The belief of less government involvement in our daily lives and a strong military was very popular with the electorate. Reagan’s legacy, after leaving office, even began a tilt toward the Republican Party during the 1994 elections when the GOP took both houses.

However, little was it known that the 1994 success started the clock on the death of the Reagan Republican which began fading with those fateful midterm elections. Careful what you wish for.

As Ron Paul said during a debate last week about the Republican revolution of 1994, ‘We didn’t change Washington, Washington changed us.’ While I don’t support his bid for president, I do believe he hit the nail on the head as the Reagan ideals for smaller government were trumped by the need of the new Republican lawmakers to get pork barrel projects to their districts and states.

Holding office became more important than holding to the ideals of the office. The Contract with America they signed back in 1994 wasn’t worth the paper it was written on, as it was proven yet again that Washington is an intoxicant that will make you forget what you are about, no matter how high your ideals.

The betrayal of the American voter by the politicians they sent to Washington with high hopes, along with the unpopular administration of George W. Bush, who at some point entered the same bunker mentality that led to the downfall of Richard Nixon, caused a return to polarization of the parties where fragments go out in all directions without any visible base.

This is why people are calling for change this year, not just change in leadership, but change in direction. It was leaders like Reagan, Kennedy, Roosevelt and even Lincoln who initiated great change in our country. It wasn’t change for the sake of change, it was change for the better. And, to make this change they had to bring everyone to a middle ground where things could be accomplished, unlike now when everyone has such different agendas that nothing can be accomplished.

Of course, an unfortunate part of this was if you will look at those four leaders, the big changes happened during trying times in our country’s history, like Lincoln and the Civil War, Roosevelt and the Depression and World War II, Kennedy and the civil rights revolution, the Cold War and Vietnam, and Reagan on post-Watergate and Vietnam and a weakening America. If history is an indicator, it may take a low point to force the change people are wanting and bring about that dynamic leader.

Duane Sherrill is a reporter for the Standard. He can be reached at 473-2191.