Was Obama Elected to Bury Reaganism?

No, says Peter Wehner.  And not Thatcherism, either.

On March 3, 1980, Thatcher (now Prime Minister) delivered an address whose main burden was placed on the role of the state and the right of the individual to freedom from state interference. “The first principle of this government… is to revive a sense of individual responsibility,” she said.  She went on to say, “What we need is a strong state determined to maintain in good repair the frame which surrounds society. But the frame should not be so heavy or so elaborate as to dominate the whole picture. Ordinary men and women who are neither poor nor suffering should not look to the state as a universal provider.” And she then listed the layers of illusion that “has smothered our moral sense”:

The illusion that government can be a universal provider, and yet society still stay free and prosperous. The illusion that government can print money, and yet the nation still have sound money. The illusion that every loss can be covered by a subsidy. The illusion that we can break the link between reward and effort, and still get the reward.

This is the philosophy that President Obama and his team of propeller heads are seeking to discredit and reverse. The President, facing an economic crisis that demanded action (particularly in the realm of our financial system and credit flow), used this opportunity to attempt a staggering power grab by the federal government. His plans would enlarge its reach and scope beyond anything in our lifetime. And so Barack Obama — supremely ambitious, young, and new — has revived an age-old debate over how the economy works. He is casting his lot with collectivists and statists; his intent is to put us on a glide path to European-style socialism. Unless he is able to suspend the laws of economics, I rather doubt Obama will succeed. As a result, he may end up not repudiating Thatcherism and Reaganism, but revivifying them.

That last bit reminds me of two notions.  The first: "That which doesn't kill me, makes me stronger."  (Not necessarily a truism, but certainly a point of inspiration during tough times).  The second (for the Star Wars fans), from Obi Wan Kenobi: "You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine."

If only.

LLE