Back in 2022, the question was: Christ or Chaos? Back in 2019, the question was: what are we trying to conserve? The “civil war” on the right embodied by Tucker Carlson vs Ben Shapiro (or Netanyahu) is largely the same battle as before where many up and coming voices question the accomplishments of those who came before. The traditional conservatism I grew up with shattered sometime after 2015, due to Donald Trump, gay marriage, and the inability or unwillingness to wield power. Prior to that, the wins I recall in my lifetime for the right were sparing (more on that later).
Enter Dinesh D’Souza, a longtime grifter Christian Zionist, to defend the legacy and accomplishments of neoconservatism. Gabe Guidarini, of TPUSA, raised the issue that the Reagan Coalition achieved nothing. D’Souza calls him out, specifically, in a response.
Winning The Cold War
Dinesh D’Souza claims that the Reagan generation won the Cold War, saying that the Boomer generation was unsuccessful in this endeavor. On the surface, Gen Z was just voting when Reagan became President. Reagan, himself, was part of the generation that fought in WWII. So, D’Souza draws a generational line that I certainly would not have when it comes to Gen X and the Boomers (more on that later).
D’Souza notes that the Cold War was won without firing a shot, which largely signifies that previous generations did the work. In response, Guidarini points out that the Soviet Union was the largest contributor to its own downfall.
Firstly, the Soviets contributed to their own downfall the most. And even if we played a role, the communists have invaded our institutions today. We did not have a communist running our largest city in the 80s. Ironically, Reagan himself implemented the amnesty which led to victories like Mamdani’s on Tuesday. You “won” the war abroad and forgot the war at home.
The Cold War victory was lost at home with the rise of Cultural Marxism here. Moreover, I would point out that Richard Nixon separating Russia from China was critical to America’s Cold War success. Reagan was handed a considerable lead in the Cold War, especially as Soviet leaders kept dying, only for the incompetent Mikhail Gorbachev to take over.
“America has retained its number-one position in the world.”
D’Souza argues that America became decisively number one under the Reagan generation. This much is true. But to use a sports analogy, Mike Tomlin won a Super Bowl with his predecessor’s team early in his head coaching career. Now Tomlin hasn’t won a playoff game in a decade despite having top-tier talent. America being on top while in a state of decline is much like celebrating mediocrity in sports.
Preserving Free Markets
This is perhaps the most overrated of the claims. The neoconservative tide sought economic libertarianism, which entailed free trade. So while deregulation was beneficial for the nation, free trade sent manufacturing jobs overseas, destroying many towns in the United States. Reagan was instrumental in setting the stage for NAFTA and transforming the US economy in ways that removed opportunities for quality jobs once afforded to middle class Americans.
Donald Trump represents, consistently so, a repudiation of Reagan’s free trade economics. Trump’s empahsis on tariffs are a completely necessary solution as America faces the rise of automation, whereas free trade leaves many Americans behind under the illusion that an American company spending its cost of goods sold overseas is somehow a mitigating factor. While Reaganomics help build a middle class in Asia, it hollowed out America’s manufacturing completely.
Overturning Roe v Wade
Dinesh D’Souza credits the Reagan generation with overturning Roe v Wade, but this is an accomplishment of Donald Trump. Ronald Reagan appointed Sandra Day O’Connor to the Supreme Court who solidified Casey v Planned Parenthood. This was in addition to Anthony Kennedy who supported gay marriage. It’s worth mentioning, for charity, that Reagan did appoint two good justices, in Scalia and Rehnquist.
Donald Trump ran on overturning Roe v Wade and put in place the justices to do it. Additionally, it was during the Trump years, for the most part, actual pro-life legislation was passed at the state level, whereas the movement accomplished nothing decades after Casey.
Dinesh D’Souza’s claim is largely stolen valor.
The Actual Accomplishments
D’Souza leaves out some of the biggest accomplishments. The Moral Majority does not get enough credit for legalizing homeschooling.
Homeschooling laws in the United States have undergone significant evolution since the 1980s, transitioning from a period of legalization battles to a more established framework with varying state-level regulations. By the early 1990s, homeschooling had become legal in all 50 states, marking the end of a state-by-state push that began in the 1970s and 1980s.
While Reagan was not great on gun rights, his coalition certainly was. They successfully used the 2nd Amendment as a wedge issue and their victory on these matters continued culminated in DC v Heller.
Conclusion
The successes of the Reagan generation were almost entirely shortlived while the failures of Reagan and his successive influence on the Republican Party did lasting damage to the United States. Amnesty for invaders, immunity for vaccines, and free trade all had devestating effects while the bump in GDP can no longer be felt because of the US dollar’s decreasing buying power.
It’s not that the younger generation is dishonoring the previous generation, it’s that their heroes are not the same.
One Response
I agree, RR protections for the Vax Industry give the infertility rates and disease (and dementia if an attribution can be made there) are crushing. He gifted our production economy to China as well. What they have been doing is grocerylisted by the laws they passed beginning with Ron. https://rumble.com/embed/v24whae/?pub=4