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Where have all the Critics Gone? By Jon Eekhoff

June 14, 2004

Conservatives are wondering where all the Reagan critics went. Are they holed up somewhere hiding out until our country finishes gushing its appreciation for a man who was once president? Are the members of the media biting their tongues as they reflect on the Reagan legacy?

No, liberals (for the most part) are doing what polite people do when someone dies, they reflect on what was good about the deceased person. Instead of dwelling on the many errors of the Reagan administration, liberals are looking at the positives: The end of the Cold War, a renewal of pride within our country and a president who would smile no matter how bad the news got. The lack of attacks on Reagan's policies should surprise no one.

Eventually Bill Clinton will die and the same process will take place. People who despised him will find good in him. They will reflect on the growth of our economy during the Clinton years, the shrinking of the deficit, and development of America as the world's only superpower. There will be a few conservative pundits who will take the opportunity to say one last critical word about Clinton, but most will take the high road and say a few kind words.

Reagan has been a difficult target for the past ten years, his Alzheimer's disease and slow decline humanized him for most of us who criticized his presidency. The jokes about Reagan and his, "I don't recall" statements during the Iran/Contra hearings were not funny when he announced he had been stricken with Alzheimer's. His wife Nancy, who was never a very sympathetic figure in my eyes, suddenly had an enormous burden to bear that even her harshest critic would not have wished on her. The Reagan family that had once been fractured, slowly mended old wounds and became friendly again.

Reagan as a person was far more appealing than Reagan as a president. Most of our politicians today are likeable people; they would not be elected if they weren't. I can imagine that Reagan was a charming and amusing person to be around when he was running the White House. Much of what has been said about him in the past week has been about his sense of humor and positive outlook.

Whether Reagan was a good president or not will now be left to the historians. Fifty years from now will we look at Reagan as a great president or will he be more remembered for his blunders? Time has a way of washing away many of the negative aspects of our past presidents. J. F. Kennedy is certainly looked at today with a great deal of nostalgia, but he was not a terribly popular president while he wore the crown. Looking further back into history we can see lists of presidents who we revere today but during their tenures were unpopular with the masses.

Reagan's legacy for conservatives will be, and has been, an example for others to follow. George W Bush has probably followed Reagan's trail more than he has followed his own father's. The parallels one can draw between George W and Reagan are many and conservatives rejoice that the Reagan torch has been passed to another generation. If there is one Reagan lesson Bush has employed more than any other it is the "Aw shucks" demeanor he has when dealing with the media. It bought Reagan a great deal of good will and is bringing Bush his fair share also.

For liberals Reagan was the Teflon president, the man in which no criticism seemed to stick. His support of Central American dictators, ballooning deficit and trickle down economics might be something that history will damn, but at this time it seems unlikely.

Reagan's "slickness" irritated liberals much in the same way Clinton's "slickness" irritates conservatives. Clinton would like to be remembered as a Kennedy follower, but probably has more in common with Reagan than any other modern president. Both men were born into families with modest means, both men were governors, both men had abrasive wives, both men were well liked by the people and despised by the other party and both men had an optimism that transcended any situation. Clinton certainly learned a great deal about being president from Reagan.

Watching Nancy Reagan place her head on her husband's coffin was a reminder to all of us that beyond our political beliefs and disagreements we are all very human and fragile. Here was a woman who had lost her husband, a man she had shared a great portion of her life with and loved a great deal. Now is not the time to toss stones at the Reagan presidency and so if you are looking for critics in the wake of his death you will have to wait until the country finishes saying goodbye.

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Jon Eekhoff is a teacher in Western Washington, and one of the 5 greatest basketball players to hail from Lemoore, California.