Evaluating Reagan’s Legacy

For those of you who don’t have today’s date memorized and/or set as a repeating event in your Google Calendar, today is Ronald Reagan’s birthday. Over on the main page, we have the first of three articles evaluating the Gipper’s legacy in the dawning Age of Obama. First up, former Doublethink blogger and refugee from the Culture11 tragedy, James Poulos:

Jimmy Carter, under the influence of the brilliant sociologist Christopher Lasch, threw a national malaise; everybody came, but no one wanted to be there, and the Democratic party became the Worst. Party. Ever. Reagan rode to triumph. There is one thing that critics of optimism’s excesses might miss: Though we’re shy about it, Americans really do want to be ennobled. Representative Reagan was no blueblood, but his stand against the reality of communism was elevating in its greatness. And Obama, to the extent that he may not have much of a choice, has a chance to inspire millions of Americans to heroically trust that the best of our attitude can survive a return to reality.

Very perceptive insights into the similarities of the moment.

Hie! Read it!