Two decades after Reagan’s death, we cherish his legacy — and wonder if we have the courage to live up to it.
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Former president Ronald Reagan speaks at the opening of his library in Simi, Calif., 1991.
Gary Cameron/Reuters
Since I am a longtime Reagan campaign officer, government-agency head, and admiring author, National Review’s editors have asked me to reflect on Ronald Reagan and what the world looks like now, 20 years since his earthly passing-away. I will pretty much respond by quoting his wisdom rather than my own and drawing some conclusions perhaps relevant for today.
President Reagan would probably begin any such comparison with how things looked to him as he delivered his First Inaugural Address:
About the Author
Donald Devine is a senior scholar at the Fund for American Studies in Washington, D.C. He served as President Ronald Reagan’s civil service director during his first term in office. A former professor, he is the author of eleven books, including his most recent, The Enduring Tension: Capitalism and the Moral Order, and Ronald Reagan’s Enduring Principles.
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Since I am a longtime Reagan campaign officer, government-agency head, and admiring author, National Review’s editors have asked me to reflect on Ronald Reagan and what the world looks like now, 20 years since his earthly passing-away. I will pretty much respond by quoting his wisdom rather than my own and drawing some conclusions perhaps relevant for today.
President Reagan would probably begin any such comparison with how things looked to him as he delivered his First Inaugural Address:
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About the Author
Donald Devine is a senior scholar at the Fund for American Studies in Washington, D.C. He served as President Ronald Reagan’s civil service director during his first term in office. A former professor, he is the author of eleven books, including his most recent, The Enduring Tension: Capitalism and the Moral Order, and Ronald Reagan’s Enduring Principles.
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