Don't Look Back

As I have watched a couple of the debates for both the Republican and Democratic primaries, one thing that has struck me is how backward looking both parties are. The Republicans try their hardest to be the one who emulates all the qualities of Ronald Reagan, while the Hillary supporters on the Democratic side want to restore the Clinton years. I find this a little sad in both regards. It's not that I'm not in favor of learning from history. History was one of my favorite subjects in school. Also, if there was ever a time to look back at history (particularly recent history) and learn over arching lessons, this would be it. Still, I can't help but be moved by the candidates who represent a break from the past.

If you look at both people who are being revered, if not outright worshiped, you can't help but notice that they both broke from their parties past to create something new for themselves. Now I am not going to pass judgment on either Reagan or Clinton, but the one thing they have in common is moving their parties in a different direction and create a new dynamic. Reagan, ran several times for the Republican nomination before winning the presidency in 1980. Each time, he ran into the establishment of the party. I'll use the term Rockefeller Republicans, even though it probably over simplifies it. Reagan created a new coalition of economic conservatives and social conservatives that created a core group of voters that was very difficult to defeat. By appealing to both types of voters, he managed to attract many middle of the road voters, Reagan Democrats, as an example. Bill Clinton did something similar when he ran in 1992. He established himself as a member of the DLC, a movement created by the conservative, mostly southern wing of the Democratic party. He had to break from the old establishment of the Great Society and New Deal Republicans that had served as the bedrock of the Democratic party for over 50 years. By running as a fiscally conservative, socially liberal Democrat, he was able to reach back to the people who had abandoned the Democratic party. Now, we can argue the finer points of the background and who was more successful, but I think both presidents owe their fortunes to breaking with the past.

Now, fast forward to today's election. The Republicans are all trying to be Reagan, going so far to even hold one of the debates at the Reagan Library. I was waiting for someone to pull out a ouija board and consult him directly. It seems clear to me that none of the remaining candidates, McCain, Huckabee, and Ron Paul are him. Ron Paul represents the Libertarian wing of the party, Huckabee is socially conservative and fiscally moderate, and McCain has spent his career poking people in his own party in the eye when they didn't agree with him. The reality is that Reagan wouldn't have even passed this test. Former governor of socially liberal state who had signed the most liberal abortion law in the history of California. You can hear them raking him over the coals now. It's time for the Republicans to move toward the future. Make your own mark. Transformational figures like Reagan come once every 50 years.

The Democrats have a similar problem with their one candidate. Hillary Clinton is counting on people looking back to her husband's term and her supporters do so enthusiastically. Her whole campaign is based partly on her "record" as first lady. Obama is the one person in this race that represents a look to the future. That was then, this is now.

Perhaps it is natural for both parties to want to look to the past, but I do not think it is healthy. Time to write our own story.