Beautifully written. It gives me hope for America's future. It is so important to teach our youth the true meaning of Americanism when they are fed such toxic rot in the public schools. A leader like Reagan comes along but once in a generation and I would put Trump in that same category. It is sadly rare to find a leader who sees his job as strengthening our founding principles of individual liberty. Instead we get leaders who seek to empower their party, expand government and enrich themselves all at the expense of individual liberty.
Excellent Article…brought to mind on of the Gipper’s quotes, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction…it must be fought for & defended by each generation”
looking forward to the soon to be released Reagan movie…
I discovered the YAF when first moving to California from Virginia. I was an independent-leaning voter. The young college students were impressive in their social interaction with elders, desires to find solutions, personal pride and a host of other remarkable qualities. Quite the contrast from combative, protesting for the sake of protesting youth groups, this YAF modeled on the principles of Reagan was an extraordinary group of independent thinkers and leaders. It is DEEPLY disturbing that YAF has been censored and banned from college campus forums. Worse is that campus administrators ALLOWED the bullies-against-free speech to prevail. Col. West lends his help, his microphone as we all should do if we wish for ‘Peace through Strength’ to prevail.
Nancy there’s so much to unpack here. But you do make your case. When one’s vision is blurry, it’s difficult to clearly see what’s right before your eyes.
I’ve used this reference before, but you can’t have a conservation with a drunk. Same rule applies to those whose brains have been poisoned with socialist propaganda. You’re wasting your breath trying to make someone understand who just can’t listen.
Nancy it’s so clear how much destruction to America has occurred in the last four years it would take pages to list it all, but let’s begin with what is obvious to everyone without blinders. The key items are 20% inflation. Trump was about 1%. Biden and his minions allowed 10 million strangers in your backyard. Most are of military age, planning right now to kill you and as many Americans as possible. They don’t care what your beliefs are. And we don’t have a clue who they are or where they are. Fentanyl, made in China and manufactured by the Mexican cartels are dispensing the drug across our non-existent border and killed well over 100,000 Americans a year, sadly mostly are your neighbor’s sons or daughters.
Crime is off the charts. Schools are failing. Gas prices, taxes, insurance, interest rates, home ownership, cars, everything is through the roof. I don’t have to site statistics because you can look them up as easily as I can. But it wouldn’t matter anyway. Liberals don’t believe in the truth and facts give them a headache.
To debate all your points is fruitless. I could tear apart each one but that’s more work than I care to do and again, you still wouldn’t believe the truth anyway.
And finally, the left behaves like Trump is going to be this evil creature. For some reason liberal socialist democrats forgot he was already president, and the country was in the best shape it had ever been in decades. That’s why he’s going to win, despite how badly the democrats are going to cheat. When you see the black community recognize how much better off they were under Trump and flocking to him in droves, that’s the real testament to how bad Biden and the demokrats have failed, not only to them but everyone else.
The jig is up. Socialism, government control, DEI, class warfare, reverse racism, didn’t work. Time to get back to normal.
This is somewhat random, but once upon a time I got a chance to visit Rancho del Cielo on a day when Reagan was not there. Walking the property I saw the most amazing thing: a million bright red ladybugs looking like moulten lava, spread across the ground and trees. Sacred ground indeed, where once a year the local ladybugs converge for a huge gathering. Driven by instinct they seek a high place for this once in a lifetime event. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Z6xRexbIU
I love this! Thank you for this wonderfully written article. I also wanted to thank you for supporting YAF. My son has attended many YAF High School/College Conferences and it has been life changing. He is now 19 and running for the #21 District State Senate Seat. Thank you for investing in these amazing students.
Ugh… YSF apparently failed in its lessons or your son missed the session on how preparedness, community service, knowledge of history and public policy — local, state, and national — are pre-requisites to running for public office. As the mother of a 6 year YAF alum and MIT grad, who is 31, he could only say “unbelieveable, far too young”. I question who is giving him so much bad advice. Your candidate son filed using the Mt Carmel Catholic Chirch address (thereby jeopardizing this historic church its tax exempt status). Your son will continue to be denied entry to important legislative meetings until age 21. He was denied entry to the recent annual COLAB Meeting at Chumash attended by several hundred local moderates and conservatives who know the importance of COLAB and specifically watchdog Andy Caldwell. Its tragic SBRCC cannot field qualified candidates as it has in past decades to debate the issues. sad
I was denied entry to COLAB by Chumash Casino staff who refused to let me walk through the casino to the event room. I have been allowed to enter political events in other casino venues, bars, etc. in a fully legal fashion.
All official legislative functions in the State are open to all elected Legislators, and the minimum age to hold office in the State Assembly/Senate in CA is 18.
I was actually advised to use my mother’s office at OLMC as a public mailing address until I acquired a PO Box in a matter of days before filing. I questioned whether or not it was appropriate but was told it was fine. As soon as I was told it would be an issue, I went to the county elections office and amended the necessary form(s), which were not yet even officially submitted to the State.
I understand there are rumors being spread about me, my campaign, and my views, at the moment. I know, with a decent level of assuredness, the individual at their source, and I will speak to them directly soon. Be wary of any information floating around, and feel free to email me directly (ElijahMackForCalifornia@gmail.com) with any questions.
Trust, but verify is a Russian proverb, which is rhyming in Russian. The phrase became internationally known in English after Suzanne Massie, a scholar of Russian history, taught it to Ronald Reagan, then president of the United States, the latter of whom used it on several occasions in the context of nuclear disarmament discussions with the Soviet Union. Wikipedia
Great article Henry, so interesting and well written, thank you. My father in law was Reagan’s N. California finance chairman and knew him quite well. He said Reagan was everything he appeared to be - a solid, good man and a true patriot. A real winner, just like our beautiful Trumpy!
Thanks for the article about Reagan. He was undoubtedly the greatest president of my lifetime. What was fantastic about him is that not only was he transformational politically and ideologically, he was a good and likeable human being who people wanted to emulate, something sorely lacking in the two people we have running in 2024.
Wow! The address was corrected immediately and was a computer mix up. Encouraging the youth and guiding them through the political process is important. I am thankful to the many people on both sides of the aisle who are kind, helpful and encouraging to our future leaders.
A number of years ago, a visit to the Reagan Ranch was arranged through a Reagan Center volunteer. This was a thrill of a lifetime as this small random group of strangers were offered an intimate tour of this well-known and often photographed residence. We were awkwardly making small talk during a break when the YAF volunteer asked a pointed political question.
We stammered and hemmed and hawed a bit until we realized we were still operating from our own self-imposed Santa Barbara censorship mode - never discuss one's conservative, let alone pro-Trump leanings in public his town. We breathed a collective sigh of relief when we realized we were in fact finally in a setting among peers, where we could celebrate our own points of view. Ouch.
I always enjoyed the stories of my step father Charles Dixon Trombold of his boyhood adventures with "Dutch" Reagan in Dixon, Illinois. Like Dutch, Charles retired from being an executive to creating and running a ranch where each morning he would mount his horse Toby and, with his dogs, ride off to mend fences and tend to his cows.
I had a friend that owned a ranch very near Reagan’s. When he was at the ranch, we’d get stopped and had to show IDs as well. My friend always complained about the helicopters flying over invading his privacy. My former mother-in-law hosted fundraising events for President Reagan when he was running for Governor. Interesting times. Loved your article. Spot on!
Ronald Reagan did more than most presidents to fundamentally harm this country, with his genial bows toward racism, union-busting, anti-government and “me first” approach to life. His regime started the decline in union membership, the uptick in wage stagnation and income inequality and hollowing out of the middle class. To yearn for four more Trump years says it all. Woe is us if that happens.
California has shown what happens when unions gain too much power, and now sit on both sides of the bargaining table in the pubic sector. Unions in the private sector made themselves uncompetitive, which had nothing to do with Reagan.
After 2000, when public sector unions learned how to game elections which in fact did put their own self-interests on both sides of the taxpayer bargaining table, is when this state started rotting from within. Again, nothing to do with Reagan, but a lot to do with RINO Arnold Schwarzenegger's ultimate betrayal of the voters who put him in office.
It’s laughable in 2024 to speak of unions having “too much power”, and of course you don’t address the issues of wage stagnation, skyrocketing income inequality and decimation of the middle class, attributable to union decline, encouraged by Reagan. Apparently all of that corporate power and wage depression (not to mention offshoring) is just fine with Republicans, who believe in socialism for the wealthy and capitalism for the rest of us. Yes, unions exercise collective rights that are anathema to the corporate “persons” who profit from their own agglomeration of capital and benefit from corporate welfare and fictional personhood (e.g., Citizens United), but that is the only counterbalance to the pervasive takeover and disproportionate influence corporations have in this country and this state, which is flourishing, not rotting from within.
Choking on the standard litany of buzzwords here, sorry. First level of discussion - distinguish between public sector unions from private sector unions. Two different entities, even though former private sector unions are now making inroads into the public sector to compensate for self-inflicted membership losses in the private sector.
Consumers are stakeholders in private industry unions. Laws of the marketplace prevail. But taxpayers are stakeholders in public sector unions, and we are mandatory players in this gaming since we are forced to provide the stakes.
Ira, unlike Mr. Schulte and other Trump supporters chiming in here , I see no common ground between Trump and Reagan. Quite the opposite actually. Trump has the lowest moral standards of any President in my lifetime . That includes the scoundrel Bill Clinton.
I don’t believe Nancy would ever have allowed her Ronnie to associate with the likes of Trump.
Reagan started us down the slippery slopes of racism, reflexive anti-government, anti-union, anti-civil rights pro-pollution, anti-collective power. While I will assume that Ronnie was not the moral cesspool that Trump is, his policies and genial manner in interjecting them made them more palatable.
Beautifully written. It gives me hope for America's future. It is so important to teach our youth the true meaning of Americanism when they are fed such toxic rot in the public schools. A leader like Reagan comes along but once in a generation and I would put Trump in that same category. It is sadly rare to find a leader who sees his job as strengthening our founding principles of individual liberty. Instead we get leaders who seek to empower their party, expand government and enrich themselves all at the expense of individual liberty.
We are definitely at a turning point for sure. Or possible in a death spiral that we can not pull out of.
Excellent Article…brought to mind on of the Gipper’s quotes, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction…it must be fought for & defended by each generation”
looking forward to the soon to be released Reagan movie…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njLPMG8qZ5M&t=4s
Truth rings loudly when presented to those with ears to hear. You’re a gift to us right thinking souls. Thank you Henry.
I discovered the YAF when first moving to California from Virginia. I was an independent-leaning voter. The young college students were impressive in their social interaction with elders, desires to find solutions, personal pride and a host of other remarkable qualities. Quite the contrast from combative, protesting for the sake of protesting youth groups, this YAF modeled on the principles of Reagan was an extraordinary group of independent thinkers and leaders. It is DEEPLY disturbing that YAF has been censored and banned from college campus forums. Worse is that campus administrators ALLOWED the bullies-against-free speech to prevail. Col. West lends his help, his microphone as we all should do if we wish for ‘Peace through Strength’ to prevail.
Nancy there’s so much to unpack here. But you do make your case. When one’s vision is blurry, it’s difficult to clearly see what’s right before your eyes.
I’ve used this reference before, but you can’t have a conservation with a drunk. Same rule applies to those whose brains have been poisoned with socialist propaganda. You’re wasting your breath trying to make someone understand who just can’t listen.
Nancy it’s so clear how much destruction to America has occurred in the last four years it would take pages to list it all, but let’s begin with what is obvious to everyone without blinders. The key items are 20% inflation. Trump was about 1%. Biden and his minions allowed 10 million strangers in your backyard. Most are of military age, planning right now to kill you and as many Americans as possible. They don’t care what your beliefs are. And we don’t have a clue who they are or where they are. Fentanyl, made in China and manufactured by the Mexican cartels are dispensing the drug across our non-existent border and killed well over 100,000 Americans a year, sadly mostly are your neighbor’s sons or daughters.
Crime is off the charts. Schools are failing. Gas prices, taxes, insurance, interest rates, home ownership, cars, everything is through the roof. I don’t have to site statistics because you can look them up as easily as I can. But it wouldn’t matter anyway. Liberals don’t believe in the truth and facts give them a headache.
To debate all your points is fruitless. I could tear apart each one but that’s more work than I care to do and again, you still wouldn’t believe the truth anyway.
And finally, the left behaves like Trump is going to be this evil creature. For some reason liberal socialist democrats forgot he was already president, and the country was in the best shape it had ever been in decades. That’s why he’s going to win, despite how badly the democrats are going to cheat. When you see the black community recognize how much better off they were under Trump and flocking to him in droves, that’s the real testament to how bad Biden and the demokrats have failed, not only to them but everyone else.
The jig is up. Socialism, government control, DEI, class warfare, reverse racism, didn’t work. Time to get back to normal.
This is somewhat random, but once upon a time I got a chance to visit Rancho del Cielo on a day when Reagan was not there. Walking the property I saw the most amazing thing: a million bright red ladybugs looking like moulten lava, spread across the ground and trees. Sacred ground indeed, where once a year the local ladybugs converge for a huge gathering. Driven by instinct they seek a high place for this once in a lifetime event. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Z6xRexbIU
I love this! Thank you for this wonderfully written article. I also wanted to thank you for supporting YAF. My son has attended many YAF High School/College Conferences and it has been life changing. He is now 19 and running for the #21 District State Senate Seat. Thank you for investing in these amazing students.
Ugh… YSF apparently failed in its lessons or your son missed the session on how preparedness, community service, knowledge of history and public policy — local, state, and national — are pre-requisites to running for public office. As the mother of a 6 year YAF alum and MIT grad, who is 31, he could only say “unbelieveable, far too young”. I question who is giving him so much bad advice. Your candidate son filed using the Mt Carmel Catholic Chirch address (thereby jeopardizing this historic church its tax exempt status). Your son will continue to be denied entry to important legislative meetings until age 21. He was denied entry to the recent annual COLAB Meeting at Chumash attended by several hundred local moderates and conservatives who know the importance of COLAB and specifically watchdog Andy Caldwell. Its tragic SBRCC cannot field qualified candidates as it has in past decades to debate the issues. sad
Greetings! This is Elijah.
I was denied entry to COLAB by Chumash Casino staff who refused to let me walk through the casino to the event room. I have been allowed to enter political events in other casino venues, bars, etc. in a fully legal fashion.
All official legislative functions in the State are open to all elected Legislators, and the minimum age to hold office in the State Assembly/Senate in CA is 18.
I was actually advised to use my mother’s office at OLMC as a public mailing address until I acquired a PO Box in a matter of days before filing. I questioned whether or not it was appropriate but was told it was fine. As soon as I was told it would be an issue, I went to the county elections office and amended the necessary form(s), which were not yet even officially submitted to the State.
I understand there are rumors being spread about me, my campaign, and my views, at the moment. I know, with a decent level of assuredness, the individual at their source, and I will speak to them directly soon. Be wary of any information floating around, and feel free to email me directly (ElijahMackForCalifornia@gmail.com) with any questions.
Have a blessed day!
Great stories! Thanks.
Trust, but verify is a Russian proverb, which is rhyming in Russian. The phrase became internationally known in English after Suzanne Massie, a scholar of Russian history, taught it to Ronald Reagan, then president of the United States, the latter of whom used it on several occasions in the context of nuclear disarmament discussions with the Soviet Union. Wikipedia
Great article Henry, so interesting and well written, thank you. My father in law was Reagan’s N. California finance chairman and knew him quite well. He said Reagan was everything he appeared to be - a solid, good man and a true patriot. A real winner, just like our beautiful Trumpy!
Thanks for the article about Reagan. He was undoubtedly the greatest president of my lifetime. What was fantastic about him is that not only was he transformational politically and ideologically, he was a good and likeable human being who people wanted to emulate, something sorely lacking in the two people we have running in 2024.
Wow! The address was corrected immediately and was a computer mix up. Encouraging the youth and guiding them through the political process is important. I am thankful to the many people on both sides of the aisle who are kind, helpful and encouraging to our future leaders.
A number of years ago, a visit to the Reagan Ranch was arranged through a Reagan Center volunteer. This was a thrill of a lifetime as this small random group of strangers were offered an intimate tour of this well-known and often photographed residence. We were awkwardly making small talk during a break when the YAF volunteer asked a pointed political question.
We stammered and hemmed and hawed a bit until we realized we were still operating from our own self-imposed Santa Barbara censorship mode - never discuss one's conservative, let alone pro-Trump leanings in public his town. We breathed a collective sigh of relief when we realized we were in fact finally in a setting among peers, where we could celebrate our own points of view. Ouch.
I always enjoyed the stories of my step father Charles Dixon Trombold of his boyhood adventures with "Dutch" Reagan in Dixon, Illinois. Like Dutch, Charles retired from being an executive to creating and running a ranch where each morning he would mount his horse Toby and, with his dogs, ride off to mend fences and tend to his cows.
I had a friend that owned a ranch very near Reagan’s. When he was at the ranch, we’d get stopped and had to show IDs as well. My friend always complained about the helicopters flying over invading his privacy. My former mother-in-law hosted fundraising events for President Reagan when he was running for Governor. Interesting times. Loved your article. Spot on!
Ronald Reagan did more than most presidents to fundamentally harm this country, with his genial bows toward racism, union-busting, anti-government and “me first” approach to life. His regime started the decline in union membership, the uptick in wage stagnation and income inequality and hollowing out of the middle class. To yearn for four more Trump years says it all. Woe is us if that happens.
California has shown what happens when unions gain too much power, and now sit on both sides of the bargaining table in the pubic sector. Unions in the private sector made themselves uncompetitive, which had nothing to do with Reagan.
After 2000, when public sector unions learned how to game elections which in fact did put their own self-interests on both sides of the taxpayer bargaining table, is when this state started rotting from within. Again, nothing to do with Reagan, but a lot to do with RINO Arnold Schwarzenegger's ultimate betrayal of the voters who put him in office.
It’s laughable in 2024 to speak of unions having “too much power”, and of course you don’t address the issues of wage stagnation, skyrocketing income inequality and decimation of the middle class, attributable to union decline, encouraged by Reagan. Apparently all of that corporate power and wage depression (not to mention offshoring) is just fine with Republicans, who believe in socialism for the wealthy and capitalism for the rest of us. Yes, unions exercise collective rights that are anathema to the corporate “persons” who profit from their own agglomeration of capital and benefit from corporate welfare and fictional personhood (e.g., Citizens United), but that is the only counterbalance to the pervasive takeover and disproportionate influence corporations have in this country and this state, which is flourishing, not rotting from within.
Choking on the standard litany of buzzwords here, sorry. First level of discussion - distinguish between public sector unions from private sector unions. Two different entities, even though former private sector unions are now making inroads into the public sector to compensate for self-inflicted membership losses in the private sector.
Consumers are stakeholders in private industry unions. Laws of the marketplace prevail. But taxpayers are stakeholders in public sector unions, and we are mandatory players in this gaming since we are forced to provide the stakes.
Right-on J !
I think most of the country is still waiting for the drops to show up via the trickle down economics.
Ira, unlike Mr. Schulte and other Trump supporters chiming in here , I see no common ground between Trump and Reagan. Quite the opposite actually. Trump has the lowest moral standards of any President in my lifetime . That includes the scoundrel Bill Clinton.
I don’t believe Nancy would ever have allowed her Ronnie to associate with the likes of Trump.
Reagan started us down the slippery slopes of racism, reflexive anti-government, anti-union, anti-civil rights pro-pollution, anti-collective power. While I will assume that Ronnie was not the moral cesspool that Trump is, his policies and genial manner in interjecting them made them more palatable.