Ronald Reagan's death Saturday, at 93, has unleashed a torrent of praise for America's 40th president. There's not much we can say in tribute that others can't say far better. But as we all take time this week to reflect on the life and contributions of that extraordinary American, we should also ponder the importance of adapting to a changing world. The Ronald Reagan we knew was the product of lifelong evolution.
Reagan's critics often described him as a man of paradox. The man who defined the modern conservative movement began his political life as a New Deal Democrat. Once crediting President Franklin Roosevelt's public assistance programs for helping friends and relatives survive the Depression, Reagan as president suggested many of the homeless people he saw actually chose to live life on the streets. As president, he famously said, "Government is not the solution. Government is the problem." He campaigned with a pledge to cut government, but he actually increased the size of government once in office.
Tax cuts were central to the Reagan Revolution, but as president he also compromised with Democrats and signed some tax increases.
As a onetime union activist, Reagan also delivered a crippling blow to organized labor. His firing of striking federal air traffic controllers was a galvanizing event early in his presidency.
Perhaps most significantly, after vilifying the Soviet Union as the "Evil Empire," Reagan later sat down with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and negotiated a historic nuclear arms-reduction treaty.
These seeming contradictions actually were the product of change. Things change and changing events often change people's perceptions. Everyone has the right to change his mind - including politicians. It's one thing to ride the fence on an issue, but it does no good to remain consistent if that makes you consistently wrong. Effectiveness - in anything, but especially politics - also requires some degree of pragmatism. Reagan was idealistic, but not really an ideologue. He exuded strength and resolve, but demonstrated remarkable adaptability. For example, he wanted to cut taxes and increase defense spending and balance the budget, but unapologetically settled for two out of the three. He once thought big government was a boon to the people, but later saw what a drag on prosperity and liberty it had become. He caricaturized the Soviets as the Evil Empire, but seized the opportunity for cooperation when a reformer, Gorbachev, rose to power.
The world changed during Reagan's life, and he changed with it. Ultimately, his ability to adapt, from actor to politician, from Democrat to Republican, from Cold War hawk to peacemaker, proved key to his own ability to change the world in turn.
In our culture, we tend to celebrate people who have the courage of their convictions. We don't always appreciate the importance of having the greater courage to change one's convictions.
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