In this, the 55th and final piece that he wrote before his death, William F. Buckley traces his relationship with Reagan from their first meeting (a speech WFB delivered in the gymnasium of a Beverly Hills school) to their last (Reagan’s final appearance on Firing Line). Buckley shares memories and letters that sketch the growth of a true friendship amid the political circumstances and historical context that marks the “golden age” of modern American conservatism. In their time, Buckley and Reagan were giants of public life. It is refreshing to see political allies with such admiration, love and respect for one another privately, as well.
The final paragraph merits quoting in full:
The Reagan years accustomed us to a mood about life and about
government. There were always the interruptions, the potholes of life. But Reagan had strategic vision. He told us that most of our civic problems were problems brought on or exacerbated by government, not problems that could be solved by government. That of course is enduringly true. Only government can cause inflation, preserve monopoly, and punish enterprise. On the other hand it is only a government leader who can put a stamp on the national mood. One refers not to the period of Shakespeare but to the period of Elizabeth. Reagan’s period was brief, but he did indeed put his stamp on it. He did this in part because he was scornful of the claims of omnipotent government, in part because he felt, and expressed, the buoyancy of the American Republic.
Who, oh! who will once again feel and express the “the buoyancy of the American Republic?”
The Reagan I Knew is an inspiring and edifying read for those disparaged by the usual muck and pessimism of political discourse.
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