By Daniel Nardini
The ghost of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan is now haunting the Republican Party in a way I never thought it would. An advertisement by Ontario Premiere’s Doug Ford featuring the late President Reagan has not only embarrassed current U.S. President Donald Trump but has shown that Trump has led the Republican Party into a direction vastly different from what it was. In a speech given by Reagan back in 1987, he made it very clear that he was for free trade, no tariffs, for immigration, and for complete freedom of speech. Note; Reagan made it clear he was for free trade because according to Reagan “tariffs hurt Americans.” So because of this single advertisement from an Ontario governor taking a speech from a former U.S. president, Trump cancelled the entire negotiations with the government of Canada under Prime Minister Mark Carney because of a single ad of a dead president!
Besides showing how much of a man-child Trump is, the ghost of Ronald Reagan is casting its shadow on America even today. Strangely enough, if there are any two parties today that are for unfettered trade, against tariffs, and for immigration, these two parties are the Democratic Party and the Libertarian Party. Well, more the Libertarian Party in regards to being against tariffs than the Democratic Party, but yet both parties fall into this category. Over 40 years ago, the Democratic Party was more against free trade because the party wanted to keep good union jobs and restrict trade with Japan at the time. In the end, it was Reagan’s vision of complete free trade that prevailed. By the 1990’s, free trade became the mantra for both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Both parties were responsible for the passing of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), working to admit China into the World Trade Organization, and making bilateral free trade agreements with many countries over the decades that have helped increase the wealth and prosperity of the United States economy the likes of which has not been witnessed in its history.
Ironically, the increased international trade also spurred the making of American products on a scale that outpaces even the 1950’s and 1960’s. I remember the 1960’s when most products seemed like they were made in America, but then I noticed that a lot these products had parts and raw materials in them that came from other countries. For the most part, there were rarely ever any American-made products that were one hundred percent made in the U.S.A. It basically did not work that way then, and it most certainly does not work this way now. The difference is that now because of labeling requirements, products made in America now say “made with domestic and imported materials.” Does that mean they are not made U.S.A. overall? Ironically enough, former President Reagan understood this while current President Trump does not. If ever Reagan used tariffs, he used them as a special tool, a scalpel, to negotiate deals and agreements for the good of the United States. Trump quite simply tries to get deals through threats and blunt language which do not go well in any trade negotiations. Trump may be alive, but he lives under the shadow of the ghost of former President Ronald Reagan.
The Ghost of Ronald Reagan
By Daniel Nardini
Besides showing how much of a man-child Trump is, the ghost of Ronald Reagan is casting its shadow on America even today. Strangely enough, if there are any two parties today that are for unfettered trade, against tariffs, and for immigration, these two parties are the Democratic Party and the Libertarian Party. Well, more the Libertarian Party in regards to being against tariffs than the Democratic Party, but yet both parties fall into this category. Over 40 years ago, the Democratic Party was more against free trade because the party wanted to keep good union jobs and restrict trade with Japan at the time. In the end, it was Reagan’s vision of complete free trade that prevailed. By the 1990’s, free trade became the mantra for both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Both parties were responsible for the passing of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), working to admit China into the World Trade Organization, and making bilateral free trade agreements with many countries over the decades that have helped increase the wealth and prosperity of the United States economy the likes of which has not been witnessed in its history.
Ironically, the increased international trade also spurred the making of American products on a scale that outpaces even the 1950’s and 1960’s. I remember the 1960’s when most products seemed like they were made in America, but then I noticed that a lot these products had parts and raw materials in them that came from other countries. For the most part, there were rarely ever any American-made products that were one hundred percent made in the U.S.A. It basically did not work that way then, and it most certainly does not work this way now. The difference is that now because of labeling requirements, products made in America now say “made with domestic and imported materials.” Does that mean they are not made U.S.A. overall? Ironically enough, former President Reagan understood this while current President Trump does not. If ever Reagan used tariffs, he used them as a special tool, a scalpel, to negotiate deals and agreements for the good of the United States. Trump quite simply tries to get deals through threats and blunt language which do not go well in any trade negotiations. Trump may be alive, but he lives under the shadow of the ghost of former President Ronald Reagan.