But from a global perspective, Reagan’s victory over communism must rank first. And that victory was the main takeaway of the movie, Reagan, that I saw last night.
I strongly recommend the movie, especially for people who were not lucky enough to be alive for Reagan’s presidency.
You won’t learn much about his economic accomplishments (for that, read this, this, this, this, and this), but you’ll learns about Reagan’s “we win, they lose” attitude toward the Soviet Union.
He relentlessly mocked the “evil empire.” Even more important, he attacked the (im)moral foundations of communism. It was not simply an alternative system of government. It was disgusting totalitarianism.
Cal Thomas agrees with my assessment. Here’s some his review.
The film opens with real news footage of Reagan being shot as he left the Washington Hilton Hotel on March 30, 1981. It includes his now famous line to Nancy Reagan, (played convincingly by Penelope Ann Miller): ”Honey, I forgot to duck,” along with his quip to surgeons at George Washington University Hospital, “I hope you are all Republicans.” …Reagan’s insistence on pursuing his Strategic Defense Initiative (“Star Wars” to his critics) is rightly credited with contributing to the fall of the Soviet Union… “Reagan” is more of a love note to a man who did great things for his country and the world. There could be no better epitaph for any political leader. If you are under 40, go see it and learn something beyond what biased historians and the media have said about the man. If you are over 40 and lived through his presidency, go see it and be reminded of what real leadership looks like and how one man, in collaboration with a British prime minister and a pope, helped bring freedom to millions in Eastern Europe and restored the faith of many Americans in their country.
I don’t want to give away any of the highlights, but I will say that Reagan’s “tear down this wall” speech in Berlin is portrayed as the final nail in the coffin.
Dan Mitchell is co-founder of the Center for Freedom and Prosperity and Chairman of the Board. He is an expert in international tax competition and supply-side tax policy.
