Loredana Vuoto reviews Michael Deaver's new anthology, Why I Am a Reagan Conservative.

In Why I Am a Reagan Conservative, Deaver compiles personal accounts by conservative icons on how Reagan shaped their conservative beliefs. This fun, easy-to read book gives great insight into the thought of some prominent conservatives such as Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, former GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole, ReaganÂ’s Attorney General Edwin Meese III, Congressman Henry Hyde and Senator Rick Santorum, as well as columnist Robert Novak and film critic Michael Medved.

Many of these conservatives were drawn to the simple, pragmatic truths of conservatism. They perceived the harm of big government, which corroded individual responsibility and stifled initiative. The ever-expanding welfare state of the 1970s proved detrimental to the economy and was responsible for many social ills such as high unemployment, increased teen pregnancy and the decline of marriage. They realized that government was not the solution to societyÂ’s woes, but the overarching problem.

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Reagan’s greatest contribution to modern conservatism is that he helped to redefine a movement that had become ideologically and politically bankrupt following the Great Depression and World War II. Many of the conservative leaders of that era—for example, Robert Taft and Herbert Hoover—championed isolationism, protectionism and a xenophobic nationalism that no longer resonated with the public. Reagan (along with other key figures before him such as William F. Buckley and Barry Goldwater) modernized conservatism, thereby making it appealing to broad swaths of the electorate.

Today, conservatism has become the dominant political and cultural force in the country. This was shown in November 2004, when George W. Bush won re-election to a second term, making him the first two-term Republican president since Reagan. Moreover, the GOP controls both houses of Congress. Conservative thought pervades the marketplace. Think tanks like the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage Foundation continue to thrive and produce ground-breaking work. The Wall Street Journal's editorial page, The Weekly Standard and National Review produce some of the finest and most influential political commentary in the country. And conservative radio talk-show hosts such as Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Laura Schlessinger dominate the airwaves. The same holds true for the Fox News Channel, which has leapfrogged both CNN and MSNBC in the number of television viewers and overall media clout.

Conservatism is on the march. Whether it will ultimately triumph is anyoneÂ’s guess. But one thing is for certain: ReaganÂ’s leadership and charisma were primarily responsible for the movementÂ’s current success. For this, he deserves the gratitude of conservatives everywhere.

One of the questions I hope is dealt with is that of the nexus between Reagan conservatism and neo-conservatism. Are they, ultimately, compatible? Given the continuing expansion of government (much of it in the name of national security), how much influence does Reagan conservatism have today, and how can it again become ascendant?

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