http://blog.cagle.com Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:59:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 en http://blog.cagle.com/2010/03/11/americas-security-put-in-peril-by-failing-schools/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/03/11/americas-security-put-in-peril-by-failing-schools/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:29:24 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=12702 http://blog.cagle.com/2010/03/11/americas-security-put-in-peril-by-failing-schools/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/03/04/reconciliation-playing-parliamentary-games-with-americas-future/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/03/04/reconciliation-playing-parliamentary-games-with-americas-future/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:42:14 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=12402 http://blog.cagle.com/2010/03/04/reconciliation-playing-parliamentary-games-with-americas-future/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/02/25/the-promise-of-scott-brown-gone-bad-not-really/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/02/25/the-promise-of-scott-brown-gone-bad-not-really/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:38:34 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=12088 http://blog.cagle.com/2010/02/25/the-promise-of-scott-brown-gone-bad-not-really/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/02/17/a-grassroots-movement-ronald-reagan-would-be-proud-of/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/02/17/a-grassroots-movement-ronald-reagan-would-be-proud-of/#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 22:39:29 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=10697 http://blog.cagle.com/2010/02/17/a-grassroots-movement-ronald-reagan-would-be-proud-of/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/02/11/time-to-revolt-against-the-revolution/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/02/11/time-to-revolt-against-the-revolution/#comments Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:35:27 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=10497 http://blog.cagle.com/2010/02/11/time-to-revolt-against-the-revolution/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/02/04/the-winds-of-political-change/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/02/04/the-winds-of-political-change/#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:09:55 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=10229 http://blog.cagle.com/2010/02/04/the-winds-of-political-change/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/01/27/the-second-american-tax-revolt/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/01/27/the-second-american-tax-revolt/#comments Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:46:44 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=9812 http://blog.cagle.com/2010/01/27/the-second-american-tax-revolt/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/01/21/today-brown-is-golden/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/01/21/today-brown-is-golden/#comments Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:22:58 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=9554 http://blog.cagle.com/2010/01/21/today-brown-is-golden/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/01/14/haiti-a-country-in-need-of-our-help/ http://blog.cagle.com/2010/01/14/haiti-a-country-in-need-of-our-help/#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 04:31:22 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=9291 http://blog.cagle.com/2010/01/14/haiti-a-country-in-need-of-our-help/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/12/24/passage-by-pork-rather-than-good-public-policy/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/12/24/passage-by-pork-rather-than-good-public-policy/#comments Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:10:24 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=8722 http://blog.cagle.com/2009/12/24/passage-by-pork-rather-than-good-public-policy/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/12/17/the-haze-of-copenhagen/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/12/17/the-haze-of-copenhagen/#comments Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:00:53 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=8500 http://blog.cagle.com/2009/12/17/the-haze-of-copenhagen/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/12/10/harry-reid-uncensored/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/12/10/harry-reid-uncensored/#comments Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:33:46 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=8102 http://blog.cagle.com/2009/12/10/harry-reid-uncensored/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/11/19/stimulus-equals-deception/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/11/19/stimulus-equals-deception/#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:00:18 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=7367 http://blog.cagle.com/2009/11/19/stimulus-equals-deception/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/11/11/a-lost-message-and-a-lost-opportunity/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/11/11/a-lost-message-and-a-lost-opportunity/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:47:04 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=7209 http://blog.cagle.com/2009/11/11/a-lost-message-and-a-lost-opportunity/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/11/05/what-a-difference-a-year-makes/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/11/05/what-a-difference-a-year-makes/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:32:54 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=7033 http://blog.cagle.com/2009/11/05/what-a-difference-a-year-makes/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/10/30/fall-of-the-berlin-wall-celebration/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/10/30/fall-of-the-berlin-wall-celebration/#comments Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:22:47 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=6908 http://blog.cagle.com/2009/10/30/fall-of-the-berlin-wall-celebration/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/10/28/a-fresh-change-and-a-new-beginning-the-november-2009-elections/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/10/28/a-fresh-change-and-a-new-beginning-the-november-2009-elections/#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:53:50 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=6852 http://blog.cagle.com/2009/10/28/a-fresh-change-and-a-new-beginning-the-november-2009-elections/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/10/22/afghanistan-guantanamo-bay-an-administration-without-a-plan/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/10/22/afghanistan-guantanamo-bay-an-administration-without-a-plan/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:46:15 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=6728 http://blog.cagle.com/2009/10/22/afghanistan-guantanamo-bay-an-administration-without-a-plan/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/10/15/a-prize-for-hope/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/10/15/a-prize-for-hope/#comments Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:28:36 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=6554 http://blog.cagle.com/2009/10/15/a-prize-for-hope/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/10/08/an-overlooked-crisis/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/10/08/an-overlooked-crisis/#comments Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:50:12 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=6445 http://blog.cagle.com/2009/10/08/an-overlooked-crisis/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/09/30/time-for-president-obama-to-get-behind-the-general-consensus-on-afghanistan/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/09/30/time-for-president-obama-to-get-behind-the-general-consensus-on-afghanistan/#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:03:01 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=6365 http://blog.cagle.com/2009/09/30/time-for-president-obama-to-get-behind-the-general-consensus-on-afghanistan/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/09/23/newspaper-profitability-%e2%80%93-is-it-critical-to-our-democracy/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/09/23/newspaper-profitability-%e2%80%93-is-it-critical-to-our-democracy/#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:22:27 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=6285 http://blog.cagle.com/2009/09/23/newspaper-profitability-%e2%80%93-is-it-critical-to-our-democracy/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/09/17/the-politics-of-race-flames-fanned-by-a-former-president/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/09/17/the-politics-of-race-flames-fanned-by-a-former-president/#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2009 23:03:24 +0000 Michael Reagan http://blog.cagle.com/?p=6199 http://blog.cagle.com/2009/09/17/the-politics-of-race-flames-fanned-by-a-former-president/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/07/01/new-independence-push-233-years-later/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/07/01/new-independence-push-233-years-later/#comments Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:35:06 +0000 Michael Reagan http://www.caglepost.com/article/d48a6f06-0b2b-49b5-ac68-0b3c7ca18c0e.html
Making Sense, by Michael Reagan

As families across the nation get set to celebrate our nation's independence, it is important to take a moment to reflect on the bravery of the men and women who defiantly stood up to the English Empire and fought for the right to live in a free, democratic and sovereign nation. Whether reflecting on one of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, a nurse tending to wounded Americans soldiers, a gunpowder manufacturer or a private fighting against the vaunted English Army, it was their collective effort that paved the way for our framers to develop a unique system of government that was based on representation rather than repression. Over the last 233 years since the beginning of our remarkable revolution, the United States of America has prospered and developed into a nation that serves as an inspiring example of freedom, standing in stark contrast to the many countries governed by socialistic, totalitarian and authoritarian rule.

However, this year we must mark this Independence Day with a keen understanding of the current internal political battles that lay ahead, those battles that threaten the important divide between government and citizens. President Obama and Speaker Pelosi have an ambitious agenda that, if implemented, would make Americans more dependent on their government than ever before -- certainly more than our Founding Fathers would have envisioned. From socialized medicine, ownership of car companies and large monetary infusions into failing private sector entities to federal control of our nation's energy and education sectors, the U.S. government is rapidly become increasingly powerful and increasingly intrusive.

In a recent address to non-profit organizations, President Obama stated, "People don't need somebody out in Washington to tell them how to solve their problems, especially when the best solutions are often right there in their own neighborhoods, just waiting to be discovered." Don't let this conservative-sounding talking point fool you. President Obama and his Democratic allies are in a race to pass these measures, and more, before Americans have time to look up from their ever-diminishing 401k statements to take notice. The most recent example of this aggressive push is the House's narrow passage of an energy package that includes the infamous "cap and trade" -- a measure that, if implemented, not only puts more control of our nation's producers in the hands of government, but will also result in the loss of American jobs and businesses.

Now more than ever, it is time for each of us fortunate enough to be born into freedom to pay tribute to the men and women who made us a free nation -- choosing the hard and difficult road - by choosing to once again fight for our independence. This time it is an independence from an over-intrusive and ever-encroaching federal government. Today, as it was in colonial times, it will take more than our public leaders to keep America moving forward on the right path. Rather, it will again take the nurse, the private, and the steel worker -- you and me -- to join in the revolutionary charge.

Mike Reagan, the elder son of the late President Ronald Reagan, is chairman and president of The Reagan Legacy Foundation (www.reaganlegacyfoundation.org). Look for Mike's newest book, "Twice Adopted" and other info at www.Reagan.com. E-mail comments to Reagan@caglecartoons.com.

©2009 Mike Reagan. If you're not a paying subscriber to our service, you must contact us to print or Web post this column. Mike's column is distributed exclusively by: Cagle Cartoons, Inc., newspaper syndicate. For info contact Cari Dawson Bartley. E-mail Cari@cagle.com, (800) 696-7561.]]> http://blog.cagle.com/2009/07/01/new-independence-push-233-years-later/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/06/24/mr-gorbachev-would-you-please-consider-tearing-down-this-wall/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/06/24/mr-gorbachev-would-you-please-consider-tearing-down-this-wall/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000 Michael Reagan http://www.caglepost.com/article/96d46775-508e-409c-a8d0-c38cb7b2ecdd.html
Making Sense, by Michael Reagan

In conjunction with my Reagan Legacy Foundation, I recently marked the 22nd anniversary of my father's famous speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin by publicly announcing an agreement with the Mauer Museum to permanently house a wing dedicated to Ronald Reagan and his leading role in ending the Cold War and reuniting the German people. During a related press event, I was able to share the story about the drafting of the speech, recalling that officials at the U.S. State Department were less than impressed with my father's draft. In fact, they went so far as to have crossed out the most famous and confrontational paragraph challenging President Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall.

You see, some folks at the State Department felt that by taking an aggressive stance towards the Soviet Union the United States would make them feel further threatened and isolated -- as if appeasement had ever worked. Rather than succumbing to the bureaucratic methodology of "peace through submission," my father believed and practiced a policy of "peace through strength."

My trip caused me to think about our nation's current foreign policy approach -- one far distant from that of my father and other successful presidents. This distance has been further magnified by recent events in Iran, where Iranians, young and old, have turned out in the streets to protest against a clearly fraudulent national election.

While this international challenge is particularly tricky when coupled with the growing threat of a nuclear-armed Iran, it is imperative that our nation continue to serve as the beacon of democracy and act accordingly. This is especially true when people yearning for freedom are repressed, attacked and even murdered -- their sole "crime" being peaceful protest in advance of a democratic agenda.

While recognizing the need to maintain a focus on the Iranian protesters rather than on statements coming from Washington's Pennsylvania Ave., President Obama's initial, timid approach to this crisis was certainly troubling; it sent the wrong message to all sides in the Iranian conflict. Furthermore, it sent a troubling signal to America's enemies across the globe who now feel that careful words and negotiation are the tip of the spear of America's foreign policy rather than a strong and vibrant defense of democratic principles.

Serving as our nation's commander in chief and leader of the free world requires deliberate and decisive acts and statements. It also requires a sense of the moment and a willingness to lead in a way that promotes democracy while serving notice to those who view the world differently than us -- those who view democracy as a threat to their oppressive regimes.

Here, rather than acting in a way that pacified cautious bureaucrats at the State Department, President Obama needed to immediately demonstrate America's solidarity behind Iran's protesters. Rather than continuing to seek to pacify the Ahmadinejad regime, the administration needed to demand free and fair elections.

President Obama needed to unapologetically demand that Ayatollah Khamenei and President Ahmadinejad tear down the proverbial wall that continues to separate Iranians from their freedom. He needed to seize the moment by finding his own paragraph of strength -- one that career diplomats may have found too demanding. Doing so may have proven to be the act that launched a historical democratic movement -- the same way East and West became united some 20 years ago.

Mike Reagan, the elder son of the late President Ronald Reagan, is chairman and president of The Reagan Legacy Foundation (www.reaganlegacyfoundation.org). Look for Mike's newest book, "Twice Adopted" and other info at www.Reagan.com. E-mail comments to Reagan@caglecartoons.com.

©2009 Mike Reagan. If you're not a paying subscriber to our service, you must contact us to print or Web post this column. Mike's column is distributed exclusively by: Cagle Cartoons, Inc., newspaper syndicate. For info contact Cari Dawson Bartley. E-mail Cari@cagle.com, (800) 696-7561.

]]> http://blog.cagle.com/2009/06/24/mr-gorbachev-would-you-please-consider-tearing-down-this-wall/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/06/17/nationalized-health-care-the-tax-shuffle-2/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/06/17/nationalized-health-care-the-tax-shuffle-2/#comments Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:55:06 +0000 Michael Reagan http://www.caglepost.com/article/77292c15-5e01-4ca2-b822-f9db04cae88d.html
Making Sense, by Michael Reagan

Last week I wrote about the serious risks which older Americans and those seriously or terminally ill face in the so-called "efficiencies" which President Obama and congressional Democrats say will fund a large part of their health care plans. These "efficiencies" can only refer to reallocating doctors, hospital care, drugs and surgeries away from older and ill Americans where it is "wasted" because we will probably pass away sooner than younger and healthier people.

However, in our prior discussion, I did not address the direct financial problems with the plan. The fact is that these plans, even with the so-called efficiencies, will cost more than $100 billion a year. Then Obama says the plan will save the typical family $2500 a year, meaning about $300 billion. This is to be paid for he says, along with trillions of dollars in corporate bailouts and other new spending, by increasing taxes only on those earning over $250,000 yearly!

Well, about 2 percent of all families, or about 2 million families, earn in excess of $250,000 annually. These folks would be facing a tax increase of roughly $100,000 a year just for the health care portion of the spending increases and savings by "typical" families. Since the income tax on these high earners is already about $100,000 annually, it means their taxes will double to pay just for health care.

This is absurd, of course. So what will really happen? With a little sleight of mouth, the administration has also mentioned that employe- paid health insurance "may" become taxed. I guarantee when a politician says a tax "may be increased," you can insert "will" for "may." This is a serious tax increase on every American whose employer pays for health insurance. A big tax increase on the vast majority of middle-class Americans. It is a tax increase that could easily hit $2500 per year.

Well, if that doesn't sound like a good deal - you're right! You see, under this calculation, the average family "saves" $2500 a year on their health insurance, and the same family gets hit with $2500 in taxes on their employer-paid health insurance. What has happened here? The old government pea game -- cut by a dollar what you pay a private insurer, take it away in taxes and then feed it to the federal government spending machine.

Add into this discussion congressional Democrats' suggestions that a value added tax and/or luxury tax on incidentals such as sodas, and you have the recipe for significantly increased taxes on all American families -- regardless of income.

And now you will increase the number of people getting health insurance without adding a doctor, nurse, hospital, surgery or the supply of any drug. Suddenly the sharp decline in available health care assets we discussed last week hitting those on Medicare is also cutting into the health care services available to the middle class who are not on Medicare, with no net cost savings.

The bottom line is the supply and demand. You cannot increase the demand for health care services by 20% with no added supply of services. It will just drive the cost up at least 20%.

If we want to provide 45 million currently uninsured people with health care comparable to what those of us who are insured receive, you must reduce the quality and quantity of health care services the currently insured receive or dramatically increase the supply of care. Simply adding the burden to the existing system both reduces the quality and quantity of care to the currently insured and increases the cost of care to everyone.

Admittedly it "spreads the wealth around," but that is not what Americans want and not what is being promised. Go to www.Reagan.com and help me fight any health plan that reduces the quality of care, or increases taxes.

Mike Reagan, the elder son of the late President Ronald Reagan, is chairman and president of The Reagan Legacy Foundation (www.reaganlegacyfoundation.org). Look for Mike's newest book, "Twice Adopted" and other info at www.Reagan.com. E-mail comments to Reagan@caglecartoons.com.

©2009 Mike Reagan. If you're not a paying subscriber to our service, you must contact us to print or Web post this column. Mike's column is distributed exclusively by: Cagle Cartoons, Inc., newspaper syndicate. For info contact Cari Dawson Bartley. E-mail Cari@cagle.com, (800) 696-7561.]]> http://blog.cagle.com/2009/06/17/nationalized-health-care-the-tax-shuffle-2/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/06/10/efficient-nationalized-health-care-not-so-fast/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/06/10/efficient-nationalized-health-care-not-so-fast/#comments Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:46:24 +0000 Michael Reagan http://www.caglepost.com/article/a2c769a6-3925-4777-8652-b6f07a690417.html http://blog.cagle.com/2009/06/10/efficient-nationalized-health-care-not-so-fast/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/06/03/the-fight-for-life/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/06/03/the-fight-for-life/#comments Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:29:22 +0000 Michael Reagan http://www.caglepost.com/article/2f597d61-ec9e-4cea-9c6b-61f6d031ecb5.html http://blog.cagle.com/2009/06/03/the-fight-for-life/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/05/27/the-future-of-affirmative-action/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/05/27/the-future-of-affirmative-action/#comments Wed, 27 May 2009 22:01:25 +0000 Michael Reagan http://www.caglepost.com/article/3ccaa4f2-6ab3-44c2-a093-5966143e8cff.html http://blog.cagle.com/2009/05/27/the-future-of-affirmative-action/feed/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/05/20/terminating-the-terminator/ http://blog.cagle.com/2009/05/20/terminating-the-terminator/#comments Wed, 20 May 2009 20:38:27 +0000 Michael Reagan http://www.caglepost.com/article/99c0d254-7a8f-4da6-8b86-2b0c4d7ce0c9.html http://blog.cagle.com/2009/05/20/terminating-the-terminator/feed/