Would this have ever, ever actually happened, my analysis may surprise you.  Bear in mind, that Reagan was able to make solid friendships with those he had political disagreements.  The fights between President Reagan and Speaker O’Neil were legendary.  What is not as widely known, was that once it became 5:00 pm. work stopped, politics ended, and they were actually close friends.  So, from Reagan’s perspective, this would have been possible merely from that stand point.  But, this faked photo is about more than an imaginary friendship.  This implies an approval for Obama’s Policies, which quite frankly would represent the antithesis of what Ronald Reagan stood for.  The timing of the fauxtograph is also extremely suspect.  Judging from the free fall of Obama’s approval rating since the SOTU, it would appear that the American People have not been fooled by the President’s head fake to the right. 

Politicians have always sought to change personal positions in the wake of defeat.  This is nothing new.  Bill Clinton’s triangulation on Conservative issues is well documented.  The Republican Contract with America had 10 campaign promises attached.  They were successful in passing 7 of those promises into law within two years.  During the Election of 1996, the Clinton/Gore team took credit for all 7 reforms, and Bill Clinton himself declared that the era of big government was over.  This was the President who had attempted to pass a socialized medicine scheme of his own not 3 years earlier.  The difference with Barak Obama’s attempt however is that he is only giving lip service to his tack to the right.  His actions since the November elections have been all about bigger government.  while he has said things which make him sound more centrist, he has abused the power of executive fiat like no one before him.  He is on record as saying that his reforms will bankrupt the coal industry and electric energy producers.  He has effectively shut down all new domestic oil production.  Even the farming industry now has to develop and maintain expensive emergency action plans for the possibility of the world’s first disastrous milk spill.  I shouldn’t have to point out that this string of onerous regulations is hardly Reaganesque.  The problem I have with that picture is that Time, whether it be on their own or through coordination with the White House, is trying to rewrite Reagan’s legacy to make Americans believe that this is what Reagan would do. 

I say coordinated for this reason, Obama has spent the last several weeks comparing himself, favorably with Ronald Reagan.  He has publicly praised Reagan’s vision and leadership.  I personally can’t fault him for that, as I believe Reagan to be on of the greatest Presidents in our nation’s history.  What am however, is surprised at President Obama’s sudden conversion to becoming a Reagan fan.  Author Obama, in two autobiographies, (no truer sign of narcissism exists that the fact that this man inked two autobiographies prior to making a single accomplishment,) chastised Reagan for enacting his policies while both Governor of California and President of the United States.  As a matter of fact, Obama’s criticism of President Reagan was so thorough, there was not a single positive thing Obama had to say about our 40th President.  So, when did his conversion occur?  It certainly wasn’t during his time as Senator, during the election of 2008, nor even during his first 2 years as President.  He was just as negative towards Reagan during those times as well.  (Obama even managed to insult the British and the former occupant of the White House in one single act, by returning the bust of Winston Churchill given to Reagan by the British who knew of Reagan’s admiration for the man.)  His conversion it seem happened suddenly, about a week prior to the SOTU.  There are many conservative pundits who believe that his sudden appreciation for Reagan is a shameless attempt to bolster his own appeal by trying to hitch his wagon to a more popular horse.  I am having a hard time playing devil’s advocate on this one.

On every single core policy issue, and even on the intangibles, Obama is 180 degrees out of phase with Reagan.  Reagan believed in free trade, market principles, and massive deregulation.  Obama believes in restricting trade, increased government intrusion, and while he says deregulation, he is instituting the most onerous regulation the nation has ever seen.  President Reagan believed optimistically in any American’s ability to rise to what ever standard of living and accomplishment they were willing to work to attain.  President Obama believes that all Americans need a nanny to make their decisions for them and that without government dependency, we will all end up screwing our neighbors descend to anarchy.   President Reagan believed in American exceptionalism and the strength of entrepreneurialism to keep our country at the forefront of discovery, leadership, and prosperity.  President Obama believes that our leadership role in all of those areas are unjust and imperialistic.  He further demonstrates his belief that American Prosperity is due to our chicanery and deceit.  In the world view of liberals, life is zero sum, and wealth can never be created, merely stolen.  So while President Reagan fought against the concept of wealth redistribution masquerading as, “social justice,” President Obama is fighting full tilt for wealth redistribution thinly veiled as, “social justice.”  In an ironic note, Social Justice is a term openly used today by several dozen of Obama’s hand picked czars.  15 years ago, most Americans would have seen right through this.  President Reagan believed in achieving peace through strength.  He built up our military’s capability and developed new defensive weapons designed to convince would be attackers that it would be pointless to show any aggression towards us or our interests.  President Obama is gutting the military, during a time of war, and when our enemies are actually engaged in both sabre rattling and actual attacks against us and our interests.  His belief is that our military’s strength is immoral and unjust.  The only similarity between the two that I am able to find, is that they are both male, and both ran to become President of the United States.  Other than that, Time’s fauxtograph should have been Carter’s arm around Obama’s shoulders.  At least that would have been honest, and possible to get without faking, as Obama is still alive.

Crossposted at Musings of a Mad Conservative.