11 Principles of a Reagan Conservative

Overview

What would Ronald Reagan do?

This is a question that infiltrates the many minds of American politicians claiming to be a Reagan conservative. As the presidential election rolls around every four years, jockeys for the Republican nomination believe that they carry the mantle of Ronald Reagan, but it might just be that the ideals of the once great president have been misconstrued.

So what were Ronald Reagan’s true beliefs?

The real answer to this question may come as a shock to both conservatives and liberals alike. In 11 Principles of a Reagan Conservative, biographer Paul Kengor dissects Reagan’s presidency by analyzing his speeches and actions, and comes to decisive conclusions to paint a full and accurate picture of what his beliefs truly were: Freedom, Faith, Family, Sanctity and Dignity of Human Life, American Exceptionalism, The Founders’ Wisdom and Vision, Lower Taxes, Limited Government, Peace Through Strength, Anti-Communism, and Belief in the Individual. It’s these 11 principles that lie at the crux of Reagan’s conservatism.

Reviews

"No Reagan biographer or scholar knows Ronald Reagan and conservatism like Paul Kengor. If you want to know what's really meant by 'Reagan conservatism,' Paul Kengor is the guy and this is the book."—Michael Reagan

"Paul Kengor has done a great job and great service capturing the essence of Reagan's economic ideals. As someone involved with Reaganomics, and particularly tax cuts, I am especially pleased with Kengor's treatment of the subject. We need to properly understand what happened under Ronald Reagan in the 1980s--most notably, the enduring value of his tax cuts, which were a cornerstone of Reagan conservatism. This book gets it right. Nicely done." —Dr. Arthur B. Laffer, the founder and chairman of Laffer Associates, an economic research firm

"Dr. Paul Kengor's work on Reagan continues the great president's legacy wish to teach, as well as lead. Kengor's keen analysis of Reagan's conservatism will inform and inspire the next generation of conservative leaders as they take up the mantle of the sacred realities that so inspired the Gipper. Respect for individual, adherence to the virtues of the family, lower taxes and a less burdensome government are the values that Reagan fought for, and the standards that should direct the path of his acolytes that follow. Dr. Kengor has proven he is one of those acolytes who will ensure that the legacy of Reagan never dims."—Senator Rand Paul, (R-KY)

"A clear, concise outline of President Reagan's approach to politics—and a roadmap to victory for today's conservatives."—Herb Meyer, Special Assistant to the Director of Central Intelligence and Vice Chairman of the CIA's National Intelligence Council during the Reagan Administration

"Ronald Reagan presents the rare combination of forward-looking with a back-to-basics foundation. No one captures Reagan's practice better than Paul Kengor, and his latest effort is an indispensable guide for everyone who wishes to extend the Reagan legacy for the next generation." —Steven Hayward, author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Presidents: From Wilson to Obama (Politically Incorrect Guides)

"Few writers have studied and written about Ronald Reagan more comprehensively than Dr. Paul Kengor. None offers a clearer view of the personal compass (core beliefs) that guided Reagan the man, the conservative leader and, the most successful President in modern history. In 11 Principles of a Reagan Conservative, Kengor spells out the timeless tenets that made Reagan unique in his time, and that can also revive our spirit, enlighten and inspire our people, and restore our purpose to rebuild a strong America for our future."—Bently Elliott, former director of White House speechwriting under President Reagan

"After eight years with Ronald Reagan as his chief speechwriter, I can say without hesitation that Paul Kengor—far better than most current historians or journalists—understands the Reagan heart and mind. Mr. Kengor's research is prodigious, his analysis keen and insightful, his writing clear and his work distinguished. His command of the Reagan legacy is incomparable." —Tony Dolan, chief speechwriter and Special Assistant and Deputy Assistant to President Reagan

"It's really a handy volume for the young people who won't read longer ones. Paul Kengor reminds us of the building blocks of successful modern conservatism. He adds and multiplies to bring us back together with Ronald Reagan's basic principles that are unifying for all of us. Paul Kengor reminds us of what ties us together. His discussion of Ronald Reagan's principles will inspire future generations to come together and promote a true conservative future. Kengor is a noted authority on Ronald Reagan. This slim volume distills the principles of Reagan for future generations to learn and apply for rebuilding a free society."—Ed Feulner, retired President of The Heritage Foundation

"There are few historians who are closer students of the Reagan message, his thoughts, his utterances, and his convictions than Paul Kengor. In this primer of Reagan principles, Kengor offers us the heart of the Reagan vision." —Bill Bennett, Former U.S. Secretary of Education; host of the nationally syndicated radio show Morning in America

"What is a Reagan conservative? That's a question that I, as a Reagan conservative and a Reagan biographer, get asked frequently. It's also a question that few self-described conservatives truly understand. And yet, with all the books on Ronald Reagan, this is the first to undertake an answer. Paul Kengor, himself a Reagan conservative, lays out 11 principles of Reagan conservatism. This book couldn't be more timely and more needed as conservatives look desperately for the next generation of genuine Reagan conservatives." —Craig Shirley, Reagan biographer and New York Times bestselling author

"This succinct statement of the Principles of a Reagan Conservative, presented with a highly laudatory preface by Edwin Meese III, is sharp and well conceived. In this season, while we wait and pray for another Reagan, now in a time as dire as when Reagan took office amid domestic and foreign crises of the worst sort, this book will help us sort out the wheat from the chaff. It is not ideological purity that Reagan sought, but fidelity to practical, well-tested and proven principles. So many were against him, derisive and mocking. He smiled at them and continued in his quiet, courageous way, all the while careful never to violate the Eleventh Commandment: Speak ill of no other conservative—it takes all types." — Michael Novak, 1994 Templeton Laureate (as the progenitor of a new discipline, the theology of economics)

"Paul Kengor has written an elegant primer on what Ronald Reagan believed, how he implemented so much of what he believed, and how it benefited the Republic. Here is essential reading for all who would vote for a better America."—R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr., founder and Editor in Chief of The American Spectator

"Writing with admirable clarity and concision, Paul Kengor identifies the bedrock convictions of the greatest Reagan conservative of them all: Ronald Reagan himself. This is an impressive overview of Reagan's political philosophy, which once moved a nation and might do so again, if those who invoke his name truly grasp what he stood for."—George H. Nash, author of The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945 and other studies of the American Right

Author Biography

Dr. Paul Kengor is professor of political science at Grove City College and executive director of the college's Center for Vision & Values. Kengor is an internationally recognized authority on Ronald Reagan. Kengor is nationally known for his work on the American presidency. He is part of a select group of presidential scholars to participate in C-SPAN's highly regarded ranking of American presidents. A native of Western PA, Kengor lives in Grove City, PA, with his wife and their seven children.