Primary Sources Conservativism “A Time for Choosing”: Ronald Reagan Enters the Political Stage October 27, 1964 INTRODUCTION If modern conservatism’s rise can be marked by can plan them ourselves.” Reagan seeks a counter- one statement, it is then-actor and journalist Ronald revolution against the Progressive faith in the rule of Reagan’s speech urging the election of Arizona Sena- experts to reestablish the Founders’ vision of republi- tor Barry Goldwater as President. Reagan’s speech can self-government. articulated the conservative view of America, apply- While Reagan does not directly quote the Decla- ing the principles of self-government to liberal, post- ration of Independence, he does cite its key concepts: New Deal America, in particular the economy, the “Our natural, unalienable rights are now considered welfare state, and the Cold War. In the face of Goldwa- to be a dispensation of government, and freedom has ter’s overwhelming defeat by Lyndon Johnson, Reagan never been so fragile.” The idea that government is became the new hope of the conservative movement. legitimate only when it governs by consent “is still the Reagan went on in 1966 to win two terms as gover- newest and the most unique idea in all the long history nor of California and eventually won the presidency of man’s relation to man.” in 1980. Though the choice Reagan asks the people to make The choice Reagan asks his audience to make is not involves opposing ideas about theories of government, simply between Goldwater and Johnson but between they don’t need to be intellectuals to decide rightly. two views of America—those who believe the Found- Reagan teaches his audience through a series of anec- ers and those who believe the Progressives and their dotes and witticisms about liberal blunders on the liberal successors. “This is the issue of this election: economy, bureaucracy, urban renewal, welfare policy, whether we believe in our capacity for self-govern- the United Nations, and the Cold War. The failures ment or whether we abandon the American revolution reflect an arrogance that speaks of American citizens and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-dis- as “masses.” He paints a shocking picture of the wise tant capitol can plan our lives for us better than we administration that Progressives wish for. FP_PS_ 35 Published by 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002-4999 (202) 546-4400 • heritage.org The Heritage Foundation’s First Principles Series explores the fundamental ideas of conservatism and the American political tradition. For more information call 1-800-544-4843 or visit heritage.org/bookstore. Nothing written here is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of The Heritage Foundation or as an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any bill before Congress. PRIMARY SOURCES Conservativism Reagan solemnly urges courage in defending Amer- not animals…. There’s something going on in time ica from Communism. But such courage is impossible and space, and beyond time and space, which, wheth- without spiritual resolve. “You and I know and do not er we like it or not, spells duty.” And failure to fulfill believe that life is so dear and peace so sweet as to our duty could sentence our children to “a thousand be purchased at the price of chains and slavery.” The years of darkness.” Churchill, the savior of the West crisis that might necessitate war makes Reagan quote against Hitler, would die the next year. As Churchill Winston Churchill: “The destiny of man is not mea- saved the West from Hitler, so Reagan would go on to sured by material computations. When great forces save the West from Soviet Communism. are on the move in the world, we learn we’re spirits— 2 PRIMARY SOURCES Conservativism “A Time for Choosing” Ronald Reagan Radio broadcast aired from Los Angeles, California, October 27, 1964 Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you and As for the peace that we would preserve, I won- good evening. The sponsor has been identified, but der who among us would like to approach the wife unlike most television programs, the performer hasn’t or mother whose husband or son has died in South been provided with a script. As a matter of fact, I have Vietnam and ask them if they think this is a peace been permitted to choose my own words and discuss that should be maintained indefinitely. Do they mean my own ideas regarding the choice that we face in the peace, or do they mean we just want to be left in peace? next few weeks. There can be no real peace while one American is I have spent most of my life as a Democrat. I recently dying some place in the world for the rest of us. We’re have seen fit to follow another course. I believe that the at war with the most dangerous enemy that has ever issues confronting us cross party lines. Now, one side in faced mankind in his long climb from the swamp to this campaign has been telling us that the issues of this the stars, and it’s been said if we lose that war, and in election are the maintenance of peace and prosperity. so doing lose this way of freedom of ours, history will The line has been used, “We’ve never had it so good.” record with the greatest astonishment that those who But I have an uncomfortable feeling that this pros- had the most to lose did the least to prevent its hap- perity isn’t something on which we can base our hopes pening. Well I think it’s time we ask ourselves if we for the future. No nation in history has ever survived a still know the freedoms that were intended for us by tax burden that reached a third of its national income. the Founding Fathers. Today, 37 cents out of every dollar earned in this coun- Not too long ago, two friends of mine were talking try is the tax collector’s share, and yet our government to a Cuban refugee, a businessman who had escaped continues to spend 17 million dollars a day more than from Castro, and in the midst of his story one of my the government takes in. We haven’t balanced our friends turned to the other and said, “We don’t know budget 28 out of the last 34 years. We’ve raised our how lucky we are.” And the Cuban stopped and said, debt limit three times in the last twelve months, and “How lucky you are? I had someplace to escape to.” now our national debt is one and a half times bigger And in that sentence he told us the entire story. If we than all the combined debts of all the nations of the lose freedom here, there’s no place to escape to. This is world. We have 15 billion dollars in gold in our trea- the last stand on earth. sury; we don’t own an ounce. Foreign dollar claims And this idea that government is beholden to the are 27.3 billion dollars. And we’ve just had announced people, that it has no other source of power except the that the dollar of 1939 will now purchase 45 cents in sovereign people, is still the newest and the most unique its total value. idea in all the long history of man’s relation to man. 3 PRIMARY SOURCES Conservativism This is the issue of this election: whether we en of this country, as “the masses.” This is a term we believe in our capacity for self-government or wheth- haven’t applied to ourselves in America. But beyond er we abandon the American revolution and confess that, “the full power of centralized government”— that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capitol can this was the very thing the Founding Fathers sought plan our lives for us better than we can plan them our- to minimize. They knew that governments don’t con- selves. trol things. A government can’t control the economy You and I are told increasingly we have to choose without controlling people. And they know when a between a left or right. Well I’d like to suggest there is government sets out to do that, it must use force and no such thing as a left or right. There’s only an up or coercion to achieve its purpose. They also knew, those down: [up] man’s old—old-aged dream, the ultimate in Founding Fathers, that outside of its legitimate func- individual freedom consistent with law and order, or tions, government does nothing as well or as economi- down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. And regard- cally as the private sector of the economy. less of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would trade our freedom for security have This is the issue of this election: whether we embarked on this downward course. believe in our capacity for self-government or In this vote-harvesting time, they use terms like whether we abandon the American revolution the “Great Society,” or as we were told a few days ago and confess that a little intellectual elite in by the President, we must accept a greater government a far-distant capitol can plan our lives for us activity in the affairs of the people. But they’ve been a better than we can plan them ourselves. little more explicit in the past and among themselves; and all of the things I now will quote have appeared in print.