Right of Reagan

8/20/2019 Right of Reagan

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Right of ReaganHow the Extremism of Today’s Republican Presidential

Candidates Sets Them Apart from Their Conservative Idol

By Charles Posner, Molly Cain, and Anna Chu September 2015

WWW.AMERICANPROGRESSACTION.O


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Right of ReaganHow the Extremism of Today’s Republican Presidential

Candidates Sets Them Apart from Their Conservative Idol

By Charles Posner, Molly Cain, and Anna Chu September 2015


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1 Introduction and summary

6 Provided a pathway to citizenship for undocumented

immigrants

8 Stood up to the NRA to establish background checks

10 Signed a multilateral international treaty to reduce pollu

12 Negotiated to reduce nuclear proliferation

14 Grew the federal government

16 Closed tax loopholes favoring the wealthy and raised ta

18 Conclusion

20 Endnotes

Contents


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1 Center for American Progress Action Fund | Right of Reagan

Introduction and summary

On Sepember 16, he epublican presidenial candidaes will gaher a he onald

eagan Presidenial Library in Simi Valley, Caliornia, or he second debae in he

2016 epublican primary process. I will be an opporuniy or he candidaes o

pay homage o Presiden eagan, who o his day remains an idol and a paragon o

conservaism o epublicans even hough he lef he Oval Office in 1989nearly

hree decades ago. A 2012 Gallup poll showed ha 90 percen o epublicans

viewed eagan as an ousanding or above average presiden, more avorably han

any oher recen presiden.1 And his year, 30 epublican governors signed procla-maions recognizing February 6 as onald eagan Day.2 As presidenial hisorian

Douglas Brinkley explained, eagan has “become a olklore presiden.”3

Clearly, par o he eagan mysique is ied o he ac ha he ound a way o

achieve somehing elusive o subsequen conservaives on he naional sage: he

abiliy o appeal o independens and Democras and win he popular voe in

presidenial elecions. epublicans have achieved his ea jus wice in he seven

elecions ha have ollowed he eagan presidency. In ac, Presiden eagan

enjoys an overall high avorabiliy raing60 percen o Americans approve o

eagan, more so han any o he curren GOP candidaes.4

How did onald eagan appeal o Americans beyond his conservaive base o

supporers? Par o he answer is ha Presiden eagan was able o mix pragma-

ism wih conservaism. And a criical momens on criical issues, eagan ook

posiions ha are anahema o he leaders o oday’s epublican Paryadvanc-

ing sensible immigraion reorm, supporing polluion conrol, curbing nuclear

arms, closing ax loopholes or he wealhy, and advocaing gun background

checks. As presiden, eagan passed immigraion reorm wih a pah o ciizen-

ship or millions o undocumened immigrans.5

He also passed a landmarkreay on he climae6 and raised axes 11 imes.7 He even negoiaed wih

America’s main adversary, he Sovie Union, signing a reay wih he communis

naion o reduce nuclear weapons.8


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FIGURE 1

President Reagan is far more popular than the current GOP field

Percent of people who views candidate favorably versus unfavorably

Favorable Unfavorable

Ronald Reagan 60 percent 30 percent

Donald Trump 36 percent 54 percent

Jeb Bush 32 percent 41 percent

Marco Rubio 41 percent 27 percent

Scott Walker 25 percent 26 percent

Rand Paul 23 percent 41 percent

Carly Fiorina 27 percent 15 percent

Ben Carson 35 percent 15 percent

Chris Christie 27 percent 45 percent

Ted Cruz 28 percent 34 percent

Mike Huckabee 32 percent 34 percent

John Kasich 25 percent 12 percent

Source: Public Policy Polling, “JFK, Reagan, Clinton most popular recent ex-presidents,” September 15, 2011, available at http://www.pub-licpolicypolling.com/main/2011/09/jfk-reagan-clinton-most-popular-recent-ex-presidents.html; Quinnipac University Poll, “Biden Runs Better

Than Clinton Against Top Republicans, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Trump GOP Lead Grows As Clinton Dem Lead Shrinks,” Pressrelease, August 27, 2015, available at http://www.quinnipiac.edu/images/polling/us/us08272015_Ueg38d.pdf.

o be clear, Presiden eagan would never be conused as a progressive. Indeed,

he championed many desrucive, conservaive policies ha are ofen embraced

by conemporary epublicans. His philosophy o rickle-down economics, sill

pervasive in oday’s GOP, has repeaedly ailed o help anyone excep he highes-

income earners.9 Meanwhile, eagan’s alse narraive o he so-called welare

queen poisoned he public’s view o people who receive public assisance and

sill exiss oday. He also weakened a number o iniiaives inended o help he

environmen, including guting Presiden Jimmy Carer’s clean energy and energy

efficiency effors and rolling back uel-economy sandards.10 Addiionally, as par

o he Iran-Conra scandal, eagan violaed an arms embargo wih Iran and sold

weapons o he counry in exchange or he reurn o American hosages. He hen

lied o he American public and denied he deal ever ook place.11

Ye while Presiden eagan can hardly be described as a progressive, he also wasno a pure ideologue who was unwilling o negoiae and work across he aisle. His

ormer chie o saff, James Bakerwho was quoed recenly in an Eno Cener or

ransporaion publicaion recalling he eagan yearsexplained i well: “I eagan

old me once, he old me fifeen housand imesI’d raher ge 80 percen o wha

I wan han go over he cliff wih my flags flying.”12 In pracice, his philosophy

mean ha Presiden eagan adoped more moderae, biparisan sances on several

“I’d rather get

80 percent of

what I want tha

go over the cliff

with my flags

flying.”

— Ronald Reagan


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imporan policy posiions han hose o oday’s conservaives. In ac, eagan cham-

pioned he noion ha he GOP should be a “big en” and considered opposing

poins o view.13 Tis repor surveys six issues on which eagan adoped a common-

sense, biparisan sancepoliical posiions ha he curren presidenial conenders

would find abhorren. During and afer his presidency, Presiden eagan:

• Provided a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants: In 1986,

eagan suppored and signed he Simpson-Mazzoli Ac, which provided a pah-

way o ciizenship or 2.7 million undocumened immigrans.14

• Stood up to the National Rifle Association, or NRA, to establish background

checks: Te NR is a gun righs advocacy and lobbying associaion ha many

epublicans dare no cross. eagan, however, sood up o he NR and srongly

suppored he esablishmen o naional background checks or gun purchases,

as well as a ban on assaul weapons.15

• Signed a multilateral international treaty to reduce pollution: In he ace o

scienific research showing ha chemical gasses were depleing he proecive

ozone layer, eagan signed he Monreal Proocol, an inernaional reay ha

phased ou nearly 100 o hese dangerous gases.16 Many o hese ozone-deple-

ing chemicals are also greenhouse gases. Curren research suggess ha global

warming “migh be wice as bad” oday were i no or his 1989 reay negoi-

aed by Presiden eagan.17

• Negotiated to reduce nuclear proliferation: While eagan sood firm agains

he naion’s enemies, he also was willing o negoiae wih he Sovie Union, he

Unied Saes’ greaes rival a he ime. He even signed he Inermediae-ange

Nuclear Forces reay wih he Sovie Union, eliminaing an enire caegory o

nuclear missiles.18

• Grew the federal government: Conrary o his public image as he champion o

small governmen, eagan acually grew he ederal governmen during his en-

ure in office. Under his wach, he ederal workorce increased by abou 324,000

workers o almos 5.3 million people.19 Addiionally, he doubled he U.S.

Deparmen o Educaion’s budge20

and even creaed a new ederal agency, heU.S. Deparmen o Veerans Affairs. Much o his ederal spending was unded

hrough defici spending.21

• Closed tax loopholes favoring the wealthy: While eagan is known as one o

he ahers o rickle-down economics, he also avored closing ax loopholes ha

benefied he rich.22 Furhermore, he raised axes o reduce he ederal defici.23


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Given Presiden eagan’s iconic saus, i is no surprising ha GOP presidenial

hopeuls desire o be seen as he nex successor o eagan’s conservaive manle.

Wisconsin Gov. Scot Walker explains ha “eagan’s influence is a key par

o who I am oday” and goes so ar as o say ha he only remembers his own

wedding anniversary because i alls on he same day as onald eagan’s birh-

day.24

Florida Sen. Marco ubio calls eagan’s rise o naional prominence “amovemen ha ransormed America.”25 exas Sen. ed Cruz has assered ha

eagan won wo presidenial elecions by sicking o his conservaive principles

and, in a 2014 New Yorker inerview, said ha “every ime” epublicans compro-

mise “we lose.”26 Donald rump, who has combated he epublican esablish-

men on numerous occasions, recenly saed ha he eagan adminisraion

was he las ime “you el proud o be an American.”27 Ye despie he curren

crop o GOP presidenial hopeuls’ worship o eagan, hey have missed or

ignored eagan’s record o biparisan compromise and his abiliy and willing-

ness o work across he aisle. Insead, on issue afer issue rom immigraion o

spending o climae, he GOP candidaes have saked ou uncompromising,ideological posiions ha sand ar o he righ o Presiden eagan.

Wheher i is a lack o courage, common sense, or he capaciy o lead he con-

servaive base insead o being led by i , oday’s epublican candidaes demon-

srae almos universal inransigence on he issues on which Presiden onald

eagan chose o lead. Unlike eagan, he vas majoriy o he 2016 GOP presi-

denial conenders:

• Oppose a pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants:

Creaing such a pahway would boos he U.S. economy by $1.2 rillion over

10 years.28

• Fear standing up to the NRA:

Tose currenly serving in he Senae have

blocked legislaion o expand background checks.

• Pay little mind to scientific research: Insead, hey eiher deny ha climae

change is real or ignore he science behind i. Moreover, hey have srenuously

opposed he Obama adminisraion’s effor o regulae polluion, going so

ar as o hreaen o sue he governmen over he Clean Power Plan, he U.S.Environmenal Proecion Agency’s landmark proposal o regulae polluion.29


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• Have adopted an unyielding stance on national security: Former Gov. Mike

Huckabee (-A) has gone so ar as o hreaen o opple Iran using miliary

orce.30 Many o he candidaes also have saed ha hey would no uphold he

curren Iran nuclear deal,31 and some even signed a leter o Iran’s leaders ques-

ioning Presiden Barack Obama’s auhoriy o negoiae wih hem.32

• Have embraced uncompromising positions on the federal budget: Many o

he candidaes oppose any defici spending, even in he ace o pressing naional

need. Moreover, somesuch as Sen. Cruzhave demonsraed asounding

fiscal irresponsibiliy, going so ar as o shu down he governmen in 2013 in

order o pursue heir ideological sance o repealing he Affordable Care Ac.33

• Oppose any legislation that would increase taxes: Many o he candidaes have

signed Grover Norquis’s “axpayer Proecion Pledge.”34 Tey promise no o

raise axes even i he increase only affecs he wealhy and corporaions or even

i revenue is needed o und naional prioriies. Insead, hey propose ax plansha overwhelmingly benefi he wealhy 35 while ballooning he defici.36

A willingness o negoiae and work across he aisle o achieve pragmaic, bipar-

isan soluions is no he only hing differeniaing Presiden eagan rom he

curren GOP presidenial candidaes. Te curren GOP hopeuls’ adopion o

inransigen, ar-righ posiions also means ha hey will have difficuly appeal-

ing o he broader American public. And while he “Gipper” ound success a he

polls, come Elecion Day, he curren crop o GOP conenders will find hem-

selves joining ha long lis o orgoten candidaes who were unable o appeal o a

majoriy o he American people.

Te ollowing repor akes a closer look a he biparisan, commonsense posiions

Presiden eagan adoped on six issues ha are in direc conflic wih oday’s

GOP presidenial candidaes. Despie he olklore, i is hard o imagine any o

hese candidaes claiming fideliy o eagan and his principles in a way ha he

40h presiden could embrace.


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Provided a pathway to citizenship

for undocumented immigrants

Presiden onald eagan welcomed immigrans as a criical par o American

sociey and srongly suppored legal saus or undocumened immigrans. He

began pushing Congress or immigraion reorm early in his presidency, succeed-

ing in 1986 wih he passage o he biparisan Immigraion eorm and Conrol

Ac, or ICA.37 Te ICA provided legal saus wih an evenual pah o ciizen-

ship or undocumened immigrans who had enered he counry beore 1982. By

he end o he applicaion period, 2.7 million immigrans had benefied rom he

program.38 And i his posiion pushing or and passing such legislaion was noclear, eagan srongly saed his suppor or amnesy during a 1984 debae, declar-

ing, “I believe in he idea o amnesy or hose who have pu down roos and who

have lived here even hough some ime back hey may have enered illegally.” 39

Moreover, in his arewell address, he envisioned an America ha embraced immi-

grans, saing ha i he Unied Saes was a ciy wih walls, “he walls had doors

and he doors were open o anyone wih he will and he hear o ge here.”40

Despie idolizing eagan, mos o he curren GOP field could no be urher rom

his open and humane views on immigraion. Insead, he curren epublican dis-

cussion surrounding immigraion is led by rump, who suppors deporing enire

amiliesincluding DEAMers, young undocumened immigrans who came o

he Unied Saes prior o age 16and even advocaes ending birhrigh ciizen-

ship, a proecion guaraneed by he 14h Amendmen o he U.S. Consiuion as

par o solidiying he end o slavery.41 Many o he oher candidaes have rushed

o align hemselves wih “Te Donald.” For insance, Gov. Walker has characer-

ized his immigraion policy plan as “very similar” o rump’s plan.42 Meanwhile,

ormer Florida Gov. Jeb Bush43 mimicked rump’s use o he derogaory erm

“anchor baby”44 o reer o he children o undocumened immigrans rom Asia

who were born in he Unied Saes.

Addiionally, a majoriy o he GOP candidaes ervenly oppose deporaion relie.

In paricularly, hey have been ouraged by Presiden Obama’s execuive orders

creaing and expanding he Deerred Acion or Childhood Arrivals, or DACA,

program and creaing he Deerred Acion or Parens o Americans and Lawul

“I believe in the

idea of amnesty

those who have

put down roots

and who have li

here even thougsome time back

they may have

entered illegally.

— Ronald Reagan


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Permanen esidens, or DAPA, program. According o analysis rom he Cener

or American Progress, DACA and DAPA would help more han 5 million people45

and grow he U.S. economy a cumulaive $230 billion over 10 years. 46 In spie o

hese benefis, hese programs led candidae and reired neurosurgeon Ben Carson

o compare Presiden Obama o ussian Presiden Vladimir Puin.47 Meanwhile,

Gov. Bush said he execuive order was more like he decree o a “Lain Americandicaor.”48 A one poin, Sen. Cruz hreaened orcing a governmen shudown o

preven Obama’s order by “any and all means necessary.”49

Given he 2016 GOP hopeuls’ sance on deporaion relie, i is no surprising

ha many also oppose providing a pahway o ciizenship or he curren 11 mil-

lion undocumened immigrans living in he Unied Saes, even hough doing

so would boos he U.S. economy by $1.2 rillion over 10 years, according o an

analysis by he Cener or American Progress.50 Gov. Bush called a pahway o

ciizenship an “undeserving reward,”51 while New Jersey Gov. Chris Chrisie saed

“his pah o ciizenship suff is garbage.”52 And during he immigraion debae in

he Senae in 2013, Sen. and Paul o Kenucky inroduced an amendmen ha

would have effecively sripped he immigraion bill’s pah o ciizenship.53 No

o be oudone, Sen. ubio no only abandoned he immigraion bill he helpedo wrie,54 bu he also urged Presiden Obama no o enac deporaion relie.55

Meanwhile, Gov. Walker,56 Sen. Cruz,57 ormer business execuive Carly Fiorina,59

and ormer Pennsylvania Sen. ick Sanorum60 have all indicaed ha hey do no

suppor creaing a pahway o ciizenship.

FIGURE 2

Inaction on immigration has serious

economic consequences

Cumulative increase in gross domestic

product, or GDP, over 10 years

Source: Silva Mathema, “Infographic: Inaction on Immigration Is Too Costly,” Center for American Progress, April 9, 2015, available at

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2015/04/09/110589/infographic-inaction-on-immigration-is-too-costly.

Pathway to citizenship

$1.2trillion

Deferred action

$230billion

No executive action


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Stood up to the NRA to

establish background checks

Te assassinaion atemp on Presiden eagan, which permanenly disabled

his press secreary, James Brady, lef a lasing impression on he 40h presiden.

In 1991, 10 years afer he inciden, Congress considered he Brady Handgun

Violence Prevenion Ac, which required ederal background checks or fire-

arm purchases rom gun dealers. While eagan was no longer in office, he was

he bill’s mos imporan supporer, arguing in a New York Times op-ed ha he

assassinaion atemp “migh never have happened” i his legislaion was law a

he ime.61 Te bill, which also included a five-day waiing period beore hand-gun purchases,62 became law in 1993 despie he objecions o he Naional ifle

Associaion.63 Addiionally, eagan suppored a ban on assaul weapons, anoher

posiion opposed by he NR, explaining ha “an AK-47, a machine gun, is no a

sporing weapon or needed or deense o a home.”64

Te curren slae o epublican presidenial candidaes would no doub cringe i

Presiden eagan were o ask hem o go agains he wishes o he NR. Te NR

possesses enormous influence over he curren GOP candidaes. Almos all o he

epublican candidaes proudly ou A grades rom he gun righs organizaion.65

Tose who do no ye have he NR’s coveed A grade have been working hard o

ge ino he organizaion’s good graces: Gov. Chrisie reused o sign several gun

saey bills, including a weapons ban or which he had originally called,66 and Sen.

ubio inroduced a Senae bill o repeal he Disric o Columbia’s gun laws.67

Meanwhile, ormer Sen. Sanorum was named one o he “op 5 poliicians in he

pocke o he NR” in 2013.68

Te majoriy o he 2016 conenders also oppose closing loopholes in he cur-

ren background check sysem, which enable criminals o evade he sysem and

purchase guns online, a gun shows, in parking los, and jus abou anywhereelse. Te background check sysem is a policy ha he NR has long ough.

And while eagan dared go up agains he NR o advocae or he original

background check bi ll,69 Sens. ubio, Cruz, and Paulas well as Souh Carolina


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Sen. Lindsey Grahamall voed in he NR’s avor on a 2013 Senae bill o

expand background checks in he wake o he mass shooing a Sandy Hook

Elemenary School in Newown, Connecicu, joining a minoriy o senaors

who used he filibuser rules o block he legislaion.70

In he years since onald eagan’s presidency, here were a oal o 836,290gun-relaed deahs in he Unied Saes341,049 people have been murdered

wih guns and anoher 495,241 have died in gun suicides and accidens.71

ogeher, hose numbers exceed all he comba deahs o American soldiers in

all he wars in U.S. hisory.72

Note: 2014 information totals were estimated based on 1989 to 2013 numbers.

Source: Authors analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Injury Prevention & Control: Data & Statistics (WISQARS),” availableat http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/fatal_injury_reports.html (last accessed August 2015); Department of Veterans Affairs “America’s

Wars,” available at http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/factsheets/fs_americas_wars.pdf (last accessed September 2015); Nese F. DeBruyneand Anne Leland, “American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics” (Washington: Congressional Research Service,2015), available at http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32492.pdf; U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Casualty Status Fatalities (2015),available at http://www.defense.gov/casualty.pdf. For casualties before the year 2000, Veterans Affairs and Congressional Research Service

information was used. For battle casualties after 2000, information was obtained from the U.S. Department of Defense.

FIGURE 3

The war at home

Gun deaths since the end of the Reagan administration

outnumber U.S. military deaths from wars

836,290

Total number of gun-related deaths in the United States from 1989 to 2014

Total U.S. military killed in war from 1776 to 2015

656,397


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Signed a multilateral international

treaty to reduce pollution

Presiden eagan negoiaed he Monreal Proocol, a reay widely seen as one

o he mos successul global environmenal reaies in hisory.73 Te Monreal

Proocol aimed o save he ozone layer by phasing ou nearly 100 dangerous

gases, hereby proecing people rom ulraviole radiaion.74 In he years lead-

ing up o he agreemen, scieniss sounded he alarm abou ozone depleion,

which escalaed in 1985 wih he discovery o a gian hole in he ozone layer over

Anarcica.75 eagan heeded hese scienific calls, becoming a surprise champion

o he reay given his zeal or deregulaion.76 In ac, his closes aides waned himo figh he reay. Insead, Presiden eagan vigorously backed he Monreal

Proocol77 and lauded he hisoric cooperaion o he inernaional communiy on

he reay o “proec a vial global resource.”78

While he original goal o he Monreal Proocol was o address ozone depleion,

a side effec has been a significan cu in he polluion ha conribues o human-

made climae change. Curren research suggess ha global warming “migh be wice

as bad” were i no or his 1989 reay negoiaed by Presiden eagan.79 In he years

ha ollowed he signing o he pac, observers have noed how effecive he pro-

ocol was in reducing greenhouse gases. As a New York Times analysis described in

2013, “he evidence suggess he proocol has done ar more o limi global warming

han he beter-known reay adoped or ha purpose, he Kyoo Proocol.”80

eagan’s abiliy o go agains his poliical advisors and ac when conroned

wih significan scienific evidencein his case, ha indusrial chemicals were

depleing he ozone layer81is compleely couner o he curren crop o GOP

presidenial hopeuls who eiher deny or ignore he overwhelming scienific

evidence ha climae change is human made. Indeed, Sen. Cruz has compared

climae aciviss o “fla-Earhers”82

; Sen. Paul calls climae science “no conclu-sive”83; and rump has called climae change a “hoax.”84 Sen. ubio believes ha

here is no proo ha humans are responsible or climae change because “here’s

never been a momen he climae isn’ changing.”85 Ohio Gov. John Kasich joins

ubio in suggesing here is no need or acion since he noion o climae change

is “based on some heory ha is no proven.”86


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Moreover, he curren group o 2016 GOP conenders likely would no suppor

a reay such as he Monreal Proocol, which relied on he U.S. Environmenal

Proecion Agency, or EPA, o issue regulaions ha proec he environmen.

Insead, many in he curren GOP presidenial field have ried o weaken he

EPA’s role. Under he Obama adminisraion’s Clean Power Plan, he EPA has

issued rules o curb carbon emissions in order o proec public healh and combaclimae change. Tese rules are esimaed o creae climae and healh benefis o

up o $93 billion by 2030.87 In conras, Gov. Walker said he would sue he govern-

men over he EPA regulaions.88 Meanwhile, Sen. Cruz has ried o repeal all ed-

eral climae change regulaion and preven he ederal governmen rom regulaing

greenhouse gas emissions.89 For his par, Sen. Paul has also called he EPA’s effors

o reduce greenhouse gases “illegal” and vows o repeal hem.90 No o be lef ou,

Sen. ubio says “wih cerainy” ha effors o reduce carbon will have a “dev-

asaing impac on our economy.”91 On he conrary, wo independen sudies92

esimae ha Presiden Obama’s new Clean Power Plan will creae 300,000 jobs93

when he plan is ully implemened.


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Negotiated to reduce

nuclear proliferation

While Presiden eagan was ough on America’s enemies, he was willing o

negoiae wih he Sovie Union, one o he Unied Saes’ saunches adversaries

during his ime in office. In ac, he held muliple summis wih he Sovie Union’s

General Secreary Mikhail Gorbachev. Te wo men me five differen imes; on

heir hird meeing, each side made concessions in order o sign he Inermediae-

ange Nuclear Forces, or INF, reay, eliminaing cerain caegories o nuclear

missiles.94 According o he eagan Foundaion, “he unlikely pairing o a devoed

ani-Communis advocae o capialism wih a dyed-in-he-wool Marxis resuledno only in he mos significan arms reducion reay in hisory, bu in a perma-

nen change in U.S.-Sovie relaions.”95

As presiden, eagan also upheld reaies made by previous U.S. presidens. alks

beween he Unied Saes and he Sovie Union on he issue o armamen conrol

resuled in wo agreemens: he Sraegic Arms Limiaion reay, or SAL, I

under Presiden ichard Nixon in 1972, ollowed by SAL II under Presiden

Jimmy Carer in 1979.96 Alhough SAL II was never raified by he Senae afer

he Sovies invaded Aghanisan, eagan declared ha as presiden, he would no

violae he reay’s erms i he Sovies agreed o keep o hem as well.97

Many o he curren epublican presidenial candidaes have ailed o adop

eagan’s sance oward negoiaions on maters o naional securiy. Insead, when

asked or his plan o deal wih Iran, Gov. Walker said, “I will pu in place crip-

pling economic sancions on Iran and I will convince our allies o do he same.”98

Former Gov. Huckabee said he would “ keep all opions on he able, including

miliary orce, o opple he erroris Iranian regime” i he were presiden.99

Te epublican presidenial candidaes have no been respecul o he negoiaingauhoriy o he curren adminisraion or mindul o he respec ha should be paid

o preceden. In he middle o Presiden Obama’s negoiaion wih Iran, Sens. Cruz,

Paul, and ubio were among he 47 epublican senaors who acually signed an

open leter o he leaders o Iran advising hem ha he presiden has no auhoriy o


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negoiae wih hem.100 Tis unprecedened hardline parisan sraegy undermines

he auhoriy o he execuive branch o negoiae wih oher counries and impedes

he pah oward a peaceul resoluion.101 And insead o respecing reaies signed by

predecessors, many epublican presidenial conenders are making i a op prioriy

o undo he curren Iran deal. Gov. Walker, Fiorina, and Sen. ubio have all commi-

ed o erminaing he Iran deal on he firs day o heir presidency.102


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Grew the federal government

Alhough he is known or waning o shrink he size o he governmen, Presiden

eagan acually grew he governmen in many ways while he was in office and

financed ha growh hrough defici spending.103 For insance, under Presiden

eagan, he ederal workorce increased by abou 324,000 employees o almos

5.3 million people.104 Te growh in ederal employees under eagan is ypically

misatribued o he buildup o deense during he Cold War; in ac, only 26 per-

cen o he growh in ederal employmen was due o he increase in he size o he

armed orces.105 Addiionally, eagan doubled he U.S. Deparmen o Educaion’s budge106 even hough he campaigned on eliminaing he deparmen.107 eagan

also creaed a new ederal deparmen, he U.S. Deparmen o Veerans Affairs.108

Curren epublican presidenial candidaes, in he words o eagan’s biographer

Lou Cannon, are ollowing “caricaures o eagan” as a budge hawk and oppo-

nen o any sor o spending growh.109 In realiy, governmen spending and he

defici grew under eagan. During his presidency, spending as a percenage o he

gross domesic produc, or GDP, was 1.7 percenage poins higher han oday’s

40-year average.110 Under eagan, ederal spending ballooned,111 and he naional

deb nearly ripled rom $907 billion in 1980 o $2.6 rillion in 1988.112 Deb as a

share o GDP grew 5.76 percen on average each year under eagan, ar oupacing

he hisorical average o 0.28 percen growh in he deb-o-GDP raio per year.113

Despie he ac ha Presiden eagan ulimaely embraced he necessiy o

spending o mee naional prioriies, including defici spending, oday’s GOP

candidaes have clung o he desrucive ideas o severe auseriy and a balanced

budge amendmen. A balanced budge amendmen would preven he ederal

governmen rom ever passing a budge wih a defici, even i addiional spend-

ing was needed o simulae he economy in ough economic imes. Insead,Govs. Bush,114 Kasich,115 and Huckabee116along wih Louisiana Gov. Bobby

Jindal117and Sens. Cruz118 and Paul119 all suppor enacing a balanced budge

amendmen, which would hinder he governmen’s abiliy o enac necessary

counercyclical economic policy.


18/29


In addiion o adoping unworkable sances on he budge overall, many

epublican presidenial hopeuls have irresponsibly slashed spending on crii-

cal prioriies or boh he counry overall and American amilies specifically. For

example, while Presiden eagan doubled he Deparmen o Educaion’s budge,

many epublican governors have eiher slashed or proposed slashing educa-

ion spending in heir saes. Gov. Walker proposed a $300 million cu o heUniversiy o Wisconsin sysem, a 13 percen reducion in unding.120 Meanwhile,

Gov. Jindal proposed slashing beween $200 million and $300 million in unding

or Louisiana’s sae universiies.121 epublicans governors’ willingness o cu edu-

caion insead o considering ax hikes or he wealhies axpayers flies in he ace

o wha he American public wans. A Public Policy Polling survey rom Augus

2015 commissioned by he Cener or American Progress showed ha by a mar-

gin o 59 percen o 19 percen, Americans preer raising axes on he wealhy o

balance he budge in lieu o cuting unding or educaion.122

No only have epublican candidaes embraced dogmaic views on spending andslashed unding or imporan prioriies, some are so irresponsible ha hey are willing

o shu down he enire governmen o urher ideological sances. In 2013, congres-

sional epublicans led by Sen. Cruz orced a governmen shudown over an atemp

o deund he Affordable Care Ac. Economiss esimae ha he shudown cos he

economy $20 billion.123 Showing complee disregard o he high coss o a governmen

shudown o he economy, Sen. Cruz is mulling anoher shudown, his ime over

demands o deund Planned Parenhood.124 Sen. Paul has also engaged in provoca-

ive budge rheoric over Planned Parenhood, declaring, “i Presiden Obama wans

o shu down governmen because he doesn’ ge unds or Planned Parenhood, ha

would be Presiden Obama’s deerminaion o shu down governmen.”125

Las bu no leas, many 2016 GOP presidenial hopeuls wan o cu vial govern-

men agencies, unlike heir claimed menor eagan, who creaed a new ederal

agency and grew he Deparmen o Educaion’s budge. Former exas Gov. ick

Perry, who jus dropped ou o he 2016 presidenial race, is probably he mos

amous or his blind allegiance o cuting ederal agencies, hanks o his unorge-

able gaffe during a 2011 GOP presidenial primary debae in which he ailed o

remember he name o he hird o hree agencies he proposed cuting. Afer vis-

ibly sruggling o recall which i was, he sheepishly utered, “oops.”126

Bu he is noalone. Sen. Graham,127 Sen. Paul,128 Gov. Huckabee,129 and Sen. Cruz130 have also

all called or he desrucion o he Deparmen o Educaion. Sen. ubio has also

signaled ha he would be open o cuting he Educaion Deparmen as well.131

Meanwhile, Sens. Paul and Cruz wan o abolish he Inernal evenue Service,132

while Gov. Walker wans o gu he Environmenal Proecion Agency.133

By a margin of

59 percent to 19

percent, Americ

prefer raising tax

on the wealthy

balance the bud

in lieu of cutting

fundingfor education.


19/29


Closed tax loopholes favoring

the wealthy and raised taxes

Presiden onald eagan is known as one o he ahers o rickle-down econom-

ics, a heory ha has largely avored he wealhy ew a he expense o he middle

class. For example, afer eagan passed he Economic ecovery ax Ac, which

disproporionaely cu axes or he wealhy, income inequaliy exploded.134

eagan, however, did no reuse o raise axes rom ime o ime. As presiden,

eagan also closed ax loopholes ha avored he wealhy afer he saw how

his ax cu increased he defici. In 1982, Presiden eagan worked wih hen-

Speaker o he House ip O’Neill (D-MA) and Democras in Congress o passhe ax Equiy and Fiscal esponsibiliy Ac, or EFRhe larges peaceime

ax increase in American hisory.135 EFR, as eagan advisor Bruce Barlet

described i, raised he op income ax rae and he ax rae on capial gains and

dividends.136 A hike in he ax rae on capial gains and dividends alls primarily

on he wealhy ew, as middle-class amilies receive very litle income rom capial

gains and dividendsonly 6 percen o middle-class marke income comes rom

business income, capial income, and realized capial gains compared o more han

50 percen o income or he riches 1 percen.137 As eagan laer explained, ax

loopholes “someimes made i possible or millionaires o pay nohing, while a bus

driver was paying en percen o his salary, and ha’s crazy.138

Indeed, hisorian Douglas Brinkley explains, “onald eagan was never araid

o raise axes. He knew ha i was necessary a imes.”139 In oal, eagan signed

11 bills ha raised axes a combined oal o $132.7 billion over he course o his

presidency 140 He ended up raising axes seven ou o he eigh years he was in

office, including a ax increase o und Social Securiy.141

Tax loopholes

“sometimes ma

it possible for

millionaires to p

nothing, while

a bus driver was

paying ten perc

of his salary, and

that’s crazy.”— Ronald Reagan


20/29


FIGURE 4

President Reagan’s tax increases

All tax increases signed into law by President Reagan, 1981–1989

Tax increasesBillions of dollars

(net effect from passage to 1988)

Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 57.3

Highway Revenue Act of 1982 4.9

Social Security Amendments of 1983 24.6

Railroad Retirement Revenue Act of 1983 1.2

Deficit Reduction Act of 1984 25.4

Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 2.9

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 2.4

Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 0.6

Continuing Resolution for 1987 2.8

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 8.6

Continuing Resolution for 1988 2

Total cumulative tax increases 132.7

Source: Office of Management and Budget, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 1990 (Executive Office of the President, 1989),p. 4-4, available at https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/docs/publications/usbudget/bus_1990.pdf; Bruce Bartlett, “Reagan’s Tax Increases,” Stan

Collender’s Capital Gains and Games, April 6, 2010, available at http://www.capitalgainsandgames.com/blog/bruce-bartlett/1632/reagans-tax-increases. Numbers represent the net effect of the tax increases from passage to the end of the Reagan presidency in 1988.

Overall, Presiden eagan’s cumulaive ax cus were roughly wice he size o his

cumulaive ax increases, and his ax policy sill disproporionaely avored cuting

axes or wealhy Americans.142 Bu his willingness o raise axes on he wealhy

sands in conras o oday’s GOP. While eagan aced o close ax loopholes or

millionaires, numerous 2016 GOP presidenial hopeuls have proposed policies

ha overwhelmingly benefi he wealhies Americans. For example, while eagan

raised he ax rae on capial gains and dividends, Sen. ubio proposes elimina-

ing all axes on capial gains and dividends, a move ha would disproporionaely

benefi he wealhy.143 ubio’s plan would also add $2.4 rillion o he defici.144 Sen.

Cruz has also indicaed suppor or eliminaing he capial gains ax.145 Gov. Bush

recenly announced a ax plan ha includes a number o large ax giveaways ha

overwhelmingly benefi he wealhies Americans: I cus ax raes on capial gains

and dividends, lowers he op income ax rae, slashes corporae axes, and elimi-

naes he esae ax.146 Gov. Bush’s ax proposal, in ac, would save him $773,677

per year based on his 2013 adjused gross income o $7,274,764.147 No o be lef

behind, Sen. Paul’s ax plan disproporionaely benefis he wealhy; according ohe conservaive ax Foundaion, Sen. Paul’s ax plan would cu axes or million-

aires ar more han i would or middle-class Americans.148


21/29


No only do many o he GOP presidenial candidaes suppor ax policies ha

avor he wealhy ew, hey have also adoped exreme ax policy sances ha

leave litle room or compromise. Ou o he 16 declared candidaes, 13 o hem

have signed Grover Norquis’s “axpayer Proecion Pledge,”149 meaning hey

will reuse o suppor any legislaion ha includes a ne income ax increase,150

even i i would only affec he wealhies corporaions and individuals and even irevenue were needed o mee criical naional prioriies.


22/29


Conclusion

In he run-up o and during he epublican debae a he eagan Presidenial

Library, he GOP presidenial hopeuls will al l rush o praise he lae onald

eagan as heir conservaive hero and atemp o posiion hemselves o ake up

he 40h presiden’s manle. Bu a closer look a Presiden eagan’s record and

he posiions o he curren crop o GOP candidaes reveals no jus he hypoc-

risy o he GOP presidenial hopeuls, bu also how ar o he righ o eagan

hey and he epublican pary have moved. Te curren epublican candidaes

or presiden may say ha hey love and revere eagan, bu when i comes ocompromise and heir individual posiions on issues such as guns, immigra-

ion, and ohers, heir poliical sances make i clear ha are nohing like he

“Gipper”a poliical leader who could and did, in some insances, leave ideol-

ogy on he bench when i came o he good o he counry.


23/29


About the authors

Charles Posner is he Policy Manager a he Cener or American Progress Acion

Fund, where he conducs acionable quaniaive and qualiaive analysis wih a

ocus on making i relevan on he sae level. His previous work a CAP Acion

includes research on elecion adminisraion, voing righs, and provisional ballos. Prior o joining CAP Acion, he worked a Greenberg Quinlan osner

esearch and Democracy Corps, specializing in U.S. poliical issues, and wih

Organizing or America in Ohio on campaigns o overurn a voer suppression law

and proec collecive bargaining righs or public-secor unions. Posner graduaed

wih a bachelor’s degree in poliical science rom Brown Universiy. He hails rom

Cambridge, Massachusets.

Molly Cain is a esearch Associae in he CAP Acion War oom. Prior o join-

ing CAP Acion, she inerned wih he Office o Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) and

uored economics or Sanord Universiy’s Ahleic Academic esource Cener.Originally rom Delaware, Cain earned a bachelor o ars in economics and public

policy rom Sanord Universiy.

Anna Chu is he Vice Presiden o Policy and esearch a he Cener or American

Progress Acion Fund and brings experience working on a muliude o economic

campaigns. She also served as he policy direcor or he Democraic Senaorial

Campaign Commitee during he successul 2012 cycle in which Democras

added wo seas o heir Senae majoriy. As policy direcor, Chu oversaw and

managed all policy issues or he commitee and Democraic Senae candidaes.

Prior o working a he Democraic Senaorial Campaign Commitee, Chu was

he policy advisor or he House Democraic Caucus, where she managed several

congressional ask orces. She previously served as a ederal law clerk and worked

as an associae a Paul Hasings. Chu graduaed rom he Universiy o Caliornia,

Berkeley, and earned a law degree rom he Universiy o Souhern Caliornia.


24/29


Endnotes

1 Jeffrey M. Jones, “Americans Judge Reagan, ClintonBest of R ecent Presidents,” Gallup, February 17, 2012,available at http://www.gallup.com/poll/152771/Amer-icans-Judge-Reagan-Clinton-Best-Recent-Presidents.aspx.

2 Americans for Tax Reform, “35 Governors DeclareFebruary 6 as ‘Ronald Reagan Day,’” February 6, 2015,available at http://www.atr.org/35-governors-declare-february-6-ronald-reagan-day.

3 Susan Page, “Ronald Reagan: A ‘folklore’ presidentwho led a revolution,” USA Today , January 24, 2011,available at http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-01-19-ronald-reagan-legacy_N.htm.

4 Public Policy Polling, “JFK, Reagan, Clinton most popu-lar recent ex-presidents,” September 15, 2011, availableat http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2011/09/

jfk-reagan-clinton-most-popular-recent-ex-presidents.html; Quinnipiac University, “Biden Runs Better thanClinton Against Top Republicans, Quinnipiac UniversityNational Poll Finds; Trump GOP Lead Grows as ClintonDem Lead Shrinks,” Press release, August 27, 2015, avail-able at http://www.quinnipiac.edu/images/polling/us/

us08272015_Ueg38d.pdf .

5 Evan Wyloge, “The Immigration Reform and ControlAct: What It Is, Why It Matters,” Arizona State UniversityLatino America, November 6, 1986, available at http://asu.news21.com/archive/2009/the_first_immigra-tion_amnesty/; Ingrid Rojas, “The 1986 ImmigrationReform Explained,” ABC News, May 5, 2013, available athttp://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/Politics/1986-amnesty/story?id=18971179.

6 Justin Gillis, “The Montreal Protocol, a Little Treaty ThatCould,” The New York Times, December 9, 2013, availableat http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/10/science/the-montreal-protocol-a-little-treaty-that-could.html?_r=0.

7 Office of Management and Budget, Budget of theUnited States Government, Fiscal Year 1990 (GovernmentPrinting Office, 1989), p. 4-4, available at https://fraser.

stlouisfed.org/docs/publications/usbudget/bus_1990.pdf.

8 The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Library,“Talking ‘to’ People, Not ‘About’ Them,” available athttp://www.reaganfoundation.org/mikhail-gorbachev.aspx (last accessed August 2015).

9 Ben Olinsky and Asher Mayerson, “Trickle-DownEconomics and Broken Promises” (Washington:Center for American Progress, 2013), available athttps://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/report/2013/12/04/80381/trickle-down-economics-and-broken-promises/; Brendan Duke, “New DataIllustrate the Failure of the Trickle-Down Experiment,”Center for American Progress, June 29, 2015, availableat https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/news/2015/06/29/116130/new-data-illustrate-the-failure-of-the-trickle-down-experiment/.

10 Joe Romm, “Who got us in this energy mess?Start with Ronald Reagan,” ClimateProgress, July8, 2008, available at http://thinkprogress.org/cli-mate/2008/07/08/202854/who-got-us-in-this-energy-mess-start-with-ronald-reagan/.

11 PBS, “The Iran-Contra Affair,” available at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/reagan-iran/ (last accessed August 2015).

12 Eno Center for Transportation, “Reagan Devolution: TheReal Story of the 1982 Gas Tax Increase” (2015), avail-able at https://www.enotrans.org/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/downloadables/Reagan-Devolution-The-Real-Story-of-the-1982-Gas-Tax-Increase.pdf .

13 Page, “Ronald Reagan: A ‘folklore’ president who led arevolution.”

14 Wyloge, “The Immigration Reform and Control Act:What It Is, Why It Matters”; Rojas, “The 1986 Immigra-tion Reform Explained.”

15 Associated Press, “Rifle Group Restates Opposition To Bill Delaying Gun Purchases,” The New York Times,April 15, 1991, available at http://www.nytimes.com/1991/04/15/us/rifle-group-restates-opposition-to-bill-delaying-gun-purchases.html.

16 Gillis, “The Montreal Protocol, a Little Treaty That Could.”

17 Ibid.

18 The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Library,“Talking ‘to’ People, Not ‘About’ Them.”

19 Alex Park, “These Charts Show How Ronald ReaganActually Expanded the Federal Government,” Mother Jones, December 30, 2014, available at http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2014/12/ronald-reagan-big-government-legacy.

20 Rick Ungar, “The Obama Economy vs. The ReaganEconomy: It’s Literally No Contest,” Forbes, September18, 2014, available at http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2014/09/18/the-obama-economy-vs-the-reagan-economy-its-literally-no-contest/2/.

21 Jeanne Sahadi, “Taxes: What people forget aboutReagan,” CNN, September 12, 2010, available at http://money.cnn.com/2010/09/08/news/economy/reagan_years_taxes/.

22 Bruce Bartlett, “Tax Increases and Bull Markets,” The New

York Times, January 8, 2013, available at http://econo-mix.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/08/tax-increases-and-bull-markets/; Arkadi Gerney, Anna Chu, and BrendanDuke, “The Middle Class at Risk” ( Washington: Centerfor American Progress Action Fund, 2015), availableat https://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/general/report/2015/07/27/118103/the-middle-class-at-risk/.

23 Bruce Bartlett, “Higher Taxes: Will the Republicans CryWolf Again?”, Forbes, February 27, 2009, available athttp://www.forbes.com/2009/02/26/obama-budget-reagan-clinton-bush-opinions-columnists_higher_tax-es.html.

24 Patrick Healy, “How Is Scott Walker Like Reagan? He’ll Tell You,” The New York Times, April 6, 2015, available athttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/07/us/politics/2016-elections-scott-walker-ronald-reagan.html?_r=0.

25 Marco Rubio, “A Speech for All Time,” National Review ,October 27, 2014, available at http://www.nationalre-view.com/article/391249/speech-all-time-marco-rubio.

26 Jeffrey Toobin, “The Absolutist ,”The New Yorker , June 30,2014, available at http://www.newyorker.com/maga-zine/2014/06/30/the-absolutist-2.

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ickle-down-economics-and-broken-promises/http://www.reaganfoundation.org/mikhail-gorbachev.aspxhttp://www.reaganfoundation.org/mikhail-gorbachev.aspxhttps://fraser.stlouisfed.org/docs/publications/usbudget/bus_1990.pdfhttps://fraser.stlouisfed.org/docs/publications/usbudget/bus_1990.pdfhttps://fraser.stlouisfed.org/docs/publications/usbudget/bus_1990.pdfhttp://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/10/science/the-montreal-protocol-a-little-treaty-that-could.html?_r=0http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/10/science/the-montreal-protocol-a-little-treaty-that-could.html?_r=0http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/Politics/1986-amnesty/story?id=18971179http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/Politics/1986-amnesty/story?id=18971179http://asu.news21.com/archive/2009/the_first_immigration_amnesty/http://asu.news21.com/archive/2009/the_first_immigration_amnesty/http://asu.news21.com/archive/2009/the_first_immigration_amnesty/http://www.quinnipiac.edu/images/polling/us/us08272015_Ueg38d.pdfhttp://www.quinnipiac.edu/images/polling/us/us08272015_Ueg38d.pdfhttp://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2011/09/jfk-reagan-clinton-most-popular-recent-ex-presidents.htmlhttp://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2011/09/jfk-reagan-clinton-most-popular-recent-ex-presidents.htmlhttp://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2011/09/jfk-reagan-clinton-most-popular-recent-ex-presidents.htmlhttp://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-01-19-ronald-reagan-legacy_N.htmhttp://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-01-19-ronald-reagan-legacy_N.htmhttp://www.atr.org/35-governors-declare-february-6-ronald-reagan-dayhttp://www.atr.org/35-governors-declare-february-6-ronald-reagan-dayhttp://www.gallup.com/poll/152771/Americans-Judge-Reagan-Clinton-Best-Recent-Presidents.aspxhttp://www.gallup.com/poll/152771/Americans-Judge-Reagan-Clinton-Best-Recent-Presidents.aspxhttp://www.gallup.com/poll/152771/Americans-Judge-Reagan-Clinton-Best-Recent-Presidents.aspx


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27 NBC News, “Meet The Press Transcript,” August 16, 2015,available at http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meet-press-transcript-august-16-2015-n412636.

28 Silva Mathema, “Infographic: Inaction on Immigration Is Too Costly,” Center For American Progress, April 9, 2015,available at https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2015/04/09/110589/infographic-inaction-on-immigration-is-too-costly/.

29 Greg Neumann, “Walker calls for smaller government,unity against terrorism in State of State address,”

WKOW, January 28, 2015, available at http://www.wkow.com/story/27834808/2015/01/13/gov-walker-set-to-give-state-of-the-state-address-tonight.

30 Adam Wollner, “How the 2016 Presidential CandidatesAre Reacting to the Iran Deal,” National Journal , July14, 2015, available at http://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-elections/iran-deal-republican-presidential-candidates-20150714.

31 Nick Gass and Adam B. Lerner, “GOP candidatesvow to roll back Iran deal,” Politico, July 14, 2015,available at http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/gop-candidates-vow-to-roll-back-iran-deal-120081.html#ixzz3jO4e7Kuq.

32 Greg Jaffe and Sean Sullivan, “Republican letter to Iranintensifies dispute with White House,” The Washing-ton Post , March 9, 2015, available at http://www.

washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-senators-letter-to-iran-intensifies-dispute-with-white-house/2015/03/09/c873d354-c68a-11e4-a199-6cb5e63819d2_story.html.

33 Lauren Carroll, “Rand Paul rightly says the governmentshutdown was more expensive than keeping it open,”Tampa Bay Times PolitiFact, August 7, 2014, availableat http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/state-ments/2014/aug/07/rand-paul/rand-paul-rightly-says-government-shutdown-was-mor/.

34 Paul Waldman, “Nearly all the GOP candidates bowdown to Grover Norquist,” The Washington Post , August13, 2015, available at https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/08/13/nearly-all-the-gop-candidates-bow-down-to-grover-norquist/.

35 Andrew Lundeen and Michael Schuyler, “The EconomicEffects of Rand Paul’s Tax Reform Plan,” Tax Foundation,

June 18, 2015, available at http://taxfoundation.org/blog/economic-effects-rand-paul-s-tax-reform-plan.

36 Gerney, Chu, and Duke, “The Middle Class at Risk.”

37 Wyloge, “The Immigration Reform and Control Act:What It Is, Why It Matters.”

38 Rojas, “The 1986 Immigration Reform Explained.”

39 The American Presidency Project, “Debate Between thePresident and Former Vice President Walter F. Mondalein Kansas City, Missouri,” October 21, 1984, available athttp://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=39296.

40 PBS, “Reagan’s Farewell Speech,” available at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/pri-mary-resources/reagan-farewell/ (last accessed August2015).

41 Eric Bradner, “Trump on immigration: ‘They have to go,’”CNN, August 16, 2015, available at http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/16/politics/donald-trump-immigration-planned-parenthood-iraq-2016/index.html.

42 Sahil Kapur, “Scott Walker Says His Immigration Plan Is‘Very Similar’ To Trump’s,” Bloomberg, August 17, 2015,available at http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-08-17/scott-walker-says-his-immigration-plan-is-very-similar-to-trump-s.

43 Emily Stephenson, “Jeb Bush again defends use of‘anchor babies’ term, says referred to Asians,” Reuters,August 25, 2015, available at http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/25/us-usa-election-bush-idUSKC-N0QT2DS20150825.

44 David Sherfinski, “Donald Trump: No I’ll use the word‘anchor baby,’” The Washington Times, August 21,2015, available at http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/aug/21/donald-trump-no-ill-use-word-anchor-baby/.

45 Migration Policy Institute, “Profile of the UnauthorizedPopulation: United States,” available at http://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrant-population/state/US (last accessed August 2015).

46 Silva Mathema, “Assessing the Economic Impacts ofGranting Deferred Action Through DACA and DAPA,”Center for American Progress, April 2, 2015, availableat https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigra-tion/news/2015/04/02/110045/assessing-the-econom-ic-impacts-of-granting-deferred-action-through-daca-and-dapa/.

47 Cheryl K. Chumley, “Ben Carson: Obama ‘is very muchlike Putin,’”The Washington Times, November 21,2014, available at http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/21/ben-carson-obama-is-very-much-like-putin/.

48 Dave Weigel, “Jeb Bush, Confronted by a DREAMer,Compares Obama Order to Decrees of a ‘Latin AmericanDictator,’” Bloomberg, March 7, 2015, available at http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-03-07/

jeb-bush-confronted-by-dreamer-compares-obama-orders-to-decrees-of-latin-american-dictator-.

49 Elise Foley, “Ted Cruz: End Deportation Relief By‘Any And All Means Necessary,’” The HuffingtonPost, September 9, 2014, available at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/09/ted-cruz-shutdown-immigration_n_5792886.html.

50 Mathema, “Infographic: Inaction on Immigration Is TooCostly.”

51 Jordan Fabian, “Jeb Bush Book Rejects Path to Citizen-ship for Undocumented Immigrants,” ABC News, March4, 2013, available at http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univi-

sion/Politics/jeb-bush-book-rejects-path-citizenship-undocumented-immigrants/story?id=18650677.

52 John Howie, “Chris Christie: ‘This Path to CitizenshipStuff is Garbage,’” YouTube, August 4, 2015, available athttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCMyVXm-ys4.

53 Aaron Blake, “Rand Paul seeks to strip path to citizen-ship,” The Washington Post , June 20, 2013, available athttp://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2013/06/20/rand-paul-seeks-to-strip-path-to-citizenship/.

54 Michael J. Mishak, “Marco Rubio Stresses BorderSecurity After Fallout With Conservatives O ver Reform,”

The Huffington Post, September 13, 2014, available athttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/13/marco-rubio-immigration_n_5815368.html.

55 Ibid.

56 Patrick Svitek, “Walker Denies Reversing Position on Im-migration,” The Texas Tribune, March 28, 2015, availableat http://www.texastribune.org/2015/03/28/walker-denies-reversing-position-illegal-immigrati/.

57 Office of Sen. Ted Cruz, “Sen. Cruz Files AdditionalAmendments to Immigration Legislation,” Press release,June 19, 2013, available at http://www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=105.

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-daca-and-dapa/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/21/ben-carson-obama-is-very-much-like-putin/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/21/ben-carson-obama-is-very-much-like-putin/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/21/ben-carson-obama-is-very-much-like-putin/http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-03-07/jeb-bush-confronted-by-dreamer-compares-obama-orders-to-decrees-of-latin-american-dictator-http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-03-07/jeb-bush-confronted-by-dreamer-compares-obama-orders-to-decrees-of-latin-american-dictator-http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-03-07/jeb-bush-confronted-by-dreamer-compares-obama-orders-to-decrees-of-latin-american-dictator-http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-03-07/jeb-bush-confronted-by-dreamer-compares-obama-orders-to-decrees-of-latin-american-dictator-http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/09/ted-cruz-shutdown-immigration_n_5792886.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/09/ted-cruz-shutdown-immigration_n_5792886.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/09/ted-cruz-shutdown-immigration_n_5792886.htmlhttp://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/Politics/jeb-bush-book-rejects-path-citizenship-undocumented-immigrants/story?id=18650677http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/Politics/jeb-bush-book-rejects-path-citizenship-undocumented-immigrants/story?id=18650677http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/Politics/jeb-bush-book-rejects-path-citizenship-undocumented-immigrants/story?id=18650677https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCMyVXm-ys4http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2013/06/20/rand-paul-seeks-to-strip-path-to-citizenship/http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2013/06/20/rand-paul-seeks-to-strip-path-to-citizenship/http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2013/06/20/rand-paul-seeks-to-strip-path-to-citizenship/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/13/marco-rubio-immigration_n_5815368.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/13/marco-rubio-immigration_n_5815368.htmlhttp://www.texastribune.org/2015/03/28/walker-denies-reversing-position-illegal-immigrati/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/03/28/walker-denies-reversing-position-illegal-immigrati/http://www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=105http://www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=105http://www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=105http://www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=105http://www.texastribune.org/2015/03/28/walker-denies-reversing-position-illegal-immigrati/http://www.texastribune.org/2015/03/28/walker-denies-reversing-position-illegal-immigrati/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/13/marco-rubio-immigration_n_5815368.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/13/marco-rubio-immigration_n_5815368.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2013/06/20/rand-paul-seeks-to-strip-path-to-citizenship/http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2013/06/20/rand-paul-seeks-to-strip-path-to-citizenship/http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2013/06/20/rand-paul-seeks-to-strip-path-to-citizenship/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCMyVXm-ys4http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/Politics/jeb-bush-book-rejects-path-citizenship-undocumented-immigrants/story?id=18650677http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/Politics/jeb-bush-book-rejects-path-citizenship-undocumented-immigrants/story?id=18650677http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/Politics/jeb-bush-book-rejects-path-citizenship-undocumented-immigrants/story?id=18650677http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/09/ted-cruz-shutdown-immigration_n_5792886.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/09/ted-cruz-shutdown-immigration_n_5792886.htmlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/09/ted-cruz-shutdown-immigration_n_5792886.htmlhttp://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-03-07/jeb-bush-confronted-by-dreamer-compares-obama-orders-to-decrees-of-latin-american-dictator-http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-03-07/jeb-bush-confronted-by-dreamer-compares-obama-orders-to-decrees-of-latin-american-dictator-http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-03-07/jeb-bush-confronted-by-dreamer-compares-obama-orders-to-decrees-of-latin-american-dictator-http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-03-07/jeb-bush-confronted-by-dreamer-compares-obama-orders-to-decrees-of-latin-american-dictator-http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/21/ben-carson-obama-is-very-much-like-putin/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/21/ben-carson-obama-is-very-much-like-putin/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/21/ben-carson-obama-is-very-much-like-putin/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2015/04/02/110045/assessing-the-economic-impacts-of-granting-deferred-action-through-daca-and-dapa/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2015/04/02/110045/assessing-the-economic-impacts-of-granting-deferred-action-through-daca-and-dapa/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2015/04/02/110045/assessing-the-economic-impacts-of-granting-deferred-action-through-daca-and-dapa/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2015/04/02/110045/assessing-the-economic-impacts-of-granting-deferred-action-through-daca-and-dapa/http://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrant-population/state/UShttp://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrant-population/state/UShttp://www.migrationpolicy.org/data/unauthorized-immigrant-population/state/UShttp://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/aug/21/donald-trump-no-ill-use-word-anchor-baby/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/aug/21/donald-trump-no-ill-use-word-anchor-baby/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/aug/21/donald-trump-no-ill-use-word-anchor-baby/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/25/us-usa-election-bush-idUSKCN0QT2DS20150825http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/25/us-usa-election-bush-idUSKCN0QT2DS20150825http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/25/us-usa-election-bush-idUSKCN0QT2DS20150825http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-08-17/scott-walker-says-his-immigration-plan-is-very-similar-to-trump-shttp://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-08-17/scott-walker-says-his-immigration-plan-is-very-similar-to-trump-shttp://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-08-17/scott-walker-says-his-immigration-plan-is-very-similar-to-trump-shttp://www.cnn.com/2015/08/16/politics/donald-trump-immigration-planned-parenthood-iraq-2016/index.htmlhttp://www.cnn.com/2015/08/16/politics/donald-trump-immigration-planned-parenthood-iraq-2016/index.htmlhttp://www.cnn.com/2015/08/16/politics/donald-trump-immigration-planned-parenthood-iraq-2016/index.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/reagan-farewell/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/reagan-farewell/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/reagan-farewell/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=39296http://taxfoundation.org/blog/economic-effects-rand-paul-s-tax-reform-planhttp://taxfoundation.org/blog/economic-effects-rand-paul-s-tax-reform-planhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/08/13/nearly-all-the-gop-candidates-bow-down-to-grover-norquist/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/08/13/nearly-all-the-gop-candidates-bow-down-to-grover-norquist/https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/08/13/nearly-all-the-gop-candidates-bow-down-to-grover-norquist/http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/aug/07/rand-paul/rand-paul-rightly-says-government-shutdown-was-mor/http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/aug/07/rand-paul/rand-paul-rightly-says-government-shutdown-was-mor/http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/aug/07/rand-paul/rand-paul-rightly-says-government-shutdown-was-mor/http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-senators-letter-to-iran-intensifies-dispute-with-white-house/2015/03/09/c873d354-c68a-11e4-a199-6cb5e63819d2_story.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-senators-letter-to-iran-intensifies-dispute-with-white-house/2015/03/09/c873d354-c68a-11e4-a199-6cb5e63819d2_story.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-senators-letter-to-iran-intensifies-dispute-with-white-house/2015/03/09/c873d354-c68a-11e4-a199-6cb5e63819d2_story.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-senators-letter-to-iran-intensifies-dispute-with-white-house/2015/03/09/c873d354-c68a-11e4-a199-6cb5e63819d2_story.htmlhttp://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-elections/iran-deal-republican-presidential-candidates-20150714http://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-elections/iran-deal-republican-presidential-candidates-20150714http://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-elections/iran-deal-republican-presidential-candidates-20150714http://www.wkow.com/story/27834808/2015/01/13/gov-walker-set-to-give-state-of-the-state-address-tonighthttp://www.wkow.com/story/27834808/2015/01/13/gov-walker-set-to-give-state-of-the-state-address-tonighthttp://www.wkow.com/story/27834808/2015/01/13/gov-walker-set-to-give-state-of-the-state-address-tonighthttps://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2015/04/09/110589/infographic-inaction-on-immigration-is-too-costly/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2015/04/09/110589/infographic-inaction-on-immigration-is-too-costly/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2015/04/09/110589/infographic-inaction-on-immigration-is-too-costly/http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meet-press-transcript-august-16-2015-n412636http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meet-press-transcript-august-16-2015-n412636


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59 David Knowles, “Carly Fiorina: No Path to Citizenshipfor those Who Came to U.S. Illegally,” Bloomberg, May4, 2015, available at http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-05-04/carly-fiorina-no-path-to-citizenship-for-those-who-came-to-u-s-illegally.

60 Sahil Kapur, “Rick Santorum’s Solution for the Undocu-mented Population: Use E-Verify,” Bloomberg, June 7,2015, available at http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-06-07/rick-santorum-s-solution-for-the-undocumented-population-use-e-verify.

61 Ronald Reagan, “Why I’m for the Brady Bill,”The NewYork Times, March 29, 1991, available at http://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/29/opinion/why-i-m-for-the-brady-bill.html.

62 The five-day waiting period was an interim provisionthat sunset after five years until the background checksystem was fully functioning. See James Dao, “5-DayWait to Buy Guns May Become Election Issue,” TheNew York Times, July 12, 1998, available at http://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/12/us/5-day-wait-to-buy-guns-may-become-election-issue.html.

63 Associated Press, “Rifle Group Restates Opposition To Bill Delaying Gun Purchases,” The New York Times,April 15, 1991, available at http://www.nytimes.com/1991/04/15/us/rifle-group-restates-opposition-to-bill-delaying-gun-purchases.html.

64 Jeff Wilson, “Reagan’s 78th Birthday Includes Posh Party,Campus Speech, Courtesy Call,” Associated Press, Febru-ary 7, 1989, available at http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1989/Reagan-s-78th-Birthday-Includes-Posh-Par-ty-Campus-Speech-Courtesy-Call/id-2792a3c920c27e-aebb4109a1a1dfddec.

65 Philip Bump, “Rating the 2016 Republicans by grade-point average,” The Washington Post , March 10, 2015,available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/03/10/rating-the-2016-republicans-by-grade-point-average/.

66 Matt Friedman, “Gov. Christie refuses to sign 3 gun bills,including version of weapon ban he called for,” NJ.com,August 16, 2013, available at http://www.nj.com/poli-tics/index.ssf/2013/08/christie_nj_gun_control_bills_legislature_governor_2016_president.html.

67 Aaron C. Davis, “Sen. Rubio, Rep. Jordan propose repeal-ing D.C. gun control laws,” The Washington Post, March26, 2015, available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/sen-rubio-rep-jordan-propose-repealing-dc-gun-control-laws/2015/03/26/f8d3884a-d3e2-11e4-8fce-3941fc548f1c_story.html.

68 Sally Nnamani, “The Top 5 Politicians In the Pocket ofthe NRA,” Mic, December 27, 2012, available at http://mic.com/articles/21430/the-top-5-politicians-in-the-pocket-of-the-nra.

69 Associated Press, “Rifle Group Restates Opposition ToBill Delaying Gun Purchases.”

70 U.S. Senate, “U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes, 113th Congress,1st Session: S.Amdt. 715 to S. 649 (Safe Communities,Safe Schools Act of 2013),” April 17, 2013, available athttp://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/

roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00097.

71 Authors analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Pre-vention, “Injury Prevention & Control: Data & Statistics(WISQARS),” available at http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/fatal_injury_reports.html (last accessed August2015). Note: 2014 information was estimated based on1989–2013 numbers.

72 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, America’s Wars (2015), available at http://www.va.gov/opa/publi-cations/factsheets/fs_americas_wars.pdf ; Nese F.DeBruyne and Anne Leland, “American War and MilitaryOperations Casualties: Lists and Statistics” (Washington:Congressional Research Service, 2015), available athttp://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32492.pdf; U.S.Department of Defense, U.S. Casualty Status Fatalities (2015), available at http://www.defense.gov/casualty.pdf. Note: For casualties before the year 2000, U.S.Department of Veterans Affairs and CongressionalResearch Service information was used. For battle

casualties after 2000, information was obtained fromthe U.S. Department of Defense.


74 Ibid.

75 Paul Vitello, “Joseph Farman, 82, Is Dead; DiscoveredOzone Hole,” The New York Times, May 18, 2013, avail-able at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/19/science/earth/joseph-farman-82-is-dead-discovered-ozone-hole.html?_r=0.


77 Ibid.

78 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “PresidentReagan on Montreal Protocol Ratification,” Press release,

December 21, 1987, available at http://www2.epa.gov/aboutepa/president-reagan-montreal-protocol-ratification.

79 Gillis, “The Montreal Protocol, a

Right of Reagan

Documents