Jerry and I went to see the movie Reagan when it was on at Osage View several weeks ago. This was the second time we had seen the film, having watched it several months ago when it was showing in Jefferson City. It was even better the second time around.
In Reagan’s first term, the media attacked him ferociously. Reagan was able to overcome the enemy that was hell-bent on destroying him. He created an economy that was sensationally better than the four years under Jimmy Carter. In spite of a negative press, Reagan won 49 of the 50 states in 1984. The Democratic candidate Walter Mondale won one state, his home state of Minnesota, by 3,761 votes. It’s hard to believe that Reagan was fewer than 4,000 votes from sweeping the country.
A week before the election, Carter was still very much in the race, and possibly even led. In spite of Reagan’s great job performance, Carter had climbed back into the running. But by the last weekend, it was over and Carter’s pollster gave him the bad news.
What keyed Carter’s collapse? There was only one debate in 1984 and that was held Oct. 28, during the final week of the campaign. At that event Reagan asked the American people, “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” After that debate Carter’s numbers plunged.
Today Democrat candidate Kamala Harris cannot ask that question, or she would face a fate similar to Jimmy Carter.
Donald Trump can and should ask that question.
All Americans should ask themselves that question while considering just three of the many issues we now face: Are we better off as a result of the 10 to 20 million people that have illegally entered our country through what the Democrats told us was a “secure” southern border? Are we better off as a result of what we pay for groceries, insurance, transportation and housing? Are we better off with the wars that are going on around the world?
If the American people answer that question honestly, the election is over. Can Harris and her supporters in the Democrat Party and the media convince us to vote against our own interests? We survived four years under Trump. Can we survive four years under Harris?
