What he probably means is someone who is a fiscal conservative. They believe in small government, less taxes and a strong military. But not an imperial military. They are not neo-cons and they also support a strong dollar policy. Reagan conservatives are not into nation building. Reagan conservatives also generally typify the term american exceptionalism and are generally very patriotic. His administration gave birth to what became known as Reagan democrats or the blue dogs as they are now called. FYI Reagan was a former democrat in CA.
Okay, did I not just say the Reagan conservatives were really libertarians? Or were u just joking with me
You know Reagan read Ayn Rand and spent much of his life reading and studying Hayek yet he never really became a libertarian. He had a hard time shaking his democrat roots. Even today most people are in agreement that he almost qualifies as a democrat compared with modern day conservatives. A good way to describe Reagan is a democrat that one night before bed read some Hayek and Rand and woke up in the morning as a Reagan conservative.
That then reinforces my point. The GOP needs to reel it's conservative wing in. But, why would Rush and Hannity, the mouthpieces of the modern conservatives hold Reagan as the ultimate icon, but then be to the right of him?
I'll tell you. Reagan "executed" the conservative ideology with precision. In other words, he was competent. There are many sloppy and incompetent conservatives out there. They talk the talk but on 3rd down and long they always get picked off. It's not that Rush and Hannity liked Reagan because he was sooooooo conservative but because of his ability to execute. Look at Obama. For all practical purposes he is a pretty left wing democrat. However he cannot execute his policies well at all much to the ire of the hard core left and the moveon.org crowd. He talks tough then sells out to big business. He talks like a liberal then starts a war. He cannot execute his policies. Both the left and the right yearn for someone who can actually execute and implement the very things they believe in. Everyone on the campaign trail can talk like a liberal or a conservative then they get elected and do nothing. Case in point Bush and Obama. Reagan though actually delivered the goods and that is why he gets held up on a pedestal and used as an example over and over again.