Editorial: Beyond Good and Evil

His clear and simple world view and his disdain for government intervention in domestic life are two of the qualities that make Ronald Reagan revered by some and reviled by others. It seems that nearly every policy of the Reagan administration divided political sentiments and still does today.

His tax cuts are viewed as either the force that brought the country out of recession and stimulated economic growth or the leading cause of spiraling debt that jeopardized our economic future. Federal deregulation either frees the hand of the market or abdicates the government's responsibilities to the people. Increases in defense spending strengthened the nation's defense or accelerated a dangerous arms race and fostered a bloated and inefficient military. Reagan's presidential legacy isn't so much mixed as it is subjective.

That isn't necessarily a bad thing. While our political discourse should be focused on the fundamental issues of the role of government in society, it is all too often about which party can lay claim to the moral high ground.

When Reagan was president, his point of view won the day. Whether this victory was due to the power of ideas or the power of charisma and rhetoric is a question eligible for debate. But, what is clear is that his success contributes to his position as a polarizing figure.

But, now with his passing, the opportunity for this debate seems to be waning. All we have left are romanticized images of a charming old man making speeches, making jokes and being red, white and blue. You could fly Reagan's corpse up a flag pole and people would salute. This un-nuanced view of Reagan has the potential to do harm to future discussions of his presidential legacy. For anyone just learning about the man and his presidency, there may not be any room left for debate.

Mourners file past the casket of Ronald Reagan during the public viewing period