President Ronald Reagan's 11th Commandment In The Age Of Trump. What Are Your Thougts?

2015-09-16T01:58:32-04:00

With the rhetoric of bashing amongst the Republican Party are the candidates in violation of the 11th Commandment?

While popularized by Reagan, "The Eleventh Commandment" was created by then California Republican Party Chairman Gaylord Parkinson. In his 1990 autobiography An American Life, Reagan attributed the rule to Parkinson, explained its origin, and claimed to have followed it:[3]

The personal attacks against me during the primary finally became so heavy that the state Republican chairman, Gaylord Parkinson, postulated what he called the Eleventh Commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican. It's a rule I followed during that campaign and have ever since.

The goal was to prevent a repetition of the liberal Republican assault on Barry Goldwater, attacks which contributed to Goldwater's defeat in the 1964 presidential election.[1] East Coast Republicans like Nelson Rockefeller labeled Goldwater an "extremist" for his conservative positions and declared him unfit to hold office.[1] Fellow Republican candidate for Governor George Christopher and California's liberal Republicans were leveling similar attacks on Reagan. Hoping to prevent a split in the Republican Party, Parkinson used the phrase as common ground. Party liberals eventually followed Parkinson's advice.[1]

Christopher would lose to Reagan in the Republican primary, and Reagan would go on to defeat incumbent Governor Pat Brown, the father of current (and former) governor and former California Attorney General Jerry Brown.

Reagan followed this "commandment" during the first five primaries during the 1976 Republican primary against incumbent Gerald Ford, all of which he lost. He abandoned this approach in the North Carolina Primary and beat Ford 52–46, regaining momentum and winning a majority of delegates chosen after that date. Former Texas governor John Connally speculated that Reagan's attacks weakened Ford in his contest with his general election opponent and eventual successor, Jimmy Carter.[1]

http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2015/09/14/ronald-reagan-gop-candidates-11th-commandment-election-2015-ar-origwx.cnn/video/playlists/ronald-reagan-legacy/

Reagan's 11th Commandment in the age of Trump - CNN Video

Ronald Reagan may get credit for a credo that Republicans should not attack each other. How's that doing in the age of Donald Trump? Not so well.

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Sep 16 at 2015 2:04 AM

2015-09-16T02:04:06-04:00

The parties of today are not the parties of Reagan's day. Many of those joining a party do so only to reap the benefits they perceive, and many of them do not actually believe the political mantras of the group. It's all a game for power, and therefore I do not think Reagan's quote applies.

When you think about it, is Trump even a Republican? He previously donated to Democrat campaigns in large numbers and he only picked the Republican party because it was the one of the two that made the most sense.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Sep 16 at 2015 7:48 AM

2015-09-16T07:48:31-04:00

Great post

Response by SN Greg Wright made Sep 16 at 2015 12:05 PM

2015-09-16T12:05:15-04:00

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL Reagan was the last great president of the 20th century. There is no active politician today fit to shine his shoes, on either side of the isle.

Response by SMSgt Bryan Raines made Sep 16 at 2015 1:33 PM

2015-09-16T13:33:00-04:00

Not just Trump. The old leadership of the GOP "eats their young" on a regular basis. I have noticed that those who are more right leaning than left or center are often attacked by the GOP's senior leadership. Of course I have seen those young GOP'rs speak out against the older establishment GOP as well. You don't often see the Democrats do that.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Sep 18 at 2015 3:05 AM

2015-09-18T03:05:34-04:00

I think it would be great if Trump and the rest could stick to attacking issues and avoid the personal stuff. But as others have already said, this is definitely NOT Ronald Reagan's (a former Democrat FYI) Republican party anymore.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Sep 18 at 2015 9:39 PM

2015-09-18T21:39:26-04:00

Sure has worked out well now that the 11th commandment has been rescinded.

Response by SSG Jeremy Sharp made Dec 19 at 2016 2:56 PM

2016-12-19T14:56:52-05:00

The thing that must be considered is that even though Trump is a fellow Republican, he is a Washington outsider, who has proposed term limits on the congressional elite. They are distancing themselves to protect their fleece lined, entitlement filled, golden nests inside the beltway. No way they want that swamp drained, too many bodies buried beneath the surface.