Matthews, Chris (2013) Tip and the Gipper, When Politics Worked, New York: Simon & S, 396 pages.

The timing of this book could not be better. There is a struggle within the Republican party and another against the Democratic party. Before President Obama took office, the leader of the senate Republican party announced that he would work to see that Obama failed and was a one term president. As this is being written, the Reagan wing of the party, called the Tea party has done everything in their power to see that he fails. Polls strongly suggest that the Tea Party is the culprit in the greater struggle within one party and between the two major parties.

When the lies are counted, the Tea Party is the biggest winner. Matthews traces his life into politics and then into political work. President Jimmy Carter was not made for television and all his weakness were  uncovered and highlighted by the Hollywood star, Ronald Reagan. Matthews sees how the former Governor from California clearly won over the public. His plans were not clear, but non-cognitively, emotionally  and cosmetically, the White House was open for a new “Morning in America.” Reagonomics, supply side economics, and trickledown economics were the following: cut regulation, increase spending, and cut taxes. Money is best earned by the rich to pay for their effort. They would in turn spend monies that would thoroughly ignite a  series of multipliers  downward to explode the economy upward. Everyone gets a tax cut however minimal. Everyone wins. This was especially true of the middle class that generally shines in prosperous first world countries.  For Tip, it was a Keynesian “middle and out” strategy that pushes funding in the middle and  rapidly speeds up transactions and/or multipliers upward so that the country grows and so does the middle down to the cyclical poor. The majority of the nation prospers.

The outcome from Trickle down  is that the rich cheated, sent the money outside the country to safe havens, and the middle and poor  blurred together. It was an elite/ mass  model often found in second and third world countries. Tip, the leader of the house a (during the Reagan years) and the Democratic party knew the scam, but in public was incredibly cordial relative to  today. Now, what is going to be revealed in this book and Matthews account does not appear honest in this contemporary time. When the Gipper got in trouble, Tip helped him out. Let’s try this again. Tip helped him out. So leading Democrats and Republicans assembled a tax package that increased taxes without saying so. Tip did it to save the country and Reagan to save himself, his promises, and the country.

All along he shows that when it was time to fight, one did it. However, after 6 PM party members of both parties drank together. Time and again, Matthews discovered at least two Reagans. One is the fellow on television. He is acting out a part of a movie from years ago and applying the role to the problems of the 80’s. The second Reagan was slower, less flashy, but hard as steel toward protecting his philosophy. The president truly felt sorry for those down on their luck, however, if they were not immediately in his presence, his feelings quickly dissipated.

Matthews traces down the changes over the years. Newt Gingrich is the originator of tongue lashing descriptions of the opposition’s  plans. He had a list of slurs that could be applied to people and policies.

However, the reason for the book is that gentle interaction is lost. Tip really did become famous and was on a number of television shows. He did his best to minimize the losses during the 80″s. Further, both of the two (Tip and Ronald) socialized a great deal.

The triumph for Reagan was the fall of Command Socialism. On the other hand, he left the nation with a 3 trillion dollar debt. Although he is the supposed Father of the Tea Party, he would probably not be a member today.

Both the speaker and the president had an appreciation for authority. Both usually played by the rules and did not act like spoiled kids. They appreciated continuity and both were in the same age gradient.  With stumbles and stops, they helped each other.

So in the end, can the nation worked together again? Matthews indicates that it is possible. At any rate, this is  a good book with a hopeful message. Sometimes, dreams can come true.

Professor Joel Snell

Emeritus

Kirkwood College

Apple wood Mesa

3105 Alleghany Dr. NE

Cedar Rapids, Ia.

52402-3315

joelsnell@hotmail.com