Self-Determination vs. Government Regulation and Reagan's Rise to the Presidency

Today marks the 50th anniversary of Ronald Reagan’s iconic “Time For Choosing” speech. It was a speech that sparked the modern Conservative Movement, ignited a fire in the hearts of conservatives, and launched Ronald Reagan’s public policy career.

As part of a year-long “Time for Choosing: The Next Generation” initiative, Young America’s Foundation has released a powerful video series in conjunction with the anniversary of this significant speech. The final video focuses on self-determination and concludes with Reagan’s rise to the presidency.

Ronald Reagan understood that America’s strength comes from our people and not from our government. It is the independence of each American that makes our country unique and exceptional. When government takes away our independence in order to exercise control of its people, America suffers.

In his 1964 speech Reagan said, “This is the issue…Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capitol can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.”

Think about how much control the federal government has today and how much the bureaucrats in Washington try to dictate the lives and choices of the American people. Each progressive policy that comes out of Washington slowly takes away American independence.

The Founding Fathers sought–and many gave their lives–to protect the rights and individual freedoms of the people–and to ensure that the federal government never encroached upon those rights. When Reagan assumed the presidency, he fought to protect those unalienable rights. Today’s federal officials consistently trample upon those rights. We need to return to a government that is accountable to its people and do as Ronald Reagan advised: “Preserve for our children, this, the last best hope for men on earth.”

You can view the YAF video on limited government here.

You can view the YAF video on entitlements here.

You can view the YAF video on national security here.

You can view the YAF video on the private sector here.

Ashley Pratte is the spokeswoman for Young America’s Foundation