Thirty years ago today, President Reagan gave his 34th and final address from the Oval office as he prepared to step down from the presidency.

The address can be viewed here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKVsq2daR8Q

a transcript here:

http://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/12/news/transcript-of-reagan-s-farewell-address-to-american-people.html

Its always fraught to look back and see the past as so much better than the present. Rose coloured glasses are subtle and difficult to remove.

Nonetheless, viewing that speech, I can't but reflect on how much we've lost in those thirty years in terms of the quality of our leadership.

There is no politician anywhere in the world today who can hold a candle to the quiet dignity and convictions of Reagan. When we consider his contemporaries ( Thatcher, Kohl, Gorbachev, Walesa, John Paul...even our own Hawke) it seems to me to be unassailable that we are ill-served these days and have been for quite some time.

A people get the leadership they deserve. Perhaps we don't deserve better.

Hi, there MHAZE...I couldn't agree with you more. The noun 'Leader' is sadly, no longer part of the political vocabulary, unfortunately.

Mhaze,

Feeling a little "jaundiced" today, are we?

What we have lost is sad, what we're in danger of losing is beyond the compehension of those who support that trend.
I'll definitely vote independent with preferences going to the Coalition. I'm not allowed to do any more for this nation.

Individual- I believe "the Conservatives have truth on their side". Some call it "my brand of Conservatism" I think your view is more reliable than some. But the issue is how to help "Middle Australia" understand what Conservatives stand for. "Middle Australia" has a limited attention span so need to use sound bites to avoid "boring them". Many of the debates we have here on OLO can be used in shortened form to make a Conservative case. Politics is like the army or the police force- discipline is required to reach targets. Everyone has contacts they can influence- we need to understand the contact- find the arguments that can influence them- then let it fly- it's a slow process. It can be very frustrating to see people destroying themselves- watching but not able to stop it- but attacking problems must be done with discipline- control and direct the anger. Killing a snake- consider the head and the tail- even those we love have a snake inside- keep it sleeping and confused- the mind is the greatest weapon. Man's work- protect the community- ignore the agony- focus on the goal.

The Communists and the Free Trade Lobby have pushed their philosophy for many years while the Conservatives have been silent. The "Middle" can't visualize where the Conservatives fit in the landscape- we need to give them a vision...