Revolution

Martin Anderson was the chief adviser on domestic and economic policy for Ronald Reagan, from the 1980 campaign through the first few pivotal years of his administration. In Revolution, Anderson gives an interesting inside look at the formulation of policy during the campaign, the critical transition period between election and inauguration, and the implementation of the Reagan policies. Many of the myths surrounding Reaganomics are refuted with actual documentation from the era. For example, the idea that Reagan projected that tax revenues would immediately increase after his tax cuts is disproved using the actual budget projections that Reagan delivered to Congress. The myth that Reagan deliberately ran deficits to deter further spending is similarly punctured. Anderson gives personal insight into how Reagan thought and worked, how he prepared for debates and spoke in public, and how he consulted policy advisers in the White House. Any reader will conclude the book with increased admiration for Reagan as a policy leader, not just as a public figure and communicator. For example, the idea of defense against ICBM attacks (the Strategic Defense Initiative) was a personal passion of Reagan's since the 1976 campaign. The reader will also have much greater knowledge of how the executive branch actually works. However, the book is not hagiography. Anderson reveals the tragic flaw in Reagan's modus operandi. Every president must delegate extensively, and Reagan certainly did more than his share. As a result, those whom he trusted (notably William Casey) became rogue policy operatives, leading to the Iran-Contra scandal that paralyzed the administration for its final two years. The inside info on this operation is easily worth the price of the book. For understanding the Reagan era, this book is indispensable.

Martin Anderson is obviously a scholar and a brilliant intellectual; yet he writes so fluidly and with such simplicity that you'd never even know it. In this book, he puts his knowledge and skills to work to set the record straight about Ronald Reagan's presidency. In the process, and with an unmatched grasp of the facts, he dispatches virtually all the liberal myths about Ronald Reagan. And he does it with such intellectual honesty that if much of the book wasn't based on his personal experiences you'd swear he was a 22nd Century historian far removed from the prejudices of today's world. In reading his book, "Revolution . . .," I sensed that for the first time I was seeing the entire iceberg, not just the one-eighth which has been exposed by other authors -- usually with only their own self interests, biases, or grudges in mind. In the book's outstanding forward, for example, the author puts many other works concerning Reagan in proper perspective and explains why they were written or written the way they were; puts Ronald Reagan's thinking in the perspective of his time in American and world history; and basically sets the stage for discussing Reagan's presidency. Then, in the main body, he tells it like it really was with a depth of understanding of the inner workings of the White House which is truly remarkable and which isn't found in any other book of which I am aware. What a great book! After reading it, I now have a more complete understanding of how Ronald Reagan operated; his strengths and weaknesses; how he developed and implemented the policies upon which his presidency was based; the true depth of his understanding of world affairs, economics, politics, and government in general; and why he is generally regarded as one of America's greatest presidents. As this book reveals, he didn't do it all by himself, and he made a few mistakes, but his was a truly great presidency and a turning point in world history. So, if you intend to read just one book about Ronald Reagan's presidency, READ THIS ONE. I say that because this book is so far above all the others which I have read that there is no comparison. This book is in a class by itself.