--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since the presidency of Ronald Reagan…" description: "\"Since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, conservatives have succeeded by adhering to a platform that rests firmly on three legs: smaller government, fait..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/frank-gaffney-22333_america_since-the-presidency-of-ronald-reagan-co_1260832.png" --- # Since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, conservatives have… ![“Since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, conservatives have succeeded by adhering to a platform that rests firmly on three legs: smaller government, faith and family, and a strong national defense. These three legs do not merely represent a political coalition; they are three necessary components of…” quote by Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/frank-gaffney-22333_america_since-the-presidency-of-ronald-reagan-co_1260832.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/frank-gaffney-22333_america_since-the-presidency-of-ronald-reagan-co_1260832.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/frank-gaffney-22333_america_since-the-presidency-of-ronald-reagan-co_1260832.png) > “Since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, conservatives have succeeded by adhering to a platform that rests firmly on three legs: smaller government, faith and family, and a strong national defense. These three legs do not merely represent a political coalition; they are three necessary components of a strong and secure America.” [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Conservatives base their agenda on three pillars—limited government, religious/family values, and strong defense—viewed as essential for national security and prosperity. **In simple terms:** Three pillars support a strong nation. Key Takeaway Prioritize limited government, values, defense. Themes politics national security values government family defense Mood serious analytical strategic Type political policy ideological When to use this quote - political discourse - policy making - citizen education - community building - national strategy Key Concepts conservatism policy social cohesion strategic stability Questions to Reflect On - How can balance be achieved among these pillars? - What alternatives exist for national security? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on these pillars may overlook nuanced socioeconomic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Coalition Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coalition-necessary-4008372/) [Coalitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coalitions/) [Components](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/components/) [Conservatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservatives/) [Conservatives Succeeded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservatives-succeeded-331126/) [Defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense/) [Faith and family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith-and-family/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Legs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legs/) [National defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/national-defense/) [Platforms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/platforms/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Coalition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-coalition-2087922/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Presidency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidency/) [Reagan Conservatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reagan-conservatives-4008371/) [Secure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secure/) [Smaller government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smaller-government/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) ## Related quotes > [“how have conservatives succeeded in coalescing as a political force? The simple answer is through the power of negative thinking, and specifically, the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-dean/how-have-conservatives-succeeded-in-coalescing-as-a-political-force/) [John W. Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-dean/) > [ “The ICC \[Interstate Commerce Commission\] illustrates what might be called the natural history of government intervention. A real or fancied evil leads to demands… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-icc-interstate-commerce-commission-illustrates-what-might-be/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [The central con of the political coalition assembled by Ronald Reagan and maintained by his successors was that government was a common enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/the-central-con-of-the-political-coalition-assembled-by-ronald-reagan/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [I think it is difficult to achieve a meaningful political coalition if you have race-based programs that divide members of the coalition. The problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-julius-wilson/i-think-it-is-difficult-to-achieve-a-meaningful-political-coalition/) [William Julius Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-julius-wilson/) > [“Now, for the first time, the President began to look genuinely powerful, even dangerous. This was a classic political coalition: it had worked in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/now-for-the-first-time-the-president-began-to-look-genuinely-powerful/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [I want our government to encourage and protect freedom as well as our traditions of faith and family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-helms/i-want-our-government-to-encourage-and-protect-freedom-as-well-as-our/) [Jesse Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-helms/) > [I think Black Nativity movie has a very clear message. It's about a family in crisis facing some of the very familiar struggles we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasi-lemmons/i-think-black-nativity-movie-has-a-very-clear-message-it-s-about-a/) [Kasi Lemmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasi-lemmons/) > [My faith and family has helped me a great deal in that it helps me to live to a different standard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-michaels/my-faith-and-family-has-helped-me-a-great-deal-in-that-it-helps-me-to/) [Shawn Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-michaels/) > [“In our fast-paced and entertainment-saturated world, men are still quick to ‘forget the Lord, … to do iniquity, and to be led away by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-d-perkins/in-our-fast-paced-and-entertainment-saturated-world-men-are-still/) [Anthony D. Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-d-perkins/) > [Without faith a man can do nothing; with it all things are possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/without-faith-a-man-can-do-nothing-with-it-all-things-are-possible/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [It is ironic that so many politicians claim to defend traditional Christian values of 'faith and family.' In fact, a radical antifamily ideology permeates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/it-is-ironic-that-so-many-politicians-claim-to-defend-traditional/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [We don't have to talk about faith and family at dinner-we just show it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/we-don-t-have-to-talk-about-faith-and-family-at-dinner-we-just-show-it/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [My campaign will focus on the core values that matter to the voters of the 5th District - job creation for minority communities, economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-stanton-king/my-campaign-will-focus-on-the-core-values-that-matter-to-the-voters/) [Angela Stanton-King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-stanton-king/) > [Governor Pawlenty's commitment to faith and family is not a product of coaching by campaign consultants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-huckabee-sanders/governor-pawlenty-s-commitment-to-faith-and-family-is-not-a-product/) [Sarah Huckabee Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-huckabee-sanders/) > [You can't ignore the reality that faith and family, those two things are integral parts of having limited government, lower taxes, and free societies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/you-can-t-ignore-the-reality-that-faith-and-family-those-two-things/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) ## More by Frank Gaffney > [The United Nations has long sought the ability to raise revenues in this manner as a means of reducing its reliance on American and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/the-united-nations-has-long-sought-the-ability-to-raise-revenues-in/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) > [The object of China's strategy is inexorably to supplant the United States as the world's premier economic power, and if necessary, to defeat us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/the-object-of-china-s-strategy-is-inexorably-to-supplant-the-united/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) > [If the area were on or near the U.S. continental shelf, such data could well provide an enemy with strategically invaluable insights into undersea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/if-the-area-were-on-or-near-the-u-s-continental-shelf-such-data-could/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) > [After America won the Cold War, some believed we had come to the 'end of history,' and budget-cutters celebrated the so-called 'peace dividend.' As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/after-america-won-the-cold-war-some-believed-we-had-come-to-the-end/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) > [One of the most important post-9/11 efforts made to counter terrorism and the spread of weapons of mass destruction is President Bush's Proliferation Security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/one-of-the-most-important-post-9-11-efforts-made-to-counter-terrorism/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) > [To his lasting credit, President Reagan never wavered. He recognized the strategic importance of staying the course, both in terms of denying Moscow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/to-his-lasting-credit-president-reagan-never-wavered-he-recognized/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) > [Barack Obama has exhibited sympathy, if not for the terrorists, then certainly for the Islamic supremacists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/barack-obama-has-exhibited-sympathy-if-not-for-the-terrorists-then/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) > [The most desirable aspects of the Law of the Sea Treaty pertain to navigational rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/the-most-desirable-aspects-of-the-law-of-the-sea-treaty-pertain-to/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) > [Most Americans will be horrified that President Obama is compromising our deterrent to chemical and biological attacks on this country. Our allies will also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/most-americans-will-be-horrified-that-president-obama-is-compromising/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) > [But I really believe it is in America's interest as well as that of the free world more generally to stop Iran from getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/but-i-really-believe-it-is-in-america-s-interest-as-well-as-that-of/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) > [Sharia has become an increasingly significant force in American capitalism, thanks to the embrace by Wall Street and the U.S. government of so-called Sharia-Compliant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/sharia-has-become-an-increasingly-significant-force-in-american/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) > [Dozens of nations have agreed to join in monitoring and, if necessary, intercepting and boarding ships on the high seas in the event they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/dozens-of-nations-have-agreed-to-join-in-monitoring-and-if-necessary/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) > [History demonstrates that previous military drawdowns invited aggression by our enemies. After World War I, America drew down forces until the U.S. Army had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/history-demonstrates-that-previous-military-drawdowns-invited/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) > [The more we are consuming oil that either comes from places that are bent on our destruction or helping those who are... the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/the-more-we-are-consuming-oil-that-either-comes-from-places-that-are/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) > [After all, from the Muslim Brotherhood's inception in Egypt in 1928, it has been a revolutionary organization committed to the imposition worldwide of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gaffney/after-all-from-the-muslim-brotherhood-s-inception-in-egypt-in-1928-it/) [Frank Gaffney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) [Explore all 27 Frank Gaffney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gaffney/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, conservatives have succeeded by adhering to a platform that rests firmly on three legs: smaller government, faith and family, and a strong national defense. 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