Reagan abandoned his own views while with GE, shifting from determined Democratic union leader to equally persuasive Republicanism.
(BEND, Ore. ) - Most union workers today, mired in the mess made meaningful by Reagan-era union-attack and corporate-interest confrontation by his Presidency, little realize how their lives --and that of most in this nation--have been shaped and distorted by that historic situation.
New evidence has now emerged from Ronald Reagan’s eight years as national spokesperson for General Electric, involving hundreds of visits across the nation in determined corporate contacts not only with GE employees but through them with their community and other controlling groups; with 250,000 unionized workers at 139 plants, in forty states.
During all that time he was also appearing as GE spokesperson in a Sunday-night television program General Electric Theater; with one-fourth of his working time, by contract, spent in the conviction-shaping plant visits and community-pulpit appearances, sharpening his already considerable skill as a communicator.
It was that combination of experiences, which persuaded later-President Reagan to shift his personal political views from staunch, determined Democratic union leader to equally persuasive Republicanism.
The dual-role made him an integral part of one of the most ambitious and effective corporate political initiatives ever fashioned in our nation, setting the corporate pattern for full political persuasion; preceding his political career and his unprecedented Presidency.
Here we do not question the shaping impacts of that experience, only “why was politics ‘the business of business’ in the first place?” (See Reader’s Note for major source-documentation.)
Here we do not dispute nor deny Reagan’s large measure of sometimes masterful contributions in other areas of influence granted to him by history; nor any blame for Iran-Contra perversion, either.
He, in large part, helped end the Cold War and bring on the overwhelmingly significant collapse of the vaunted communistic states.
His historic demand: “Tear down that wall!” addressed to Russian leader-premier Gorbashev, is deservedly famous for its impact and the consequences, shaping and concluding the Berlin Wall controversy.
Our purpose is simply to illuminate --in revealing terms-- the known facts; now well documented in new professional studies, surely showing an historic shift most certainly the foundation for decades of so-called “conservative” and “supply-side” approach to national policies; with heavily consequential impacts on not only our nation but the world-order just then developing.
The (very) plain fact of the historical evidence involved is that they now show Ronald Reagan as an actor, becoming a leader in then-controversial union-action shaping Hollywood working situations and compensations; then deeply departing from a career, noted for broad union activism --including exceptionally strong union-negotiating leadership-- to become national spokesperson for the then-world/leading corporate conglomeration.
The essential fact here is that GE was then noted for determined confrontation with union leadership, in every way possible to prevent then-widespread worker compensation and working-condition change and positive development; through “the most comprehensive and elaborate program” for political initiatives in our nation, setting that pattern at a crucial time.
His mentor and supervisor for hundreds of visits over eight years (1954-1962) was Lemuel Boulware, then nationally-noted as GE’s vice-president and labor strategist.
“Boulwareism” has since become a synonym for perhaps the most determined and detailed negotiation-shaping philosophy, designed to derail and destroy union efforts to win, in ongoing confrontation over every level and kind of worker advance.
There is simply no possible question that the GE years shaped Ronald Reagan to a new-and-different profile and deeply-changed personal beliefs; and was among the most important life-experiences impacting on his now historic role as President.
His embrace of “supply-side” economics, and even more importantly his administration’s approach to “the business of business”, with also-historic impacts on union development and detailed destruction developing ever since, is unquestionable and exceptionally important now.
The recurring cycle of combat, still continuing between so-called “conservatism” and so-called “liberalism”, reflects precisely the same kind of confrontations observed and detailed throughout this new study, from Columbia University Press. (See Reader Note below.)
Details given in this outstanding new reference also complete the picture of how corporation-controlled public relations efforts are now, more than ever built into the huge impact of dollar-power to shape and perhaps distort, even pervert, the ongoing developments of what we perhaps mistakenly term “our democracy”.
For us in Oregon --watching quite closely while our Legislators try to put back the wings which allow Oregon “To Fly!!” after some thirty years of denuding not only dollars but other determinants of that possibility for all-- this single new flash of documenting detail may be most useful.
It can surely help determine what we as responsible citizens must nowadays contend against in our own ongoing efforts to achieve that democracy in which we all place our discretion, our hopes --and the fate of family, friends and ourselves.
Truly we need to determine what is “the real business of business” --and what we can to establish those parameters once-and-for all --and then make sure we make our governing agencies conform to that demanded set of decisions.--------------------Reader’s Note:The historical facts related here are in large part taken from: “The Education of Ronald Reagan: The General Electric Years and The Untold Story of His Conversion to Conservatism”; Thomas W. Evans; Columbia University Press: 2006; ISBN 0-231-13860-1.The book is based on newly-discovered private papers as well as new interviews and legally-recorded company documents now available.
Op Ed:Salem-News.com