A Time for Choosing - Free Essay on the Speech of Ronald Reagan

The speech of Ronald Reagan

The speech of Ronald Reagan in 1964 is commendable because he uses stories to personalize it before his conservative audience. For instance, the story of the Cuban refugee in the speech suggests that America is the safest place to seek refuge. More so, the anecdote of Cuban exile implies that America has an entirely different freedom compared to other states, hence making it unique. The objective of the speech was to convince the American people to choose Barry Goldwater as their favorite presidential candidate. Additionally, Reagan uses the story of a father and a son, the father wishing a better life for his son. Ronald says that there is no foundation like a rock of honesty and fairness with the help of God because it is a real start. According to Ronald, he places Goldwater as a priority to foster justice in America. However, Reagan continues to personalize the war in South Vietnam. To him, no one can dare to face a mother who has lost a husband or a son at war. His statement raises concerns about the American war against the Communism. It is a clear stand that Goldwater will continue to fight against the aggression of communist ideas and hold the collaborators responsible. However, it is awkward to use such hurtful illustration during the campaign. The bereaved families at that time might have seen no reason for America to fight for peace since they have already lost their loved ones. The victims of war need to be honored and not be a strategy for winning elections.

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According to Ronald, Life is not so good because peace comes with a price that we pay even with our lives. He promises a brilliant future for America and its generations. He reveals a conservative nature of the American politics that encourages the nation to be hopeful even in the future. Reagan uses Condemnation strategy to criticize the ruling government. It is clear that the philosophies of republican and democrats differ to a great extent. Reagan and Goldwater share common beliefs of the Republicans. They believe that the Democrats are ruining the country through poor and unorganized execution of government projects. For example, he makes a comparison of Democrats to Marxism, where farmers were losing land, women divorce rates were high and inflation. He presents Goldwater as a distinguished leader who will solve all the problems ailing Americans. Reagan convinces the public that Goldwater is a political savior of that time. Unfortunately, Goldwater was not elected due to his poor public image.

The speech paints an America identity and its political system. It is evident that there exists an old fault line between the Democrats and the Republicans. The only change that is visible is the political players belonging to each party. It is also true that Republicans have always criticized the Democrats, especially the Obama administration for bad governance. Ronald Reagan speech also was remarkable because it had significance on his political journey. He was elected because his speech touched on the main issues of concern such as War in Vietnam, government taxes, and American welfare. Reagan says that with the forthcoming election, the American people should believe in a self government that is not influenced or controlled by foreigners. It implies that Republicans believe in their capacity to make their world a better place without the help of external efforts. Every great speech involves preparation on the speech agenda and vocal presenter; in this case, Reagan is one of them.