William F. Buckley Did Not Run for President

I would say that being poor and liberal fairly well precludes being wealthy. Conversely, being poor and conservative has a much better chance of achieving that goal.

Much has been said during this presidential cycle which seems to call into question the conservative credentials of Mr. Reagan. Ronald Reagan was the most conservative president of my lifetime and I am unlikely to see his equal again.

I would suggest that it was not his conservatism that made him a great president, nor even his accomplishments. Reagan inspired Americans to feel good about being Americans again. It was clear to even the simplest mind that he loved his country and it was difficult not to feel his confidence in America and share in it.

This is the quality that marks the Statesman from the politician. It is the quality of greatness.

W has gotten a lot of flack for his lack of conservatism. Some of it is deserved but some of it is, as you say, just running the government as smoothly as possible. He's a much better president than people give him credit for.
Your post implies that rich people are Republicans.That is an old FDRism that was never true. Look at the most horrible members of Congress,
Waxman, Pelosi, Baghdad Jim McDermott, Jerome Nadler, Barney Frank,Wexler... they all come from extremely wealthy silk-stocking districts. Rich people now are generally not entrepreneurs but corporate officers, risk averse and open to submission to higher authority.

hey, i'm shutting up. i've got my three favorite bloggers on here. that may never happen again! the only thing i could think of that's better is mhu cao (killed in his own controlled apocalypse, evidently) and crawfish joining in. the comments are better than the post (buckley has been eulogized in far better fashion than i ever could muster)...

william f. buckley, RIP.