CORTEZ: Timeless Lessons Remain in Reagan Film

Daniel Cortez shares why the new Reagan movie is worth your time.

Virginia’s political candidates could learn a thing or two about character and integrity from the recently released movie “Reagan” starting Dennis Quaid. 

It’s a biopic love story about good versus evil as democracy triumphs over communism, Marxism and socialism. 

I was fortunate with others, recently seeing a private screening about the 40th President in Alexandria with Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and Peggy Grande, former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan who wrote the book “The President Will See You Now”.

The movie hit theaters in time for the labor day weekend.  No doubt reviewers saw some unintentional parallels over policy and the assassination attempts on Reagan and former President Donald Trump fueling critiques.

Nick Schager with the Daily Beast panned the move, calling it “the worst movie of the year”. 

Understand the Daily Beast is largely known for their left leaning news and entertainment reviews with inaccurate sensationalized headlines and facts such as “The injury Trump sustained during a July 13, 2024 assassination attempt wasn’t caused by a bullet but by broken glass.” — which was of course totally false. 

Contrast that with the film review website “Rotten Tomatoes” that had a 98 percent approval rating by over 1,000 moviegoers.  

Does political animus drive movie reviews?  With the concentrated attempt by media to discredit Trump’s and Reagan’s considerable achievements, you betcha. 

My recommendation is see the movie, especially anyone living through the Reagan years or seeking political enlightenment.  

Miyares provided a moving introduction and closing remarks after the movie querying Grande about scenes shot at the Reagan ranch, “Rancho del Cielo” which means Sky’s or Heaven’s Ranch. 

Grande provided insight to the adobe home on 688 acres that dated back to the end of the 1800s with no air conditioning or forced air heat.  

She discussed scenes and photos during the Reagan presidency while answering audience questions relating to when heads of state such as Queen Elizabeth II, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and Prime Minister Brian Mulroney of Canada visited the Western White House, as it’s also referred to. 

Acknowledging Reagan as a man of “incredible faith,” Grande referred to the ranch as his open cathedral with the President communing with nature and the almighty many times on horseback. 

Having lived through Reagan’s tenue as California Governor and later President, it was moving to hear Miyares whose own mother left communist Cuba with literally the clothes on her back in 1965, validate the evils of dictatorial governance. 

Praising Reagan, Miyares powerfully reaffirmed, “He stood up against communism, the most murderous political ideology in all of human history.” 

Certainly veterans and Presidents Trump and Reagan who felt the literal sting of foreign and domestic evil would agree. 

Clearly demonstrated was Reagan’s reassertion of religious and moral principles after he was shot by the deranged John Hinckley Jr. on March 30, 1981 walking out of the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., after addressing an AFL-CIO conference. 

The scene of Democratic Speaker of the House Tip O’Neil kneeling praying the 23rd Psalm with rosary in hand besides the bedridden Reagan, remains historically accurate and impactful. 

It chronicles a time where genuine civility and ethics was actually found on both sides of the political aisle. 

Perhaps not factored in the movie enough was Reagan’s compassion attempting to deal with illegal immigration. 

Critics have attacked Reagan’s attempt to address illegal immigration signing the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, by the then refurbished Statue of Liberty.   

Facilitated by the Simpson-Mazzoli bill, the mandate  required illegals paying a fee, providing extensive documentation including fingerprints, employment history and proof of residency. 

Sadly the problem as exists today, bill sponsors watered down requirements coupled with Homeland Security in the Biden/Harris administration refusing to enforce immigration law causing the ongoing nightmare at the border not to mention the scourge of drug and human trafficking.

Responsible leadership is being demonstrated by officials like Miyares who has held several summits on Human Trafficking and joined with 41 attorneys general to aid repairing the credit history of trafficking victims through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) supporting intentions of the Debt Bondage Repair Act. 

Understandably immigration reform attempts from Reagan continued during the Trump administration with support from Miyares, simply need more public and private sector assistance.

Ergo the need for groups such as the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) inaugurated in 1974 with Reagan giving the keynote speech sharing his vision for the nation “A Shining City Upon A Hill,” with words borrowed from John Winthrop. 

Reagan like others observed CPAC grow into a powerful organization of outreach independent voters should appreciate. 

CPAC’s minority outreach remains demonstrative meeting with various individuals all over Mexico and other parts of the continent discussing issues such as the rise of socialist regimes, cultural “wokeism”, governments curtailing religious freedoms, and the horrific scourge of child human trafficking. 

The Schlapp’s recent visit to Girlstown in Chalco, Mexico part of the Sisters of Mary World Villages, provided insight, leadership and hope to girls who might have been sold into sex trafficking. 

At Chalco a CPAC observer, Genaro Pedroarias, an involved political activist from northern Virginia stated, “Just like Latinos in the U.S., Latin and Central Americans come to the realization that safety and prosperity can only come to fruition in an open, democratic and free market society.”

Mercedes Schlapp of Newsmax fame who served in the Trump administration as Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications,  is one of the nation’s most respected women.

She’s a remarkable Latino role model like Miyares, who should consider further serving Virginia running for State Senator, Lieutenant Governor or Congress. 

Perhaps Miyares and Virginia’s remarkable Governor Glenn Youngkin should interface more with CPAC’s Matt Schlapp and his wife Mercedes whose demonstrated outreach does nothing but aid the election support of Donald J. Trump and the nation. 

And watching “Reagan” will also help in the realization of what a passionate conservative individual can do for the world.

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DANIEL P. CORTEZ of Stafford County is a presidential and gubernatorial appointee, political writer and broadcaster who serves as the volunteer co-chairman of the Latinos for Youngkin Coalition.