When Did Politicians Switch From Leadership To Cult Recruitment?

“woman reading newspaper” by rawpixel on Unsplash

One of my earliest memories from politics was a speech Ronald Reagan gave in 1983. He declared the Soviet Union an “Evil Empire.” I was twelve years old. The Soviet Union terrified me, and I believed Ronald Reagan would protect us from a nuclear war. The evil empire rhetoric frightened both Republicans and Democrats. It was an example of uniting the masses against a common enemy…