Friday, May 4th 2007. I'm your host Anastasia Globe with a special podcast reaction to the

Republican presidential debate Thursday night. I'm interviewing Cato's Director of Health and

Welfare Studies, Michael Tanner, whose new book, Leviathan on the right,

how big government conservatism brought down the Republican Revolution, details what has gone

wrong with modern Republican policy. The book is available from the Cato online bookstore at

www dot Cato store.org.

So how do you think the debate went last night? I think the endless mentions of Ronald Reagan

definitely stood out in my mind. Well they brought up Ronald Reagan's name

about 19 times I think by the latest count but simply mentioning Ronald Reagan is not the same as

promoting Ronald Reagan's policies. The fact is, at least among the front

runners, there still doesn't seem to be a genuine small government

conservative among the group from wanting to have a

national alternative fuels program to a national ID cards to meddling in

health care reform it really seemed that this was a group that still wanted to see government

get involved in almost every aspect of our lives.

You didn't feel that any of the candidates measured up to the legacy?

What about Ron Paul, for example?

Well, Ron Paul, for example?

Well, Ron Paul certainly spoke out as a principal small government conservative.

On the other hand, you know, have to face the fact that Ron Paul is trying to run his campaign for about a dollar ninety eight he's not a serious

candidate in the sense that he's going to be there at the end

and the other hand i do think it's important that he be in these debates he

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