From Charlie Sheen to Reagan Nostalgia, The '80s Just Won't Go Away

NOTE: This piece ran on the front page of this past Sunday's Washington Post Outlook section. It is based on Sirota's new book Back to Our Future: How the 1980s Explain the World We Live In Now, which is officially released on 3/15.

Charlie Sheen is hogging the spotlight. "Tron" and "Wall Street" have just left theaters. Moammar Gaddafi is the planet's top bad guy. Millionaires are enjoying budget-busting tax cuts. Conservatives are saber-rattling against Iran. Bon Jovi is on tour. And Ronald...