Sagebrush Rebel: Reagan's Battle With Environmental Extremists and Why It Matters Today

by William Perry Pendley

The fascinating story of how Ronald Reagan, self-proclaimed "sagebrush rebel," took his revolutionary energy policies to Washington and revitalized the American economy.

Governor Reagan, with his unbridled faith in American ingenuity, creativity, and know-how and his confidence in the free-enterprise system, believed the United States would “transcend” the Soviet Union. To do so, however, President Reagan had to revive and revitalize an American economy reeling from a double-digit trifecta (unemployment, inflation, and interest rates), and he knew the economy could not grow without reliable sources of energy that America had in abundance.

The environmental movement was in its ascendancy and had persuaded Congress to enact a series of well-intentioned laws that posed threats of great mischief in the hands of covetous bureaucrats, radical groups, and activist judges. A conservationist and an environmentalist, Ronald Reagan believed in being a good steward. More than anything else, however, he believed in people; specifically, for him, people were part of the ecology as well. That was where the split developed.


William Perry Pendley, a former member of the Reagan administration and author of some of Reagan's most sensible energy and environmental policies, tells the gripping story of how Reagan fought the new wave of anti-human environmentalists and managed to enact laws that protected nature while promoting the prosperity and freedom of man—saving the American economy in the process.

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 10, 2013

About the author

WILLIAM PERRY PENDLEY was born and raised in Cheyenne, Wyoming. A former Marine captain, an attorney, and a recognized authority regarding natural resources and environmental and constitutional law, he served in the Interior Department under President Reagan. His three previous books include Warriors for the West (Regnery, 2006). He lives with his wife, Lis, an attorney, in the mountains of Colorado.

Reviews

[David Kessler · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was written to glorify the work done by President Reagan and his environmental approach to the United States and its lands and economy. The author should be paid extra for writing this piece of fiction. Supposedly, this president did more for Federal lands than any president in recent times.
The author compares him with all recent Presidents and Reagan comes out ahead in every case.
There was no holding back drilling for oil and gas and mining for coal. The author does not believe in climate change and has some other funny ideas. I do not recommend that you read this book.
Clearly if the President does not believe in the future of this planet and what an excess of carbon dioxide in the air is not an existential problem and Houston we got a problem.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read scores of Reagan biographies and none of this was in them. This is truly an UNTOLD story of what Reagan did on a broad range of issues that are making headlines today. The author tells stories about what Reagan believed--and he knew exactly what he wanted to do from years of experience with the issues and writing about them--what he did, what has happened since Reagan left office, and why we need to return to Reagan's approach. Very readable, but highly documented with hundreds of end notes, which are also packed with stories that did not make it into the text. A unique biography on Reagan not to be missed. Also has photographs, some charts, and several illustrative political cartoons. Great read!

[Robert K · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great review of Ronald Reagan's impact on natural resources. Pendley covers the Reagan agenda as it actually happened instead of the media's attempt to paint him as an environmental monster. Reagan saw the wisdom in freeing our Resouces from the yoke if government and as a result he used our public lands to help create economic growth! A thoughtful read about common sense.