In a June 29 letter, Jones Gallagher of North Berwick attempts to spin history in the political direction he wishes the nation to travel.

It seems the last 40 years have been a conservative revolution in progress and every presidential election during that time was either won or lost on the whim of conservative voters.

While I commend his grasp of electoral history, the letter writer left out a few important details about the last several presidential elections that bears discussion.

Yes, the charismatic former actor Ronald Reagan delivered some thrashings to weak and ineffective Democratic candidates two or three decades ago.

His coattail rider, George H. W. Bush also delivered a convincing defeat of the “dream team” (pardon my sarcasm) of Dukakis/Bentsen in 1988.

Here is where the letter writer gets a bit convoluted in his argument.

Yes, George W. Bush certainly ran as a staunch conservative in 2000 against the uninspiring tandem of the Clinton-associated Al Gore and future turncoat Joe Lieberman.

Still, more Americans voted against conservative George W. Bush in 2000 than voted for him. Is that what passes for a mandate in certain circles?

In 2004, Bush ran yet again as a conservative and even while utilizing all the advantages of incumbency he still only narrowly defeated the toothless Kerry/Edwards ticket.

A few thousand vote shift in Ohio and Bush loses the presidency by a similar Electoral College loophole that first helped him win it.

Let’s also not forget that Barack Obama’s 2008 victory over John McCain was also a defeat of McCain’s spotlight-stealing V.P. candidate, the conservative rock star/mama grizzly herself, Sarah Palin.

With deeper analysis it seems that the “conservative majority” that allegedly wields so much power in presidential elections may be little more than nostalgic wishful thinking.