The King is Dead

President Ronald Reagan passed away today after a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease. He was 93.

I remember when President Reagan Defeated Jimmy Carter for the presidency back in 1980. I was in 6th Grade. At the time, I had no idea of the difference between conservatism and liberalism. It was the middle of the Cold War. Inflation was rampant, as was unemployment. Iran had kicked out its ruler the Shah and ushered in one of the first Islamic regimes. We were subjected to images of American flags being burned in the streets by crowds of wild Arabs and to images of the 66 Americans that were taken hostage when the Muslim extremists stormed the American embassy. An American rescue attempt failed with all of the troops who were involved being killed. The Soviet Union had invaded Afghanistan.

The greatest concern of the smarter kids in my class was that President Reagan was going to get us into a nuclear war. We were only spouting what we had heard in the news and in the political ads that were being played at the time. It was all Left-Wing hype, but we were too young to know.

Then Ronald Reagan took office. He said what was on his mind. He did what he believed was best for America. And he fulfilled everything he promised to do. America shook off the shame of the withdrawal from Vietnam, the Nixon debacle, and the Carter years, and began to assert itself once again as the leader of the world. The economy made an about face and began booming (a boom that President Clinton later rode to his benefit). Taxes were cut. The list goes on and on.

I am so very glad that I was alive to live through the Reagan years. Within 4 years, I had come to realize that Government is supposed to be "of the people, by the people, and for the people," that it wasn't supposed to exist for its own sake. I bought in to the Reagan Doctrine - a plan that said the best deterrent to external attack is a strong defense and the idea that the government should only be big enough to do what it needed to do. By the time that I graduated from high school, I was a dyed in the wool conservative Republican - all because of President Reagan.

I always loved the way that he just seemed to be himself. He would joke around sometimes, and other times he was dead serious. He was real - alot like President Bush is today.

I remember when the Iran-Contra scandal broke. I was disappointed, and tempted to become jaded, but was so proud of Colonel North's testimony before the Congress. Still, that incident put a bit of a damper on my opinion of the President, and that made me sad.

That opinion didn't change until I read Peggy Noonan's book When Character Was King. I found my respect for the President was not only restored, but actually increased. If you haven't read the book you should; it is wonderful.

It was so sad when we found out the President had Alzheimer's disease. It is such a horrible disease and steals so much that people shouldn't have to lose in their waning years. I am glad that President Reagan was honored by America before he died. Flowers don't do much for you when you're dead.

President Reagan reminded me a bit of my mother's father, who passed away almost 2 years ago. They were both very pleasant people with big hearts. They even looked a little bit like each other.

So, with the news of President Reagan's death today, I am a bit melancholy. On the one hand, I am glad that his suffering is past, but on the other I feel like I have lost my grandfather all over again. I wish that I'd had the opportunity to meet President Reagan
when he was at his best. I guess the good news is that one day I'll get to.