Wednesday, June 09, 2004
Goodbye to the Gipper...
I wasn't even born when Ronald Reagan won the Presidency in 1980. When he left office, I had just entered 4th grade. So I didn't understand his Presidency at the time.
Having caught up a bit in my knowledge of recent U.S. history, I know enough to be deeply saddened at our loss.
Ronald Reagan was the last great visionary President of our time. Instead of proposing band-aid solutions to problems, he sought to truly eliminate them. He passed a sweeping tax cut that reduced the tax rate of some citizens from 70% to 28%, he ended the Cold War philosophy of "mutally assured destruction" and called the Soviet Union what it was: an evil empire that was destined to fall apart. At one time, he proposed eliminating the Department of Education, an absolutely libertarian position by today's standards. Along with his wife, Nancy Reagan, the "Just Say No" campaign against drugs began, a slogan that to this day is implanted into our view of drugs.
This is not the time to debate those policies. That should wait until at least after the funeral. However, regardless of what you think of his politics, you have to admit that Ronald Reagan executed sweeping changes in this country. No President since has really done so.
Above all, Ronald Reagan believed in the American people. He trusted us more than he trusted the very federal government he was in charge of. He believed that the power to make America a better country lied with each and every American.
Such a man of faith is to be revered. The world needs such a man in this time of crisis.
But I am glad Ronald Reagan is not that man. He gave enough to this country.
He's earned his peace.
May he have it.
-David Key
Having caught up a bit in my knowledge of recent U.S. history, I know enough to be deeply saddened at our loss.
Ronald Reagan was the last great visionary President of our time. Instead of proposing band-aid solutions to problems, he sought to truly eliminate them. He passed a sweeping tax cut that reduced the tax rate of some citizens from 70% to 28%, he ended the Cold War philosophy of "mutally assured destruction" and called the Soviet Union what it was: an evil empire that was destined to fall apart. At one time, he proposed eliminating the Department of Education, an absolutely libertarian position by today's standards. Along with his wife, Nancy Reagan, the "Just Say No" campaign against drugs began, a slogan that to this day is implanted into our view of drugs.
This is not the time to debate those policies. That should wait until at least after the funeral. However, regardless of what you think of his politics, you have to admit that Ronald Reagan executed sweeping changes in this country. No President since has really done so.
Above all, Ronald Reagan believed in the American people. He trusted us more than he trusted the very federal government he was in charge of. He believed that the power to make America a better country lied with each and every American.
Such a man of faith is to be revered. The world needs such a man in this time of crisis.
But I am glad Ronald Reagan is not that man. He gave enough to this country.
He's earned his peace.
May he have it.
-David Key
Comments:
Post a Comment
