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Ronald Reagan, 1911 - 2004
In Memorium, National Politics, Personal
I was going to write on today’s happenings at the final day of the Texas Republican Convention. But, at approximately 4:15 this afternoon, State Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Lewisville), the Convention Chairman, called the body to order and announced that President Ronald Reagan had passed away. So, while I do have something to say about today’s happenings they will wait.
(Image from the RNC)
Ronald Reagan’s 1980 election campaign saw my beginning into politics. I remember it clearly as the last time that I supported a liberal. I was all of 6 years old (I would turn 7 on 7 November) when I saw the Republican National Convention on television. I remember turning to my parents and saying, “I hope he loses.” My parents asked the inevitable question of why I would want that and I replied that I thought that Jimmy Carter was doing a pretty good job. My dad sat down with me that night and started explaining things to me.
Now, I must admit that at seven years old, I couldn’t understand a lot of what Dad told me that night, but I could tell that my dad, at least, didn’t think that Carter was doing a pretty good job. From there I started paying more attention to the things that were happening in the world.
My political life was framed by Ronald Reagan. Thanks to his courage and integrity, I grew up able to be an unashamed conservative in a conservative family. But his legacy is not only a personal one, but a national one.
Because of Ronald Reagan:
- Income taxes are lower than they would have been otherwise (remember when the top rate was 70%?);
- Inflation is no longer out of control;
- Unemployment is no longer at more than 10%;
- The US military is now an honorable profession;
- Mr. Gorbachev did “tear down that wall”;
- There are people in Eastern Europe who enjoy freedom from the oppression of communism;
- My children will not grow up in fear of invasion by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics;
- My children will grow up in world better than the one that I entered in 1973.
Mr. President, your legacy lives after you. We, our children, and our children’s children owe you a tremendous debt, even though we know that you would tell us that you feel that you owe us for offering you the privilege of service to your nation. But, for all of these blessings and so many more that you have brought into this world and then grew to maturity, we know that it is we who owe you.
Our pledge to you, Mr. President, is to continue to work to make America the “shining city on the hill” that you often described our nation as and so much wanted it to be. Our best days really are still ahead and that is in no small part due to your efforts, integrity, and courage.
Thank you, Mr. President.
MickC @ June 5, 2004