Remembering Ronald Reagan

James Remembers Reagan

The father of the modern conservative movement has passed to the great unknown and his loss is being eulogized across the world. My memories of him are of the "great communicator" and of the everlasting legislative legacy, which I abhor.

I admired Reagan's ability to present a strong, capable, compassionate, optimistic, presence when the nation was in a time of great trouble. He was able to always convey in public the aura of self-assurance and confidence that a leader must possess. He delivered moving and heartfelt speeches that still resonate today. The office of president was the greatest role the former actor ever undertook and he played it with wonderful verve. HE had a vision of America that most of us shared, we were the good guys, the white-hatted cowboys who rode to the rescue of people, nations and each other. We saved Europe, brought democracy to Japan and forced "Mr. Gorbachev, (to) tear down this wall".

I could have been a Reagan Democrat, if I hadn't watched the business of government that often bears little resemblance to the speeches of politicians. Reagan oversaw some of the most damaging legislation in the last fifty years.

The drastic cutting of federal mental health funding led to the "mainstreaming" of a large group of people with serious mental illness. this led to a large portion of the large homelessness problem that started during his administration. Prior to the early eighties I almost never saw a homeless person but with the vast expulsion of mental patients into main stream society suddenly had a mumbling, sad, semi coherent, person asking for change and help.

The cutting of the top tax bracket started a trend that continues to this day. When ten percent of the population owns ninety percent of the wealth it follows that perhaps they should shoulder ninety percent of the tax burden. That has never occurred in America but prior to Reagan the multi-tiered tax structure had more tiers. (el - My brother is a little off-base here. The last analysis considering all taxes shows pretty much a current flat tax system. The problem is that a portion of family income is needed for basic existence and this shouldn't be taxed.) The ramifications over the next twenty years fueled in part by this tax structure has been a growing disparity between the haves and the have-nots. The middle class has been shrinking and the poor have increased and the rich are a smaller but vastly richer group of people.

The investments in weapons systems such as the much vaunted "star wars" missile defense system has been greatly beneficial to military contractors but after twenty years of multimillion if not multibillion dollar investment has led to a system that doesn't work and who's tactical uses is highly questionable.

When Reagan entered office we had a growing understanding and cooperation with the Soviet Union. Having recently completed the Apollo-Soyuz space mission and other symbolic joint endeavors the future looked bright for a cordial relationship. Reagan's remarks and increased military spending drove the Soviet Union into collapse. This is often held up as his greatest legacy. I'm not so sure it is much of a legacy. We "loan" and gift billions of dollars each year to the countries of the former Soviet Union. Many of the eastern border states are in a constant state of revolt and revolution. The Russian military can't pay its troops and its control on its vast nuclear arsenal is shaky. The average citizen in Russia is less likely to be employed, receive medical care or have a safe stable retirement. Moscow is really run by a collection of Mafia dons and political hacks. I must admit that Hungary, Germany, Czechoslovakia and several other countries are in a renaissance. The legacy of the collapse will not truly be known for years and like most victories it will be a mixed bag at best.

The Iran-Contra scandal which was a truly impeachable offense involving the deception of congress and direct violation of congressional edict as well as the deception of the American public and the attempted over throwing of a duly elected foreign government. Reagan's inability to recall his knowledge was either a successful ploy or the first indications of the horrible disease that would curse his later years.

His legacy of corrupt administrative officials and an executive branch constantly under investigation with numerous appointed officials convicted of various charges would end only under Clinton. A president who with the exception of one appointed official and of course his own blowjob related investigation would lead a clean, law-abiding administration. The legacy of official misconduct and administrative investigation has returned under the current administration.

The legacy of appealing to the best and noblest portions of our nature has been cruelly twisted by the current trend of making great, popularly supported pronouncements followed by little real action or the opposite action. (el ? This also occurred under Reagan.) I admired the man's ability to appear presidential and respected the hope he brought to millions of people. He was a great politician and speaker but he wasn't a great statesman. His passing will be mourned but in the next few days when his triumphs are heralded try to remember that many of those triumphs have led us to a country ever more divided politically, economically and socially.