On a day when gas prices have gone up for the 18th out of the past 19 days, I thought it would be a good time to reflect upon one of the great presidents of our not too distant past. Today marks the 18th anniversary since the death of President Ronald Reagan.
I remember the Reagan campaign of 1980 and his slogan, “Make America Great.” It was a time when America needed inspiration, after the end of the Vietnam War, Watergate and worst of all the disastrous Carter presidency.
.Most now remember Jimmy Carter ad a man who built cheap houses for the poor. I remember him as a man who brought America to it’s knees. Here was a man whose policies brought about total economic disaster, someone who brought about the first stagflated economy in American history, gas lines that stretched from Pittsburgh to Cleveland if you were lucky enough to get into one, high unemployment and just as bad internationally. During the late 1970’s America was being pushed around by the Soviets like an older sibling does the younger and 52 Americans were held hostage by Islamic fundamentalists in Iran with no end in sight.
Carter in a nationally televised address said America’s best days were behind it.
Something had to change.
President Reagan during the campaign proposed to do everything the opposite of Carter. Instead of high income taxes, he proposed to lower them. Instead of energy shortages and rationing, he proposed to produce more energy. Instead of a weakened military, he proposed to rebuild it making it once again the greatest in the world. During his only debate with Carter he asked the simple question that still is asked over 40 years later, “Are you better off now than you were 4 years ago?” The answer was a resounding “No.”
He defeated Carter in a 44 state landslide. Carter began election day 1980 at a campaign event in the state of Washington before flying home to Georgia and did not fly over 1 state he carried.
4 years later, when Americans were asked, “Are you better off now?” The answer was overwhelming yes. When a union worker was asked why he was voting for Reagan he answered with pride, “we’re standing tall.” Nationally and internationally, America was back.
The optimism could be felt everywhere. Even the ’84 campaign slogan reflected it, “It’s Morning in America.” Proof of how good things were, an amazing turnaround from the previous 4 years.
He was reelected by a 49 state majority.
When President George H.W. Bush, who had spent 8 year’s as Reagan’s Vice-president won the ’88 election it was largely on the public’s desire for Reagan to have a third term.
Reagan lived another 16 years after leaving office, dying on this day at his ranch in southern California, still beloved by a large majority of Americans.
Contrast him with what we have today. A bumbling, corrupt, embarrassment of a senile old man. No abilities nor vision. A hack machine politician, who less than two years into his term has run the economy into the ground, has opened America’s borders to an invasion of illegal aliens, is considered a weakling by others countries, many of whom laugh behind their hands at him and with good reason. His first year in office he lost a 20 year war in Afghanistan. Americans like the ones in Iran from the Carter years are even now trapped there.
Where is the next President Reagan? We need you now.
Until next time…be good or be good at it. 🇺🇸
A Fifth of Brian 