Hatrack River Forum: Ronald Reagan 1911-2004

This is topic Ronald Reagan 1911-2004 in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Richard Berg (Member # 133) on :

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/05/reagan.health/index.html

Posted by FoolishTook (Member # 5358) on :

You got to it first and did a much better post, I might add.

Anyway.....I was expecting he might die since his health was deteriorating this morning. [Cry]

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

[Hat]

to the Gipper.

Posted by Alucard... (Member # 4924) on :

Thank you Mr. Reagan. Rest in Peace.

Posted by BYuCnslr (Member # 1857) on :

:: tips hat ::

Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :

[Frown]

Posted by RRR (Member # 6601) on :

[Frown]

I'm going to use this name for a while out of respect for Reagan. He lasted a long time, but it had to happen eventually.

Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :

Just saw this myself. Thanks, Richard.

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

So, anyone want to open a line on how long it takes fans to get him on a postage stamp?

Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :

The big push was to push FDR off the dime to make room for Reagan. Nancy criticized the idea, but I don't know if she'll oppose it now.

For the record, I was not a fan of his presidency, but will not use this thread to elaborate on it.

Instead, I'll say that I admired the way Reagan communicated the fact of his condition to the country. And throughout it all, his entire family portrayed his situation with dignity - something rare these days when it comes to how people with alzheimers get talked about.

I choose to remember that right now.

Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :

I've known of several people born in 1911 who died this year. My grandma, Marjorie Pay Hinckley, and now the president that dominated my teens. I'm sure it only stands out because of the personal nature of the first loss. I don't think my grandmother ever told me she and Reagan were the same age. She was a staunch democrat.

Posted by littlemissattitude (Member # 4514) on :

quote:
For the record, I was not a fan of his presidency, but will not use this thread to elaborate on it.

Instead, I'll say that I admired the way Reagan communicated the fact of his condition to the country. And throughout it all, his entire family portrayed his situation with dignity - something rare these days when it comes to how people with alzheimers get talked about.

What sndrake said.

Plus, I'd like to add that these last few years have radically changed my perspective on Nancy Reagan. While I know that she has had help in caring for him that most people in their situation don't have access to, she has impressed me with the way in which she has conducted herself and brought attention to the difficulties of those of us who have ill or elderly relatives who we are responsible for taking care of. It's a hard row to hoe, even when the problems aren't nearly so difficult as Alzheimer's. My sympathy to her and the family.

Posted by fallow (Member # 6268) on :

word.

Posted by Papa Moose (Member # 1992) on :

I drove the entire length of the Ronald Reagan Freeway today, and Mooselet happened to be wearing a shirt from the Ronald Reagan Library and Museum.

Just thought I'd share.

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

I've been reading about a lot of the reactions to Reagan's death, and this one surprised me. Not that I expected Kennedy to badmouth Reagan, but I didn't expect him to link him to his brother:

quote:
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), who since 1962 from his seat in the Senate watched the rise of Reagan and with him the Republican resurgence, said: "We often disagreed on issues of the day, but I had immense respect and admiration for his leadership and his extraordinary ability to inspire the nation to live up to its high ideals."

Departing from the Democratic pattern, Kennedy went on to say that Reagan "will be honored as the president who won the Cold War." He also drew a direct connection between Reagan's handling of the Soviet Union and his brother's, saying that "his 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall' will be linked forever with President Kennedy's 'Ich bin ein Berliner.' "

Dagonee

Posted by Tzadik (Member # 5825) on :

Mr Reagan was one of thew greatest presidents ever - thanks to him the Soviet Union collapsed, thanks to him my country got rid of communism. If it wasn't for Mr President, we still may have communism here. Just want to say THANK YOU, Mr President.

Tzadik

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

quote:
Departing from the Democratic pattern, Kennedy went on to say that Reagan "will be honored as the president who won the Cold War."

Amen!

Gipper, [Hat]

Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :

I have this weird feeling. It's like, now that Reagan's dead, it's all over. I have no idea why I feel that way or what it refers to, but I feel like there's something that's gone and we can't get it back. And I don't mean Reagan.

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

I sincerely hope it's gone. Reagan as an evil zombie president could be even worse than the original.

Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :

quote:
And I don't mean Reagan.

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

Did you mean the scandals, then, or the clandestine wars? Or the fiscal irresponsibility? 'Cause we've got all those in SPADES nowadays.

I mean, sure, let's all be sad that the guy died after a few years of suffering from a truly horrible disease, but let's not mythologize one of the country's most mediocre presidents.

[ June 07, 2004, 10:14 AM: Message edited by: TomDavidson ]

Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :

quote:
I have no idea why I feel that way or what it refers to

My new tactic. Repeating myself.

Posted by Destineer (Member # 821) on :

quote:
Did you mean the scandals, then, or the clandestine wars? Or the fiscal irresponsibility? 'Cause we've got all those in SPADES nowadays.

It's true. Nothing changes, at least not for periods of more than 8 years. That's what Reagan's name in the news has reminded me of.

Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :

PSIT,
(I am not trying to gt you to repeat yourself, just digging)

Do you think it could be a feeling that he was sort of a symbol of that generation? As much as I disliked him as a president, I did feel vague sadness on a larger level. He is the same age as my grandmothers, and I found myself thinking how sad it is that we are losing that generation, slowly but surely. It might have also been the DDay shows on tv. Andy Rooney had me weeping last night.
Liz

Posted by Mabus (Member # 6320) on :

I don't know why, but Reagan represents the good years of my life, at least to my take on things now. Whatever the real effects of Reagan's policies on the economy, his presidency is the last time I remember my family being well off. I never heard my parents arguing about bills while he was president, except during the earliest year or so.

And Reagan at least projected the image of being a good man, and better than his opponents. If I'd been able to vote when he was up for election, I'd have voted for him in a second. (Aside from my perverse support for Dukakis at the time--a little kiddie rebellion.) Since Reagan, pretty much all our options have looked like scum.

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

Ah. See, during the Reagan years, my family was living on government cheese.

Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :

During the Reagan years we moved from Goodwill to K-Mart to Marshalls.

Posted by docmagik (Member # 1131) on :

Wow, Tom, I'm suprised. You're usually classier than this.

Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :

You know, Christy is able to shop in K-Mart without twitching, positively enjoys browsing Goodwill, and breaks into panicky sweats, hives, and weird jitters whenever she goes into Marshalls. I'm not sure what this means.

------

doc, I'm not sure what you mean. If you're referring to the fact that I'm not going to romanticize the most failed presidency of my lifetime simply because the man happened to die, I think it goes without saying that I don't think "class" is indicated in that fashion. I haven't crashed his funeral; I haven't gloated over his horrible, lingering decline. But neither do I think people should let their eyes fill with rose-colored tears when -- and let's face it -- people who've done far more good for the country die every hour.

[ June 07, 2004, 09:19 PM: Message edited by: TomDavidson ]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Heh, it makes her my soul sister! [Big Grin]

Posted by docmagik (Member # 1131) on :

Although, now that I think about it, you probably are being a lot more measured than people would be if, say, Carter or Clinton had passed on.

Carry on.

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

Hmmm, and I'd call Reagan's presidency the only successful one of my lifetime.

Dagonee

Posted by Mabus (Member # 6320) on :

During Reagan's presidency, my stepfather was making a good living as a mechanic and my mother was an administrator at the hospital. I can't blame technology for marching on and invalidating dad's skills, but my mother works at Wal-Mart now and dad does seasonal construction work. Neither of them can find anything better. As I remember it, the decline started around the time Bush was elected.

I know there are more relevant things than personal experience, but it makes it hard to imagine the Reagan years as "failed". Especially when you toss in the end of the Cold War.