Ronald Reagan Passes Away - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

reeds · 06-05-2004, 03:57 PM

Former President Ronald Reagan Dies at 93

WASHINGTON - Ronald Reagan (news - web sites), the cheerful crusader who devoted his presidency to winning the Cold War, trying to scale back government and making people believe it was "morning again in America," died Saturday after a long twilight struggle with Alzheimer's disease (news - web sites), a family friend said. He was 93.

He died at his home in California, according to the friend, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The White House was told his health had taken a turn for the worse in the last several days.

Five years after leaving office, the nation's 40th president told the world in November 1994 that he had been diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer's, an incurable illness that destroys brain cells. He said he had begun "the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life."

Reagan body was expected to be taken to his presidential library and museum in Simi Valley, Calif., and then flown to Washington to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda. His funeral was expected to be at the National Cathedral, an event likely to draw world leaders. The body was to be returned to California for a sunset burial at his library.

Reagan lived longer than any U.S. president, spending his last decade in the shrouded seclusion wrought by his disease, tended by his wife, Nancy, whom he called Mommy, and the select few closest to him. Now, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton (news - web sites) are the surviving ex-presidents.

Although fiercely protective of Reagan's privacy, the former first lady let people know his mental condition had deteriorated terribly. Last month, she said: "Ronnie's long journey has finally taken him to a distant place where I can no longer reach him."

Reagan's oldest daughter, Maureen, from his first marriage, died in August 2001 at age 60 from cancer. Three other children survive: Michael, from his first marriage, and Patti Davis and Ron from his second.

Over two terms, from 1981 to 1989, Reagan reshaped the Republican Party in his conservative image, fixed his eye on the demise of the Soviet Union and Eastern European communism and tripled the national debt to $3 trillion in his singleminded competition with the other superpower.

Taking office at age 69, Reagan had already lived a career outside Washington, one that spanned work as a radio sports announcer, an actor, a television performer, a spokesman for the General Electric Co., and a two-term governor of California

dude1394 · 06-05-2004, 04:27 PM

What can I say to honor this great man.

I guess the best I can do is to say thanks Ronnie, after the malaise of Carter, you plucked us from what seemed like the depths of despair.

Wherever the fund is for putting you on mt. rushmore is, i'm in.

u2sarajevo · 06-05-2004, 04:28 PM

A great American has passed on to a greater life.

Thank you Ronald Reagan for your service to our Country. May you rest in peace.

dude1394 · 06-05-2004, 06:00 PM

City upon a Hill

It's worth the whole read. I was just graduating High School when this was given. I'm sure many here have never read it, maybe not even born [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] I know I hadn't.
.......
We cannot escape our destiny, nor should we try to do so. The leadership of the free world was thrust upon us two centuries ago in that little hall of Philadelphia. In the days following World War II, when the economic strength and power of America was all that stood between the world and the return to the dark ages, Pope Pius XII said, “The American people have a great genius for splendid and unselfish actions. Into the hands of America God has placed the destinies of an afflicted mankind.”

We are indeed, and we are today, the last best hope of man on earth.

Dirkenstien · 06-05-2004, 06:06 PM

Reagan, may you rest in peace. My prayers and sympathy to his family and friends.

Drbio · 06-05-2004, 06:36 PM

One of, if not the, greatest of them all.

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

EricaLubarsky · 06-05-2004, 07:33 PM

I dont see any reason why this has to be isolated to the politics dungeon. Unless his death is made political (and I dont see how it can be), someone who was suffering and someone who affected us all (except for those crazy foreigners) died today.

The poor guy suffered a long time. Im sad that he died but Im also sad that he suffered so long.

mary · 06-05-2004, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: EricaLubarsky

The poor guy suffered a long time. Im sad that he died but Im also sad that he suffered so long.

Agreed.

reeds · 06-05-2004, 10:01 PM

" dont see any reason why this has to be isolated to the politics dungeon."

Dungeon?? Come on...some of us love it down here in the dungeon....

FishForLunch · 06-06-2004, 12:07 AM

How come no president since President Reagan has made any memorable speech. Just think how he would have comforted us if 9/11 happened during his time. He really made Americans proud of themselves.

I see Bush Jr has his determination but is not charismatic or communicative like him. Clinton was close in the communication department.

dude1394 · 06-06-2004, 12:36 AM

Fish... You need to go back and look at the speeches that bush made to congress after 9/11. He will surprise you.

mavsfanforever · 06-06-2004, 01:10 AM

Thanks Reagan for affecting my life in a positive way.

Murphy3 · 06-06-2004, 03:02 AM

Today, I'm signing legislature that will outlaw Russia forever.

Mr. Reagan, rest in peace.

Dooby · 06-06-2004, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by: FishForLunch
How come no president since President Reagan has made any memorable speech. Just think how he would have comforted us if 9/11 happened during his time. He really made Americans proud of themselves.

I see Bush Jr has his determination but is not charismatic or communicative like him. Clinton was close in the communication department.

Honestly, it has as much to do with Reagan's delivery as it does anything else. Reagan also had great writers-Peggy Noonan was a terrific speechwriter. In my mind, Clinton had one good speech-his address to the american shortly after the 94 election people to reestablish his own relevance. Bush, dating back to his time as Governor, is more about imagery than words.

FishForLunch · 06-08-2004, 02:13 PM

I think 2 or 3 days of Tribute to President Reagan was fine, but the media is overdoing this Reagan tribute thing. I think it is time to move on.

reeds · 06-08-2004, 02:57 PM

"I think 2 or 3 days of Tribute to President Reagan was fine, but the media is overdoing this Reagan tribute thing. I think it is time to move on. "

Well, we could start talking about some not so good things he did?? Early 80's didnt he sign into law a bill taxing social security benefits & increase the retirement age?

Didnt he say "we did not, repeat, did not, trade weapons or anything else for hostages, nor will we"..now if Clinton said that- it would be ALL OVER THIS site..therfore I had to put it out there- he wasnt perfect..no one is....

Drbio · 06-08-2004, 03:10 PM

He was as good a President as there ever was and it can be easily argued that he was the best of all of them. Don't take my word for it, take the word of former President Jimmy Carter who said as much on *gasp* CNN last night.

reeds · 06-08-2004, 04:59 PM

I wont argue that- one of the few Republicans I admired..just saying he wasnt perfect...

dude1394 · 06-08-2004, 06:31 PM

Last time I looked there's only been one perfect human being. Politicians by definition cannot be that since they have to compromise.

reeds · 06-08-2004, 06:40 PM

I agree Dude..what does bother me though is the Republican "spin" on everything in this forum...as i mentioned earlier, if it were Clinton that made that terrible LIE, it would be the talk of the forum..but since it was Ronnie, it would have went unmentioned had I not brought it up..I understand the team player concept, but call a damn eye for an eye once and a while...not many on this board see the whole picture, just the left side of it.....JMHO

dude1394 · 06-08-2004, 07:05 PM

Well there certainly is no conservative spin from you reeds? A whole lot of liberal spin however. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Personally I don't see much point kicking a guy when he's passed away, it's gauche. If you can't say something nice about someone deceased then hush. But with respect to clinton, he wouldn't (and won't) get nearly the amount of accolades as Ronnie, he's insignificant.

But Ronald Reagan will go down as one of the greatest presidents of our time. The issues you brought up are a small scratch on his greatness. It's trivial to even bring it up.

I think it was Bill Clinton that vetoed a republican bill to reduce social secuity taxes. (Of course it was on the "rich" you know those couples making $44,000). I'm not sure if you would consider that a good or a bad? Bad for me.

reeds · 06-08-2004, 10:03 PM

"Well there certainly is no conservative spin from you reeds? A whole lot of liberal spin however. "

I have to work overtime to try to balance this website- thats all...lol

dude1394 · 06-08-2004, 10:13 PM

Another little known reagan nugget.

Quote:

BOBBY VS RONNIE: Here's a fascinating transcript of a 1967 debate between Bobby Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. (Thanks to a devoted reader.) I'd say Reagan does extremely well. How was it that a man who could out-debate Kennedy was soon to be described as a moron? Here's his discussion of racism:

I happen to believe that the greatest part of the problem lies in the hearts of men. I think that bigotry and prejudice is probably the worst of all man's ills the hardest to correct... Now we've found it necessary to legislate, to make it more possible for government to exert its responsibility to guarantee those constitutional rights. At the same time, we have much more that can be done in the area of just human relationships. I happen to bridge a time span in which I was a radio sports announcer for major league sports in our country, in athletics, many years ago. At that time the great American game of baseball had a rulebook whose opening line was: "Baseball is a game for Caucasian gentlemen." And up until that time, up until World War II, there'd never been a Negro play in organized major league or minor league baseball in America. And one man defied that rule--a man named Branch Rickey of one of the major league teams, and today baseball is far better off and our country is far better off because he destroyed that by handpicking one man and putting him on his baseball team, and the rule disappeared. Now I don't say this is the only answer, but we must use both, and I think the people in positions like ourselves like the Senator and myself, like the President of the United States, can do a great deal of good, perhaps almost as much as proper legislation, if we take the lead in saying those who operate their businesses or their lives on a basis of practicing discrimination and prejudice are practicing what is an evil sickness. And that we would not knowingly patronize a business that did such a thing, and we urge all right-thinking people to join us and not patronize that business. Soon we will make those who live by prejudice learn that they stand alone ..."

Yes, Reagan was a skeptic about legislating tolerance. But these are not the words of a racist.
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