To me, President Ronald Reagan’s impact on the US is that he forced us to think, to appreciate the US, and to duck. The last reference “to duck,” of course refers to his famous quote “honey, I forgot to duck,” after a coward attempted to assassinate him. I will not mention the name of the coward. This article is not about him.

President Reagan so befuddled some in this country, that even after his death, some, including his own kin, are still attempting to, even if mistakenly, misconstrue the facts about him. This article from AOL News has an impressive list of links to various articles, which can be described as “the good, the bad and the ugly,” of President Reagan. 

One writer, who describes himself as a Republican, is advising his fellow Republicans to “move on” from Reagan, since many of his policies have been dismantled by subsequent occupiers of the job of president. I am not going to compare those subsequent occupiers to President Reagan. It would not be fair to them. Another writer described Reagan’s “darker legacy.” I opened that link to find out what was there that we did not already know. At least the article did not proffer the view that President Reagan was “dumb.”  He was as “dumb” as an owl, and also the proverbial fox.

I like this To the Point News article because it pays tribute to the “wordsmith.”  Yes, he was a “wordsmith,” although many tried to denigrate him by painting him as merely reciting the words that were placed in front of him. Those who did so, were unknowingly predicting future behavior by another – not by President Reagan. Reagan biographer, journalist/writer Lou Cannon , gives a comprehensive look at the man and his words. President Reagan actually wrote a lot of the words that he uttered in public speaking. I selected from Mr. Cannon’s excellent article, some “bullet points” that grabbed me:

·         "Would you laugh if I told you that I think maybe they see themselves and that I'm one of them?"

·         Reagan the Negotiator is the president who catches the attention of historians.

·         They also note that Reagan was a domestic achiever, reducing the top marginal federal income tax rate from 70 to 28 percent.

·         Reagan left the world safer and the United States more prosperous than he found it.

·         Reagan made it easier in one important way since he never tried to co-opt reporters as so many politicians do.

·         He was also an adept writer -- I learned early on that he wrote most of his own speeches and one-liners -- and an even better editor. The book "Reagan in His Own Hand," by Annelise and Martin Anderson, with Kiron Skinner, reproduces illustrations of presidential speech drafts and the edits Reagan made in them. My favorite, also reproduced in one of my books, is a passage from a historic speech to British parliamentarians in Westminster on June 8, 1982, in which Reagan took some mush that had been written for him about Soviet actions in Europe, crossed it out, and wrote in his distinctive, looping hand: "What I am describing now is a policy and a hope for the long term -- the march of freedom and democracy which will leave Marxism-Leninism on the ash heap of history as it has left other totalitarian ideologies which stifle the freedom and muzzle the expression of citizens."

Amen! I love the description, “Reagan took some mush that had been written for him” – and master communicator that he was, he proceeded to edit. He could have gone on and recited the words as written, but he wanted his words to reflect his thinking.

When I want to read prose that is definitely not mush, I check what Mark Steyn has put to paper. This article did not disappoint. Mr. Steyn properly skewered those who sought to mischaracterize and deliberately malign President Reagan. The following sentence, although about the USSR’s “philosophy,” is loaded with meaning for today’s Middle East “uprising:”

Unlike these men, unlike most other senior Republicans, Ronald Reagan saw Soviet Communism for what it was: a great evil.

President Reagan got Mr. Gorbachev to work towards tearing down that famous wall. Had President Reagan been president, would the players in the Middle East, who are trying to resurrect “Soviet Communism” by a different name and flavor, have taken on President Reagan? Somehow, I don’t think so.

Even Mr. Gorbachev gave President Reagan kudos. Mr. Gorbachev did not extend this posthumous praise because he thought that President Reagan was a pushover. He witnessed firsthand that when “Dutch” advised him to “tear down that wall,” that it was not just rhetoric. Mr. Gorbachev and his fellow Soviets of the time, recognized strength and resolve.

I mentioned earlier about that Republican writer who is advising his fellow Republicans to “move on” from trying to cling to the policies and outlook of President Reagan. I know that his advice is directed to the so-called “movers and shakers,” but I am still going to pass on taking his advice. I am not ready to move on from President Reagan.

President George Washington is my favorite president because he operated in a time and under circumstances that no one in the future history of the republic can even try to imagine. President Reagan is in there on the short list of Ercille’s faves (counted on three or so fingers, as far as presidents are concerned), because he inherited a mess, got out his presidential pooper scooper and proceeded to scoop – successfully.

Thanks to my pal Chp. Dave, I can offer this final tribute , which the NFL will be paying to President Reagan. Isn’t it fitting that the Super Bowl is being played on President Reagan's  birthday? Win one for the Gipper, either team! He was one president who loved America!