"He kept us out of war." – Woodrow Wilson reelection slogan, 1916

RONALD REAGAN said that none of the wars during his lifetime were started because America was too strong. Democrats usually run as peaceniks, and then when we get backed into a corner, they have to act tough, too late. Here are some factoids of history about which you may not have thought:

• Russia was lost to the Bolsheviks during the years of Woodrow Wilson.

• Eastern Europe was lost during the FDR years.

• China was lost to Mao during the Truman years.

• Half of Korea was lost during Truman's "police action."

• The Bay of Pigs happened during the JFK years.

• Kennedy got the missiles out of Cuba, but promised to never invade again.

• LBJ let the Vietnam war drag on so long that we had to flee in disgrace.

• Russia invaded Afghanistan during the Carter years.

• We went into Afghanistan and stayed 20 years, but Biden set an illogical deadline for our withdrawal, resulting in a humiliation worse than Saigon.

Do you see a pattern here yet?

P.S. A few more presidential factoids:

• Nixon had two daughters; he did some good things, but had to resign.

• Johnson had two daughters, but didn't run for reelection.

• Carter had one daughter, and the worst economy since the 1930s.

• Clinton had one daughter, and you know the rest of the story.

• George Dubya Bush had two daughters and mixed success.

• Obama had two daughters and one of the worst administrations ever.

That may sound sexist, but they say there are no coincidences.

PPS: Long before my internet days, I wrote the following on Groundhog day, 1992:

TEN WAYS TO RUIN EDUCATION

1. Stop any and all teaching of phonics; it's too EASY for kids to learn to read that way (and requires a bit more effort by the teacher).

2. Ban corporal punishment, or discipline of any kind; it's "not fair."

3. Stop correcting grammar; street language and ebonics promote diversity and inclusion.

4. Stop teaching penmanship and cursive writing; that's nit-picking (don't have such high expectations of the kids!).

5. Stop teaching "HIS" story; that is SO "yesterday" (we're rewriting the past anyway in "social science")!

6. Stop teaching the classics; Western Civilization was founded on the writings of Dead White English/European Boys (DWEEBS).

7. Always mock religion; do not under any circumstances allow any kid to fold his hands before a test.

8. Stop holding school from 8 AM to 3:30 PM; 9 to 3 is a more humane work day for the teachers.

   Sounds about right, right?

9. Never ever teach character or value judgments; morality cannot be legislated (immorality can be).

10. At the end of the day, have a ritual burn of an old book at the flag pole (maybe the flag itself).