The Gipper won one for us

By Robert Meyer

The quintessential question asked by past generations was often an inquiry into where one was or what one was doing, when the news flashed that a famous leader had died. People remembered where they were when Roosevelt died, or later on, what they were doing when they heard about the assassination of president John F. Kennedy. I will now have that same recollection about "the Gipper," former president Ronald W. Reagan.

The term "the Gipper" comes from the 1940 movie classic Knute Rockne, All-American, where the 28 year-old Reagan played the part of former Notre Dame football star George Gipp. Gipp died tragically in his youth, and thus the cry, "win one for the Gipper," became a rallying slogan for future ND football teams, when their back was up against the wall.

When I heard former president Reagan had passed on, I was busy working, just as I am on most Saturday afternoons. My thoughts turned to my good friend and local historian, Dr. P. Jake Jacobs (visit his terrific website at www.libertypro1776.com), who happened to be one of the last persons from the general public to have a one-on-one visitation with the former president. I stopped in to see Dr. Jacobs later that afternoon, and we sat on his couch watching news clips from the past featuring our fallen leader. Dr. Jacobs was obviously moved emotionally by the day's events, and his comments made me realize that though Reagan was president during my young adulthood, I didn't know as much about this remarkable man as I wanted to.

In 1980 I voted for Reagan, in large because of his bold clarity on what ailed America, and because of the growing ineptitude of the Carter presidency. I still remember vividly, on inauguration day 1981, the president triumphantly announced that our hostages had just left Iranian airspace. Just over two months later, we witnessed the horror of the assassination attempt by John Hinkley Jr.. Reagan's unmovable good humor caused him to quip to the surgeons at the hospital "I hope you're Republicans." His optimistic outlook still reminds me of a deceased friend and mentor who had a similar ability to inspire and motivate.

Reagan went to work right away working on the gargantuan twin tasks left at his feet: turning around an economy mired in the worst funk since the Great Depression, and answering the military threat posed by the communist Soviet Union. Reagan's tax cuts mirrored the ones two decades earlier advocated by president Kennedy, and echoed the same theory that Kennedy had postulated; that lower taxes would increase revenue to the treasury. Tax revenues doubled under Reagan, and laid the foundation for the peace dividend of the 90's, interrupted by only a brief, shallow recession early in that decade. While it is true that the budget deficit ballooned during Reagan's tenure, the president admitted that need to rebuild a military capable of contending with the Soviets, took priority over all else. It must be remembered that as governor of California, Reagan had balanced California's budget — where there was no added responsibility of defense spending.

Reagan was a man of profound vision, who could articulate his views simply and succinctly. He began his political career as a Democrat, but switched party allegiances in 1962 by observing that he had not left the democratic party, but that it had abandoned him. Reagan already saw the early signs of that party's migration to the left. Reagan put his political aspirations into gear with his famous "A Time for Choosing" speech, in support of Barry Goldwater's campaign in 1964 I was completely stunned when I heard recordings of Reagan's radio commentaries in the 1970's, discovering how he had expounded on ideas then, that I had come only to understand in recent years.

Reagan's moral certitude was the impetus of his unwavering convictions. Regarding abortion, Reagan avoided long theological dissertations in favor of simple reasoning. If people can't decide if the fetus is fully human, he reasoned, then we shouldn't make law and public policy as if we do. Reagan's position against abortion, was that where human life was involved, we must err on the side of caution. The former president called a spade a spade. Who can forget his famous "evil empire" speech in 1982, which made liberals fidget and fuss. He saw that the U.S.S.R. would collapse on itself. Many also forget that Reagan backed a join resolution with Congress, declaring 1983 as the year of the Bible, and reaffirmed this country's founding on Judeo-Christian principles. And let's throw in his effort to reform Social Security — an issue most politicians wouldn't touch with a 39-and-a-half foot pole.

Who can forget his principled stands? His walking away from the bargaining table in Iceland, when he disliked the demands of the Russians. His challenge to expand the reformations made by the Soviets, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall," along with his pithy sayings and stern warnings putting opponents on notice, such as, "you can run, but you can't hide." He knew pacifism and capitulation courted the dangers of tyranny or slavery. I still remember part of the lyrics from a famous pop song of the mid-80's, by the musical artist Sting.

Mr. Reagan says we will protect you

But I don't subscribe to this point of view

The only hope for me and you

Is if the Russians love their children too!

How wrong Sting was! Why do we still listen to these people pontificate such nonsense?

Then came that dreadful day in 1994 when we learned of his illness.

How can we possibly give a fitting tribute to honor such a man as this? Perhaps the best thing we can do is to stand on the shoulders of the ideological foundations laid by this great patriarch, and ask that by the grace of God, we can reach just a little bit higher.

© Robert Meyer