It's Always Morning in America

by Laura Mills-Alcott

The following was written in the days following President Ronald Reagan's passing. I have added some audio files of speeches and clips from speeches, courtesy of iHistory Radio.

I was raised in a family that thrived on politics.

My grandfather was a West Virginia coal miner with little education, who moved his family to NE Ohio during the 1950s, and in a time when judges were elected solely for their integrity and fairness, my grandfather became a judge. He was the first politician in our family.

My father, a steel worker, followed, and became a township trustee--a position he was re-elected to time and again, and probably would have continued to hold the office had our little town not become a city after the 1980 census, making him ineligible to run for office in the township.

My uncle, a barber, ran for county commissioner, and my father ran his campaign, helping him achieve victory. And then six years later, Daddy guided my uncle's congressional campaign, bringing him victory over an "unbeatable" incumbent.

So from an early age, politics was part of my life, and if I couldn't write books or music, I'd have probably ended up a politician.

I vaguely remember the Vietnam war. I was born during the war, so it was simply something that was during my early childhood.

I vividly recall President Nixon's resignation speech, and even though I was too young to understand "Watergate", I was able to comprehend the significance of the history I witnessed that day on the television at my grandmother's house.

But the first time politics held a personal meaning for me the first time I heard Ronald Reagan speak.

I was still a kid. I was at my grandmother's house, flipping through her copy of Photoplay. It was early in 1976, and the presidential primary was underway. I was more interested in Photoplay than what any of the candidates had to say.

I can't tell you now what it was exactly that drew my attention to the television screen, except that Ronald Reagan was speaking, and I was absolutely mesmerized.

After that, I took every opportunity to hear Mr. Reagan speak. I was suddenly a black sheep in my family; I was rooting for someone other than their candidate to win the primary--I had become a Reaganite.

Ronald Reagan didn't win the primary, though he made a surprisingly strong showing, and by the Republican National Convention, Mr. Reagan was so popular, you would have thought he'd gained the nomination.

President Ford lost the November election to Jimmy Carter.

The next four years were a difficult time for America. Inflation raised to over 10%, interest rates for home loans had skyrocketed to the point where the average American couldn't afford to buy a home, unemployment was almost 11%, and steel mills and factories--the foundation of the economy in my hometown--were closing in record numbers. I remember hearing the words "recession" and "depression" often, and it seemed everyone had lost hope. As a final blow, Iran took 52 Americans hostage, and refused to let them go, and the US government seemed helpless to do anything to bring them home.

Then came the 1980 primary, and even though I was still way too young to vote, I watched every debate, read every news article I could get my hands on and I cheered on my man--Ronald Reagan. And this time around, my family was cheering for him, too.

Reagan won the primary, and chose his former opponent, George Bush, as his running mate. Their campaign slogan: The Time is Now. And it was. I could feel it. And the rest of the country felt it, too.

Ronald Reagan won the November election in a big way. My father decided we were going to Washington for the inauguration.

Imagine my excitement. Ronald Reagan was, to me, like a rock star was to my peers.

What was it I saw in Mr. Reagan? I saw a man of strength and conviction. An optimist. A man who believed in America as much as I did.

Admittedly, Ronald Reagan scared some people, who saw him as a tough talking, trigger happy cowboy. But others saw him as a man who would lead us back to greatness. Regardless of individual opinions on the president elect, the reality was, for the first time in a long time, the world sat up and took notice, and America was again taken seriously--and he'd accomplished this before he took office.

We arrived in Washington at a time when Iranian students were protesting America and taunting police (those same students would be stoned if they protested the Iranian government in Tehran), and as my mother shook her head in dismay, I remember telling her, "Don't worry, Mom. Ronald Reagan will take care of it."

On January 20, 1981, my family and I stood in a crowd of thousands and watched our new president take his oath of office. By his side, as always, was his wife, Nancy. After taking his oath, President Reagan gave his inaugural address (audio).

 Then someone came and spoke quietly to the president. A hush fell over the crowd. President Reagan paused, then returned to the microphone, and announced that the hostages had been freed.

A great roar rose from the crowd.

And at that moment, not only had we witnessed history, but I had the most awesome feeling that the world was about to change.

Some would argue the timing of the hostage release, but regardless, the reality remains that Ronald Reagan projected an image of a man to be reckoned with, a man who would keep true to his word, and Iran decided it was best to cooperate with him, rather than challenge him.

That night, we attended the inaugural ball, where I ran into Elizabeth Taylor (literally) and shook Jimmy Stewart's hand. And then I listened to our new president make a short speech, and watched as he and Nancy shared a dance. It was utterly romantic - there they were, in a sea of strangers, but they only seemed to be aware of each other.

After the inaugural celebration was over, it was time for us to go home, and time for President Reagan to begin making history.

What do I remember about those years?

Ronald Reagan came to us like a friend, with his own brand of homespun humor (audio), a deep belief in traditional values, sincerity and an optimism that was absolutely infectious. He believed in God and prayer (audio), and the family, he believed we were a great nation, and he believed in us - the people - so much, that we once again believed in ourselves.

He inspired America. And America responded:  we became more patriotic, more proud to be American, we embraced tradition, and we believed Reagan when he said, "It's always morning in America."

His brand of politics forged a whole new movement within the party, and today, he is considered the Father of the Modern Republican Party. Not only did he gain the support of Republicans, but he won the respect and support of the Democrats because of his integrity and conviction.

We knew his goals from the beginning: to decrease big government, slash taxes, end Communism, win the Cold War, and restore to America her pride and greatness.

President Reagan's first year in office was eventful:

Almost immediately, he pushed a record tax cut through congress, keeping true to his campaign promise to cut taxes (he did such a good job cutting taxes, that later, we had a couple tax increases because he'd slashed taxes a little too much).

On March 30, 1981, John Hinkley, in an attempt to impress an actress, tried to assassinate President Reagan (he'd wanted to assassinate President Carter, but couldn't manage it, so he moved on to the next president).

I sat glued to my television, along with the rest of the nation, and watched the news coverage. And I don't think it was until I heard the president had come out of surgery, that they'd removed the bullet from his lungs, that I dared breathe.

When Nancy finally reached him, he looked up at her from his bed and said, "Honey, I forgot to duck."

Instead of being bitter against the man who'd tried to murder him, he prayed for Hinkley.

Not only did he survive an assassination attempt, but he became a cancer survivor during his term in office. And then his wife, Nancy, became a cancer survivor after having to undergo a mastectomy. Ronald and Nancy came to the nation and publicly disclosed their illnesses, and as a result, more people were made aware of cancer, and more people began having regular checkups.

In August of 1981, 13,000 Air Traffic Controllers  (Federal employees) went on strike, threatening to entirely cripple the nation's air transportation system. In reality, the strike was an illegal strike, and what the controllers demanded would have been more than the system could bear ($770 million additional). What did they want? Their 40 hour work week cut to 32 hours, a $10,000.00 per year salary increase per person even though they'd cut their work time by 20% (even though their salaries were already well above the national average), and full retirement benefits after 20 years. They were offered a compromise (shorter work week and pay increase), but rejected it and planned their strike for the busiest travel time of the year - during a year the travel industry desperately needed to turn a profit to make up for losses.

Again, it was an illegal strike (in 1955 congress made strikes by Federal employees punishable by fines and incarceration, and that was upheld by the courts in 1971). Reagan had a choice to make - did he uphold the law, or did he turn a blind eye to the controllers' defiance of Federal law and allow the destruction of the air travel system? He gave the controllers 48 hours to return to work. Some of them did. Others continued to ignore the law, and ultimately, 11,000 Air Traffic Controllers were fired.

This gave Reagan a reputation of being a "union buster", but was this reputation fair when the strike was illegal and the president's job is to uphold the law? Did he really have any other option available to him short of breaking the law himself?

In his memoirs he wrote, "I supported unions and the rights of workers to organize and bargain collectively, but no president could tolerate an illegal strike by Federal employees."

Overwhelmingly, the public supported President Reagan's decisive action, and backed him. Later, PATCO (the union for the controllers) was decertified by the Federal Labor Relations Authority because of their promotion of an illegal strike.

What else did he do his first year in office? He appointed the first woman to the United States Supreme Court, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

During that first year, even those who disagreed with the president's policies ultimately respected him and trusted him because he had those special qualities too rarely seen in politicians - conviction of purpose and an open, honest and straight forward way of dealing with people and situations. You may not have liked what he was saying and you may have been at odds with his beliefs, but you respected his right to his opinion because he respected your right to yours and defended it so vigilantly, and you respected that he held true to his beliefs, whatever they were, regardless of the opposition, because it showed the true strength of his character.

Agree with him or not, you always knew where he was coming from, and that, in and of itself, was comforting to a nation who had spent so many years never certain of where their leadership came from or what direction they were taking them.

Over the next few years, the economy gradually began to come back (and later boomed), the stock market hit record levels, and interest rates plummeted, while new businesses opened and jobs were created, and existing businesses began hiring again. His policies helped keep the American economy strong through his presidency, and for ten years after he left office.

Also during this period, the deficit skyrocketed. Reagan detractors will bring this up as their proof that Reaganomics didn't work. However, let's put it in perspective. Yes, there were flaws in Reaganomics, but as far as the deficit went, Reaganomics had little to do with it. The deficit was already over 900 billion when the Carter administration left the White House.

So if not Reaganomics, why did the deficit climb so high? Most of the increase in the deficit after 1980 was due to Ronald Reagan's single minded goal of making Communism extinct and ending the threat to the world presented by the Soviet Union.

I grew up in a time when we feared "the bomb". It didn't seem to be a matter of "if", but "when" the nuclear holocaust would take place.

In 1984, "99 Red Balloons" was the song that reflected that fear, and it was a fear the entire world shared.

President Reagan said he wanted peace with Soviet Union, but his words against them were harsh (he called them the "Evil Empire" (audio)), he cracked jokes about them (while sitting at a microphone he thought was off, he joked: "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes" (audio)) and he began a huge military build up, spent billions on weapons, and began a costly missile defense plan we called "Star Wars".

I remember him saying we could only achieve "peace through strength" (audio). A lot of people scoffed and thought he was crazy, some erroneously believed Ronald Reagan wanted war and would be the one to push "the button" and destroy all humanity. But a more appropriate view is that our president wanted our nation to be strong and capable of defending herself (audio of the famous Bear in the Woods campaign ad).

Reagan stood tall against his opposition and held firm to his convictions.

In 1984, the Reagan and Bush team swept the November election, winning almost every state against opponent and former vice president, Walter Mondale, because we believed in what they stood for. (audio 2nd Inaugural address)

He placed us in an arms race that cost us trillions. But he knew the Soviets had no hope of winning the race--he outspent them and out built them. The result? The Soviets tried to keep up, and it was the beginning of the downfall of the USSR. Ultimately, they had to admit defeat in the arms race, had to acknowledge that they couldn't possibly beat us, and then they had to negotiate.

Over time, the firm pressure President Reagan applied to the Soviet Union took its toll. "Reagan bolstered the U.S. military might to ruin the Soviet economy, and he achieved his goal," said Gennady Gerasimov, top spokesman for the Soviet Foreign Ministry during that time.

One of President Reagan's most famous speeches was delivered on June 12, 1987. He stood at the Brandenburg Gate , in what was then West Berlin. He gestured to the wall that had stood as a divider since 1961, and in front of the world, he called the Soviet Union onto the carpet:

Ending the Cold War was President Reagan's greatest contribution to the world. Making America strong and proud again was his greatest contribution to the United States.

As for that deficit... how many would say that any price was too steep for putting an end to the threat of nuclear war?

Because of his awesome ability to communicate with the nation and the world, he was called "The Great Communicator". One of his major speech writers, Peter Robinson, refutes the notion that the speech writers made Reagan. According to him, President Reagan came into office "fully made". Reagan had spent years writing his own speeches, during his time as president of the Screen Actor's Guild, while a spokesman for GE, and as Governor of California. Reagan's speech writers drew on former speeches written by the president, and President Reagan would then edit their speeches, so the words he would ultimately deliver said what he wanted to say, the way he wanted to say it.

I remember President Reagan coming to our nation in times of crisis and sorrow, a father figure, who gave the country comfort through his words, his strength and his compassion. In October 2003, a suicide bomber (with ties to Libya and Qaddafi) killed 241 US Marines in Beruit. The president addressed the nation, and with tears in his eyes, he told us of the Marines who'd been murdered, and saluted their courage with the words, "Semper Fi."

It was in 1986 that America was dealt a cruel blow when the space shuttle Challenger exploded after liftoff, killing all seven of its crew members, including the first teacher that was to be sent into space. President Reagan came to us in our nation's grief, and brought a bit of comfort in another of his most famous speeches. "We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for the journey and waved goodbye and slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God." (click here for the full text) (audio)

In 1983, two days after the Beruit suicide bombing, we saw the president who worked strenuously for peaceful negotiations with the USSR, and after the invasion of Grenada, to restore order and protect American citizens, as well as the neighboring countries, after a bloody coup by Marxist rebels with Cuban and Soviet ties. 

In 1986, after Qaddafi and his terrorists bombed a Berlin disco, killing and wounding American servicemen and civilians, and after a long string of Libyan terrorist attacks throughout the rest of the world and Middle East, President Reagan ordered the bombing of a Libyan military center, effectively bringing Qaddafi to heel for a time (audio) (Qaddafi was an extremist and still kicked up his heels every now and again in the Middle East, but after years of US pressure and sanctions, he's cooperating a little more with the international world these days).

Also in 1986 was the Iran-Contra Affair. Weapons were sold to Iran (to be used against Iraq), and the profits were used to help the Contra rebels who were fighting to overthrow the leftist Sandinista government of Nicaragua, which held ties to the Soviet Union and Cuba. Besides the obvious benefit of the operation, there was also the goal of getting American hostages released that were being held in Lebanon by pro-Iranian groups.

Ronald Reagan put a great deal of trust in his administration. He believed he'd hired the best men for the job, and he let them do their job while he focused on other issues, and in most cases, it worked for the best. However, in this one instance, it was a mistake, and President Reagan was rebuked for not controlling his national security staff, and some of his staff were indicted on charges of "conspiracy to defraud the United States."

The 80s were full of catch phrases: Do you remember "Personal Responsibility" (the notion that everyone should take personal responsibility for their own lives), "Reaganomics" and "Trickledown Economics"? Were you a "Reaganite" or a "Reagan Republican" or a "Reagan Democrat"?

Do you remember Jelly Beans? They were Ronald Reagan's favorite snack, and he always kept a jar handy.

Do you remember the time Ronald Reagan was caught dozing off during some meeting and the press making a big deal about it and insinuating that he was too old? My uncle, the congressman, just laughed off the cynicism of the press and said that those meetings were long and boring and everyone nodded off at one time or another, regardless of age. According to my uncle, who got to know the president pretty well during his first term in the White House, President Reagan was one of the sharpest men he'd ever met.

What else do I remember? A president who truly cared about the people he represented.

I remember a story about a woman with very little money. She'd written the president a letter to tell him how much she appreciated all he was doing. I don't recall how he learned of her financial situation exactly, but he sent her a personal check. Later, when the check hadn't been cashed, he contacted her to find out why, and she told him she'd saved the check because it was from him. So he sent her another check - that way she could keep the first as a memento and use the second.

Stories have been told by those who knew him about a man who never failed to speak kindly to everyone he met, whether foreign leaders or the elevator operator.

In many of his speeches, he made specific references to people who'd written to him and told their story. This showed that President Reagan actually personally read the mail that was sent to him. Again, not because he had to, but because he wanted to--because he cared.

I've heard some bring up his cutting of social programs and his ignoring of the AIDs crisis to refute my belief that he cared, however, AIDs research and spending increased during his term in office, and he focused on creating jobs so every able bodied man and woman willing to work could support their families, cutting interest rates so everyone could share in the American dream of owning their own home, and government aid programs were still readily available for those who were in need and unable to work (the ill, the disabled and elderly).

He cared deeply about America's youth. The "Just Say No" campaign was started by Ronald Reagan and then carried on by Nancy. Did you know that drug use among teens decreased by 70% between the time Ronald Reagan took office and 1992?

There were lots of complaints from political foes regarding a new set of china purchased for the White House - with a $210,000.00 price tag. Why did the First Lady buy it? Because over time, breakage and souvenir seekers had claimed enough of the pieces of the existing set to make it impossible to serve large dinners with a matched set.

Who paid for it? Not the tax payers as some, to this day, still claim. Mrs. Reagan sought out private donations, and that's how she paid for the china and other renovations at the White House, which was sorely in  need of renovation in 1980, with tattered carpet and dim walls.

President Reagan was in office for eight years -- and had he been able to run for a third term, polls overwhelmingly showed he would have won. Throughout his presidency, overall, he maintained the highest approval rating - a combination of policy approval and the way America felt about the man, himself - of any modern president. No, everyone didn't agree with him, but overall, he was respected and loved by the vast majority of Americans.

Throughout America, buildings, streets, airports and naval ships bear his name. His legacy lives on in Europe, as well, where the people he liberated remember him with streets and buildings that bear his name.

Ronald Reagan left office in January, 1989. He left our nation stronger and our people prouder (audio). The economy was booming and the threat of nuclear war with the USSR no longer existed. Our military and the office of the President of the United States had gained respect not just in America, but all over the world.

In his farewell address (audio) to the nation, he reminded us: "My friends: We did it. We weren't just marking time. We made a difference."

On November 5, 1994, President Reagan addressed the nation again, this time with a letter, to tell us that he'd been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. His choice in coming forward was to make the public more aware of this tragic illness, as he and Nancy once had with cancer.

He told us, "I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead."

After that, we heard little from President Reagan, and Nancy protected his privacy vigilantly as he began to decline. Until the very end of his illness, Nancy was at his side, and she cared for him at home.

In May, Nancy told us: “Ronnie’s long journey has finally taken him to a distant place where I can no longer reach him.”

On June 5, 2004, President Reagan passed away from pneumonia, associated with Alzheimer's. The outpouring of grief from the nation who remembered and loved the man was immediate and immense. A memorial service was held at his library on June 7th, with family and friends, prior to allowing a public viewing of the casket. Mrs. Reagan tenderly laid her head to her husband's flag-draped casket.
	They had expected around 60,000 people to view the president's casket at the library. Over 100,000 people came to pay their last respects to one of America's great presidents and a son of California in just two days. Mourners came from all over, lives that had been touched by a great man and a great leader.

Then President Reagan was flown to Washington, DC, to lie in state in the Capital Rotunda on Wednesday, June 9th. Crowds had begun to gather long before, lining the streets of Washington, 15 or more deep, to watch the state funeral procession. Of all the images of the procession, none was more moving than Sergeant York, the riderless horse, with President Reagan's boots backwards in the stirrups, signifying a fallen soldier, a leader who would ride no more.

The military band played "Hail to the Chief" as the president's casket, carried upon a horse drawn caisson, approached the Capital building. Twenty-one military jets flew over the Capital then, the last four executing the "missing man" formation. President Reagan then received a twenty-one gun salute, and the military band played the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" as the honor guard removed his casket from the caisson and carried it up the steps of the Capital.

Inside the Rotunda, the Reagan family, congressmen and their families, former members of President Reagan's staff, and foreign dignitaries gathered in a circle around the casket. Ronald Reagan's political allies and political enemies alike stood together in sorrow, sharing the loss of the man who had reshaped American politics, fueled patriotism and earned their respect. Grown men wept, and put their hands over their hearts to salute the president upon his arrival.

Speakers remembered not only President Reagan's accomplishments in office, but the man himself; a man who was kind, compassionate, wise, humorous, and above all, a man who loved his country. The man who changed the world. After the memorial service, Michael Reagan, perhaps the most like his father of all the Reagan children, walked to the casket and kissed it with a half salute, half wave. Then Mrs. Reagan approached the casket on the arm of Vice President Cheney. She lovingly ran her hand the length of the flag - the flag that flew over the Capital on January 20, 1981, the day Ronald Reagan was first inaugurated - and whispered some private words to the man laying in state.

And then the Iron Lady, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, one of President Reagan's best political friends and staunchest allies, approached the casket. She gently touched the flag, and in a show of respect, curtsied before him.

Flags across the country have been lowered to half staff for 30 days from the date of the president's passing.

Friday, June 11th, has been declared a national day of mourning. Friday is also the date of Ronald Reagan's State Funeral at Washington's National Cathedral, where President George W. Bush will lead the service, and his father, President George Bush, who was also Ronald Reagan's Vice President, will also speak.

Ronald Reagan will be remembered in many ways by many people, throughout America and throughout the world. But the one legacy he left us all is the belief that we are that shining city on a hill, and it's "Always morning in America."

Thank you, President Reagan, and Godspeed.

OTHER SPEECHES

Vietnam Veteran's Memorial 1988 
40th Anniversary of D-Day 1984 
Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp 1985

Ronald Reagan Biography

 

 

 

Special Offers for Authors on book promotion and web design

Get 2 BOOKS + a mystery gift  from  eHarlequin.com

 

Do you have some old dolls in the attic? If you have an old doll that's just collecting dust, or that's stored away in a box somewhere... Author Laura Mills-Alcott and her daughter restore old dolls from the 1920s - 1940s. They are currently buying dolls for a very special project, and may be interested in buying YOUR doll(s).  To find out more click here.

AUTHORS

The Romance Club Home Page