When within 100 miles of Simi Valley, visit the Reagan Presidential Library. It tells the history of the man—and the nation, over the past close to one hundred years. Get a better understanding of the warmth, compassion and drive of Ronald Reagan. As you go through the exhibits, you get the feeling everything he did in life was to prepare him for leadership of the Free World. From his days as a lifeguard, or how he recreated baseball games he could not see miles away for a radio audience.
Out of the economic collapse of the United States under Jimmie Carter, Reagan brought prosperity and security to our nation. Sadly, we are worse off today than we wer in the last days of the Carter Administration. Visit the Library ans you will see what a real President looks like—Ronald Reagan.
Visiting the Reagan Library by Richard Eber
Richard Eber, Exclusive to the California Political News and Views 5/20/22
“Ronald Reagan was one of the most influential leaders of the 20th Century. He led a profound change in our world- at home and abroad. His deep convictions and determination continue to inspire millions of people around the world.”
When I read these words on a plague in front of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, they bring back memories of the man whose words and deeds I so fondly remember in days gone past. They also remind me of President Reagan’s intrinsic attributes which are so missing today in California and the rest of the country.
Where do we start?
How about with his ability to get along with people of different ideologies and beliefs? While serving as Governor between 1967 to 1975, he needed to deal with a hostile legislature headed by Jess Unruh and later Bob Moretti. Despite their opposition, Reagan was able to reduce the budget deficit he inherited from the previous Governor Pat Brown. While taxes were raised to accomplish this goal, Reagan later lowered property taxes when economic conditions improved.
On the thorny issue of abortion he helped craft with compromise between the Legislature and the Catholic Church the Therapeutic Abortion Act. While not a perfect law from his standpoint, Reagan was able to balance diverse factions to reach a deal with all sides of the issue. He used similar tactics to deal with reducing welfare fraud and improving education during his stay in Sacramento.
Then Superintendent of Public Instruction Wilson Riles once commented: “When you got down to working with him, he was far more reasonable than you would expect from the rhetoric.”
We contrast today the way Ronald Reagan operated as Governor with how Gavin Newsom is handling the job. While the future President worked with all factions in Sacramento politics, Newsom caters almost exclusively to his Progressive counterparts in state government and their lobbyist associates.
Reagan had a strong staff behind him as Governor while Newsom has depended on unaccountable bureaucrats to do his bidding
Newsom has barely noticed billions of dollars of Covid relief checks being sent to prisoners and scammers. In contrast Reagan ran a tight ship to make sure things like that did not happen and government money would be well spent.
With public education Newsom spends freely without concern because his allies in the California Teachers Union (CTA) are the beneficiaries. This attitude has extended to all unionized government employees who provide the foundation for almost complete Democratic domination of California politics.
Reagan, who previously was the head of the Screen Actors Guild, concerned himself with his constituents rather than special interest groups as the striking 11,000 members of the Airport traffic controllers Union learned when he was President.
As president Ronald Reagan could share a drink with House of Representatives Majority Leader Tip O’Neal while quieting Libyan leader Omar Kaddafi with a barrage of missiles which virtually ended his terrorist career.
When Reagan uttered the words “Mr. Gorbachov, tear down this wall”, these words came from a man who was respected both in the United States and throughout the world.
These are attributes so missing with President’s of all political persuasions that occupied the White House since the Reagan’s resided there including Donald Trump.
Things have deteriorated so much that Washington D.C. is totally polarized with hatred spewing from both the left and right that makes accomplishing much of anything next to impossible. Oh, how much we miss Ronald Reagan.
Were he alive today the 39th President of the United States could probably not tell a joke at the Press Corps Correspondents’ Dinner without incurring the wrath of cancel culture-woke critics who believe all conservatives are hateful racist white supremists. Unfortunately, this attitude extends to the current occupant of the White House Joe Biden.
He takes no responsibility for anything preferred to blame Donald Trump, Republicans, Vladimir Putin for all that ails America. Biden is joined by other partisan leaders including Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer who rip Republicans while leading the country to an avoidable recession.
Unfortunately, the Republican side of the ledger is not much better. Critics of the Left including this writer have little to say of a positive nature to those in power both in Sacramento and Washington D.C.
This was very much apparent during my visit to the Reagan Library last weekend. Walking down the isle of the Presidential Boeing 707 aircraft, we are reminded of this great American who was able to combine conservative thought with the ability to reach a consensus with his advisories.
While President Reagan was far from perfect, he exhibited attributes of humor, kindness, vision, and optimism, which are so missing today. For these reasons alone it is worth venturing to Simi Valley to visit the Reagan library where the President and his wife Nancy are buried.
In this shrine of conservatism, the keys to America’s future success can be found.
