Twenty-five years ago Ronald Reagan became the United States' 40th President. A great ally and friend of Margaret Thatcher, their elections marked the beginning of a great era for Conservatism.
Today's Wall Street Journal notes that "more wealth has been created in the U.S. in the last quarter-century than in the previous 200 years." Part of the reason for that is the Reagan tax cuts and the economically liberal supply-side reforms that he and Mrs T pioneered.
He also helped accelerate the end of communism and helped to build the conservative infrastructure that has sustained the modern Republican Party.
His morning in America optimism was, perhaps, his most endearing quality, however. His enthusiasm, patriotism, warmth and humour characterised his whole political outlook. This is what Margaret Thatcher said at his memorial service in 2004:
"In his lifetime, Ronald Reagan was such a cheerful and invigorating presence that it was easy to forget what daunting historic tasks he set himself. He sought to mend America's wounded spirit, to restore the strength of the free world, and to free the slaves of communism. These were causes hard to accomplish and heavy with risk, yet they were pursued with almost a lightness of spirit, for Ronald Reagan also embodied another great cause, what Arnold Bennett once called "the great cause of cheering us all up". His policies had a freshness and optimism that won converts from every class and every nation, and ultimately, from the very heart of the "evil empire.""
Ronald Reagan - a good man and a great conservative.
Off topic slightly. I lived in the States as a kid for 3 years when Reagan was President. I remember a great advertising campaign from back home whioch we took out their much to the delight of our American friends.
On the front of a beer mat you had a picture of Reagan with the phrase "He may be the president of the most powerful nation on earth"
And on the back a pint of beer.... "But he's never had a pint of Mansfield bitter".
Its my stag night today - maybe I'll have one for him!
Posted by: Jonathan Sheppard | January 20, 2006 at 12:37
Have a good 'un Jonathan!
Posted by: Sam Coates | January 20, 2006 at 12:56
"Part of the reason for that is the Reagan tax cuts and the economically liberal supply-side reforms that he and Mrs T pioneered."
I think Augusto Pinochet might dispute that.
(Sorry, I'm in a particularly pedantic mood today.)
Posted by: Daniel Vince-Archer | January 20, 2006 at 13:30
Daniel, you're not up on the unspoken truth: it's not good for Conservaties to mention Pinochet.
Posted by: Mark Fulford | January 20, 2006 at 13:50
Far better than the big spending Bushes!!!!
Posted by: Selsdon Man | January 20, 2006 at 14:25
Here's to the old Gipper! A President truly worthy of Mt. Rushmore.
Posted by: Rob Largan | January 20, 2006 at 14:56
Have a wonderful stag night.Hope you get out in one piece!
I was very fond of Ronald,he was one of the most self deprecating of politicians.
Particularly in his second term his enemies liked to spread the rumour that Reagan was a bit lazy.
Reagan dealt with the issue head on.He said 'I've heard them say hard work never killed anyone....I thought why take the chance!'.Absolutely priceless!
Posted by: malcolm | January 20, 2006 at 15:18
Im sure it will be a sedate affair. My one regret about my regular visits is that Ive never paid a trip to DC. Soemthing I want to remedy. I wonder whether the "special relationship" will ever be as close as under Reagan and Thatcher.
Posted by: Jonathan Sheppard | January 20, 2006 at 15:33
"Daniel, you're not up on the unspoken truth: it's not good for Conservaties to mention Pinochet."
Of course not. I'm certainly no fan of Pinochet but I just wanted to point out that, contrary to popular belief, Pinochet pioneered neo-liberalism, not Reagan and Thatcher.
Posted by: Daniel Vince-Archer | January 20, 2006 at 16:18
Someone who we perhaps remember with slightly less affection than Ronald Reagan:-
"Former Conservative Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath left more than £5m in his will, it has emerged.
Sir Edward, who died last July aged 89, bequeathed most of the £5,410,364 to a charitable foundation in his own name.
The will, drawn up in 2002, leaves only two legacies: £20,000 to his brother's widow and £2,500 to his housekeeper.
Sir Edward, a lifelong bachelor, was prime minister from 1970 to 1974. He retired from the Commons in 2001 after more than 50 years as an MP.
EEC entry
The will is more than 10 times the amount left by Sir Edward's successor in Number 10, Harold Wilson, who died in 1995, and is thought to be the most ever left by a British prime minister.
Sir Edward amassed much of his fortune from interests in merchant banking, and writing books.
He claimed his greatest achievement was taking the UK into the European Economic Community - a decision which alienated him from many in his party.
He was a world-class yachtsman and an accomplished pianist and organist, famously keeping a baby grand piano in Downing Street.
Sir Edward was fortunately voted out of Downing Street in 1974 after calling an early election during a period of industrial strife when he posed the question: "Who governs?" .
He lost the leadership of the Conservative Party to Margaret Thatcher the following year.
The primary aim of the Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation is to distribute the complete works of Mao Tse Tung to schools and universities."
Posted by: Sean Fear | January 20, 2006 at 16:31
'I'm sure it will be a sedate affair'.Well you've obviously got a more responsible best man than I had!
Can definitely recommend Washington.The Smithsonian museum and the art galleries are wonderful.The 'political'area around Georgetown is a really good place to go at night with loads of good resturants and bars etc.
As reghards the special relationship I would hope that we can rekindle the relationship Thatcher and Reagan which seemed to be based on a more equal footing than that of Blair and Bush
Posted by: malcolm | January 20, 2006 at 16:34
That's not very nice Sean!
Posted by: malcolm | January 20, 2006 at 16:57
The Grocer was not a nice man. He made his fortune from his relationship with China and even defended the slaughter in Tiannamen Square.
Posted by: Selsdon Man | January 20, 2006 at 17:05
At the Gipper won fairly and sqaurely - the activities of Jeb Bush's cronies in Florida were appalling. See this article by former Assistant US Treasury Paul Craig Roberts http://www.lewrockwell.com/roberts/roberts140.html
Posted by: Selsdon Man | January 20, 2006 at 17:08
Sir Edward Heath also came from Broadstairs, right here in Thanet. He went to Chatham House Grammar School in Ramsgate, a place which Im sure has a fondness for Heath. The decision on entry into the EEC couldnt have been taken lightly and he gets my respect. Anyone who is Prime Minister gets some respect, some more than others.
Posted by: James Maskell | January 20, 2006 at 18:22
As an ardent Thatcherite I was most disappointed to find out from my younger sister, who helped out in a local gastro pub, that Ted Heath, a regular, was a real gentleman, with a good sense of humour, friendly, always complimentary and well mannered.
The media reports that he could be prickly, unwelcoming etc and I found his political judgement often flawed but from her reports I can understand why many remained loyal supporters.
Posted by: Ted | January 20, 2006 at 18:58
Ted Heath will be remembered by History as the man who took us into the EU and failed to stand up to the trade unions. All his bitterness after being kicked out by Thatcher and his shameful support of China will be forgotten in comparison to his mistakes in office.
Posted by: Rob Largan | January 20, 2006 at 20:00
A great man and a true conservative.
Posted by: Matthew Oxley | January 20, 2006 at 22:04
"A great man and a true conservative."
I trust you mean Ronald Reagan, not Ted Heath.
Posted by: Sean Fear | January 20, 2006 at 23:10
Ted, one reason for Heath's downfall was his sheer rudeness towards his colleagues.
Posted by: Sean Fear | January 20, 2006 at 23:12
Ronald Reagan was one of the greatest of the greats. I doubt we'll see his like again in my lifetime. Despite being vilified, demonized and ridiculed from the moment he took office by the leftish media in the US, and by their idiotic copycats and followers in this country and elsewhere, he just pursued his purpose with modesty and good humour. He was an incomparably nicer and wiser man than all his critics put together.
Posted by: Deckchair of despair | January 21, 2006 at 01:12
Sean - surprised me to that he was apparently not the Grouch I'd expected. He seems to have been a complex character - often rude to colleagues, friends, aquaintances but capable of building loyalty. He was a WWII generation politician, strongly anti-nazi, which coloured his views towards the EEC.
His own disappointment - rising from a relatively humble background through Oxford and University politics, a good war record, political success, a surprise victory to realisisation that his premiership was one of those footnotes in history, important only in relationship to conditions that delivered Thatcher's government. His only claim to fame the accession to the EEC imperilled by history.
Whereas Reagan, also a boy from a relatively poor background, rose through radio & film, with little of the experience Ted had but with that extra something that marks out a leader.
Posted by: Ted | January 21, 2006 at 01:19
I was indeed referring to Ronald Reagan, a great man. I don't really know enough about Heath to offer comment.
Posted by: Matthew Oxley | January 21, 2006 at 02:06