Nancy Reagan opposes replacing FDR with Reagan on dimes

SFGate.com ^ | 12/5/03 | AP

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

That's tempting! LOL

[boycott]

FDR wasn't worth a dime.

[cloud8]

"I don't really want Reagan's picture on the dime as some sort of honor. I want it on there because I know how much it will bug left-wing wacko Liberals."

You should see lefties cringe when they have to speake of flying out of Reagan National Airport.

President Reagan belongs on Mt. Rushmore.

[Cicero]

It wouldn't cost anything. They would leave the Roosevelt dimes in circulation and just start making Reagan dimes. It must be said that FDR was probably the single worst president America has ever had, precisely because he was such a strong politician, who managed to transform the country in all the wrong ways.

But Nancy is probably right that it would serve no useful purpose to start a huge political firefight, Roosevelt versus Reagan, over a symbolic gesture, when there are so many more important issues at stake, such as the quality of the next few Supreme Court Justices.

Maybe we could yank Sacajeawa, whose dollar is no more popular than that of Susan B. Anthony, and try a Reagan dollar?

[Texas Eagle]

President Reagan belongs on Mt. Rushmore.

Hee hee heeeeeee.

Talk about Tom Daschle being saddened!

[HardStarboard]

A dime for Reagan? We shouldn't settle for less than a Silver dollar or at least a fifty cent piece - Kennedy got a $0.50 piece - Reagan certainly deserves no less!

[southernnorthcarolina]

Washington is on two articles of currency, the quarter and the $1 bill. Jefferson is on two, the nickel and the $2 bill. And Lincoln is on two, the penny and the $5 bill. I hope someday we'll make room for Ronald Reagan, but why not on one of the coins or bills where Presidential representation is doubled up?

Lord knows I'm no fan of FDR, and I doubt many FReepers are. But he was "great" by some definitions, if only the times in which he was President and the length of his service. Keep him on the dime.

Of the six articles of currency bearing the likenesses of Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln, I'd suggest that the Washington $1 bill and the Lincoln penny are pretty much untouchable. The least controversial choice would be to put RR on the $2 bill. Jefferson admirers, of which I am one, would have scant cause for complaint -- you rarely see a $2 bill anyway. Of course, as soon as Reagan $2 bills were introduced, demand for the denomination would skyrocket. It could be "our own thing" -- conservatives would demand $2 bills from their banks, and put them in circulation rapidly. Annoy your lefty coffeeshop owner -- pay for your coffee with Reagan twos!

[Wonder Warthog]

"They would leave the Roosevelt dimes in circulation and just start making Reagan dimes. It must be said that FDR was probably the single worst president America has ever had, precisely because he was such a strong politician, who managed to transform the country in all the wrong ways."

Issue half the coins with Reagan's picture, and half with Roosevelt's picture. If they can issue single-denomination coins specific to all fifty states, they can certainly issue single-denomination coins featuring two different presidents.

I agree with your assessment of Roosevelt's "domestic" policies, but you have to give the man credit for overseeing the US victory in WWII (either the first or second biggest war the US ever fought). Reagan likewise was the author of the victory in the Cold War (the "other" biggest war the US ever fought--I personally think it was probably bigger than WWII, but others may not agree).

[Cicero]

Well, I credit Roosevelt with finding the right generals to fight the Second World War and on the whole doing a good job of it. BUT. Roosevelt got much too cosy with Stalin. So it's unclear whether the outcome of the war was a victory or not. From the beginning, Roosevelt surrounded himself with Communists and pushed a Communist agenda. So the outcome was to replace a dangerous Nazi Germany with an even more dangerous Stalinist USSR.

[MinuteGal]

Good for Nancy Reagan!

Souder and the other lame-brain congresspersons should take a hike on this.

I hold no brook for FDR. However, in his time, polio was a crippler and killer. FDR was crippled for life from polio. He lent his name to the March of Dimes crusade to wipe out the dreaded disease, so much feared by all parents, including mine.

FDR's name will always be associated with the dime coin, and it should remain so, no matter what we personally think of the late socialist president.

This makes conservatives look bad and Nancy picked it up right away.

Why doesn't Souder and the other 89 legislator dummies figure out how to get Klintoon's face off the covers of Mad Magazine instead of beating on a dead president?

Leni

[Wonder Warthog]

"So the outcome was to replace a dangerous Nazi Germany with an even more dangerous Stalinist USSR."

True, and Reagan fixed THAT problem (which is why I think the Cold War was ultimately "bigger" than WWII). After reading the replies, though, I think southernnorthcarolina's proposal has the most merit.

Pick on of the "doubly-represented" presidents (i.e. coin AND currency), and make them "singly-represented"--freeing up one of the current items of currency for a Reagan memorial.

[southernnorthcarolina]

A further thought on a Reagan $2 bill...

Back when factories paid their workers in cash -- routine as recently as the 1950s -- a textile mill somewhere in the Carolinas paid its workers in $2 bills. Then as now, twos were very rare. But as the $2 bills started circulating through the shops and gas stations and restaurants of the town and nearby towns, and as rental payments and utilities bills were made (these, too, were often paid in cash), the importance of the mill to the area's economy was made obvious.

A Reagan $2 bill would be particularly embraced, demanded, and circulated by conservatives. A sudden surge of $2 bills in circulation would send a powerful message.

[EveningStar]

As long as it's not a $3 bill. ;)

[bicycle thug]

Replacing FDR's image put there partly over his March of Dimes fundraisers and in honor of how he overcame his disability right now would be very bad timing.

Polio is being aggressively combated and could very well be wiped out in a very few years. Now imagine how some would spin that?

Reagan is still alive and this is a poor election year combination in your face move over the CBS mini series and pandering to the electorate. At least it could well be played up that way.

Leave the dime alone right now. Especially if they have Nancy Reagan working to kill this bill.

[longtermmemmory]

nuts! but sadly that settles that.

[BlueNgold]

Honor the ladies wishes ... period.

[longtermmemmory]

Howwwwever, on second thought how about an official lited eddition 1 dollar coin? One the size of the real dollar coin of the Kennedy size? Not the faux suzan b or fake gold coin dollar quarter coins.

[Senator Pardek]

He's not dead yet!

[Squantos]

Agree.........Time for a 5 or 10 dollar coin maybe ?

Stay Safe !

[xm177e2]

Reagan should be honored, but this is waste of time and money.

Agreed. Getting into pissing matches with Democrats, just so we can take their guys off of money, is really stupid, and it would only invite counter-attacks of the same nature. Nancy Reagan is right to discourage this kind of BS.