Thank you for sharing a wonderful man and a great leader with our nation. When history is written, the only question will be whether he was the greatest president of the 20th century or the greatest president of a longer period than just one century.
I was a young college student in North Dakota when Ronald Reagan ran for president in 1976, the first one in which I was eligible to vote. He came to the ends of the earth to campaign for our tiny handful of 18 delegates. I remember how he charmed me and a handful of friends to the extent that we, disgusted with the political legacies of Watergate like most college students at that time, went to our county convention to work in his behalf. I was honored to be given the opportunity to speak in his behalf and boldly declare to the delegates there that "While I couldn't guarantee Reagan would win, I could guarantee them the Ford would lose. For while it may not be fair to wrap Ford in the Nixon legacy, in the mind of the public he was. " I remember the overwhelming majority of those who attended the convention being in favor of Ronald Reagan, but the party leadership was not. Eventually, the state's delegation was split 9-9 and the state party chairman, who was from our county, told us supporters to be happy with this compromise because under the rules then in effect, the party leadership could allocate the delegates any way they wished. I remember that, in disgust, my friends and I went to use our efforts on behalf of other candidates in other political parties after Ronald Reagan was denied the momentum which he rightfully earned in North Dakota in June of 1976.
While I do not know if we would have changed history, I do know that four years later Ronald Reagan did. I remember rejoicing as the returns came in that night in November of 1980. I remember standing outside our classrooms the following January as he was sworn into office while a split screen showed our hostages in Iran being released. And I remember how all of us prayed ferevently for a speedy recovery when he was shot just two months later.
Please know how many lives Ronald Reagan touched and affected for the better and perhaps even consider a selfish request: Send his earthly tabernacle home from Washington by train. Even if it is in the middle of the night, my family and I will travel to the nearest station on that line to honor the greatest president in my lifetime as it passes by. Please let Ronald Reagan bring America together once again in this way.
As far as I know, Abraham Lincoln was the last president to take a funeral train cross country. You would have to go back at least that far to find a president as great as Ronald Reagan. I hope Nancy, or someone in the family, will seriously consider my selfish request.
At the very least, I want to see a Ronald Reagan stamp issued by July 4 and a Ronald Reagan dime issued by September 1.
Excellent remarks, Vigilanteman.
Thank you for posting that tribute.
3 great ideas, the stamp, dime and the train across the Country.
Commemorative stamps or postal stationery items honoring individuals usually will be issued on or in conjunction with significant anniversaries of their birth, but no postal item will be issued sooner than ten years after the individual's death. The only exception to the ten-year rule is the issuance of stamps honoring deceased U.S. presidents. They may be honored with a memorial stamp on the first birth anniversary following death.
More info here:
http://hdusps.esecurecare.net/cgi-bin/hdusps.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_sid=cJ*r6bdh&p_faqid=2065&p_created=1055534155