Proposal would put Ronald Reagan's face on the $50 bill

LA Times ^ | 03 Mar 2010 | Richard Simon

[Palter]

Rep. Patrick McHenry's bill to replace Ulysses S. Grant's image with the 40th president's generates controversy.

Ronald Reagan is honored by, among other things, an airport, a freeway, an aircraft carrier and -- ironically for a critic of big government -- one of the biggest federal buildings in Washington.

Now, some of the late president's admirers are launching a new effort to add another honor: printing his likeness on a $50 bill in place of Ulysses S. Grant's.

In polls of presidential scholars, Reagan consistently outranks Grant, said Rep. Patrick T. McHenry (R-N.C.), who introduced legislation to make the change.

But at least one Democrat who serves on the House Financial Services Committee, where the proposal has been sent, isn't ready to jettison Grant for "someone whose policies are still controversial."

"Our currency ought to be something that unites us," said Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks).

Grant admirers, who credit him for leading the Union Army to victory during the Civil War, were none too pleased either.

"I'm very upset," said Keya Morgan, a New York-based Grant scholar who has a Web page on the 18th president. "I have all the respect in the world for Reagan, but what he accomplished is not anywhere as important as what Ulysses S. Grant accomplished."

An earlier proposal to put Reagan on the dime in place of President Franklin D. Roosevelt drew objections from Democrats, for whom Roosevelt is as much of a hero as Reagan is for Republicans. An effort to put Reagan on the $20 bill in place of Andrew Jackson drew opposition from Tennessee lawmakers.

A 2005 move to put Reagan on the $50 bill never made it out of the House Financial Services Committee, even though Republicans controlled the chamber at the time.

[Non-Sequitur]

I’d rather see him on the hundred. That’s the largest denomination in circulation, and I’d say Reagan deserves it over Franklin.

[bushfamfan]

ZULU, you haven’t kept up on my posts here on FR, but I’ve gotten into a few exchanges with people who love Bush more than I. I was let down like many were let down and after initially signing up on this site in 2001 I had inquired about a new screen name, but never got a response back or a new name. But love how you try to turn it around in your disrespect of Grant and saying he deserves no such honors. I just pointed out that Grant WAS MORE THAN A PRESIDENT as you well know and you want to sweep the true reason he was given the honor away and not address his pivotal role in the saving and rebirth of the Republic as General in the Civil War. You are all shameful to push this when there are other honors to be given to Reagan, but at the cost of Grant you people have no respect for a remarkable man who I’m sure Reagan would be appalled at the disrespect.

[cva66snipe]

I'd just be happy if they would pick a blasted design in paper and coin currency and stick to it. I wish they would stop changing the blame currency at the drop of a hat. Nickles now look like quarters. The bills look like something out of Europe now. Gee I wonder why /sarcasm.

Reagan was my favorite POTUS and I don't begrudge him his due honors but I'm tired of the currency changes. I can only imagine how frustrated a blind person would be with this.