So much happened so fast.
For some reason, I awoke very early in the morning, which almost never happens. I turned on the TV, and there was President Reagan in his bathrobe, speaking to the nation about our invading Grenada upon the request of some leaders of the neighboring states, who had become alarmed by Castro's sudden attempt to use force to make a conquest of everything south of the border, so to speak.
A lesser man would have made a scene for the benefit of the talking heads among liberal-dom and the liberal media.
Yet President Reagan acted promptly.
That, actually, is the moment that the Berlin Wall cracked fatally and began to collapse.
It stunned the communists, foreign and domestic, and it stunned our military, that much more would be expected of them, despite the budget, they would have to get their act together!
It finally dawned on people that the President was serious.
He was not there in the office for the purpose of spinning the ships wheel for the benefit of the intellectual snobs of the "new republic;" indeed, he was there to launch torpedos if need be; and he would launch them.
The liberal media were ready to vivisect him.
Then, suddenly, back came the rescued students from the medical school on Grenada. The liberal media could not wait to get their hands on these students who would surely disdain, dismiss, and generally "diss" the President as a war monger, a loose cannon, a ... conservative.
That, did not happen.
In fact, the students were thrilled at their rescue and said so on national TV ... much to the chagrin of the liberal media who then took that "story" and set it away from the TV camera ASAP.
I was just plain ecstatic. In 1980, that gorgeous blue (Reagan) v. almost no red (Clinton) election map; and now this, affirmation of affirmative action from a man who would stand up and champion liberty and our preserving it, and therefore, us and the blessings of liberty.
It was a major defeat for the proponents of un-limited government, in Moscow, in Havanna, in Paris, in Berkeley, and in the socialist structures housing the liberal media.
To wake up in the morning and again breathe the free air.
I've often wondered how I would react when the inevitable happens and our Greatest President passes on. Now, I am afraid I am about to find out... I met him in 1984 when he came to Ohio State to give a speech during the campaign. The Fritzbusters were there and a huge turnout to see Reagan at St. John Arena. He was the first President I voted for. First time I ever voted, using the old switchboard voting machine. He made us all proud to be Americans. He helped make this country the greatest in the world, and he will be dearly missed. He will be the most beloved President of all time.
His TEFRA [Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act] of 1986 killed off the industry I was involved in (contract engineering). It has never recovered.
It also ended the tax-deductibility of state sales tax and credit card interest, and changed the depreciation rules on real estate. The direct result of this last was the S&L crisis.
In hindsight, most of the tax changes needed to be made (with the exception of the new rules on independent contractors, which are still an abomination).
And his sense of life and faith in America was like a breath of fresh air.