Ronald Reagan has died, a victim of alzheimer's disease.

President George Bush was in France when he heard the news, and rose to the occasion, saying Reagan "has left a world he helped save."

Reagan was a master orator, and by all reports a very nice man in person. This is one of many examples to remind us that these are assets, not virtues. His critics and opponents always underestimated him, as if his simplistic approach to issues were a sign of an equally simplistic mind.

Reagan was and is very popular. His winning personality enabled him to sail over many obstacles, which is why he was known as the "Teflon president." Nothing he did stuck to him, even when it was plainly illegal or even treasonous. He defined what the American people want in a president: wit, charm, and tough talk. No (winning) candidate since his time has asked Americans to make any real sacrifice, or to reflect on the hazards of wielding power around the world. We will forgive anything but self-doubt, and reward bluster with not only election but adulation as well. I truly believe this scares the hell out of the rest of the world.

Because of his popularity, questioning the value of Reagan's presidency is tantamount to treason and heresy, even blasphemy. His critics today are instantly labelled "mean-spirited" and it is true that he himself was never mean-spirited. This does not excuse his building up a mountain of debt that has been only surpassed by George "W" Bush - borrowed money may pay for one heck of a party but the longer it stays borrowed the higher the cost of paying it back. And pay it back, our children will - remember Eisenhour's warning.

In his tough talk and technological nievete, Reagan blew vast sums of our national wealth on a military buildup and weapons systems. But we forgive him because he was so humble, so charming and reasonable while doing it. He sold arms to our sworn enemies to finance an illegal war in Nicaragua, but we named an aircraft carrier after him. He gutted environmental laws and enriched corporations with land giveaways, and we named an airport after him.

Many people believe Reagan "won the cold war" or brought an end to Communism. This is not true. Communism was an unworkable system already on its way out, and the Soviet Union lost three prime ministers to illness and death during Reagan's terms. But Reagan's "Tear down this wall" speech did inspire millions to recognize the end of Communism as a possibility. It was Gorbachev who somehow manuvered the Soviet Union through the dangerous period of its initial collapse, a staggering feat of statesmanship.

As soon as he took office, Reagan dumped energy research initiatives started by Jimmy Carter, reasoning that there would always be enough oil, and that American might would keep it secure for our use. His administration continued and expanded friendships with a long line of thugs and dictators, and various factions deemed to be on our side, that have since come back to bit us in the rear. (I say continued because nearly every president has done this including Carter. One may remember that the Shah of Iran was seeking asylum as well as cancer treatment here as Iranians took hostages back home. But Reagan scaled up the amount of support for the depressingly long list of dictators.)

Reagan was reckless, once joking about a nuclear attack on Russia and sending Soviet defenses into high alert. He strongly believed in astrology. He knew the great value of humor and optimism, but didn't seem to know the value of study and analysis.

At the risk of sounding mean-spirited, please excuse me if I don't join Fox News in a candlelight vigil for a man who put America on a path that persists today as an icon of arrogance. He is the example and mentor for our current president, and as much as I like to think our country is better than that, I wonder if it still is.

One bit of good that may come from Reagan's terrible illness (I would not wish that on anyone) is that his wife Nancy may break the idiotic logjam on stem cell research. She has become a proponant of finding out if stem cells can be used to improve human health and treat chronic and degenerative diseases. I wish her good fortune in that campaign.

I am writing about my perceptions of Reagan, not a biography of him. If you want details about his remarkable life, see the links below:

- Reagan obituary
- Reagan library website
- Reagan fan site
- Reagan Legacy Project
- Reagan and Astrology

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