President Reagan is dead.

[Navaron]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Ronald Reagan, the cheerful crusader who devoted his presidency to winning the Cold War, trying to scale back government and making people believe it was "morning again in America," died Saturday after a long twilight struggle with Alzheimer's disease, a family friend said. He was 93.

He died at his home in California, according to the friend, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The White House was told his health had taken a turn for the worse in the last several days.

Five years after leaving office, the nation's 40th president told the world in November 1994 that he had been diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer's, an incurable illness that destroys brain cells. He said he had begun "the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life."

Reagan body was expected to be taken to his presidential library and museum in Simi Valley, Calif., and then flown to Washington to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda. His funeral was expected to be at the National Cathedral, an event likely to draw world leaders. The body was to be returned to California for a sunset burial at his library.

Reagan lived longer than any U.S. president, spending his last decade in the shrouded seclusion wrought by his disease, tended by his wife, Nancy, whom he called Mommy, and the select few closest to him. Now, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton are the surviving ex-presidents.

Although fiercely protective of Reagan's privacy, the former first lady let people know his mental condition had deteriorated terribly. Last month, she said: "Ronnie's long journey has finally taken him to a distant place where I can no longer reach him."

Reagan's oldest daughter, Maureen, from his first marriage, died in August 2001 at age 60 from cancer. Three other children survive: Michael, from his first marriage, and Patti Davis and Ron from his second.

Over two terms, from 1981 to 1989, Reagan reshaped the Republican Party in his conservative image, fixed his eye on the demise of the Soviet Union and Eastern European communism and tripled the national debt to $3 trillion in his singleminded competition with the other superpower.

Taking office at age 69, Reagan had already lived a career outside Washington, one that spanned work as a radio sports announcer, an actor, a television performer, a spokesman for the General Electric Co., and a two-term governor of California.


http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20040605/capt.ny11206051309.reagan_health_ny112.jpg

[AztecWarrior]

I wasn't around when he was presdient, he must have been an outstanding leader in contrast to today's vanilla politicians.

Good-bye.

[martyr]

and his failing health was farked only today

[Firefly]

Love him or hate him, Republican or Democrat, he did more for America as a whole than many people. Entertainer, statesman, President. A great man has left us. Rest in peace, Ronald Reagan.

[Triggar]

The Fark link has now been redirected to a CNN news article about his death.

I don't know much about Reagan as a president, since he served from the time I was born until the time I was 6. Not very interested in politics at that age, but nonetheless, the articles written about him since his death say a great deal about his character.

[Manitou]

I voted for the man on his second term (I missed voting for him in his first term by one year). He was the greatest president in the modern era, in my opinion. I am sad to see him go and will always remember him with honor.

:usa:

[Onizuka]

Yes he was an excellent president, and he lived a long life.

[SDM]

I voted for the man on his second term (I missed voting for him in his first term by one year). He was the greatest president in the modern era, in my opinion. I am sad to see him go and will always remember him with honor.

:usa:
I share your opinion, Reagan was just what we needed after the Carter void. R.I.P.

[OfaLoaf]

May Ronald Reagan's soul be blessed, and may he rest in peace.





Anyone who hijacks this thread into a political debate WILL be shot.

[ControlledBurn]

He was easily my favorite president. He fixed so many problems with our military and revitalized the Republican party. A good man, a good president, he shall be missed.

[MrVicchio]

At least his Journey has ended, he was a great man.

[Hamma]

He was dead years ago :(

[Triggar]

I know, the poor guy. My heart breaks for people who's loved ones slip away with Alzheimer's and forget who they are.

[Onizuka]

Indeed. If there is no cure for alzheimers when I am old, I will be sure not to get it. I would rather be dead. RIP reagan

[THrONeBeaST]

Reagan was a great president :tear:


:usa:

[Biohazzard56]

Love him or hate him, Republican or Democrat, he did more for America as a whole than many people. Entertainer, statesman, President. A great man has left us. Rest in peace, Ronald Reagan.

[Bighoss]

He was a great president, He delieved the final blows to the USSR. He understood that country was pretty much at war, just a new type.

I decided to check out what DU had to say about it... My god they are sick and twisted. They are celebrating! Why do they believe its the entire Republicans party goal to destroy America? I've never seen a more distorted view of politics and basic life philosophy EVER.

[Indecisive]

He lived to be 93? Not bad.

Peace out G.

Word of the day: Reganomics.

[Sputty]

Too bad, but at least he lived a good life

[Rbstr]

Thats sad, he was as decent man IMO.

[Zodiac]

He was dead years ago :(Indeed. :(

[Red October]

Love him or hate him, Republican or Democrat, he did more for America as a whole than many people. Entertainer, statesman, President. A great man has left us. Rest in peace, Ronald Reagan.

:(
Agreed, if you agreed or disagreed with is ideas, policies, etc. You could not but help to admire and like the man. His ability to speak and convey his ideas to the commoner and simplified approach to everything just left you in awe. If you like it or not, he was exactly what the country needed and the right place and the right time. Rest In Peace Ronald Reagan, you had one incredible journey. I work in Simi Valley, after a month or two, I think my wife and I will visit his Library and burial place. :tear:


P.S. I agree those who think this something to celebrate, need to be re-moved from the gene pool.

[Mr1337Duck]

I was born two years after he left office, but all I know about him speaks well of him. Rest in Peace, Reagan.


:usa:

[JetRaiden]

Reagan was a great president :tear:


:usa:

:love: Reagan.

last time I saw him he seemed so lively for his age.

[Jennyboo]

God bless Reagan & America
:usa:

[EarlyDawn]

Was quite a man.

[OneManArmy]

lived to be 93 and didn't remember a day of it!


kidding aside it is a sad day. :(

[I Hate Pants]

One of the few Republican presidents I had respect for.

[SDM]

If Ronnie were still president, there would be no terrorism.

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/6417/ronnie.jpg

[Ivan]

If Ronnie were still president, there would be no terrorism.

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/6417/ronnie.jpg
I've watched one of his movies with my grandfather, he was a good actor and sexy too. :)

[WritheNC]

Rest in Peace, R.R.

/salute

[UncleDynamite]

I'm too young to remember Ronald Regan as President, but it seems that every adult I talk politics with held him with great respect, no matter what they thought of his policies. An honorable and accomplished man, no doubt.

[Doop]

My grandma has Alzheimers, and she's gonna kick the bucket any day now, too :'(. But even though I don't know a lot about this guy, I know how it's like to have a loved one dying (let alone Alzheimers) so, I say, R.I.P Reagan.

[lightfire]

R.I.P Ronald reagan

[JakeLogan]

I watched a documentary on him last night. When he found out he had alzheimer's (pardon my spelling if it's wrong) He said to his son "It's not so bad, I get to meet new people every day" Even in the moment he found out he had a horrible diease. He had a sense of humor about it. that to me is a great man.

[BUGGER]

Me and my mom were watching the news yesterday morning and heard that his family was gathering around. It was till after I got home at 11 last night my mom told me he died (i was at a party).

I read bout him, he seemed ok. Parents didn't say anything nice about him though.

[Unregistered]

For all those who were too young to remember Reagan, think about this for a second:

I grew up in a world where the threat of Nuclear War was real, and many people thought the world could end at any moment. Because of Reagans presedency you grew up in a world where the total destruction of the planet from Nuclear war seems a little far fetched.

History will not only remeber Reagan as the greatest President of the 20th century, but one of the Greatest Leaders the World had ever seen.

Rest in peace Mr. President.

[Dharkbayne]

For all those who were too young to remember Reagan, think about this for a second:

I grew up in a world where the threat of Nuclear War was real, and many people thought the world could end at any moment. Because of Reagans presedency you grew up in a world where the total destruction of the planet from Nuclear war seems a little far fetched.

History will not only remeber Reagan as the greatest President of the 20th century, but one of the Greatest Leaders the World had ever seen.

Rest in peace Mr. President.



HOLY SHIT, IT'S UNREGISTERED

[AztecWarrior]

OBLIGATORY SIZE 7, COLOR RED, ALL-CAPS, BOLD, UNDERLINED RESPONSE!

Well said, Unregistered.

[Dharkbayne]

OBLIGATORY SIZE 7, COLOR RED, ALL-CAPS, BOLD, UNDERLINED RESPONSE!

Well said, Unregistered.

Don't forget BOLD

That all being said, Well said Unreg.


EDIT: Holy shit, I got ninja'd by Aztec. GG.

[Rbstr]

lol

[JetRaiden]

HOLY SHIT, IT'S UNREGISTERED

OMG!

unregistered!!!!

[Strygun]

I'll go ahead and say it since I'm pretty sure Nav will say it later:

Yes, it's unregistered. Keep the thread on topic. Reagan.

[Bighoss]

For all those who were too young to remember Reagan, think about this for a second:

I grew up in a world where the threat of Nuclear War was real, and many people thought the world could end at any moment. Because of Reagans presedency you grew up in a world where the total destruction of the planet from Nuclear war seems a little far fetched.

History will not only remeber Reagan as the greatest President of the 20th century, but one of the Greatest Leaders the World had ever seen.

Rest in peace Mr. President.

back from hibernation I see? :jawdrop:

[Navaron]

I'll go ahead and say it since I'm pretty sure Nav will say it later:

Yes, it's unregistered. Keep the thread on topic. Reagan.

:rofl:

Less than six weeks after his Inauguration, Reagan received a letter from the U.S.S.R.'s leader, Leonid Brezhnev, bluntly reiterating Soviet policy. Reagan wanted to begin a thaw by responding with a calmer, more personal appeal to common purpose.

In April 1981, a week after being released from the hospital and still recovering from an assassination attempt, Reagan sat in the White House solarium and drafted a letter to Brezhnev on a yellow legal pad. Although the final form of the letter was published in 1990, this first draft, in Reagan's handwriting, was only recently discovered.






My Dear Mr. President:

I regret and yet can understand the somewhat intemperate tone of your recent letter. After all we approach the problems confronting us from opposite philosophical points of view.

Is it possible that we have let ideology, political and economical philosophy and governmental policies keep us from considering the very real, everyday problems of the people we represent? Will the average Russian family be better off or even aware that his government has imposed a government of its liking on the people of Afghanistan? . . .

In your letter you imply that such things have been made necessary because of territorial ambitions of the United States; that we have imperialistic designs and thus constitute a threat to your own security and that of the newly emerging nations. There not only is no evidence to support such a charge, there is solid evidence that the United States when it could have dominated the world with no risk to itself made no effort whatsoever to do so.

When WWII ended the United States had the only undamaged industrial power in the world. Its military might was at its peak�and we alone had the ultimate weapon, the nuclear bomb with the unquestioned ability to deliver it anywhere in the world. If we had sought world domination who could have opposed us? But the United States followed a different course�one unique in all the history of mankind. We used our power and wealth to rebuild the war-ravaged economies of all the world including those nations who had been our enemies.

A decade or so ago, Mr. President, you and I met in San Clemente, California. I was governor of California at the time and you were concluding a series of meetings with President Nixon. Those meetings had captured the imagination of all the world. Never had peace and good will among men seemed closer at hand. When we met I asked if you were aware that the hopes and aspirations of millions and millions of people throughout the world were dependent on the decisions that would be reached in your meetings.

You took my hand in both of yours and assured me that you were aware of that and that you were dedicated with all your heart and mind to fulfilling those hopes and dreams.

The people of the world still share that hope. Indeed the peoples of the world despite differences in racial and ethnic origin have very much in common. They want the dignity of having some control over their individual destiny. They want to work at the craft or trade of their own choosing and to be fairly rewarded. They want to raise their families in peace without harming anyone or suffering harm themselves. Government exists for their convenience not the other way around.

. . . Mr. President should we not be concerned with eliminating the obstacles which prevent our people from achieving these simple goals? And isn't it possible some of those obstacles are born of government aims and goals which have little to do with the real needs and wants of our people? . . .

�Ronald Reagan


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On a Messy Room and the Limits of Government


Andy Smith, a seventh-grader in Irmo, S.C., wrote the President in 1984, "Today my mother declared my bedroom a disaster area. I would like to request federal funds to hire a crew to clean up my room."






Dear Andy:

I'm sorry to be so late in answering your letter but as you know I've been in China . . .

Your application for disaster relief has been duly noted but I must point out one technical problem; the authority declaring the disaster is supposed to make the request. In this case your mother. However setting that aside I'll have to point out the larger problem of available funds. This has been a year of disasters, 539 hurricanes as of May 4th and several more since, numerous floods, forest fires, drought in Texas and a number of earthquakes. What I'm getting at is that funds are dangerously low.

May I make a suggestion? This administration, believing that government has done many things that could better be done by volunteers at the local level, has sponsored a Private Sector Initiative program, calling upon people to practice voluntarism in the solving of a number of local problems.

Your situation appears to be a natural. I'm sure your mother was fully justified in proclaiming your room a disaster. Therefore you are in an excellent position to launch another volunteer program to go along with the more than 3,000 already underway in our nation�congratulations . . .

Sincerely,
Ronald Reagan

[JakeLogan]

:rofl:

Quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On a Messy Room and the Limits of Government


Andy Smith, a seventh-grader in Irmo, S.C., wrote the President in 1984, "Today my mother declared my bedroom a disaster area. I would like to request federal funds to hire a crew to clean up my room."






Dear Andy:

I'm sorry to be so late in answering your letter but as you know I've been in China . . .

Your application for disaster relief has been duly noted but I must point out one technical problem; the authority declaring the disaster is supposed to make the request. In this case your mother. However setting that aside I'll have to point out the larger problem of available funds. This has been a year of disasters, 539 hurricanes as of May 4th and several more since, numerous floods, forest fires, drought in Texas and a number of earthquakes. What I'm getting at is that funds are dangerously low.

May I make a suggestion? This administration, believing that government has done many things that could better be done by volunteers at the local level, has sponsored a Private Sector Initiative program, calling upon people to practice voluntarism in the solving of a number of local problems.

Your situation appears to be a natural. I'm sure your mother was fully justified in proclaiming your room a disaster. Therefore you are in an excellent position to launch another volunteer program to go along with the more than 3,000 already underway in our nation�congratulations . . .

Sincerely,
Ronald Reagan
:rofl: :rofl: :lol: :lol:

[Hamma]

I'll go ahead and say it since I'm pretty sure Nav will say it later:

Yes, it's unregistered. Keep the thread on topic. Reagan.
:lol:

Indeed