June 8, 2004 - Of the many things I remember about the Reagan Presidency was that he got the B-1 Bomber program going again. Jimmy Carter had cancelled the B-1 project in 1977. The B-1B, as it was renamed, was meant to be a Cold War deterrent and was designed to carry nuclear bombs. You can look up the technical specs and history on your own but one thing you won't see on the Air Force Fact Sheet is that the B-1B was completed ahead of schedule and under budget. Think about that for a moment. If government could only do this for everything else...

I don't support putting Reagan on any currency, be it the dime or $10 bill.

Along the lines of the B-1B, another thing I remember about the Reagan Presidency was a big defense budget. Even though today our enemies are no longer defined by borders, I would love to see the defense budget increased. Cut some of the fat from things that aren't important; like entitlement subsidies. Even if the budget increase only included pay raises for military personnel that would be a good start. Many people believe that our soldiers and sailors aren't paid enough. We must also continue to develop our military to prepare for both the terrorist and the rogue state.

Another thing I remember about the Reagan years was the optimism and excitement that was lost in the late 1970's was recovered. The hostages were released. Gasoline prices began to fall. The Space Shuttle program had begun. I was in Sixth Grade at the time and our school had one television. It was wheeled into the cafeteria and the students were assembled to watch Reagan take the Oath. Minutes later, the hostages were released. It was also wheeled in for us to watch the Columbia return to earth from her maiden voyage. For the rest of my school years television was never again used as a learning aid. One war was beginning and another was ending. Terrorism had officially declared war on America. On the bright side, the Iron Curtain would be history before the decade closed out.