To the Editor:

“In Memoriam” President Ronald W. Reagan (Feb. 6, 1911-June 5, 2004)

It is hard to believe we are back to another presidential hopeful season leading up to the primaries next year. This year, the candidates didn’t even wait until mid-term elections were over to start posturing for the race. I’m not sure about you, but I’m already weary of it. About the only way to avoid it is to have your power turned off and refuse newspapers and magazines. Why is the electorate subjected to all this non-sense?

These people must have ultra egos the size of Alaska to even want the job. Who in their right mind would subject themselves, their families and ancestors to the ridicule, outright lies, and innuendos of a presidential race? There is no way for the average Joe to sort out truth from fiction or fabrication. It has become a popularity contest of gigantic proportions only for the super rich or those able to talk you out of your money. Whatever happened to statesmanship? When did party affiliation become more important than the will of the people?

Reflecting back, some good has emerged from all this madness. Our 40th President Ronald Reagan was born Feb. 6, 1911. He was run through the wringers before and after his successful bid for the Presidency. Reagan had an uncanny knack of seeing things before they happened. He saw a chink in the Soviet Union’s armor and exploited it until the evil empire collapsed. Strangely, Reagan’s remarks about the Soviet Union being an evil empire was directed more to its atheistic ideology than its barbaric treatment of enemies of the state.

The Star Wars Initiative, first introduced by Reagan, is beginning to look like Devine revelation. With all the rogue regimes sporting nuclear weapons or on the verge of becoming nuclear powers, a shield against nuclear attacks now seems very prudent. Too bad funding for the Star Wars Initiative has been sporadic at best and fiercely opposed by the far left.

China, one of our many concerns, just the other week knocked out a weather satellite with a missile in space. The feat was eye popping to us and the rest of the world. If they possess this capability, what else are they capable of doing? One thing we need to do is cut back on the Chinese products we buy. We are providing the dollars for our own annihilation.

North Korea already has nuclear weapons and the means of delivering them. Iran is pressing toward the same objective and only time will prevent them from achieving their goal. The world is becoming a very dangerous place capable of being lit up with nuclear weapons. Nukes are much like the drug trade, difficult, if not impossible, to stop.

Yes, “Ronnie,” we do need a nuclear shield. If these presidential primaries yields another insightful man or woman to lead this country, all the anguish of the process will be worthwhile.

Is there another “Gipper” in the field of wanabees?

James G. Smith

Public Relations Officer

The American Legion Post 20