When Ron Was King

A quick look at the Reagan, Bush years through the eyes of a baby BR

I was born in 1980. The same year Ronald Reagan descended from heaven on his golden chariot of conservative ideology to take the throne of lord and master of the United States of America. Because of this I used to think of myself as a kind of Reagan Immaculate conception. Born to spread the good news of his coming and if we would just invoke his name all the ills that tormented us would disappear into the small government, tax cut, Reaganomics utopia he promised his people. 

    My earliest memories of President Reagan wasn't the man himself so much as it was my parents unwavering love for him. Whenever he appeared on TV an awed hush would fall over our household as my parents gazed into the TV, transfixed by Reagan's "aw shucks" grin, his gleaming white teeth and his glowing complexion. (I thought the glow was his halo) He would speak and my parents would smile as if every word he said was some sort of bountiful blessing. There was a picture of Reagan on our mantle piece right next to a statue of the bleeding heart of Jesus so I always knew who Reagan was. He was our God. As long as Reagan was in the white house (to me the white house was mount Olympus) the electricity would always work, the water would always come on and the stars wouldn't fall from the sky. Reagan was all powerful, all knowing and infinitely loving to everyone all over the whole wide world. 

     When Reagan left office in 1988 I was 8 years old. A little wiser and a bit more cynical than my care free days of running around in diapers dragging a stuff money and pointing at people and calling them "Reagan." I was in the third grade now. Practically a grown up. I knew our president wasn't a God, just God like. I knew he wasn't watching over everyone, just Americans and I knew I wasn't his immaculate conception. I came from my mother and father because of something the big kids called "Sex" (The sordid details of which I was still vague on) I didn't know who this George Bush was but I didn't love him like I did Reagan. When i found out Reagan wasn't going to be our President any more I ran to my room, threw myself on my bed and cried as if my puppy had just died. My mother tried to console me by telling me George Bush was the same as Reagan and I wanted to believe her but in my heart I knew she was lying. President Reagan was gone now and I had to face the cold, cruel world without him. I soon became addicted to Mountain Dew with a six pack a day habit.

    In 1990 a bad man named Saddam Hussein annexed some place called Kuwait. Every time they showed Saddam on TV he was scowling. (That's how I knew he was bad) President Bush was on TV saying Saddam was going to have to leave Kuwait or else. so when Saddam didn't leave Bush sent all American Super GI Norman Schwarzkopf to kick Saddam's a*s. Stormin Norman brought the whole US war Machine with him and CNN made a reality show out of it called "Desert Storm." It was the best TV show ever! I couldn't wait for it to come on and seeing how it was on all the time I sat in front of the TV for hours on end mesmerized by Stormin Norman's press briefings. His film footage of guided missiles and smart bombs hitting targets like Hangers, Military bases, bridges and radar installations deep behind enemy lines. There were tanks roaring across the desert, bombers and helicopters flying all over the place, artillery pieces firing huge rounds into the desert sky and there were Marines. As soon as I saw Marines and heard the reporter talking about them like they were the baddest bad asses on the planet that's what I wanted to be. So at the ripe old age of ten I made my first career choice. I was going to be a Marine.

     When Desert Storm was over it seemed like everyone in America was in love with President Bush and Stormin Norman. I thought Bush would be the president forever and no other world leaders would dare step out of line because Stormin Norman would kick the s**t out of them like he did Saddam. President's Bush post war approval rating of 90% didn't survive to the 1992 election when a bad economy and a fast talking governor from Arkansas with lousy taste in women cost him his job. My mother said Bill Clinton was a bad man because he was an "adulterer" I was 12 years old and knew what "adulterer" meant but I didn't care because I had become obsessed with b***s. (I hadn't yet graduated to vagina) Reagan was long gone, Bush was out of office, the democrats were in the white house and all I wanted to do was touch a girl's b***s. Life was simple then. 

    

Author's Note

Okay so how much of this is true? I was born the same year Reagan was elected to his first term. At one point I did have him confused with some kind of deity. I was shocked when he left office. I did drink a shit load of Mountain Dew. I was fascinated with Desert storm and it was the event that made me think about joining the armed forces for the first time. (We played army constantly when I was a kid so that wasn't a huge leap) and when I was 12 I was obsessed with girl's boobs. (I'm not to sure how much of that has changed) So yes this story does take a lot of poetic license but it's still by and large true.

Reviews

[TL Boehm]

my best friend has a picture of Reagan and Pope JP II as her cover page on Facebook. At the time he was POTUS I was still focused on being the next Stevie Nicks. My knowledge of politics is still pretty deplorable. I was born when LBJ was POTUS but the first President I remember clearly is Nixon but in those years I just wanted to be a horse with a blue mane and tail...
I have two sons. They liked b***s too - and they still do. And I'm good with that. Found your post funny but with just enough real in it to make me stop and go, yup.

[Baby Ricochet]

I've an uncle if you say the Name Nixon to he'll start screaming and throwing s**t out of windows. If you say the name Reagan he'll start lighting stuff on fire. He was big into the antiwar movement back in the day. Talking to him as compared to say, my red neck "baccer" chewing right wing father, it's amazing they grew up in the same household.

[Nia Hope]

Great piece as usual a lovely little history lesson and right before the AP US government test too :)

[Rita L. Sev]

Your parents' love of Reagan remind me of my father-in-law. I met him when I first began dating my husband in 1987, and he would hear no criticism of Reagan, and later, of Bush. I was the "tree-hugging, bleeding heart liberal" who was to lure his boy away... but by then, my husband had been in the Army, watched the news, read a lot, and learned all about this thing called Truth... which neither party seemed to be acquainted with... A good read here, Mark.

[Baby Ricochet]

SO far as I'm concerned Bush and all his Neocon buddies are a pack of war criminals who escaped criminal prosecution because the elites protect one another. Obama's crew could have and should have prosecuted the lot of them under international law but he they didn't because they're all in the same class. You or I could be convicted of a felony for 20 dollars worth of crack cocaine while the elites who rule over us start up wars for profit, execute bank fraud on a mass scale and wage all out socioeconomic war on the underclass and we keep voting for them. It's some system

[Daffy]

Well, I liked and enjoyed the 'straight talk' of this story. An easy read that was light hearted. President Reagan became very popular over here, so much so that a comedy show was made featuring him....'Spitting Image' in the 80's. Thanks for sharing this one.

[Baby Ricochet]

He and Thatcher were boosum buddies if I recall. I know Thatcher was a controversial figure and was hated by many of her people much the same way George Bush jr was here. Reagan on the other hand is still the greatest thing since sliced pizza to much of America and will always be loved

[Daffy]

Yes, Margaret Thatcher did upset a few people and cost a few hundred thousand jobs (miners in particular), and some say, was instrumental in much of todays quagmire of financial mess within the uk. Politics....

[AYVID N]

A splendid write. Thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks for sharing Baby. :)

[Baby Ricochet]

thanks divya

[Shaquana Adams]

As usual, I like the honesty here, even though most of this story was before my time :)

[Baby Ricochet]

One could argue about Reagan's legacy forever but there's no doubting he was one of the most charismatic political leaders of the 20th century. I've no clue what he would think of the present dysfunctional state of his party but I like to think he wouldn't be pleased one bit.

[Chris]

I understood every word... inside.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thanks for stopping by Chris. I appreciate it

[Jack...]

At least you had your priorities straight my friend. Shouting again I see. :)

[Baby Ricochet]

Always. Thanks Jack

[Ruth]

I do like your honesty Baby...you know, I have been giving a lot of thought to life as such of late, what the f**k is real and such and stuff like that, guess I am waffling on but this made me focus on the important...be yourself and just live...end of the day, too easy to get hooked on things that destroy us or stop us living and we only end up lamenting our youth, sigh...I so wish time didn't take away that innocent wandering or investigating...sometimes x

[Marie]

I was a lot older than you when Reagan took office, and I knew him mostly as an actor in not very good movies.But I still sthink he was one of our best presidents.

The first president I remember was Ike. Franklin D. Roosevelt was president when I was born, but he waas cever called anyting but "that man in the white house," accompanied by a look of distaste...

[Baby Ricochet]

FDR. The new deal conservatives have been unraveling since Reagan. Eisenhower must have been a shoo in in 52. A big time war hero who looked like every white family's favorite uncle and he was folksy. SO many people hold up the 50's as some kind of American Utopia and I guess if you were white, middle to upper class and lived in the Northern half of the country where most of the post war economic boom was happening it was probably true.

[Marie]

It wasn't that great. trust me.