Visiting Reagan’s Ranch
Seeing His Greatness in Its Simplicity
I just returned from an afternoon at a place that many readers of the site, including (and especially?) its two principle bloggers consider practically sacred. With Dr. Nigel Ashford, the distinguished British political scientist honored by Dame Margaret Thatcher, I had a tour of the Reagan Ranch.
Kudos to the folks of the Young America’s Foundation for taking such good care of this site and for treating us well on the tour.
While the ranch sits on a large and beautiful piece of land, the house itself is quite small, only 1,800 square feet. The Gipper himself was not extravagant. He built the fences around the property and even built the front porch. He cleared brush and took care of the horses. In short, when he was out there, he liked to work with his hands.
The house had a Western/Southwestern theme, with paintings of Western landscape and American memorabilia. I particularly enjoyed a chair whose cushions were covered in a needlepoint image of a Minuteman with the year 1776.
Of the many stories our tour guide shared with us, this one best (in my mind at least) described Ronald Reagan the man. Before going riding with his beloved Nancy, he always insisted on tacking her horse. He would never let the staff do it. When her horse was ready, he rang the bell below to signal that it was time for her to join him.
Even as president, he insisted on performing this task himself. As valuable as then was his time, he had to go out of his way for Nancy. No wonder he was such a great leader. He knew how to appreciate the things that really matter, knew how lucky he was to have found a woman who loved him the way she did.
UPDATE: As per Sonicfrog’s comment, I provide a picture of the Suburu Brat below the jump.
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When I went, I was surprised what a big deal they made of the Air Traffic Controllers’ strike in 1981… it was only after thinking about it that I remembered, yes it was a big deal. For example, Obama, Carter, or Clinton would have caved in in the name of “compromise” or “saving jobs”… and then America’s economic development in the 1980s would have been in a union-dominated, non-free-market direction – i.e., America’s economic development in the 1980s would have been practically nonexistent.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — April 27, 2009 @ 9:39 pm - April 27, 2009
Did you get to see his Subaru Brat???
Comment by Sonicfrog — April 27, 2009 @ 9:46 pm - April 27, 2009
1: Yes, thanks for reminding us that policies during the Reagan years helped to lay the ground work for the mess that we’re in now. Notice how the deficits were when Reagan and then Bush I left office? Multiply that by many more times for the 6 years we had a Republican controlled White House and congress, plus 2 more years of a Republican White House. Thank God Reagan only ruled over a Republican led senate for 2 years.
You all whine about the good ol’ days when business led the way. Oh really? I’m a big fan of capitalism, but what were seeing today is the result of uncontrolled capitalism.
Comment by Kevin — April 27, 2009 @ 10:57 pm - April 27, 2009
Gosh I harken back to those great Reagan years when we believed we could do anything. He stopped the mindless entitlement thinking and ushered in 30 years of unpresidented growth. America sprinted ahead of the rest of the world. It’s unfortunate that we are so soft now. But hail to Ronaldus Magnus.
Compared to the bungles and fumbles of this current group…
yesterday President Obama starts babbling when his teleprompter isn’t in sync, today the boobs in his administration cause evacuations of NYC buildings so they can get a photo op of Air Force One circling the WTC site. Boobs, morons, and tax cheats. I hope BHO’s second hundred days are a little more stable than his first. hehe
http://www.nypost.com/seven/04272009/news/regionalnews/obama_plane_photo_op_startles_new_yorker_166470.htm
http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/obamas_teleprompter_sabotages_him_again/
Note the uncomfortable laughter from the audience. What does this guy do when his honeymoon is over? So far it’s been 98 days of daily flubs and blunders.
Comment by Gene on Pennsylvania — April 27, 2009 @ 11:20 pm - April 27, 2009
He laid the groundwork for a world wide economic boom that not even Clinton’s massive tax increases could choke off.
What we’re seeing today is the result of liberals blocking regulations of GSEs in favor of kickbacks, favors and preferential treatment for their mortgages. We’re also paying the price for liberal’s disdain for freedom and letting people spend their own money.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — April 27, 2009 @ 11:23 pm - April 27, 2009
Sounds like torture to me.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — April 27, 2009 @ 11:25 pm - April 27, 2009
Those that choose to rip on American capitalism can see how we stack up against the great peoples republics of China and Cuba, the last of the once proud socialist and communist experiments.
Americans live 5 years longer than in those hell holes. And it is Americans who live and die defending others the past 60 years. Take out the urban areas of LA, NYC, ATLANTA, Wash DC and DETROIT, and the USA would be tops in life expectancy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy
Comment by Gene on Pennsylvania — April 27, 2009 @ 11:31 pm - April 27, 2009
I forgot, yesterday, BHO had two major gaffes.
While his Homeland Defense Sec was declaring a possible swine flu pandemic, and while we are fighting two wars, and a record 6.1 million Americans are unemployed…..our young President chose to go golfing.
Smiling, yucking it up enjoying his day.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/04/26/white-house-swine-flu-briefing-deflection-obama-golf-outing/100days/
Guess he just needed a break from firing more CEO’s for doing poor jobs. hehe Kind of ironic huh?
Comment by Gene on Pennsylvania — April 27, 2009 @ 11:37 pm - April 27, 2009
3. Kevin…open up your eyes and smell the coffee!!! Barney Frank, Democrat and Chairman of the Financial Services Committee didnt rein in the idiots at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – leading to the meltdown. Ron Paul suggested that Fannie and Freddie be reined in around 2003 and guess what??? The Democratically controlled Financial Services Committee wouldnt hear of it!!! Check you history so you quit and complain about the right people.
Comment by Duffy - Native Intelligence — April 28, 2009 @ 12:04 am - April 28, 2009
When I visited a couple years back I was impressed by the ordinariness of the place. Clearly just where Ron and Nancy Reagan liked to go and be themselves. The tool bench in the garage could belong to any middle class American do-it-yourselfer…
[Mark, I had the same thoughts myself. I got a few pictures of his tool wall and may have to post that later! The Gipper was definitely a do-it-yourselfer --Dan]
Comment by Mark Noonan — April 28, 2009 @ 1:58 am - April 28, 2009
Kevin, get your facts straight. The Republicans were the majority of the senate from 1981-1987. My math says that is SIX years, not TWO. And please, as was President Obama, President Reagan was ELECTED. Neither “rules” over anything. And what is the difference between capitalism that you claim to be a “fan” of and “uncontrolled” capitalism. Are you serious? Do you really think that we have had “uncontrolled” capitalism at any point in the last eight years?
Comment by Mark J. Goluskin — April 28, 2009 @ 2:02 am - April 28, 2009
Offer poison as food and poison as antidote – that’s the leftists’ method, MJG.
Eight decades of mostly-increasing government controls got us into this mess – including 15 years of artificially low interest rates from the Fed and 10 years of the government, Freddie and Fannie conspiring to make the banks do sub-prime – and what’s the solution? More government! The leftists won’t be satisfied until we are living in a totally regimented society, a totalitarian dictatorship.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — April 28, 2009 @ 2:07 am - April 28, 2009
On my “Things To Do Before I Die” list. I hope to get there later this year.
Comment by Ignatius — April 28, 2009 @ 9:36 am - April 28, 2009
In his first 100 days, this president has managed to show us just how incompetent he reall is…
He can’t read or memorize without a teleprompter.
He allows AF1 to strafe NYC and scare them to death
He bows to a saudi prince
He hand clasps Chavez.
The only thing he did not do – was catch the swine flu!
Just a thought…
Comment by PatriotMom — April 28, 2009 @ 10:38 am - April 28, 2009
Well, strafing involves gunfire, but your overall point is valid.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — April 28, 2009 @ 1:25 pm - April 28, 2009
The one non tax cheat Secretary that Obama promoted, is so dense she thought the 9/11 terrorists came in from Canada. And she’s the Homeland Securty Sec. Geez. Another great Obama pick.
Comment by Gene on Pennsylvania — April 28, 2009 @ 5:06 pm - April 28, 2009
[...] to the first post on my visit to the Reagan Ranch, Mark Noonan recalled his own visit to that beautiful but simple place: When I visited a couple years back I was impressed by the ordinariness of the place. Clearly just [...]
Pingback by GayPatriot » Ronald Reagan: do-it-yourselfer… — May 9, 2009 @ 7:18 pm - May 9, 2009