That is why the internet is important. People who were a part of those years must write and keep writing.
Locally, we accomplished much under Reagan as the grassroots in Fairfax County brought government down to the local level. Neighborhood Watch operations blossomed in our war on drugs and crime, making our neighborhoods safer.
Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No To Drugs" was timely and necessary as we were about to lose another generation to drugs.
As one of our Republican Senators noted we had "the fire in the belly". And, of course, Reagan was a leader for the times----inspiring Americans to solve our problems at the state and local levels.
We started organizations to educate people on the Republican philosophy of government and issues of our times-------we reached out to voters of all national backgrounds getting them registered and active in local politics-----we stopped being a silent majority as existed under the Carter years after Nixon was drummed from the White House.
We secured millions of dollars for the local police to beef up their operations to improve response time and services. We assured that daycare centers would be of the highest quality for working parents.
In Virginia we stopped the one party control of the Virginia General Assembly by the Democrats----giving voters a real choice. As one now deceased precinct captain said ----the Virginia Republican Party could fit into a telephone booth before Nixon was elected.
In education, we raised the Standards of Excellence in our public schools. Requiring that standards be met by schools and graduating students. We brought the study of foreign languages into our schools locally. These were efforts that required the cooperation of people without regard to political affiliation--- often led by grassroots Republicans.
On the international level we saw the Berlin Wall demolished------a symbol of all of the evil of WWII that our parents and uncles fought. (Just one of the Reagan administration accomplishments)
And, we learned to deal with the press-----not an easy task when the press poses the question with a built in answer.
As a delegate to the Dallas Convention, when I stepped off of the airplane in Dallas, a national television reporter came up to me and ask for an interview because I was a woman and from Virginia-------his first question was "Do you think Reagan is too conservative for America".
The reporter did not know me personally only that I was a Virginia delegate who was a woman-------it was thought that women did not support Reagan due to a vocal, but small group of Republican women, who wanted to impose their views on the majority at the convention.
What an opportunity to give the unexpected answer to the press-----that the silent majority of America was ready for Ronald Reagan. I don't have a clip of that----otherwise I would give the exact answer.
Not only did we learn to deal with the press, we became in some cases part of "the press" bringing different voices to writing and reporting and watchdogs of the press.
I feel so blessed to have been a part of the Reagan Revolution, knowing that America is better for all of us.
mj |
