Throwback Thursdays

In 1981, during his first few months as President, Ronald Reagan was working towards his goal of limiting government spending and cutting budgets where needed.  But on May 6, 1981, he established a Presidential Task Force on the Arts and Humanities, saying, “I am naming this Task Force because of my deep concern for the arts and humanities in America. Our cultural institutions are an essential national resource; they must be kept strong. While I believe firmly that the Federal Government must reduce its spending, I am nevertheless sympathetic to the very real needs of our cultural organizations and hope the Task Force will deliver to my desk by Labor Day a plan to make better use of existing Federal resources and to increase the support for the arts and humanities by the private sector.”On October 14, 1981, President and Mrs. Reagan held a White House Luncheon for members of the task force. Following the luncheon, he gave remarks. Let’s listen:

In this week’s Throwback Thursday with President Reagan podcast, we examine the importance of prayer to Ronald Reagan.

Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Holocaust Day, is observed as Israel’s day of commemoration for the approximately six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust as a result of the actions carried out by Nazi Germany and its collaborators.  Known as Yom HaShoah in Israel, the national memorial day is held on the Jewish Calendar’s 27th day of Nisan, which falls in April or May on our calendar.  In 2021, the memorial fell on sundown of April 7 through sundown of April 8. During his remarks, President Reagan said, “The tragedy that ended 36 years ago was still raw in our memories, because it took place, as we've been told, in our lifetime. We share the wounds of the survivors. We recall the pain only because we must never permit it to come again.” On April 20, 1982, President Reagan delivered remarks for the 2nd annual commemoration of the days of remembrance of victims of the holocaust. Let’s listen.

Peggy Noonan, a former speechwriter for President Reagan, once wrote, "In a President, character is everything. A President doesn't have to be brilliant...He doesn't have to be clever...You can hire pragmatic, and you can buy and bring in policy wonks. But you can't buy courage and decency, you can't rent a strong moral sense. A President must bring those things with him. If he does, they will give meaning and animation to the great practical requirement of the Presidency: He must know why he's there and what he wants to do. He has to have thought it through. He needs to have a vision of the future he wishes to create. This is a function of thinking, of the mind, the brain. But a vision is worth little if a President doesn't have the character – the courage and heart – to see it through...Ronald Reagan had the vision."

As we continue to commemorate the 40th anniversary year of Ronald Reagan becoming our nation’s president, we come to April 24, 2021, which marks the 40th anniversary of Ronald Reagan sending a letter to Soviet Leader Leonid Brezhnev to try to begin a discussion and negotiation on the Soviet Union’s arms buildup. In March of 1983, President Reagan addressed the nation on defense and national security to discuss America’s defenses and the increases in America’s military build-up. During the speech, he spoke about Secretary Brezhnev. Let’s listen.

Ronald Reagan once remarked that Tax Day is a day that reminds us that taxpayers pay too much of their earnings to the Federal Government. As he laid out in his 1985 Address to the Nation on Tax Reform, taxes need to be clear, simple and fair for all, as no other issue goes so directly to the heart of our economic life and no other issue has more lasting impact on the well-being of our families and future.

Ronald Reagan was known for his optimistic, can-do spirit. On his desk in the White House he kept a plaque that read "It can be done" and his deep convictions, optimism, and determination continue to inspire millions of people around the world today.

Since April is National Humor Month, in this week’s Words to Live by podcast, we take a look at how President Reagan used humor to ease a crowd or to make a point, and to have fun while doing it. President Reagan never ceased to poke fun of his own age.  He joked he was as old as Moses, that he knew some of our founding fathers, and that every birthday was an anniversary celebration of his 39th birthday.

40 years ago, on March 30, 1981, Ronald Reagan was shot during an assassination attempt on his life. He spent 12 days at George Washington University Hospital recovering.

Ronald Reagan spoke often about removing the federal government from the everyday business of the American people. We hear his thoughts on this topic in this week’s Throwback Thursday with President Reagan Podcast.