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Just saw this on a danish newssite.

It's been a long time coming. He hasn't been seen in public since he announced that he had Alzheimer's, and there have been lots of reports of deterioritating health.

Originally posted by HighLordDave
It's been a long time coming. He hasn't been seen in public since he announced that he had Alzheimer's, and there have been lots of reports of deterioritating health.

They showed him applauding at the 1994 Republican Convention. The camera made it appear he was among the delegates, but I understand he wasn't--he was carefully shielded from the rest, and pretty out of it, but like any actor knew when to answer his cues. He smiled but there was no focus in his gaze.

To be honest, there were many times during his presidency when I wondered whether he wasn't simply responding to the pull of the puppet strings behind the scenes. Do you remember the IranContra hearings? When Reagan testified, and they asked him numerous questions, he responded to each one as though he were a befuddled old man without any grasp of the facts, and excusing himself for a failing memory.

I never liked his policies... but when he publicly admitted to having the disease, I felt that it was an incredibly tragic irony. For he went from one of the most powerful positions in the world to becoming a ravaged invalid unaware of his own surroundings. For me, this evokes a very real sense of pathos...

Very sad. I always had fond memories of him. May he rest in peace.

Originally posted by dragon wench
I never liked his policies... but when he publicly admitted to having the disease, I felt that it was an incredibly tragic irony. For he went from one of the most powerful positions in the world to becoming a ravaged invalid unaware of his own surroundings. For me, this evokes a very real sense of pathos...

I'd have more of a sense of sympathy for the man if his administration hadn't sponsored legislation turning out roughly 1/3rd of the patients of govermment-funded mental institutions to fend for their own, on the streets. It was a "cost-cutting measure." These people were considered borderline competent, and for the Reaganites, eager to pump up defense, any excuse for cutting money elsewhere was a good one. I personally know of a few people that died on the streets. I know of many others that ended up in prison, and a couple that were involved in rapes and homicides. Ironically, they're now back safely in government hands, their incarcerations paid for--only at the additional expense of some dead bodies and wrecked lives.

It's hard to be critical of Reagan; he's the patron saint of the modern conservative base. Plus, after publicly acknowleding having Alzheimer's, he gets a lot of public sympathy. In a year or so, when it's okay to talk bad about dead people, I think many people will look back on Reagan's later years and surmise that the early effects of Alzheimers may have been present years before his public acknowledgement, and possibly going back to his time as president.

Alzheimer's Disease, and other degenerative neurological conditions, are not things I would wish on anyone. I am no fan of Reagan's, but if you know anyone with Alzheimer's (or Huntington's Disease), it's especially hard on the families and friends of the loved ones.

Some months ago, Nancy Reagan announced that Alzheimer's had so thoroughly ravaged Ron's mind that she couldn't connect with him anymore. I'm glad that his suffering is over and that the family can finally grieve the father and husband that was lost so long ago.

@HLD, your remarks are balanced--but I *knew* some of the people he and his appointed officials threw out. I identified one body at the morgue. I can't work up a great deal of sympathy for a man whose Alzheimer's was at least blunted to an extent by enormous wealth and love, while others he ordered out of state-run institutions died with bottle shards in their brains as they trundled their entire belongings through the streets.

EDIT: Sorry if that sounds melodramatic, but facts can be like that, especially down on the ground.

Originally posted by HighLordDave

Alzheimer's Disease,

My grandmother had it. From my experience with it, I would say it caused her to relive her past. She started in the beginning of the disease to just be forgetful, over the months though it got to the point someone had to stay with her constantly. Her last year was spent talking to my granddad and he had been dead for 20 something years.

My grandfather has it now.

Of course this won't be a popular post, and to be honest, I'm not that worried about it. Ronald Reagan was, still is, and always will be, a hero of mine. He takes his place amongst the Americans I admire, and call heroes.

I have heard many different opinions on the subject matter of his presidency etc. Fact is fact a man died and that man had done great things. As a governer of my State before me being alive I have read/heard he did many great things. No one is perfect and no president has gone without his flaws, I feel sympathy for you fable for knowing anyone who dies in any situation is a sad event.


Ronald Reagan was an American, a proud American. He held the highest office of politik, he was the President of the USA. While a lot of people look at that with silly disposition, be it the 8 years of mr smooth operator clinton or the "evil" or "mishandled" presidency of Bush jr. The President of the USA is a great man and a position that will always be to me something more than normal...

I wasn't around during reagon but you know what? Its still a big fat ****ing bummer. Although I will admit it must have been a horrid last what 9 years... such a powerful man...

I dont know much about Reagans internal policies, other than that he was a star wars fan, But to me he is fully comparable with Osama Bin Laden, and not in a jokingly exaggerated way. Both was good supporters of the "change trough terrorism" doctrine, and both have practiced it to a great extent. This I find unacceptable, espesially when it is used to bring about changes in internal policies abroad.

Those of you that consider him a good president, can you please tell what you think he did good?

Just two words: Iran-Contra.

I loathed Reagan, and I thought he was an ignorant, paranoid, delusional politician. His politics were destructive both for the US and abroad. I have nothing good at all to say about the guy. To me, he personifies the mystery of how Americans vote, what characteristics they value and how modern American politicians seem to be empty headed media paperdolls.

I remember thinking Reagan was demented already by the end of his time as a president, because he seemed paranoid and lost in a way that is typical for Alzheimer's dementia (AD) patients (of course I wasn't a neuroscientist then, but my great grandmother had AD so I was familiar with the symptomatology).

Ironically, his soulmate and sister in arms Maggie Thatcher, also has AD. I don't pity any of them more than I pity any AD patient. Rather less, since they are rich, famous and have access to the best possible medical care, whereas most people who get AD have not.

EDIT: @Dottie: I am of course not surprised to see you share my low opinion of Reagan. Isn't it amazing how to some people, supporting terrorism seems so much more glorious when the terrorist is your own leader and not on "the other side"?

All I have to say about Reagan is that he left a legacy that came back to haunt us - Iran-Contra, Afghanistan, etc...

I remember thinking "It can't possibly get any worse". I have been proven wrong.

@ Everyone, I know that many people on here disagreed with Reagans policies, but I ask you all to have some sensitivity for those who admired him. Perhaps a different thread could be started if people want to talk about his policies.

And RT please watch the language.

Apologies T and thank you for that post.