Requiem for a President.
The blogging community is devoting many column inches to the death of President Reagan. Base10 has no wish to repeat what has been so eloquently stated by many others. Indeed, Allah warns that every single blog need not repeat Reagan's imperative to the Soviet Union the tear down the Berlin wall.

Base10 is very saddened by Reagan's death. Base10's first vote cast for president of these United States was for Ronald Reagan. Reagan's death is not only a personal tragedy for his family but also a reminder of the mortality of my generation.

There are a few things worth mentioning. I find it astonishing that Mikhail Gorbachev will attend Reagan's funeral. Not astonishing in a bad sense, mind you. Base10 marvels at how the world has changed! There was a time when these men seemed as if they were close to starting a nuclear war. Even Gobachov gives Reagan credit for being "instrumental" in ending the Cold War. The New York Times however damns with faint praise. Here is a quote from the lead story on Reagan's death:

It was Mr. Reagan's good fortune that during his time in office the Soviet Union was undergoing profound change, eventually to collapse, setting off a spirited debate over Mr. Reagan's role in ending the cold war. His supporters argued that his tough policies were the coup de grace and his detractors attributed the end to the accumulated influence of 45 years of the American policy of containment. But wherever the credit was due, the thaw came on his watch.

This is the Times exposition of the Liberal position. Reagan wasn't responsible for the end of the Cold War. It was the inexorable force of history that led to the downfall of the Soviet Union.

Not to be out done on international issues--and apparently unwilling to cut a break to a dead Republican president--the Times today also notes that Reagan's domestic agenda hurt cities. The Times pithily entitles this article NYC: Reality Check During Time of Mourning. Base10 is amused by this quote from Mayor Koch mad in 1986:

Regrettably, the Reagan administration has welshed on our nation's longstanding bipartisan obligation to provide low-income housing, and I call upon the president to reverse this heartless and shortsighted policy.

Now Mayor Koch today attributes this to political rhetoric and lavishly praised Reagan's legacy. Something obviously the Times is wont to do. (Base10 always liked Ed Koch, but please Mr. Mayor, take note of the lesson of Economics 101 . If you want to create a market for affordable housing like other cities have, try eliminating rent control, like all other citties have).

For a more thorough wrap of the Times "coverage" of Reagan's death, see this really interesting story on CBS News about the issue.

But the Times's shabby treatment of the late President pales in comparison to that of our Irish allies. British rock singer Morrissey was performing before a crowd in Dublin when he announced that Ronald Reagan had died. The crowd cheered. He then said he wished it were Bush and not Reagan. The crowd cheered louder.
It seems that Manchester Online has closed comments to this story. A brief screening indicates almost universal contempt for Morrissey's comments. Some of Base10's favorites:

• Morrissey, stick to your specific brand of self-depricating music. I like it, and it suits you best. Leave the politics and the anger to those who care.
  
• I don't expect someone like Morrissey to grasp the seriousness of the situation. And thankfully, that's not why we pay him. If, on September 10th, the FBI had kicked in the doors of the 9/11 hijackers apartments and detained them on suspicion of intent to terrorists acts, Hollywood and much of the world would still be laughing.
  
• Yeah, Reagan and Bush have killed thousands...of bad guys. They do it to stop those who have or would kill millions, which is a concept Morrissey or his fans can never seem to wrap their heads around.

There are a great many similar comments. Read more.

Comments do still seem to be open on this site. Perhaps the most amusing thing about this board is that the most frequently posted comment seems to along the lines of: "Who is Morrissey?"

- posted by Base10 @ 1:32 PM