Proposal to put Reagan on $50 Bill

[Industrialsize]

You may or may not know that legislation has been submitted to replace Ulysses S. Grant on the $50 bill with the image of former president Ronald Reagan.

For me and the estimated 20,000 American lives that were lost to AIDS before this president even mentioned this health crisis, this would be a stab in the heart.
Reagan's first remarks on the AIDS crisis came on May 31, 1987 at the Third International Conference on AIDS in Washington. This was near the end of his second term.
With the first reported cases coming to light in 1981 and over 1,000 cases being reported by 1983, this indifference to American suffering is the Reagan legacy, in my opinion.
Dr. C. Everett Koop, Reagan's surgeon general, said he was kept out of all AIDS discussions for the first five years of the Reagan administration "because transmission of AIDS was understood to be primarily in the homosexual population and in those who abused intravenous drugs." The president's advisers, he said, "took the stand, 'They are only getting what they justly deserve.'

 

[midlifebear]

Back to money, greenbacks, filthy lucre --- Now that the USA's currency is no longer the "preferred" currency (despite what Jason, et al may wish you to think on the "What will happen to :'Greece' and 'Spain'" threads), I think it would be better to follow the lead of Brazil. Reales have animals on them instead of "famous' Brazilians. My favorite is the green Real bill with a hummingbird on it. Others have jaguars and other Amazonian animas. And they are all different colors.

We could ditch the presidents for deer, bears, eagles, buffalo, and the opossum. I especially like the idea of having an opossum on, say . . . a $100 bill? It would mean so much more than our currently moon-faced Uncle Ben. :smile:

 

[midlifebear]

It was a Ponzi scheme from day one of social security. Funds that were being collected from taxpayers were going directly out to recipients.

From the very first, eh? There goes our "special needs" child making unsubtantiated assertions again. Granted, it has been raped and pillaged, but it was a hands-off entity for many years and not the Ponzi scheme you believe. Do some reading on the subject and then enlighten us all on the exact date the Social Security fund was first dipped into for uses other than Social Security.

Go ahead. You've been bragging about how smart you believe you are. Now is your time to shine, little starpoopster. :smile:

 

[B_starinvestor]

Indy - It is hardly fair to admonish Reagan for not addressing AIDS. Reagan was not a doctor or medical researcher - he would have been receiving input or pressure from another source(s) had they known AIDS was such a threat at that time.

I understand your frustration, but it is simply not the job of the Commander In Chief to wage crusades against new viruses.

Obama wasn't the chairperson on containing the Swine Flu.

 

[B_VinylBoy]

Absolutely no way.
Reagan? On money? My GOD... some of these same people talk about those who are overpraising Obama. This is just insane!

Indy - It is hardly fair to admonish Reagan for not addressing AIDS. Reagan was not a doctor or medical researcher - he would have been receiving input or pressure from another source(s) had they known AIDS was such a threat at that time.

I understand your frustration, but it is simply not the job of the Commander In Chief to wage crusades against new viruses.

Obama wasn't the chairperson on containing the Swine Flu.

The only difference is that Obama didn't stay silent about the problem for six years while it grew to a major pandemic. Reagan received info about AIDS since it was discovered in the early 80s, and he remained silent on the subject for a very long time. Even if he isn't a doctor, presidents are looked upon as figures for information important to our nation. With tens thousands of people dying and contracting the virus, actions should have been done beforehand.

 

[FuzzyKen]

Ok, there is another way to lose my lunch! A mediocre actor who offered decent service as a California Governor and let his own views of the world and the people in it cloud judgement. The best words ever uttered from the mouth of Ronald W. Reagan were those he uttered when called in to testitify at the H.O.U.A.C. hearings started by Joseph McCarthy. They became the mantra of the Republican Party. Interesting but very flawed man and an interesting but flawed legacy.

 

[Industrialsize]

Indy - It is hardly fair to admonish Reagan for not addressing AIDS. Reagan was not a doctor or medical researcher - he would have been receiving input or pressure from another source(s) had they known AIDS was such a threat at that time.

I understand your frustration, but it is simply not the job of the Commander In Chief to wage crusades against new viruses.

Obama wasn't the chairperson on containing the Swine Flu.

Watch this movie sometime. You may learn something about the early politics of the Aids Crisis. And The Band Played On

 

[midlifebear]

When there are so many other worthwhile historical figures to commemorate on USA money, Reagan is just the rank-and-file Reaganists pushing for more attention. Leave Andrew Jackson right where he is. And while the mint is at it, bring back the $500 and $1,000 bills!


EDIT: And Starpooper, when it comes to AIDS and the history of that disease in the USA and around the world, keep your ignorant mouth shut and let the grown ups talk. You, of all people, are in no position to comment on the subject.

 

[B_starinvestor]

Absolutely no way.
Reagan? On money? My GOD... some of these same people talk about those who are overpraising Obama. This is just insane!



The only difference is that Obama didn't stay silent about the problem for six years while it grew to a major pandemic. Reagan received info about AIDS since it was discovered in the early 80s, and he remained silent on the subject for a very long time. Even if he isn't a doctor, presidents are looked upon as figures for information important to our nation. With tens thousands of people dying and contracting the virus, actions should have been done beforehand.

Nobody knew what the hell was going on with AIDS in the early 80's - even doctors. By 1987 Reagan call AIDS 'public enemy number 1' and then George Bush was heckled for calling for mandatory HIV testing that same year.

To hold Ronald Reagan accountable for those deaths is ridiculous. You've got to be kidding me.

Why didn't George Washington do more about cancer? That sonafabitch - do you know how many people died of cancer and I don't recall seeing anything he said publicly about defeating cancer.

 

[midlifebear]

Again, Starpooper insists upon spraying his ignorance in our faces on a subject about which he knows absolutely nothing. Shut up, little Starpooper. You are way out of your league.

 

[Industrialsize]

Nobody knew what the hell was going on with AIDS in the early 80's - even doctors.

Yes they did. Watch the movie I recommended.
It's available at your local video store and netflix.

 

[Flashy]

While i am not condoning putting Reagan on the $50 bill, it should be noted that many of the folks on U.S. currency supported things far worse than Reagan.

Andrew Jackson, is on the $20...he advocated slavery and indian removal...

 

[Flashy]

Yes they did. Watch the movie I recommended.
It's available at your local video store and netflix.

you do realize it was a book, that was far better, then it was as a movie?

 

[Industrialsize]

you do realize it was a book, that was far better, then it was as a movie?

I knew that, I wasn't sure SI could read..

 

[B_talltpaguy]

I would favor either Roosevelt before Reagan. I also favor removing Grant and Jackson, who weren't exactly great Presidents.

I would rather our money have national symbols on them (flag, bald eagle, etc), not partisan symbols.

 

[midlifebear]

Grant on $50 and Jackson on $20 -- duly noted. And Uncle Ben on $100. But if they take Jackson off a a $20 then there will be a giant cultural gap in the USA because no one will ever figure out what the expression "Slip me a Jackson," or "If I slip you a Jackson?" means without having to consult Wikipedia -- which gets too much consultation time as it is.

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

I think Reagan's mediocrity is a far better reason to keep him off the $50 bill than his apparent indifference to the AIDS crisis.

I would favor either Roosevelt before Reagan.

I would agree.

 

[B_starinvestor]

I would rather our money have national symbols on them (flag, bald eagle, etc), not partisan symbols.

I would rather they had reminders on them - such as "Money doesn't grow on trees," or "Where did you get this?" or "Someone earned this, was it YOU?"

This type of thing would foster more fiscal responsibility.

 

[B_talltpaguy]

^While funny, I hardly think that our currency is the place to be revealing to the world that some of our citizens aren't very bright.

To hold Ronald Reagan accountable for those deaths is ridiculous. You've got to be kidding me.

Who the hell are you trying to kid?

I'm a fan of Reagan's (my mom met him at the 85' Inauguration. I still have the special pin she received for attending), but blatantly lying through your teeth does nobody any good, least of all Reagan's legacy.

Reagan's White House was vehemently anti-gay and everyone knows it. Hell, Reagan's communications director Pat Buchanan frequently remarked that "AIDS is nature's revenge on gay men."... It was White House policy to do NOTHING about AIDS, until further research finally showed that anyone could get it and was getting it, not just gay men. Only when political pressure was overwhelming, did Reagan and his people finally begin to do what they should have done literally years earlier. The President is supposed to be a leader for ALL Americans, not just the ones whose lifestyle he personally approves of.

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

Reagan was vehemently anti-gay and everyone knows it.

I don't know it.
My understanding is that he, somewhat surprisingly, really wasn't.
Maybe I'm wrong ... and I'd welcome new information if it's out there.