Reagan & Thatcher - Thatcher Era 3

Left to Right, President Reagan and PM Thatcher in the Oval Office, 1988

Courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library 

Lets Get Real:

The Reagan and Thatcher Era allowed the US and UK to get out of the mess that was the 1970s, the US economy was in a mess, and the Nation still had the blues after the Vietnam War and the Carter Presidency, while the UK was seen as the Sick Man of Europe, we even needed a bailout from the IMF.   In the US Reagan curbed the power of the Air Traffic controllers, he sacked them, and took on the Communist threat in backyard of the US, while also calling out the USSR, his Evil Empire Speech.   In the UK the 1st Thatcher Administration put the UK through some tough medicine, this was opposed by the Elite, it was the Falklands War that showed the Iron will of the Iran Lady.  The Thatcher Administration also curbed the power of the trade unions, made them take secret ballots before strikes, used the police in the NUM strike of 1984/85 to allow miners to work.   In the Cold War Thatcher allowed the US to place nuclear weapons on UK soil.  Thus showing that the USSR could not split the Western alliance, also supported the Reagan strike on Libya in 1986.  

Think folks, the US in 1980s under Carter, the economy in a dire straight, the US hostages in Iran, while by 1989 the Cold War was over, the US had the economy boom of the 80's, lower taxes and smaller Government.  These two leaders were never loved by the elite left wing media, but they made a difference, thank God for Reagan and Thatcher. 

Margaret Thatcher Foundation - Thatcher Era 2

Margaret Thatcher Foundation: Looks at the life and times of Lady Thatcher.

Lets Get Real: 

In the US folks there are Presidential Libraries and web sites, well here is the UK version for Lady Thatcher, worth a visit, good way to start to learn about the Thatcher Era.   Also if you have interest in politics and history there are original papers to see from the Thatcher Era. 

President Obama on the Death of Lady Thatcher - Thatcher Era 1

The White House: Statement from President Obama on the death of Lady Thatcher.  President Obama stated the following, " With the passing of Baroness Margaret Thatcher, the world has lost one of the great champions of freedom and liberty, and America has lost a true friend.  As a grocer’s daughter who rose to become Britain’s first female prime minister, she stands as an example to our daughters that there is no glass ceiling that can’t be shattered.  As prime minister, she helped restore the confidence and pride that has always been the hallmark of Britain at its best.  And as an unapologetic supporter of our transatlantic alliance, she knew that with strength and resolve we could win the Cold War and extend freedom’s promise.

Here in America, many of us will never forget her standing shoulder to shoulder with President Reagan, reminding the world that we are not simply carried along by the currents of history—we can shape them with moral conviction, unyielding courage and iron will.   Michelle and I send our thoughts to the Thatcher family and all the British people as we carry on the work to which she dedicated her life—free peoples standing together, determined to write our own destiny. ".

Lets Get Real:

These are kind words out of the Oval, the 80's had three great leaders, in  the US there was President Reagan, in the UK we had Margaret Thatcher and finally the USSR had President Gorbachev.    These great leaders came together to end the Cold War, in the early 80's Reagan called the USSR an Evil Empire, his Cold War approach was supported by Lady Thatcher, in response the old Guard in the Kremlin appointed Gorbachev as a counter to Reagan, this of course lead to the end of the Cold War, the unification of Germany and the demise of the USSR.   The leaders that came after Reagan, Thatcher and Gorbachev were not in their league, the greats only come around once in lifetime, this blogger was proud to have supported Reagan and Thatcher and had great admiration for Gorbachev, those were the days folks.