The Ronald Reagan Dime Act

Normally I’m not a bit shy about putting in my 2 cents on atopic. In fact, I’ve kept a huge penny collection handy ever since I spoke my first words. But today I’m going to up the ante and put in my 10 cents

In 1937, the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis was established by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to raise funds for polio research. Eddie Cantor, a popular comedian of the time, asked audiences to donate dimes to the foundation. This drive was referred to as the “March of Dimes,” which the foundation later adopted as its name. In 1946, FDR’s profile was added to the dime to memorialize a president of great compassion who was credited for guiding the U.S. out of an economic depression and through a World War. No small potatoes.

But then came the miniseries.

I’m sure you heard about all the ruckus raised when CBS tried to air a miniseries last month that portrayed President Ronald Reagan in an unflattering light. In a miffed response, Representative Mark Souder of Indiana introduced the “Ronald Reagan Dime Act” which proposes to replace FDR’s dime profile with Reagan’s. Rep. Souder has signed up 89 co-sponsors for the bill.

Personally I think it’s a wonderful idea to find ways to honor Ronald Reagan. But there are ways to honor him without deliberately taking an honor away from another great president. And it certainly appears that Rep. Souder and the co-sponsors of the bill seem to believe that President Reagan is somehow more fully honored if a Democratic icon is stripped of his honor.

Speaking out on this clearly partisan act, one critic of the Reagan dime told the Associated Press last week, “It would be wrong to remove him (FDR) and replace him with another. It is my hope that the proposed legislation will be withdrawn.” And before you jump to the conclusion that that quote might have come from a certain former first lady who is now a senator, it actually comes from another former first lady, Nancy Reagan, who added that she felt certain her husband would not support the Reagan Dime Act.

I’m behind the Reagans 100 percent on this one.

And that’s my 10 cents.

To Your Good Health,

Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute
Sources:
“House Tossup In Dime Design” Jim Geraghty, States News Service, 12/8/03, washingtonpost.com
“Nancy Reagan Opposes Replacing FDR With Reagan On Dimes” Associated Press, 12/5/03, freerepublic.com