Happy Birthday President Reagan!

With the Super Bowl being today President Reagan's birthday will unfortunately receive little attention. But as we look back on the life of our 40th president we may all marvel at his epic greatness. At a time when America was getting pushed around in the world and was feeling down about itself at home, President Reagan came to the rescue.

Instead of trying to appease the Soviet Union, he sought to bring it down. Instead of following the failed liberal policies of the past, he shrunk the size of government and gave people back more of their money. And instead of standing idle while Americans continued to doubt themselves, he taught them to believe again.

President Reagan was one of those rare leaders that not only had convictions, but had the courage to act on those convictions. His love and belief in the power of freedom is truly inspirational, and it is because of Ronald Reagan that I am a Republican.

As he looks down upon us today I am confident that he is smiling upon us, for it is Reagan's legacy that is present in so much of our nation's actions today. As we continue the fight to spread freedom and democracy throughout the world, while trying preserve it here at home, it is important that we keep his words in mind:

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream, it must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."