California State Assemblyman Curt Hagman | District 55
4/24/2012 | Opinion Editorial

Ronald Reagan Statue: Why Not?

In state capitols throughout the country, memorials stand in tribute to past presidents. A bronze statue of Jimmy Carter greets visitors in front of Georgia's capitol; JFK in front of Boston's capitol; Dwight Eisenhower in Kansas' state house and Abraham Lincoln in Springfield.

President Reagan spent most of his adult life in California, professionally as an actor and spokesman then serving as the 33rd governor of California before being elected as the 40th president of the United States, and remains one of the most transformative leaders of the 20th century. AB 2358 is a phenomenal opportunity to honor President Reagan in the very place he began his political career 45 years ago.

Assembly Bill 2358, which would authorize a memorial statue of President Ronald Reagan to be placed in California's State Capitol, is a necessary step towards honoring the only governor of California to become president of the United States.

The decision to implement a memorial for Ronald Reagan should not be based on political beliefs or ideologies, but out of respect for a president that had overwhelming impact in California, the United States and the world.

AB 2358 is supported by the California Republican Party and the Ronald Reagan Foundation and Library, an organization that is responsible for placing several bronze statues of President Reagan throughout the world.

As President Reagan would have wanted, AB 2358 will be entirely privately funded, at no cost to tax payers.

It is time to pay respect to President Reagan for he made an everlasting mark on this nation's history and deserves to be memorialized in the state capitol where he once served as governor.