From the Chicago Tribune:
WASHINGTON—After 78 years of standing in the Capitol, Thomas Starr King is on his way out, ousted by a better-known Californian —Ronald Reagan.
A bronze statue of Reagan, who was born and raised in Illinois, will soon replace that of the relatively obscure King as one of California’s two representatives in Washington’s version of a national hall of fame. The Reagan likeness will be unveiled in a June ceremony to be attended by former First Lady Nancy Reagan.
Well, thanks to your intrepid investigative reporter (that would be me, if you were wondering), we don’t have to wait until June! I have located the sculptor’s studio, and armed with my trust digital camera, I have recorded the statues he has been working on. Fittingly, that which Ronnie loved most is reflected in the artwork. No, not Nancy! Corporations!
I like this one! It was during Ronnie’s time in office that the Clara Peller Where’s the beef? advertising campaign premiered. Perhaps, though, the question should be What the hell’s in the beef? after staff cutbacks at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service!
The state’s other representative is Father Junipero Serra, who, like King, has been a fixture in the Capitol since Herbert Hoover was president.
This one not only shows what a gentleman Ronnie was, but reminds us of his energy policies. After all, what do you fry chicken in? Oil! Ronnie said no to Jimmy Carter’s oil-reduction reforms and renewable energy and yes to offshore drilling.
While many are hailing the addition of the 40th president, some are nonetheless lamenting the departure of the Unitarian minister who rallied Californians to the Union side during the Civil War. The bumped sculpture will be moved to the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
“Those of who us who love Thomas Starr King and know about his life are really sorry to see him go,” said Rev. Roger Fritts, a minister at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, Md.
This particular statue makes me think about traveling. Can you think of a better way to remind people of how Ronnie fired thousands of air traffic controllers and redefined labor relations in this country? Oh, that scamp!
The artistic renditions of King and Serra were dedicated in 1931 in the Statuary Hall collection, which includes two figures from each state.
I think I like this one the best. It shows Ronnie as the friendly guy who loved people. Well, not gay people, but everyone else. That is, if you don’t count undermining health, safety and environmental regulations, trying to abolish social security, trying to cut funding for school lunches for poor kids, and stuff like that.
HYSTERICAL RAISINS 
Nonnie,
I always think I’m gonna pop in one day and find you’ve done a corny or otherwise shitty poster. So far I’ve failed to see anything less than spectacular.
You’re goooood.
If you knew how much I disliked Reagan and found him as plastic and commercial as Bob’s Big Boy’s head, you’d know how much I loved this post.
Not one to tamper with perfection, but I was sorta looking for that creepy-ass Burger King king with the giant plastic head.
Just sayin’.
i’ve never done corny? damn, i thought i had that covered!
i detested ronnie and his stepford wife, and i now detest the myth that has grown around him. i can’t think of one good thing he did for anyone who wasn’t rich.
i almost included burger king (well, i sorta did include it with clara peller), but i’ve never seen a statue of him. however, i’ll make one just for you if you would like it for your blog. i’m all for ronnie-bashing!
p.s. thank you for your praise. don’t worry, i’m sure to screw up big time one of these days! 😉
and ronnie crucified social services and brought us the word “homeless”. what an sob. who made this stupid decision?
i dunno. i don’t understand why he has to continue to be glorified. kids going through statuary hall would learn a lot more seeing thomas starr king than st. ronnie. they are already aware of who st. ronnie is.
this NYT article has more about who was pushing this:
The wingnuts will hate you for this. That’s a good thing.
😆 like they were crazy about me before? i don’t think they’re fans!
One more step on the road to the deification of St. Ronnie and the dreamy wingnut plan to rename us the United States of Reagan.
jeb,
did you read the article i linked to in my reply to jenn above? this is the part that made me gag (and, no i was not teabagged!):
Owing in part to the conservative strategist Grover Norquist’s effort to have a project in every state named for Reagan, there is a Ronald Reagan Trail in Illinois, his native state, as well as a Ronald Reagan Highway in Ohio, the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan and Ronald Reagan National Airport outside Washington.
this is their strategery. just like they want to rewrite the legacy of chimpy, they are rewriting the legacy of st. ronnie. he’s their chairman mao or ayatollah khomeini. his picture will appear everywhere, and little children will be made to think he was the second coming (again, no reference to teabagging).
Nonnie, it is amazing how those who want to drown government in the bathtub (Nor-kiss-my-ass) and those who adhere to Raygun’s belief that government is the problem can so eagerly run amok using government to name everything after their idol.
Their illogic always makes my head hurt.
hypocrisy reigns. it’s like all the people who bitch and moan against stem cell research. believe me, when medical cures are discovered because of that research, those protesters will be first in line to ask for those treatments.
Good to see your getting some mileage out of old ‘Bob’, but I will have to say the most fitting is the Ronald Mc ‘D’
sandy! 😀
i was hoping using your bob’s big boy statue would get you to comment!
so far, there doesn’t seem to be a consensus. over at daily kos, someone remarked that she liked the travelocity gnome the best. i think he looks most natural as ronald mcd. maybe it’s because they share the first name. or maybe it’s because st. ronnie was really nothing but a clown.
p.s. love your gravatar!
Yeah, I think the gnome is the most natural, but the Ronald McDonald still fits the bill :).
And yes, I finally got with the 21st century and signed up for a Gravitar so I could change it.
I have used ‘Bob’ for a lot of stuff, always an enjoyable thought. I have been hacking up a new Flog at http://www.theunmutual.com mainly to change the look of my car site, but having fun being a web hacker for the moment! Same stuff as the other Flog but new format.
Hope things are well!
Sandy
hi sandy! 😀
the new flog looks good, but i especially like the looks of your chopper site. that looks really cool!
hope things are good on your side of the fence, too, and i hope you’ll visit here whenever you get a chance.
Chica, that is friggin perfect for Ronnie Rayguns! You rock! 😉
oh no! i shoulda found a statue of a guy with a ray gun! next time.
Top notch work as always, Nonnie.
‘J.G.Ballard is dead, my love’
;>)
omg!!! that link needs a warning label! 😆
it is always an honor to see you over here, dark black. i am in awe of your artwork.
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These are brilliant Noonie9999. Thanks for posting!
hello christopher,
welcome to the raisin! 😀
thanks for commenting. stop by anytime!
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