Reagan Reagan Reagan Reagan Reagan

Reagan Reagan Reagan Reagan Reagan Reagan Reagan, Reagan Reagan Reagan Reagan (Reagan) Reagan Reagan. Reagan Reagan Reagan Reagan? Oh, sorry, I lapsed into what will be the US official language before long — Reagan, in which every word has been changed to honor the Supreme President Before Whom All Others Are as Nothing (Except for Dubya).

This post is occasioned by the latest outrage on the naming-everything-after-Reagan front (thanks to DCist for alerting me). On July 28, just before leaving town for the recess, Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-TX) introduced a bill that would rename 16th Street NW to Ronald Reagan Boulevard. Never mind that no other president has a huge boulevard named after him. Never mind that it would destroy the logical letter-number grid of L’Enfant’s design for the city. Never mind that we already have named an airport and the largest federal building other than the Pentagon after the guy. And certainly never mind that the citizens of the District have no interest in such a renaming or in paying the $1 million it would cost. Republicans must carry their Reaganolatry beyond all reasonable limits (the Reagan Legacy Project’s blog of course rejoices in the idea).

Fortunately, one of our local Republicans, Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), is in charge of the relevant committee and has the right attitude, according to WTOP:

Davis tells WTOP the bill is “ridiculous” and he plans to put it in the “appropriate file.”

“We have named Ronald Reagan Airport, we have the Ronald Reagan building downtown, but I think if Congressman Bonilla wants to name anything else he has to look at his own district in San Antonio.”

I have complaints about Davis, but on this issue all I can say is “bravo, Tom!”