Today, Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s first female prime minister (1979-1990), passed away at the age of 87. An idol of many conservative women, Margaret Thatcher won the hearts of Britain six years after being quoted “I don’t think there will be a woman prime minister in my lifetime." Known for her toughness, she knew that to get things done you cannot be liked by everyone. Awarded the U.S Medal of Freedom by President George H.W. Bush in 1991, a year after she stepped down as prime minister, Margaret Thatcher did much to improve the lives of many around the world.
During her time as prime minister, Thatcher formed a close relationship
with President Reagan. The two became fast
friends due to their similar conservative viewpoints. They both, like many conservatives, hated communism
and shared a passion for small government, which came to be known as “Reaganomics
in America and “Thatcherism” in Britain.
Thatcher once was quoted as calling Reagan “the second most important
man in my life,” telling the world how much she cared for the President professionally
and personally. The two made a great
pair as both were seen as the unlikely (she a grocer’s daughter and he a
Republican Actor) choice in a winning candidate.
Retiring from public life after a stroke in 2002, she
suffered several smaller strokes in the years after that. Her husband died in June 2003. Against her doctor’s advice, Thatcher attended
Reagan’s funeral in 2004, saying that President Reagan was a “great president,
a great American, and a great man”
She closed her eulogy for the president by saying the following:
“We here still move in twilight, but we have one beacon to guide us that Ronald Reagan never had. We have his example. Let us give thanks today for a life that achieved so much for all of God’s children."
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