For Reagan people, this time of year is bittersweet. In late May, we proudly remembered President Ronald Reagan’s historic trip to Moscow 32 years ago. Today, we remember with great sadness his passing 16 years later.

Mixed though our feelings may be, recalling Reagan always makes us happy and reminds us how much we, the nation, and the world miss him. In recalling the Gipper, we cannot help but think about how different things are today from when he and Nancy Reagan lived in the White House. But that was then. This is now. And while, for Republicans especially, there is an understandable and perhaps valid temptation to compare the 40th president to the 45th, that is best left for another day.