Light, blessed light

There may, in fact, be something about America that doesn't cripple me with nausea:

Poll: Most oppose Reagan on the $50 bill

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) last month proposed putting Ronald Reagan on the $50 bill instead of former president Ulysses S. Grant, arguing that the "last great president" of the 20th century deserved the honor.

But 79 percent of Americans oppose the idea, according to a Marist Poll released Thursday. Only 12 percent support McHenry's idea while 9 percent are unsure.

Perhaps most notably, 71 percent of Republicans oppose the idea, an interesting statistic considering the Gipper's GOP hero status. Among Democrats, 83 percent don't want Grant replaced and 79 percent of independents agree.

Over at the LRB, August Kleinzahler does a very good job of summing up why you should not be tempted to good thoughts about the Gipper, ever. I am relieved by the fact that, however hard the G.O.P. might still be beating the drum of deification, Americans are, for once, too conservative to agree.