Here’s a feel-good palate cleanser for a day in which the government takeover of American health care draws ever nearer. Ronald Reagan would never have stood for it, of course, having a deep mistrust of statist solutions that trump individual choice and action. That makes today a good day for GE and the Reagan Foundation to launch their partnership for the Reagan centennial, which will result in a number of events over the next year:

GE’s participation as Presenting Sponsor of the Ronald Reagan Centennial Celebration includes:

• $10 Million in the form of cash, advertising and promotion to support the Ronald Reagan Centennial Celebration, including funds to support the completely transformed, state-of-the-art Museum at the Reagan Library that will be unveiled on February 5, 2011. This will include a new General Electric Theater that will focus on Reagan’s career in radio, television, and film.
• An additional $5 million to the Reagan Presidential Foundation to launch and support the GE-Reagan Scholars Program, an effort that will begin in 2011 and that will provide 200 four-year college scholarships over the next decade to deserving students who embody the vision and values personified by President Reagan.
• A donation to the Reagan Foundation of 208 restored episodes of General Electric Theater in which Ronald Reagan hosted or appeared from 1954-1962. The episodes, many of which were thought to be lost and some of which were damaged, were recently uncovered in GE/NBC Universal archives and restored to broadcast quality for purposes of the renovated Reagan Museum.
• An ad campaign and interactive Internet presence located at www.ge.com/reagan to promote the Centennial and honor President Reagan’s service to our nation and time with GE. TV, radio and print advertisements in support of the Centennial that will remind audiences of Reagan’s optimistic spirit as well as his legacy at both GE and as President can be found on this site.
• A series of public affairs lectures with Reagan-era luminaries that will focus on President Reagan’s legacy and qualities as a leader. The events will take place at venues around the country with details to be announced in the coming months.

St. Patrick’s Day is a fitting moment to announce the new project. I’ll be talking about this today with representatives from GE and the Reagan Library today in bonus minutes on TEMS. Don’t miss it!