air traffic controllers in 1981 for engaging in an illegal strike. Imagine that, holding illegal strikers accountable for their actions by actually firing them! Their strike was illegal under federal law and under the terms of their contract. Maybe they were used to the idea of Democrats ignoring illegal union activities, but they learned quickly enough there was a new sheriff in town.

PATCO went on strike during the annual EAA Convention at Oshkosh, 1981. Oshkosh is the biggest aviation event in the world with some 15-18,000 planes showing up every year. PATCO belived that when the convention was over, the system would collapse under the load of all those planes going home. It didn't happen. I know - I was there.