Ronald Reagan A Time For Choosing Speech Summary

Improved Essays
Ronald Reagan’s, A Time for Choosing Speech, main points are as follows: did we still retain the knowledge of the definition of freedom according to our Founding Fathers? “It’s time we asked ourselves if we still know the freedoms intended for us by the Founding Fathers” (Reagan 1). Did we still define government on those founding beliefs? A people that could be self-governed or would we continue to redefine our definition of government until it was completely transformed into totalitarianism. Reagan believed there was no right or left to decide between; he believed there was only a government and people evolving or decaying.
“Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that
…show more content…
“Regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would sacrifice freedom for security have embarked on this downward path” (Reagan 1). Further stating that our country was founded on the principle understanding that the government cannot grasp at control of the economy without also grasping at the control of its’ people; this control would only be gained by force. “And they knew when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose” (Reagan 1). Reagan urged the people to understand that by grasping at the comfort the government could “possibly” provide they were simultaneously letting go of their true freedom; a freedom in which the people decided their own fate. In the United States, the American Dream that everyone fervently yearned for and made great sacrifices for was fading away, Reagan insisted the people become aware of the times, and of the power the government was reaching for. “We need true tax reform that will at least make a start toward restoring for our children the American Dream that wealth is denied to no one, that each individual has the right to fly as high as his strength and ability will take him” (Reagan

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    American President Ronald Reagan had intentions to benefit the common good. Every action and decision he made, whether it was aiding those in financial need or protecting America’s citizens, was made with the collective interest in mind. His actions as President truly reflected the collectivist value of collective interest. For Saskatchewan Premier Tommy Douglas, his views stemmed from a more individualist point of view. The most evident principle of individualism he acted upon was that of self interest.…

    • 1168 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Historians Philip Jenkins and Matthew Dallek offer differing views on the achievements completed during Ronald Reagan’s presidency. While both historians do not seem to have liked president Ronald Reagan much, they base their suggestions about his presidency’s results on at least partially historically defensible claims. Although I understand why both historians said what they did based on historical facts from Reagan’s presidency, I find myself agreeing with Philip Jenkins’s statement of Ronald Reagan from 2008. Due to events such as the Iranian Hostage Crisis, the anti-government trust statements he made, and his tax reduction plan, I agree with Philip Jenkins that president Reagan was joining a revolution which was already in progress and only gave form and direction to…

    • 849 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Reagan strengthens this connection between freedom being a sacred idea that God supports fully. Reagan makes the audience feel as if taking back freedom for these people would be a holy task, thus increasing Evangelical interest in involvement in the Cold…

    • 1894 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Killing Reagan Book Review

    • 1472 Words
    • 6 Pages

    As his passion for politics increased, his passion to make a statement towards communism did too. His journey began as he traveled the country speaking on behalf of an anticommunist group known as Crusade for Freedom, in hope to raise money for Radio Free Europe. His determination to voice his opinion on the matter made way as his traveled to Washington to speak of the retribution that was caused due to the emergence of the party in Hollywood. Having reached the nation’s capital, Reagan expressed his views on the matter to a congressional group by saying I believe that, as Thomas Jefferson put it, if all the American people know all of the facts they will never make a mistake. Whether the [Communist] party should be outlawed, that is a matter for the government to decide.…

    • 1472 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Reagan also gave a speech known as “Tear Down This Wall”, the title itself is self-explanatory that Reagan wanted the people and the…

    • 1101 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    "Why Ronald Reagan’s Example Is Still Relevant for America Today." Www.nationalreview.com. N.p., 5 June 15. Web. 8 May 2017. Ratnesar, Romesh.…

    • 861 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Leadership is not always about taking control, making things happen, or doing things your own way. It’s about how one can motivate, transform, and impel a person, or other people into something sumptuous. Many people say that actions speak louder than words, but that is not always the case. Actions are when you have total control, that you are vindictive is some ways and you as a whole can betide. In the speech of Ronald Reagan articulating on about the Brandenburg gate, his tone of voice was not impertinent or disrespectful .…

    • 407 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    And then, in an all-encompassing, evocative quote, he states, “Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall, for it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.” Although one might believe that this would have been the ideal moment to end the speech, Reagan chooses instead to address the demonstrations against his coming and brings his argument to a close by saying, “And I would like to say just one thing, and to those who demonstrate so. I wonder if they have ever asked themselves that if they should have the kind of government they apparently seek, no one would ever be able to do what they’re doing again.” This leaves an open ending that is sure to provoke his audience to contemplation and allows for the speech to…

    • 1440 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Challenger was the first space craft in America that fatally exploded, and it was one of the most tragic days for many in America. The takeoff of the Challenger was viewed by many, including schoolchildren, who tuned in to watch. Many people were watching the Challenger take off into space, but as it was launched, on January 28, 1986, the Challenger broke apart only seventy-three seconds into its flight. This lead to the deaths of its seven crew members, which were five NASA astronauts and two payload specialists; payload specialists are everyday people that are trained to go into space. One of the payload specialists were going to be one of the first teachers in space, which was from the Teacher in Space Project that was made just in 1984 with Ronald Reagan.…

    • 1064 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Reagan uses repetition, and pathos to calm and gain the trust of the people, Reagan also use juxtaposition to show his audiences that the tragedy that occur was just a sad part of exploration and it was a sacrifices that they will honor. Since this speech in 1986 America has made major advancements in its space program and landing on the moon now seems like a very small giant leap for mankind compared to other new and larger project NASA has been working own. Would have America continue their quest into space without Reagan speech? Are these advance due to reagan…

    • 965 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    In Richard Nixon’s famous 1964 A Time for Choosing speech, which he delivered on behalf of then-Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, he said that the most important issue of that year’s election lay in “whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant Capitol can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves”. Today, some 52 years later, this issue regarding the people’s trust in the ‘elite establishment’s’ ability to govern according to the voter’s interests remains pertinent as ever, though it seems that Reagan’s rejection of these intellectual elites has been gaining popular traction. There appears…

    • 2031 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the 32nd President of the United States who led the U.S. through the Great Depression and World War II. He greatly expanded the federal governments powers by using a series of reforms and programs that were known as the New Deal. Sadly, he was struck with polio in 1921, forcing to spend most of his adult life in a wheelchair. An entire generation of Americans grew up only knowing one president, since FDR served an unheard four terms in office. Roosevelt’s presidency during World War II put the United States' leadership on the world stage, and his social programs completely reinvented how our government works.…

    • 660 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Conservative Movement

    • 1249 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Conservative Movement arose to answer three major concerns. The first concern of the Conservative Movement was to repeal New Deal programs. Over the years this transformed into more of a fight against “big government” and New Deal programs were the central pillar of “big government”. The next goal of the Conservative movement dealt with the destruction of Communism and creating a foreign policy that exemplified this desire. According to the Conservative Movement, Communism was seen as a threat to America and the rest of world, and conservatives saw liberal foreign policy on Communism as weak and wanted to change US’s foreign policy to be more aggressive.…

    • 1249 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This statement produces a strong feeling of pride from the mostly German audience that is attending the speech. The way the author describes the transformation of West Berlin from “rubble” to the greatest industrial city in Germany invokes a strong sense of patriotism in the speaker’s audience. This promotes the anti-communist and pro-freedom feelings the author is trying to generate in his audience. A third example of pathos appeal used by Reagan is in his claim that he “[understands] the fear of war and the pain of division that afflict this continent …” and that he “[pledges] to [the audience] [his] efforts to help overcome…

    • 1179 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Ronald Reagan was simply pushing for what people already wanted – freedom. He was familiar with the audience and their standpoint. He had angered leaders but had provoked love from the Berliners. He was able to reveal thumos in his arguments (see third paragraph pertaining to pathos.)…

    • 1187 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays