Ronald Reagan was the 40th President of the United States. He served as President from Jan. 20, 1981 to Jan. 19, 1989. During the 1980 presidential election, he beat the Democratic incumbent Jimmy Carter with 50.7% of the votes. He went on to win a second term in what can be considered a landslide victory garnering 58.8% of the votes. Depending on who you talk too, some would say Reagan made the country a much better place to live, while others would wholeheartedly disagree. Reagan's supporters point to his accomplishments, including stimulating economic growth in the US, strengthening its national defense, revitalizing the Republican Party, and ending the global Cold War, as evidence of his good presidency. Although some would counter that
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First being the ending of the Cold War and communism. Reagan proponents continues to exert the notion that as a political leader of the free world during a very critical moment in our nation and world history; his policies directly contributed to the demise of communism and a new era in national and world politics. He stood up to the USSR and secured the United States position as a military and economic powerhouse. President Reagan’s goal was to contain Soviet communism and furthermore, reverse its gains and eliminate it. During this time, the president thought the Soviet Union's government-controlled economy could not compete successfully against America's free-market system. So, he started a rapid, large increase in the quantity and quality of America's military technology and weapons and dared the Soviets to match it. As America's military began to grow rapidly. The US would now promote freedom and democracy throughout the world. President Reagan predicted that given a choice, people everywhere, even within the Soviet Union, would reject totalitarian government (Center for Civic Education, …show more content…
Reagan claimed that there was an undue tax burden on the American people. He also claimed that excessive government regulation and massive social spending programs hindered growth. Reagan first proposed a 30% tax cut that would be phased in for the first three years of his Presidency. The bulk of the cut would be concentrated at the upper income levels which in hindsight may not have been the best move for the countries future. Tax relief for the well-of would allow them to invest and spend invest more. This would then allow spending in all sectors that would then stimulate the economy and create new jobs. Reagan believed that a tax cut of this nature would ultimately generate additional revenue for the federal government. There were plenty in Congress who was skeptical of this move at that time. Ultimately, the congress approved a 25% cut during Reagan's first term. The results of this policy were varied. Initially, the Federal Reserve Board believed the tax cut would re-ignite inflation and raise interest rates. This sparked a deep recession in 1981 and 1982. The high interest rates caused the value of the dollar to rise on the international exchange market, making American goods more costly abroad. As a result, exports decreased while imports increased. Eventually, the economy stabilized in 1983, and the remaining years of Reagan's administration
First being the ending of the Cold War and communism. Reagan proponents continues to exert the notion that as a political leader of the free world during a very critical moment in our nation and world history; his policies directly contributed to the demise of communism and a new era in national and world politics. He stood up to the USSR and secured the United States position as a military and economic powerhouse. President Reagan’s goal was to contain Soviet communism and furthermore, reverse its gains and eliminate it. During this time, the president thought the Soviet Union's government-controlled economy could not compete successfully against America's free-market system. So, he started a rapid, large increase in the quantity and quality of America's military technology and weapons and dared the Soviets to match it. As America's military began to grow rapidly. The US would now promote freedom and democracy throughout the world. President Reagan predicted that given a choice, people everywhere, even within the Soviet Union, would reject totalitarian government (Center for Civic Education, …show more content…
Reagan claimed that there was an undue tax burden on the American people. He also claimed that excessive government regulation and massive social spending programs hindered growth. Reagan first proposed a 30% tax cut that would be phased in for the first three years of his Presidency. The bulk of the cut would be concentrated at the upper income levels which in hindsight may not have been the best move for the countries future. Tax relief for the well-of would allow them to invest and spend invest more. This would then allow spending in all sectors that would then stimulate the economy and create new jobs. Reagan believed that a tax cut of this nature would ultimately generate additional revenue for the federal government. There were plenty in Congress who was skeptical of this move at that time. Ultimately, the congress approved a 25% cut during Reagan's first term. The results of this policy were varied. Initially, the Federal Reserve Board believed the tax cut would re-ignite inflation and raise interest rates. This sparked a deep recession in 1981 and 1982. The high interest rates caused the value of the dollar to rise on the international exchange market, making American goods more costly abroad. As a result, exports decreased while imports increased. Eventually, the economy stabilized in 1983, and the remaining years of Reagan's administration