I completed reading Bob Spitz's biography of Ronald Reagan in mid-January. It was really well written and I learned a lot (like what Iran-Contra was). He was definitely a highly intelligent, complex person. I think he meant well.
I disagree with a lot of his policies, like his handling of the AIDS epidemic and his opposition to abortion rights. I think he did better on foreign policy, mostly. The Presidency is a really difficult job though - and ultimately, the great men of history shrug at our quibbles.
Anyway, what do you think of Reagan and the Reagan period?
Ronald Reagan was a great communicator and probably one of the best public speakers in American History. His historic "
tear down this wall" speech that was delivered only about 100 yards from the iron curtain marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War. His
debate style and humor not only provided an optimism that was contagious, its exactly what the American people needed winning the hearts and minds of Democrats
and Republicans resulting in not one but two landslide elections.
Reagan built up national defense while stimulating economic growth, increasing employment, and curbing inflation that was out-of-control during the previous administration. He completely overhauled the income tax code exempting people with low incomes and eliminated many tax deductions.
He negotiated a treaty with the Soviet Union that resulted in the elimination of intermediate-range nuclear missiles by
reversing his previous "evil empire" rhetoric and changing his approach by understanding - through 5 separate summit meetings - that Mikhail Gorbachev is "a man that that you can do business with". Prior Soviet Union dissidents admire him as a hero. Probably the most provocative ambitions of his administration was the space-based missile shield concept called "star wars" in the media.
In my opinion, the lowest part of his presidency was when U.S. Marines were sent to Beirut in 1983, and ordered not to load their weapons, making them unable to respond to a suicide bombing attack that killed 241 Marines.
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