The Presidency Of Ronald Reagan

America’s 40th President was Ronald Reagan, who took the government’s oath in 1981, on January 20th. He was a person completely of the period he lived in, a period that left an indelible imprint on the United State’s form of life and consciousness. Throughout this era, the nation was encountering the most critical economic periods since the Great Depression. The taxes and the unemployment rates were very high, while the interest rates and the social mood was very low. During his position as the President of the United States, Ronald apprehended exactly how to speak to his nation; he communicated to a high understanding of the American-self, and he was speaking in a compelling way and in a voice that did not have a high academic gloss or self-conscious populist pose.
President Ronald had a vision which was the top priority for him as the new president, and it was to bring America back. He shared this vision during his inauguration, and it entailed growing America’s economy which would provide opportunities to all people with no barriers or discriminations and end inflation in America. It meant freeing all Americans from high living costs and that all people had to work towards change and rise of the economy for them to enjoy in the revived economy as a country(“How Ronald Reagan Changed The World Essay”).
Ronald Reagan served in office for two terms together with George Bush former Congressman in Texas, and during his time he was able to achieve a lot, and he set a record compared to all previous presidents as the most successful among them all.His life and achievements in changing America such as bringing an end to the 40-year cold war and also raising America’s economy and building strength and confidence among the American people are discussed below.
President Ronald Reagan is termed as one of the most successful presidents in America as he helped bring a feeling of optimism to America and also as very skillful and with his grace and wit, he was able to vindicate and steer America into its success. He is said to have restored America’s dream. Ronald left the white house in January the year 1989 and returned together with his wife to California where they settled in Los Angeles. On 5th of June the year 2004 however, President Ronald Reagan died at the age of 93 as a one-time great movie star and governor who served two terms of the golden state (“How Ronald Reagan Changed The World Essay”).
President Ronald Reagan’s life
Ronald Wilson Reagan was born on the February 6th, 1911 in place known as Tampico. He was brought up by both parents Nelle and John Reagan. Ronald attended his high school near Dixon before joining Eureka College. In college, Ronald pursued economics and sociology, participated in football game and acting various school’s plays as his extra-curriculum activities. Upon graduation from Eureka College, Ronald became a sports presenter on radio. In the year 1937, Ronald engaged in a screen test which enabled him to win contract with Hollywood and within twenty years, he had been featured in 53 films.
Ronald Reagan married twice and in his first marriage he married an actress by the name Jane Wyman where they were blessed with two kids who were named Michael and Maureen. Unfortunately, Maureen passed on in the year 2001.In his second marriage, Ronald married another actress by the name Nancy Davis in the year 1952.Ronald and Nancy also gave birth to two kids by the name Ronald Prescott and Patricia Ann.
In the year 1980, Ronald emerged as a winner of the Republican Presidential nominations and chose George Bush who was the former Congressman at Texas and United States Ambassador as his running mate to be. Reagan won the elections by 489 electoral votes compared to 49 electoral votes which were gathered by President Jimmy Carter. On the 20th of January, 1981, Reagan was sworn in and within 69 days after taking office, Reagan was shot by an assassin, but he was able to recover quickly and resume his duties. His wit and grace, however, caused his popularity to soar during the critical incident. Skillfully dealing with Congress, he obtained legislation to increase employment, encourage economic growth, reduce inflation rates, as well as strengthen the national defense. He refused to deviate from a course he initiated in order to reduce taxes and more so, government expenditures which led to massive deficits during the strengthening of the security forces (“How Ronald Reagan Changed The World Essay”).
Again in 1984 election, Reagan and Bush emerged as winners in a second term with an unprecedented number of electoral votes with the help of a renewal of national self-confidence. Democratic competitors such as Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro were turned away by their victory. Some of Reagan’s achievements in 1986 included him obtaining the best income tax code, hence through this strategy; it helped the exempting deductions for millions of people with low incomes. At the end of Reagan’s administration, the nation was experiencing one of its longest period of peace and prosperity without depression or recession (“The Second American Revolution: Reaganomics | The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute”).
In his two terms as the president, Reagan raised the defense spending 35% but improved relations with the Soviet Union. Reagan believed in enhancing good relationship and peace by enhancing the foreign policies. For example, he made great effort in negotiating a treaty with Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet leader that would get rid of nuclear missiles. Besides that, he declared war against international terrorism, and sent American bombers against Libya after it became evident that Libya had participated in an attack of the American soldiers in a club located in West Berlin. Reagan also ensured that there was a free flow of oil during the war between Iran and Iraq through naval escorts in the Persian Gulf. He also seen to give great support to anti-communist insurgencies in Central America and Africa (Simon and Schuster).
He served from 1981 to 1989, and Ronald Reagan’s terms came to an end. With satisfaction, he viewed the achievements of his innovative program called the Reagan Revolution that was aimed at reinvigorating the America citizens to reduce their Reliance upon the government. Through these initiatives, Reagan believed to have fulfilled his campaign pledge of 1980 which was focused on restoring “the great, confident roar of the progress of America and optimism and growth.” (Communicator, The)
President Reagan completed his two term rule in January 1989 and together with the wife moved to California, where they settled in Los Angeles. In 1991, The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum were opened for his commemoration in Simi Valley at California. Unfortunately, in November 1994, Regan was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. A decade later he was announced dead at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 93 making him the president who ever lived the longest in the nation. Reagan was given a state burial in Washington D.C., and then buried later on the grounds where his presidential library was located.” (Communicator, The).
How Ronald Reagan changes America
During the 1980s, Reagan spent more than other presidents before him had ever done on increase the defense which was among his policy ”peace through strength.” It was during this period when nuclear missiles production surged, and the country was caught up in a race of mini-arms with the Soviet Union.Reagan’s administration defeated the Soviets by spending in the manufacture of nuclear weapons.The Soviets tried to compete but the aims were never achieved after going into bankruptcy and there was no other option but to withdraw their Marxist Values (Simon and Schuster).
In 1987, Reagan spoke at the Brandenburg Gate in East Berlin and encouraged the people to stop communism and increase of individual’s liberty. After addressing this matter, the speech was viewed as the most successful speeches in his rule as American president. After addressing thousands of people who had gathered in Branderburg Gate, Reagan spoke to the General Secretary of the Soviet Union Mr. Gorbachev asking him to tear down the Berlin walls and two years down the line, the Soviet Union agreed to that, and within that year communist nations around Europe started to crumble.Gorbachev was praised by many Democrats in Congress for bringing peace to the European countries. However, on the other side, many Americans who were at that time opposing the Reagan administration, were jubilant to provide all the credit to the Soviet Union and not Reagan as they viewed him as an overpowering and heartless person to be that successful. Never the less there were those that supported Reagan’s rule or administration, and they said regardless of what belief one held, Ronald Reagan, played a significant role in bringing the cold war down that lasted for 40 years and quelled the global threat by communists. Hence he changed the world (”The Achievements And Failures Of The Reagan Presidency“).
Reagan’s great success may have been to bring the cold war to an end; however, during his time in office Reagan’s administration began a policy called ”Reaganomics”; which was an economic policy also referred to as trickle –down economics. This system worked in a way that there would be tax cuts for the wealthy, the middle class and the have-nots. Therefore, this would stimulate the economy.Reaganomics was created with the mentality that, if the rich obtained more money, then they would easily create more business opportunities, and the middle-class would own business, and so they would rank higher than the poor. Due to this social hierarchy of job creation, the nation was peaceful for 96 months, and also there was economic growth. In 1983, the country’s economy began to recover and entered into a period of great prosperity which extended through his time as president. Critics believed that the different policies introduced contributed to the budget deficits and accumulation of national debts. In 1990, George Bush did away with Reaganomics, and almost immediately the grown economy went down again. People then viewed that 1980 decade as the decade of greed whereby the rich got richer while the poor got poorer.(”The Second American Revolution: Reaganomics | The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute“).
Reaganomics policy is also discredited by the people as they feel the rich got richer due to their inability to pay their taxes fairly. Illustrations from economic figures showed that the top 1% who earned income paid almost 40% of the federal income taxes in the U.S. After Reaganomics was discredited, and the 1980 decade termed as the decade of greed what did Ronald Reagan as the president do? He worked to reduce heavy taxes to return wealth to its owners who were the workers. Giving out money is not how the administration did it but allowing the people to keep what they earned was how.Hence, the money was returned into the national economy as consumerism rose.
Reaganomics was again a success in that tax cuts worked very well towards economic growth.Implementation of reduced tax on both income and corporations encouraged working class Americans to work and achieve as they were no longer afraid of working and being punished with unmitigated taxation. A feeling of optimism was restored in America during that time after long periods of unemployment in the 1970s during Cater’s administration. Reagan then restored confidence in the American people bringing forth a strong, nationalistic generation of Americans. In the year 1981, he made a great history by appointing Sandra Day O’Connor as the first lady to the U.S Supreme Court (”The Second American Revolution: Reaganomics | The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute“).
Ronald Reagan also valued values that served America well which he voiced.These values were thrift, patriotism and also hard work and often those that recounted the founding father’s wisdom. Ronald also revitalized the GOP and the conservative movement by forming a winning coalition of fiscal conservatives when the Republican Party was at its rock bottom after Watergate. Family values voters set the stage for the future GOP electoral gains, Reagan’s Democrats and non-conservative intellectuals. His free-market and small-government helped revitalize the GOP, and today his influence resonates as the conservative candidates still appeal to Reagan as their pacesetter.
During Reagan’s administration Air Traffic Union controller federal members went on strike, and this action violated the federal law. This strike was, however, detrimental to the nation’s safety and so Reagan gave the PATCO workers a take it or leave it deal, and he ended up firing more than 11000 of them.This sent a strong signal that the Union workers needed not to be pampered.
Conclusion
Ronald Reagan‘s reign being the 40th president of the U.S helped vindicate America big time especially economically, and also he assisted in restoring peace in the country by bringing the cold war to an end. Compared to its previous years of high taxes, high interest rates, unemployment, it had a deteriorating economy. ”Reaganomics policy” was the savior of America’s economy as over eight years’ time, of the Reagan administration. New jobs were created, inflation rate dropped drastically from 13.5% to 4.1% between years 1980-1988, the gross national product increased by 26%, and the prime interest rate was reduced by more than half from 21.5% in January 1981 to 10% in August 1988.Employment of African –Americans also rose in the years 1982 and 1988 of which over half of the created were occupied by women (”The Second American Revolution: Reaganomics | The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute“).
Besides the bad economy, America’s war had lasted for 40 years, and the communists were not going to stop until Reagan intervened and fortunately using his wit and impressive methods he managed to halt the war hence giving eternal peace to America and raising confident, strong, nationalistic Americans. Being a man of great achievements both in the political and acting world, President Ronald Reagan was diagnosed with a disease, and a decade later he died at the age of 93, on the 5th of June the year 2004. He died a respected and honored man in the hearts of many Americans as he left a stamp on their hearts and the culture and spirits of America (Simon and Schuster).
A remarkable presidential library and museum were opened in his memory at California which is the grounds also where he is buried after being given a states funeral. America would be at its worst if it were not for President Ronald Reagan’s vindication and smart moves that he used to steer the Americans into success. He helped restore America’s dream as it is said.

Works cited.
Communicator, The.”Ronald Reagan - U.S. Presidents - HISTORY.Com“.HISTORY.Com, http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/ronald-reagan.
”How Ronald Reagan Changed The World Essay“. American Conservatism, http://mattfrost.weebly.com/how-ronald-reagan-changed-the-world-essay.html.
Simon and Schuster. Ronald Reagan an American Life. Simon and Schuster building, Rockefeller Centre. 1990
”The Second American Revolution: Reaganomics | The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute“. Reaganfoundation.Org, https://www.reaganfoundation.org/ronald-reagan/the-presidency/economic-policy/.
”The Achievements And Failures Of The Reagan Presidency“. Presidency.Ucsb.Edu, http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/reagan_100.php.
”Top 10 Reagan Achievements | Human Events“. Human Events, http://humanevents.com/2011/02/06/top-10-reagan-achievements/.