Reagan Revolution

By: Tomás Böhmer Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, had a unique path to the White House. After successful careers as a radio host and a Hollywood actor, he turned to politics, serving as the governor of California in 1966. He unsuccessfully ran for president in 1968 and 1976, but in 1980 he won the presidency against Jimmy Carter, the incumbent president. His legacy is incomparable to any other president. His economic policies, accompanied by his foreign policies, skyrocketed the United States into greatness and most certainly freed the world from the impending catastrophe of communism.

In late 1970 under President Carter’s administration, the United States was suffering a period of low economic growth, with high inflation and interest rates and an energy crisis. The US also was in the middle of a Cold War that didn’t look like it was going to end. In the last presidential debate, Reagan asked voters, "Are you better off today than you were four years ago?... Is America as respected throughout the world as it was?" These were questions Americans answered quickly as they voted for Reagan in 43 out of the 50 states.

Reagan’s administration brought back the spirit of America. He brought back a sense of patriotism. A patriotism that is clearly lost today. Today, the idea that the United States is oppressive and racist is alarming. Social networks, accompanied by educational institutions, share the idea that the United States is racist and there is a systematic problem. He warned us about this in his last speech as president... “We’ve got to teach history based not on what’s in fashion, but what’s important… and children, if your parents haven’t been teaching you what it means to be an American, let them know and nail them on it, that would be a very American thing.” He was nicked-named the Great Communicator for a reason. After a shot to his body that almost ended his presidency in 1981, he told the doctors who were going to operate him, “I hope you’re all Republicans.” His sense of humor and charisma were planted in the hearts of millions of Americans.

In his inauguration speech, he addressed the nation saying that government is not the solution to our problems, government is the problem. When it comes to economic policy Ronald Reagan took quick action, lowering the top tax rate from 70% to 50%, he also reduced the overall margin tax rate by 23%. Due to his policies, inflation dropped from 13.5% to 3.5 % in the last years of his administration. He developed the idea of a small government using the least amount of taxes and expenditure possible. A very capitalist idea that was being forgotten in the cradle of capitalism. The most important accomplishment not only benefited the United States, but the whole world. He finally pulled down the iron curtain. He's the president that ended the Cold War with the Soviet Union, a conflict decades old. Months after his hard work in ending the tension between the two countries, the Berlin wall that separated West Berlin and East Berlin was brought down. Peace and union were finally brought into Germany. Reagan had made such an impact, that he was invited to watch the wall come down, even though he wasn’t president anymore. Countries that followed oppression and misery as their styles of government finally became democratic states after the end of the Cold War.

Many of the things that Reagan brought back to the United States, like the sense of patriotism, or being respected internationally again was

lost after his presidency. America opted to care about other countries' conflicts, turning away from the consequences it has on the American public. Ronald Reagan still impacts the political discussion today. His economic policies and his concept of the government, which was made famous thanks to his presidency, influenced many leaders, parties, and countries to implement these ideas. Not only that, he proved that these ideas work. However, there’s an ongoing debate whether Ronald Reagan’s legacy was truly perfect, but many historians agree (Liberals and conservatives) that Ronald Reagan has been one of the most influential presidents of America’s history, leaving his mark on American politics, conservatism, diplomacy, culture and effective communication.

1. To the medical team in the operating room just after assassination attempt: "I hope you're all Republicans." 2. “The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” 3. “Here’s my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they lose.” 4. “Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” 5. “Thomas Jefferson once said, ‘We should never judge a president by his age, only by his works.’ And ever since he told me that, I stopped worrying.” 6. "We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much." 7. "A hippie is someone who looks like Tarzan, walks like Jane, and smells like Cheetah."

Two Soviet Jokes: - "You know there is a ten year delay in the Soviet Union for the delivery of an automobile. And only one out of seven families in the Soviet Union own automobiles. There is a 10 year wait, and you go through quite a process when you are ready to buy, and then you put up the money in advance. This man laid down the money, and the fellow in charge said to him: 'Come back in 10 years and get your car.' The man answered: 'Morning or afternoon?' And the fellow behind the counter said: 'Ten years from now, what difference does it make?' And he said: 'Well, the plumber is coming in the morning.'" - "The two fellows in the Soviet Union who were walking down the street and one of them says: 'Have we really achieved full communism? Is this it? Is this now full communism?' The other one said: 'Oh no, things are gonna get a lot worse.'"