Ronald Reag The President Of The United States - 2871 Words

Introduction Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) was the 40th president of the United States of America from January 20, 1981 to January 20, 1989. He was a Republican and served two terms in office. He is considered by many people as one of the greatest presidents in American history. Section 1 of this paper begins by explaining why Reagan is considered a great president by many people, and also gives some background information on the state of the economy he had inherited. Section 2 reflects on Reagan’s domestic record, in particular three negative economic consequences that resulted from his policies and occurred during his presidency. Section 3 considers two aspects of Reagan’s foreign policy: the US invasion of Grenada, and the Iran-Contra†¦show more content†¦There are five main reasons why Reagan is admired by large segments of the American public. Firstly, he is considered to have been a staunch patriot and a charismatic leader (Spinrad, 1991). These qualities were needed in a president at the time due to the influence of the Soviet Union and the threat of communism. It was also important due to Americans being demoralised from the failure in Vietnam. Secondly, the six months leading up to the end of his second term were characterised by increased cooperation with the Soviet Union’s Mikhail Gorbachev to reform the union. It eventually resulted in the total collapse of the Soviet Union and Reagan is credited for assisting in the eradication of the communist threat. The third, and more controversial reason for Reagan’s popularity, is the Ronald Reagan Legacy Project funded by conservative Americans (Norquist, n.d.). The project aims to instil the legacy of Reagan by lobbying to name buildings, roads, and landmarks after the president. This boosts the image and prestige of the president in the eyes of the people, especially for people who did not live during his presidency or do not know much about him. The fourth reason for Reagan’s popularity is that he is perceived to have drastically improved the US economy and lives of Americans. One of the ways to understand this is by comparing the shape of the US economy when he took office to its shape when he left. The US