Ronald Reagan: good or horrible president?

Question

nightdrot · Accepted Answer

A fair case can be made that Reagan's was one of the most effective and consequential presidencies of the 20th century, if not in all of American history. Three issues, two specific, the third more general, buttress this claim. Inflation, the Cold War and the national mood.

In the first, as Robert Samuelson wrote in his book, The Great Inflation,' by the end of the 1970s, galloping inflation had almost come to be accepted among policymakers as the systemic condition of democracy. That democratic electorates would not tolerate the policy changes necessary to reign it in.

Thus, by 1979, the rate of inflation hit 14.5% - the highest annual rate in peacetime and 13.1% by 1980 - the first time the country had experienced back-to-back years of double digit inflation in peacetime. Reagan, unlike previous presidents, refused to pressure the Fed to idle back on interest rates, and in tandem with his tax cuts that provided an offsetting stimulus, brought inflation down to 1.1% by 1986, breaking the back of inflationary expectations.

In terms of the Cold War, it is hard to recall the degree to which it was seen as a permanent fixture of international affairs - with its overtones of nuclear annihilation. As Kenneth Adelman points out in his book on the Reykjavik summit, Reagan intuited that the Soviet system was on the brink. A fact that Western intelligence agencies could not confirm until the eve of the summit when they discovered a secret speech that Soviet leader Gorbachev gave to the Soviet leadership.

Reagan's policies were seen as belligerent, but they had the effect of forcing the Soviets to push their defense spending to 42% of GDP. (For comparison, even at the height of WWII, U. S. defense spending reached only 32% of GDP.) This was unsustainable and in the end brought about the USSR's collapse, a fact that Gorbachev himself later confirmed in his own memoirs.

Finally, there was the change in the national mood. The nation experienced in the 1960s and 70s a level of social tumult it had not seen since the 19th century. (Not unlike the nation's current tensions.) Reagan's personal style helped to reduce this leading to the relative social peace of the 80s and 90s. (This was captured brilliantly in a cartoon that showed a pollster asking a voter what he thought of Reagan's policies - #@*!! was the response. Next panel - What he thought of Reagan personally - "Oh nice guy, friendly, jovial'")

Add it all up and you have the case for Reagan being regarded as a very good President and arguably one of the best in the post-WWII era.

NamerOfStars · Accepted Answer

The guy who threw mental patients out on the streets, armed and trained Islamic terrorists simply because the modernization of the country was supported by the Soviets, was in bed with Joe McCarthy (before his presidency, to be fair), oversaw the S&L scandal (the largest theft in human history) and caused the Grant-Rigging scandal, which should've seen him imprisoned?

The creator of the Orwellian "Office of Public Diplomacy", made to propagandize to his own people and justify his illegal meddling in South America? Who stole EPA funds to influence election outcomes for his political allies?

The apartheid supporter who made backdoor deals with the Contras to smuggle cocaine into the United States, continued propping up an openly genocidal regime, and, oh yeah, committed high treason while in office?

The man is definitely in the bottom tier, alongside the likes of Lincoln and Biden, and just barely squeaks in above Fillmore.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Reagan economics destroyed US living standards. I would say the economy but the economy can be doing well but people aren't. Reagan's presidency signaled the end of that great period post ww2 where a family on a single wage could own a home, have two cars in the drive and raise two to four kids and send them to college. Now it takes two wage earners with college degrees and student debt working for less than minimum wage to rent a house they can't afford to ever own with a car they will never own and one kid they can't afford to raise

exitseven · Answer

Ronald Reagan was mostly a good president. He presided over a good economy and he was president during some significant events. I can remember one 4th of July when the Statue of Liberty was being repaired and was open once again to the public. It really seemed like we were one America.

msc545 · Answer

Horrible. That asshole didn't believe in mental health and closed all the mental hospitals. All those deranged people you see on the street? Thank that jerk Reagan for that!

tfan1 · Answer

President Donald J Trump - Best President Ronald Reagan - Second President John F Kennedy - Third

ImalwaysrightOK · Answer

One of the best. One of the most prosperous decades, the 80s.

GoodGuyBreakingBad · Answer

My father loss his steel mill job after Reagan got in office.

Anonymous · Answer

We need another one. Maybe we can make an AI that does exactly what Ronald Reagan did and install him as president.

zagor · Answer

He was not a particularly good President but he looks OK now thanks to GWB and Trump.

OddBeMe · Answer

Mmm.. started the deficit, illegally sold arms to Iran to fund South American right wing killers…

Dargil · Answer

One of the best in history.

slatyb · Answer

Huge deficits. Rather stupid.

888theGreat · Answer

He was Great

Pterodon · Answer

Excellent

Ronald Reagan: good or horrible president?

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