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Ronald Reagan
At the end of his two terms in office, Ronald Reagan viewed with satisfaction
the achievements of his innovative program known as the Reagan Revolution, which
aimed to reinvigorate the American people and reduce their reliance upon
Government. He felt he had fulfilled his campaign pledge of 1980 to restore "the
great, confident roar of American progress and growth and optimism."
On February 6, 1911, Ronald Wilson Reagan was born to Nelle and John Reagan in
Tampico, Illinois. He attended high school in nearby Dixon and then worked his
way through Eureka College. There, he studied economics and sociology, played on
the football team, and acted in school plays. Upon graduation, he became a radio
sports announcer. A screen test in 1937 won him a contract in Hollywood. During
the next two decades he appeared in 53 films.
From his first marriage to actress Jane Wyman, he had two children, Maureen and
Michael. Maureen passed away in 2001. In 1952 he married Nancy Davis, who was
also an actress, and they had two children, Patricia Ann and Ronald Prescott.
As president of the Screen Actors Guild, Reagan became embroiled in disputes
over the issue of Communism in the film industry; his political views shifted
from liberal to conservative. He toured the country as a television host,
becoming a spokesman for conservatism. In 1966 he was elected Governor of
California by a margin of a million votes; he was re-elected in 1970.
Ronald Reagan won the Republican Presidential nomination in 1980 and chose as
his running mate former Texas Congressman and United Nations Ambassador George
Bush. Voters troubled by inflation and by the year-long confinement of Americans
in Iran swept the Republican ticket into office. Reagan won 489 electoral votes
to 49 for President Jimmy Carter.
On January 20, 1981, Reagan took office. Only 69 days later he was shot by a
would-be assassin, but quickly recovered and returned to duty. His grace and wit
during the dangerous incident caused his popularity to soar.
Dealing skillfully with Congress, Reagan obtained legislation to stimulate
economic growth, curb inflation, increase employment, and strengthen national
defense. He embarked upon a course of cutting taxes and Government expenditures,
refusing to deviate from it when the strengthening of defense forces led to a
large deficit.
A renewal of national self-confidence by 1984 helped Reagan and Bush win a
second term with an unprecedented number of electoral votes. Their victory
turned away Democratic challengers Walter F. Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro.
In 1986 Reagan obtained an overhaul of the income tax code, which eliminated
many deductions and exempted millions of people with low incomes. At the end of
his administration, the Nation was enjoying its longest recorded period of
peacetime prosperity without recession or depression.
In foreign policy, Reagan sought to achieve "peace through strength." During his
two terms he increased defense spending 35 percent, but sought to improve
relations with the Soviet Union. In dramatic meetings with Soviet leader Mikhail
Gorbachev, he negotiated a treaty that would eliminate intermediate-range
nuclear missiles. Reagan declared war against international terrorism, sending
American bombers against Libya after evidence came out that Libya was involved
in an attack on American soldiers in a West Berlin nightclub.
By ordering naval escorts in the Persian Gulf, he maintained the free flow of
oil during the Iran-Iraq war. In keeping with the Reagan Doctrine, he gave
support to anti-Communist insurgencies in Central America, Asia, and Africa.
Overall, the Reagan years saw a restoration of prosperity, and the goal of peace
through strength seemed to be within grasp. |
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