Ronald Reagan

You may only know President Ronald Reagan for such things, as the trickle down theory and the library named in his honor but there was much more that this great president did. He was first elected in 1981 at the age of 69 making him the oldest president in United States history. He was re-elected in 1985 at the age of 73, beating his old record.

There are many reasons why Ronald Reagan was a good president. He strengthened the Republican Party, ended the Cold War, and stimulated economic growth in the Untied States. Ronald Reagan was a very charismatic person and could connect to people from all social classes, which is why he earned the nickname The Great Communicator. He was also a powerful speaker who always left Americans with hope after his speeches. His charm, geniality, and great personality made him a favorite among the public.

Many people say his leadership style was too hands-off and not enough doing. However he knew when to get involved and when to leave the work to his people. After President Jimmy Carter left office America was left with a weak, vulnerable, ineffective military. However after Ronald Reagan left office in 1989 the United States military was once again the most powerful in the world. His administration funded many military projects such as weapon development.

He also increased military salaries and created larger training areas. Many people state that he increased the defense budget for six consecutive years, however this was necessary to revitalize the military Carter left behind. President Reagan also was passionate about the Department of Education where in 1983 he increased the budget by over 6 million over the next three years. But that was not all he did as he increased state aid by 20% or almost 35 billion. Many people say over his presidency he cut federal aid to schools by over 1 billion. However he spent the money effectively and spent a great amount on education after the report A Nation at Risk.

He also wanted to change the social policy and did in in 1988. During that year he signed the Family Support Act. This act states to establish and operate job oppurtunites and basic skill programs so families could avoid reling on welfare. He also passed the Social Security Reform Act in 1983. This gave extra money to securing the future of the Social Security system.

Another area President Reagan felt needed change was crime and in 1982 he launched the war on drugs. At this point drugs had become an extreme problem in the United States and something had to be done. From 1981 to 1986 he increased the funding by more than 1 billion dollars. During his presidency he also signed five major crime bills to help aid states with this growing problem. Reagan also wanted to help workers without life insurance and give them the benefits they deserved.

On April 7, 1986 he signed the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act into effect. This new law gives people who have lost their jobs the oppurtunity to continue receiving health benefits from their employers. As of today the law is still in effective from his presidency and has saved millions of American families from poverty and welfare. This is why I believe Ronald Reagan is a good president. In a poll taken in 2001, 73% of Americans had a favorable view of him.

As already stated he did many great things to help make America powerful once again. Without this great president who knows where this nation would be.