Ronald Reagan Presidency

Ronald Reagan

Similarities with Jimmy Carter

  • Both were Washington DC outsiders.
  • Both served as governors (Georgia and California, respectively).

Differences

  • Carter's lack of DC connections hurt his presidency.
  • Reagan brought in political insiders to help him.

Return to Conservative Values

  • Reagan's presidency ushered in a return to conservative values.
  • Many Americans felt the US was becoming too liberal.

Charisma and Relationships

  • Reagan had charisma and the ability to make even the opposition like him.
  • He created relationships with political opponents, unlike the politicians of today.

Humor and Age

  • Reagan had the ability to make fun of himself, which people appreciated.
  • In a debate, he joked about his age.

New Federalism

  • Continued Nixon's idea of new federalism, advocating for reducing the size of the federal government.
  • Shifted power from the federal government back to the states through block grants.

Reaganomics

  • Also called supply-side or trickle-down economics.
  • Aimed to take away the power of the government over the economy.
  • Reduced regulations and incentivized businesses to invest.
  • Cut taxes, leading to less money for the federal government.
  • Increased military spending due to the Cold War, leading to a huge deficit.
  • Deregulation of businesses led to environmental issues.
  • Encouraged more offshore drilling, lowering gas prices but potentially harming the environment.

National Debt and Cold War

  • The national debt greatly increased under Reagan.
  • The Cold War was won by investing in the military, forcing the Soviets to do the same, which their economy couldn't handle.
  • Created the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), also called Star Wars.

Reagan Doctrine and Iran-Contra Affair

  • Based on stopping the spread of communism.
  • Involved offering aid to counter socialist groups in Nicaragua.
  • The Bolin agreement forbade sending money to Nicaragua.
  • The Iran-Contra affair involved selling arms to Iran and using the money to fund the Contras in Nicaragua.
  • Oliver North took the fall.

End of the Cold War

  • Reagan's efforts forced the Soviet Union's hand.
  • Gorbachev initiated Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (restructuring).
  • Reagan called for the Berlin Wall to be torn down.
  • The wall was eventually torn down during President Bush's presidency.