Ronald Reagan
40th President of the United States · 1911–2004
Reagan, a former actor and governor of California, served two terms as a Republican president in the 1980s. He cut taxes and regulation, built up the military against the Soviet Union, and later negotiated nuclear arms reductions with Gorbachev.
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Estimated from their documented words and actions. A simplification, not a verdict.
Argued that government was the problem and sought to return powers and programs to the states.
Committed to electoral democracy, though the Iran-Contra affair bypassed congressional limits.
Intensified the war on drugs and law-and-order policies while speaking strongly of individual liberty.
Distrusted the UN and arms-control orthodoxy, preferring U.S. strength and bilateral deals.
Led a large defence buildup, proposed the Strategic Defense Initiative and invaded Grenada.
Signed the 1986 amnesty for about three million undocumented immigrants and praised immigration.
Cut the top income tax rate from 70% to 28% and opposed redistribution.
Deregulated industries and argued that markets work best with minimal state involvement.
Championed free trade and began the U.S.-Canada agreement, though he imposed quotas on Japanese cars.
Allied with the religious right and supported school prayer.
Opposed abortion and the Equal Rights Amendment and appealed to traditional family values.
Promoted high-technology defence projects such as SDI and the space station.