This will get me lambasted by Deus as I rate the modern conservative sacred cow lower than they’d like. He’s in the Top 10, so this is hardly taking a shot at someone who I consider a very good President. He is just not the standard bearer he is portrayed to be. He could have been the greatest had he not made a handful of unforced errors. Circumstances arguably not in his total control are what ultimately drops him down the list this far.
Reagan’s first mistake was his desire to placate the progressive (establishment) Republicans. His first choice for running mate was actually Gerald Ford! Unfortunately for Ford, he began hinting in interviews that it would be like a co-presidency. Reagan was turned off and went with Bush instead. Hardly an improvement. He let the ultimate establishment wolf into the chicken coop…or pick your stupid metaphor.
President Reagan fought a continuous battle against the growth of the federal government. This, of course, was badly needed. He failed. It must be remembered that this was a heavily Democrat controlled Congress. Although he did win battles against the out of control spending, Congress ultimately controlled the purse strings. Spending increased and the deficit soared. It did increase and soar less than it would have because of Reagan’s push back.
Reagan was able to implement wide ranging tax cuts credited with ending the deep economic “malaise” of the Carter years which ran through the first year of the Reagan administration in 1981. By the end of 1982, American prosperity increased and the roaring 80’s began. An inherited unemployment rate near 11% was reduced to 5%.
The Carter years were also mired by an energy crisis that saw long lines at gas pumps and even rationing of gas. Immediately after being inaugurated, Reagan issued an Executive Order removing restrictions on oil and gas prices. Progressive “experts” warned that this would tank the economy and cause prices to skyrocket. As usual, the progressive “experts” were dead wrong. Free economy happened. Oil companies began competing with one another and prices dropped. Gas lines, high prices, and rationing were a bad memory. This was a brilliant move upon taking office.
Much to the horror of weak-kneed progressives, Reagan took on the Soviet Union with no mercy and no apologies. He branded them the Evil Empire because that is what leftist socialism/communism is. Evil. There was to be no moral equivalency between the Soviet Union and the West. Prior administrations had tried to appease the Soviet Union. Reagan sought to end them. By not giving an inch in negotiations and building the American military, Reagan forced the Soviet government to spend beyond their means just to keep up. What resulted was the dissolution of the Soviet Union and an end to the communist empire. The importance of ending the Cold War cannot be overstated. Future administrations fumbled this great opportunity, however.
My criticisms of President Reagan? I have two. And they are big criticisms.
On November 6, 1986, Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act. This made it unlawful to hire people who were here illegal. Sounds good, right? Here’s the trade-off. Over three million illegals were granted amnesty. Immediately. And of course, businesses continued to illegally find loopholes to employing illegals thereafter. It could be argued that California’s fall to permanent blue status began with this one act. There is no argument though that employment prospects of Americans and legal immigrants were harmed badly by this.
The Iran Contra scandal was also a major black eye to the administration. In short, our enemies in Iran were being secretly aided in a ridiculous and circuitous plot to assist Nicaraguan rebels fight communism. It was a typical CIA operation expected of the Bush wing of the party. Most accept that Reagan had no involvement with this plot. It is debatable whether he even had any knowledge. But like Grant, he has responsibility for it happening under his nose.
Reagan was vastly different than the several Presidents who preceded him and followed him. He was the only one post Kennedy who wasn’t an establishment-controlled President. Propping Bush to the VP position was a mistake that marred the 90’s, but there have been arguments that Reagan had little choice in his VP pick. Did the GOP threaten to provide no funds and thus torpedo the election unless Reagan chose their guy? Seems likely as Reagan was not a fan of Bush. And that’s the ultimate story of President Reagan. He was a rebel surrounded by progressive Republicans and an ultra progressive Democrat Congress. While Reagan was undoubtedly the best president of my lifetime, he remains a great “what if” to history. What if he wasn’t surrounded by pure swamp? He could have accomplished so much more.
Reagan’s first mistake was his desire to placate the progressive (establishment) Republicans. His first choice for running mate was actually Gerald Ford! Unfortunately for Ford, he began hinting in interviews that it would be like a co-presidency. Reagan was turned off and went with Bush instead. Hardly an improvement. He let the ultimate establishment wolf into the chicken coop…or pick your stupid metaphor.
President Reagan fought a continuous battle against the growth of the federal government. This, of course, was badly needed. He failed. It must be remembered that this was a heavily Democrat controlled Congress. Although he did win battles against the out of control spending, Congress ultimately controlled the purse strings. Spending increased and the deficit soared. It did increase and soar less than it would have because of Reagan’s push back.
Reagan was able to implement wide ranging tax cuts credited with ending the deep economic “malaise” of the Carter years which ran through the first year of the Reagan administration in 1981. By the end of 1982, American prosperity increased and the roaring 80’s began. An inherited unemployment rate near 11% was reduced to 5%.
The Carter years were also mired by an energy crisis that saw long lines at gas pumps and even rationing of gas. Immediately after being inaugurated, Reagan issued an Executive Order removing restrictions on oil and gas prices. Progressive “experts” warned that this would tank the economy and cause prices to skyrocket. As usual, the progressive “experts” were dead wrong. Free economy happened. Oil companies began competing with one another and prices dropped. Gas lines, high prices, and rationing were a bad memory. This was a brilliant move upon taking office.
Much to the horror of weak-kneed progressives, Reagan took on the Soviet Union with no mercy and no apologies. He branded them the Evil Empire because that is what leftist socialism/communism is. Evil. There was to be no moral equivalency between the Soviet Union and the West. Prior administrations had tried to appease the Soviet Union. Reagan sought to end them. By not giving an inch in negotiations and building the American military, Reagan forced the Soviet government to spend beyond their means just to keep up. What resulted was the dissolution of the Soviet Union and an end to the communist empire. The importance of ending the Cold War cannot be overstated. Future administrations fumbled this great opportunity, however.
My criticisms of President Reagan? I have two. And they are big criticisms.
On November 6, 1986, Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act. This made it unlawful to hire people who were here illegal. Sounds good, right? Here’s the trade-off. Over three million illegals were granted amnesty. Immediately. And of course, businesses continued to illegally find loopholes to employing illegals thereafter. It could be argued that California’s fall to permanent blue status began with this one act. There is no argument though that employment prospects of Americans and legal immigrants were harmed badly by this.
The Iran Contra scandal was also a major black eye to the administration. In short, our enemies in Iran were being secretly aided in a ridiculous and circuitous plot to assist Nicaraguan rebels fight communism. It was a typical CIA operation expected of the Bush wing of the party. Most accept that Reagan had no involvement with this plot. It is debatable whether he even had any knowledge. But like Grant, he has responsibility for it happening under his nose.
Reagan was vastly different than the several Presidents who preceded him and followed him. He was the only one post Kennedy who wasn’t an establishment-controlled President. Propping Bush to the VP position was a mistake that marred the 90’s, but there have been arguments that Reagan had little choice in his VP pick. Did the GOP threaten to provide no funds and thus torpedo the election unless Reagan chose their guy? Seems likely as Reagan was not a fan of Bush. And that’s the ultimate story of President Reagan. He was a rebel surrounded by progressive Republicans and an ultra progressive Democrat Congress. While Reagan was undoubtedly the best president of my lifetime, he remains a great “what if” to history. What if he wasn’t surrounded by pure swamp? He could have accomplished so much more.
