Was Ronald Reagan the best preident of the past 50 years?

Question

I think he was.

Answer 1

I only have one comment.
He called the Taliban "freedom fighters".
'Nuff said?

Answer 2

You are kidding and this is a joke, right? No way can you be serious. Except for the fact we weren't at war, it was like having Bush in power. Remember Iran-Contra? Remember trickle-down economics where the rich got richer and the poor got poorer? Homelessness in this country went up and has yet to come down. The economy basically sucked. In Reagan's favor, he could at least speak properly - when he was awake. He slept through half of his cabinet meetings and let his advisors make all the important decisions. He was too damned old and the Alzheimer's was already settling in. The best President of the last 50 years was the one between the two Bushes - some guy named Clinton, the Republican's favorite target because he couldn't keep his pants zipped when in the presence of a certain fat intern. The economy was booming, we were at peace and everybody was looking forward to a bright tomorrow, unlike today when with the Village Idiot in power, we're just hoping we're still around tomorrow.

Answer 3

Compared to Bush he looks like a Saint, but hell no. He bankrupted the treasury too in order to create a sense of false prosperity, and then the Republicans cried foul when Clinton distributed the Reagan debt on the upper class (who were simply returning the $$$ they hadn't trickled down in the 80s).

Economically, he was just as bad. And there were the Contra scandals to for international politics. Where is my Star Wars defense system, huh? To be honest, he was a bit of a loose cannon and some things happened to work out ok.

But he probably wasn't quite as nuts in terms of being a total puppet for the religious right. And I don't think he lied to the American people the way the neocons do. He had very bad policies, and was honest about them!

Answer 4

No. Nixon was. Together with Kissinger they stopped the war in Vietnam, won Egypt and China for the American cause and laid the foundations for the ultimate demise of communism. Ronald Reagan was just a nice grandpa with a senile smile.

Answer 5

Ronald Reagan wa great! Probably the best in the past 50 years.

Answer 6

Ronald Reagan came in to office the country was a mess Iran held people for over a year as hostages. he took care of that. home interst rates were 18-22 percent nobody could afford to buy a home he cut taxes stimulated the economy jobs picked up little third world counties took pot shots at us when things like that happened we would sen missile down there camel loving tent noboby heard a peep from libia, he cowboy-ed us up he stop kissing Russia *** and started to build our military back up to protect us in fact because of that Russia collapsed and millions of people tasted freedom again that's why hes the greatest in they last 100 years

Answer 7

lord help......you think he was the best president? hahahaha
ok reagan was the president that got us BACK on FOREIGN oil. OPEC cut oil production in the 70's and cut the amount of oil it would sell the US after the US supported Israel in the 6 day war (read about it) they did that in RETALIATION.... middle eastern (OPEC) countries hated Israel even back then!! in response....president carter weaned us off foreign oil, stimulated US oil production, and made US car makers STOP making big gas guzzling cars. then reagan came into office......he got us BACK on foreign oil within 3 years, we went right back to producing and driving big gas guzzling cars....and where are we today? back where we were 30 years ago....all due to 3 republican presidents that were more worried about THEIR bottom line, and lining their pockets (not to mention the pockets of big business!!!...wait it was Exxon Mobile that made another record breaking profit this quarter, 10.5 BILLION in profits.....under a REPUBLICAN president right?????) sheesh reagan sucked as a president, as have both the bushies. you need to go back and read some recent history......what about the iran/contra affair? he knew what was going on.......he was a great president HOOEY!!!!!!!

Answer 8

You mean other than selling weapons to a rogue military group in Central America and doing nothing to slow the spread of AIDs believing those who got it deserved it?

Yeah, he was great

Answer 9

Most of the answers you received seem to be coming from people we are to young to really remember the Regan era as they seem to regurgitate mostly stories made in political debate made well after the Regan left office.

Sufficient time has passed to adequately judge Regan's stewardship of the country. This cannot be said of Clinton George H Bush and certainly not George W. whatever your politics are. To set the stage lets review the state of the union in 1979-1980

Inflation Had averaged 12% annually for the last 4 yrs
Unemployment was just under 8%
Post Vietnam The Military had been neglected and put in a state of deep-freeze to the point that our capability was seriously compromised. and no major weapons system had been updated since the Vietnam era. ( I know this to be true I served In the US Navy from 1977-1986 including that wonderful debacle in the desert of Iran I was there)
actual wages were not increasing at all, and real wages or buying power was declining at a catastrophic rate.
The moral of the American public, post Vietnam and during the Iranian hostage crisis was at its lowest point since the British invasion during the war of 1812.
The world view of America was that of an impotent paper tiger which is one reason I believe events in Iran and Afghanistan transpired
Then Came Regan and things got worse (Surprised?). Yes I said they got worse! Regan Supported Paul Volcker's Ideas on the economy and bringing inflation under control and the economy went into a recession.
But You see that was the genius of Regan. The two qualities of Regan that stand out more so than any other president in the last 50 yrs other than maybe Kennedy are-
1.Optimism- Regan truly believed in the American people's ability to overcome any obstacle. Wow what a concept looking for what is right about America rather than what is wrong.
2. Conviction- Regan governed based on what he thought was best and not on what the latest poll or conventional wisdom was telling him at the time. The strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars) is a good example Most of the intellectuals and press largely ridiculed the Idea and said it could not be done. but Regan Believed, Many yrs. later our first ballistic missile defense system is almost a reality. This Vision that if there was a need we could and would get it done no matter what anybody says was his magic and very akin to Kennedy's challenge to go to the moon before the end of the decade.

By 1983 Inflation was under control the economy was growing again unemployment was dropping faster than any time since WW II and America was starting to believe in itself again. And here is the key in why I think Regan was one of the best presidents in the last 50 yrs. Simply Put he inspired us Democrat and Republican alike. By 1984 The people believed too they had re-elected him by one of the largest margins in history he carried every state but one including NY and Calf. That alone should tell those of you that did not experience it what a great man he was. Can you imagine a Republican candidate taking NY, Calf, Ct under any circumstances today Regan restored a little bit of the Just Noble Republic feel of the 1950's back to America and for that I will always be grateful

Now lets deal with some of the criticisms posted here

Regan Ran up the Deficit by giving tax cuts to the wealthy
The truth- revenue actually increased dramatically after the tax cut was implemented much the same as it did under Kennedy and George W. Bush. The deficit was almost entirely the result of increase spending on defense to rebuild the long neglected military.

Regan gave tax cuts only to the rich and the rich got richer and the poor got poorer.
The truth- Under Regan's Tax Simplification (Cut) Plan the Poor and the rich benefited. under his plan the bottom 3rd of income earners of Americas workforce ended up paying no tax at all. In fact many of the poor actually received money from the government. Those of you that benefit from the
Earned income Credit today can thank Mr Regan for this. The Brunt of the tax burden under his plan was on the upper middle class and wealthy and the greatest beneficiaries by FAR were the working poor who now paid no tax at all. The Truth of the pudding is the Rich did get richer and the and the Poor got richer also.
Iran-Contra- This was a genuine stain on his presidency. But unlike others he admitted this fact himself and like Truman before him in essence said the buck stops here and apologized for the governments actions.

Regan's Legacy
Fall of the Soviet Union- Gorbachev himself admitted it to be so.

Rebirth of American Conservatism- Every president since Regan has been a conservative. and if you are asking that includes Bill Clinton who's governance was right of center by any historical standards no matter what your political persuasion.

Restoration of Americas faith in itself. Despite the efforts of BOTH parties in the times since then and their politics of personal destruction

Restoration of America's Military- Believe me folks I was there in the seventies the military was rampant with drug abuse and moral was very low. Regan restored pride to the armed forces and tried to give them the very best equipment as well as raising their pay to something that was more than substance wages.


In the end like a good football coach with his team down at half time Regan revived America's faith in it self. Regan believed in the people and the people believed in him. For that Mr. Ronald Wilson Regan I will always thank you and hold you in the highest regard and repudiate all these revisionist historians that denigrate your name.

Answer 10

I'm not sure because I was very young when he was President. But I can say he was better than Clinton and W. I don't remember much about Daddy Bush's presidency.

Answer 11

Reagan was charismatic, i really like his no non sense approach to other nation, i think each and every president has there victories and failures, but i came of age with Reagan, he has my vote for numba one