4 Things That Ronald Reagan Will Be Remembered For
Many disliked Reagan’s policies, but no one disliked him. Such was the charm of the 41st President of the United States. No other president, since Abraham Lincoln used humor as efficiently as he did – to win friends and slay enemies. Here are four things for which he will always be remembered: • Tear down this wall: Ronald Reagan’s plea to Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall may not have directly contributed to the actual fall of the wall – the events surrounding the Berlin Crisis were far more complex to be resolved by a single speech. But he was instrumental in bringing an end to the Cold War. The Reykjavik Summit is a high point in his career. His friendship with President Gorbachev is explained in detail at the Reagan Library and Museum. • Talk to each other instead of about each other: Ronald Reagan wasn’t called ‘The Great Communicator’ for nothing. The fact that he was genuine and sincere when communicating has been accepted by none other than his once arch rival and later friend, Gorbachev. He didn’t say things in a big way, but his choice of simple words and sentences delivered his message directly to the audience. In fact, his directive to his speechwriters was to ‘tell them (audience) what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you’ve told them.’ •
Man is not free until the government is limited:
Reagan inherited an economy that was far worse than the 2009 recession in America. Inflation was in double digits, unemployment rates were at 10.8%, and the CPI was at 13.5%. He was of the firm belief that the government cannot be a solution to problems; it was upon individuals to work for the common interest. These principles led him to develop a four-point economic reform program, now popularly called ‘Reaganomics.' •
Morning in America:
‘It’s morning in America again.' This was part of the 1984 presidential campaign for Ronald Reagan. His optimism and belief in the American spirit were contagious. It was something the country needed, especially after the traumas of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal. He was a simple person who believed in the goodness of humankind – a sentiment reflected in a statement on his gravesite at the Ronald Reagan Library and Museum. Resource Box:
The Author loves to research on presidential historian. He has visited almost every presidential library and museum including the Reagan Library and Museum.