Our Greatest President
By Jeff Crouere
Lincoln,
Washington, Jefferson and Roosevelt were excellent presidents; however, the
nation’s greatest president of all-time died on Saturday when Ronald
Reagan’s ten-year struggle with Alzheimer’s disease mercifully ended.
His suffering is finally over and now is the time to remember a wonderful
man and tremendous leader. It is
fitting to see such an outpouring of support for Reagan, even Democrats like Ted
Kennedy and John Kerry have been effusive with their praise of the 40th
President. Yet, when you consider Reagan’s outstanding accomplishments, it is
hard not to acknowledge his greatness. Over the next few days, tens of thousands
of Americans will pay their final respects to President Reagan, a testament to
the fact that he touched the heart of our country.
Reagan
came to politics late in life, after years in Hollywood as an actor, product
spokesman and union leader. However,
once he entered the national political arena in 1964 campaigning on behalf of
Republican Presidential nominee Barry Goldwater, American politics was never the
same.
Reagan
was elected Governor of California in 1966 and served two successful terms as
Chief Executive of one of the country’s most diverse and challenging states.
Reagan ran for President in 1976, when he challenged President Gerald
Ford for the GOP nomination. Reagan made a valiant effort and came very close to
defeating Ford. He finally
succeeded in 1980 when he overwhelmingly defeated President Jimmy Carter.
Reagan
inherited a disaster both domestically and internationally.
Our nation’s economy was struggling with high interest rates at 18.9%,
a high unemployment rate of 7.6%, out-of-control inflation at 13.5% and stagnant
real median family income. Reagan
aptly termed this economic situation the misery index because it caused untold
problems for millions of Americans. To
combat this catastrophe, Reagan had four major goals: a) cut tax rates b)
regulatory reform c) slow federal spending d) stable monetary policy.
Overall, Reagan’s plan for our economy was a masterful success. When
Reagan took office, the top marginal tax rate was 70%. By the time he finished
his second term, the top tax rate was only 28%. His policies resulted in strong
economic growth of 3.2%, 15% higher than in the Ford-Carter era, and the
creation of 19 million new jobs. Overall, his economic plan was a triumph, as
when he left office, interest rates had declined to 8.2%, inflation fell to
4.1%, the unemployment rate decreased to 5.5% and real median family income grew
by $4,000. Incredibly, the Stock
Market tripled in value during the Reagan years, which added to the net worth of
millions of American citizens.
Ronald
Reagan also brought relief to the American armed forces. Before Ronald Reagan
took office, morale in the military was extremely low.
Americans were being held captive in Iran and a military mission to
rescue them disastrously failed. The Russians were expanding their evil empire
in Afghanistan, Central America and throughout the world. Immediately after
Reagan took office, things started improving. The hostages were released, as
their captors did not want to face a strong leader in the White House. Reagan
started building up our armed forces and restored pride to the ranks of the
military. He struck back against communists in Nicaragua and Afghanistan by
supporting freedom fighters. He liberated Grenada and for the first time the
United States was able to roll back a Communist beachhead. He bombed Libya after
that country sponsored a terrorist attack against Americans in Germany. Because
of Reagan’s strong build-up and stance, the Soviets came back to the
bargaining table and the two countries were able to sign significant arms
control agreements during Reagan’s second term. Most importantly, the Iron
Curtain fell, largely due to the fact that the Soviet Union was not able to
compete with the American military increases under Reagan.
So, thanks to Ronald Reagan, one of the most evil ideologies the world
has ever known collapsed and millions of people tasted freedom for the first
time.
Reagan
was able to succeed as President because he had strong convictions and was able
to convey his conservative principles to the American people. He was termed
“The Great Communicator” and helped Americans feel proud about their country
after the debacles of Vietnam and Watergate. Quite often, Reagan was able to
talk directly to the American people who then contacted their congressmen for
legislation Reagan advocated. Reagan did not back down in the face of criticism,
but, instead, worked to spread his message across the country.
It succeeded because of Reagan’s great appeal and skill, but also
because he shared a special bond with the American people.
People could sense Reagan’s honesty and integrity and wanted to join
with him to turn this country around.
History
has treated the Reagan presidency kindly because it is difficult to argue with
his successful administration. Reagan was confident in his abilities and
optimistic about the American people. He conveyed that optimism effectively and
was able to lead our country through very troubled times. He not only was able
to create a booming economy for Americans, but he also helped make this country
and the world a safer place.
Because
of his success, the American public regards the Reagan presidency very highly. A
recent Gallup poll ranked Ronald Reagan as our nation’s greatest president, a
tremendous honor for an outstanding leader. The poll is correct because no other
American leader has faced such perilous times in the world and in our country.
When Reagan took office, American morale and spirit was low, in fact it was in a
“malaise.” While this was happening, the Soviets were expanding at an
aggressive rate. Our military was in shambles and the world faced the terrifying
prospect of nuclear annihilation. Our
economy was in trouble and some economists were saying it could never be turned
around. Well, along came Ronald
Reagan with his sunny optimism and bold plans and his unshakeable faith in the
American people. He uplifted our country, dramatically improved our military,
revived our economy and changed the world for the better. He won the Cold War
and brought down the Iron Curtain “without firing a shot.”
His stunning record will look even better in the eyes of history.
As we say goodbye to the Gipper, let’s also give thanks that this
talented man led our country during an extremely precarious time in the history
of the United States and the world.