I'd like to know why people think Ronald Reagan was a good President?
822196
THE NATIONAL DEBT WAS 900 BILLION WHEN JIMMY CARTER LEFT OFFICE AND WAS OVER 4 TRILLION AFTER THE REAGAN/BUSH/QUAYLE ERA WAS OVER.\n\nIT NEARLY FLATLINED DURING THE CLINTON ERA THEN CONTINUED TO SKYROCKET AFTER LITTLE BUSH TOOK OVER
111696
I would pick Ronald Reagan. He was a great guy.
844915
Those who think Clinton was a good president because the economy did well while he was in office should be trying to get Coolidge on Mt. Rushmore.
56323
President Ronald Reagan would prove to be an interesting project topic. His stand and views against the Soviet Union and Socialist movements around the world helped to define his presidency. \n\nIn addition, he helped to end the Cold War and made a stand against striking air-traffic controllers (by firing them). \n\nYou can read a lot more about him using the links below. As a side note, I also think Rosa Parks would be a great topic, but she might also be a popular one among your classmates.
75938
He was charismatic, but he wasn't a great president.\n\nHis unplanned remarks to Nikita Khruschev, President of the Soviet Union, caused Khruschev to judge Kennedy to be weak.  Consequently, he installed nuclear missles in Cuba.  Kennedy reacted by blockading Cuba.  For several days in October 1963, the world was on the brink of a nuclear war.\n\nShortly after taking office, he allowed plans for an invasion of Cuba to proceed.  The invasion by Cuban refugees from Miami was a debacle that was a violation of international law and a humiliation to the United States.\n\nHe continued the program of sending military advisors to Viet Nam.  After his death, this was continued by President Lyndon Johnson and expanded into the Viet Nam war.  The Viet Nam war destroyed Johnson's presidency.\n\nTo his great credit, he was aggressive about furthering the Civil Rights movement by supporting activists with Federal authority in several high profile integration efforts.\n\nIf he had lived, almost surely he would have been elected to a second term.  He seemed to grow wiser while in office.  Would that wisdom have led him to become a great president?  Would the US have become bogged down in an unwinnable war in Viet Nam?  Would his philandering have brought him down?\n\nInteresting questions.\n\nWikipedia knows all.\n\nI was 10 when he was elected and 13 when he was assassinated.  I will never forget the optimism he brought to the country.  We believed he could lead us into the bright future.  I will never forget the terror of the Cuban Missle Crisis.  I will never forget the devastation I felt when he was assassinated.  The United States has not been the same since.  John Kennedy was the last president who _lead_ us.  Presidents after him have been followers without vision.\n\nIn 1989 (I was 39), I went to President Kennedy's grave in Arlington Cemetary.  Probably 15 or 20 people were there.  I was amazed that people were moved to silence, even those obviously born after his presidency.  I felt a great deal of reverence and had tears in my eyes.
417455
My personal opinion is he should get F or G. He has consitently placed the whims and wishes of the upper classes and big corporations over the needs of the working class. He has led an administration that has spent more money than ALL the presidents before him, all put together, and turned a budget surplus into a staggering deficit. He has shown absolutely no regard for the rules.  His administration has learned how to manipulate the American public--- just say "terrorists may be after us!" and you can basically do whatever you want, including trample on the Constitution.  If any other country had launched a full-on invasion of their "enemy" without the approval of the UN, you could bet that the US would have been outraged but when the US does the exact same thing, we expect everyone else to follow along.  The economy is fragile, the US is hated and mocked overseas, and civil rights are being slowly eroded under the guise of keeping us "safe."\n\nBut the Republicans are probably going to put a lot of spin on him after he has been out of office for a while and they are going to make people think he was one of the best. Trust me--- they did the same thing to Ronald Reagan, even though the Reagan administration was responsible for bankrupting the Soviet Union, many illegal arms deals in Latin America and the Middle East, and a horrible economy, just to name a few. And, uh, it was the Reagan administration that started seriously BACKING Saddam Hussein...  but the Republicans make Reagan sound like the best president ever, and I bet Bush gets the same treatment!
1053504
Having a good idea, and having something that is practical enough to actually work are separate things, but it WAS a fictional show. An actor as President? It's been done before, with good results. R.Reagan oversaw the downfall of the Berlin Wall, and the U.S.S.R. breakup. However, I think Geena Davis is probably satisfied with her political support for real politicians.
73737
A good President in very hard times.
312144
Good in no particular order\n-Washington, led us through the early times\n-Lincoln, Civil War (maybe...he did suspend habeus corpus, though)\n-Truman, "The buck stops here"\n-Teddy Roosevelt, decent foreign policy\n\nBad in no particular order\n-Pierce, supported slaveowners and basically led to the Civil War\n-Buchanan, did nothing to even try to prevent the Civil War\n-Andrew Johnson, could have been minor but he violated the Tenure of Office Act to get impeached and he was horrible with reconstruction\n-Hoover, he was ineffective in preventing the Depression or helping to get out of it.\n-possibly Carter, but he's starting to get too recent, bad domestic policy with the economy, foreign policy allowed Communism into Central American.  And Iran didn't help either.  He also was doing foreign policy against the current administration after he left office.\n\nI'm not touching the recent presidents because it hasn't been long enough to get a good perspective.  I don't think we've had 10 *outstanding* presidents.
43
Because the American public is more willing to forgive presidents that don't project themselves as smarter then them.  Its similar to how Oliver North and the Irancontra scandal in the 80's did not affect Reagan's popularity, but how Clinton's "lies" about Monica almost resulted in impeachment.  In a way, this may be Bush's genius, that he understands what lies Americans are willing to accept, and not accept.
466871
Reagan by far.  Why?  He changed the global landscape during his term and brought us way back from the brink of "the Cold War", a very dangerous time in our history.\n\nYes, other presidents endured WWWI & WWII, Vietnam, and the Korean Wars, but the Cold War could have ended in oblivion for most of the human race.\n\nA great man and will always be remembered for what he did.\n\nBiggest disappointment?  Clinton, hands down.  He was the ONLY president to be impeached (aside from Nixon) and heaped shame upon the dignified office of the pres.  He could have ended his terms as one of the greats, and at the end, showed his true colors and gave all that away for a one night stand....a country bumpkin from Arkansas with a drunk for a brother and a dynsfunctional family.  Shame.
502511
lundstroms2004  answered it BEST!  That is the one 2 above me....\n\nHe is a good president.  What can make him great is HOW he has faced terrorism where NO One ever has, and still the US Economy is rocking.  Is as great if not better then when Clinton left office (Which was an awesome economy then too)\n\nAmazing how a man can WIN 2 Wars during his presidency, still maintain a great economy, and be called the worst president of all time.  Worst at what?
374708
Reagan because the Reagan years saw a restoration of prosperity, and the goal of peace through strength seemed to be within grasp.
58873
It sounds like you need to learn a lot more about what Clinton did, good and bad. How about taking a history class at a local community college, where you can learn more about Clinton and other presidents have done for this country? \n\nClinton presided over one of the richest and most peaceful periods (8 years) in our nation's history and established friendly relations with many countries that were emerging from Communism. He fully funded education and set aside new wilderness land for protection. He also attempted (but failed) to pass universal health care coverage for all Americans, although he did manage to get COBRA health coverage for people who are between jobs and Family/Medical Leave that allows someone to take time off from work for the birth of a child or to care for a sick fmaily member. During Clinton's time in office, America had more respect from other countries of the world than we do now. He did not try to get extra rights for gays and lesbians, only the same treatment that other people already get.\n\nAll in all, I think Clinton will be remembered as one of the best Presidents in the second half of the 20th century, but one who perhaps ws not able to live up to his full potential (due to the failure of his health care plan since America was not ready for Hillary, the GOP takeover of Congress in 1994, and the Lewinsky scandal which crippled him in his second term).
1070282
Ronald Reagan, hands down. He brought back the love for America to all generations. He was a moral and compassionate man, yet a stern and strong leader. He was "The Great Communicator." Reagan was known for his ability to express ideas and emotions in an almost personal manner, even when making a formal address\n\nDuring the Reagan presidency, the inflation rate dropped from 13.6% in 1980 (President Carter's final year in office) to 4.1% by 1988, the economy added 16,753,000 jobs and the unemployment rate fell from 7.5% to 5.3% (although it increased at one point peaking near 10%). In addition, the poverty rate fell from 14% to 12.8%.\n\nReagan made the abolition of communism and the implementation of supply-side economics the primary focuses of his presidency, but he also took a strong stand against abortion. He published the book Abortion and the Conscience of a Nation, which decried what Reagan saw as disrespect for life, promoted by the practice of abortion. Many conservative activists refer to Reagan as the most pro-life president in history.\n\nMy Favorite President.\nA Reagan Republican\n\nClinton: demoralized America, and opened the door to Liberalism.  Clinton taxed the small business and working class to death while handing tax supported perks out to the largest muliti National corporations, the media loves this and the working class had no voice in the matter.\nClinton was very wise at dividing us all into groups and pitting each group against each other.\n\nCLINTON ADMINISTRATION RECORDS SET\n- The only president ever impeached on grounds of personal malfeasance\n- Most number of convictions and guilty pleas by friends and associates\n- Most number of cabinet officials to come under criminal investigation\n- Most number of witnesses to flee country or refuse to testify\n- Most number of witnesses to die suddenly\n- First president sued for sexual harassment.\n- First president accused of rape.\n- First first lady to come under criminal investigation\n- Largest criminal plea agreement in an illegal campaign contribution case\n- First president to establish a legal defense fund.\n- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions\n- Greatest amount of illegal campaign contributions from abroad\n\n\nThank God, President Bush has put morality back into the presidency.
810137
Yes, and i still bring up this argument when talking politics with an avid Reagan/bush/bush fan. It is hard not to forget that Reagan plunged the national debt to levels previously unheard. But let us not forget that the economy took a horrible hit as well, with FIFTY percent of farmers(just mentioning one of the hard it economic groups) nation wide going bankrupt thanks to his trickle down economics. Lets us learn from one of the worst presidents ever and try not to vote another one in...uh...wait..damn, to late.
778227
America did not dis-arm all their ICBM's, and never will, there are thousands in silos across the US. Russia still has thousands for sale, though they arent in good condition. Those who say Reagan were generally children during his presidency and knew no other for 8 years. His economics were that if you make the rich super-rich, they will bend down eventually and offer the lowly folks more. (trickle-down-economics). Lol, set wages back a decade. And he invaded a lil country full of rich-American resort homes owned by actors, news anchors, and , of course, politicians, all tax-free being out-of-country 'investments', because the local government wanted to benefit fairly from these people. "God Bless America", eh Ronnie?