Policy Of President Reagan - Free Essay Example

In the election of 1976, Reagan went up against Gerald Fold for the Republican Party position. Reagan was able to keep himself in the head of the media between 1976 and 1980 by writing in a newspaper column and giving daily radio addresses, while being able to remain publicly undeclared about his plans for his presidency in 1980 (History.com Staff, 2009). Reagan mainly focused on fixing the current efficiency of the economy during his presidency, in which he stated, In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problems; government is the problem (History.com Staff, 2009). President Reagan began to implement policies into government that reduced the federal governments reach into the daily lives and pocketbooks of Americans this included tax cuts to stimulate growth, also known as Reaganomics (Reaganomics, n.d.). Reaganomics advocated for the increase in military spendings, reductions towards specific social programs, and measures taken to deregulate business. Reagan reduced domestic spending by cutting the top marginal tax rate on individual income from 70% to 28%, and the corporate tax rate went from 48% to 34% (Reaganomics, n.d.). His presidency also included eliminating price controls that were placed on oil and natural gases, telephone and cable services to reduce economic regulation (Reaganomics, n.d.). Also, Reagan supported a monetary policy that stabilized the U.S. dollar against foreign policies, in which tax revenues received increased from $909 billion in 1988 from $517 billion in 1980 (Reaganomics, n.d.). Plus, he was able to reduce inflat ion to 4%, and the unemployment rate to under 6% (Reaganomics, n.d.). Thus, Reagan worked a lot in the legislative branch of government, and worked with Congress in order to create new tax policies. Reagan also took action for women involvement in government by appointing Sandra Day OConnor to be the first woman to be apart of the U.S. Supreme Court (History.com Staff, 2009). When it came to foreign affairs, Reagan worked in the executive branch to create the Reagan Doctrine. The doctrine, taking place during the increased tension of the Cold War, America provided aid to anti-communist movements occurring in Africa, Asia, and South America (History.com Staff, 2009). In 1983, Reagan announced the Strategic Defense Initiative to help protect America from attacks by Soviet nuclear missiles by developing space-based weapons (History.com Staff, 2009). On the account of foreign affairs, Reagan also sent 800 U.S. Marines to Lebanon as a part of an international peacekeeping force after Israel invaded the nation in June of 1982 (History.com Staff, 2009). Additionally, Reagan was able to form a relationship diplomatically with Mikhail Gorbachev, who was the leader of the Soviet Union in 1985 (History.com Staff, 2009). In November of 1984, Reagan won his reelection by a landslide against Walter Mondale, winning 49 out of the 50 states, the largest number ever won by a presidential candidate in American history (History.com Staff, 2009).