ME - Reagan Presidency Lesson

Reagan Presidency

President Reagan and wife Nancy riding in the inauguration parade

27 JOHN W. HINCKLEY, JR. shot and seriously wounded Ronald Reagan and three members of his party in March 1981 outside a Washington hotel because Hinckley wished to impress Jodie Foster, an actress for whom he had developed a secret passion after seeing her in a movie. The day of the shooting he wrote, but did not mail, a letter to her saying, “the reason I’m going ahead with this attempt now is because I just cannot wait any longer to impress you.” Hinckley, who was acquitted on the grounds of insanity, is also alleged to have told someone in Texas that “as far as he was concerned, politicians should be eliminated.”As the 1970s came to a close Democrat Jimmy Carter was in a battle for election to a second term with Republican Ronald Reagan. The economy continued to struggle with inflation, high interest rates, rising unemployment, and the energy crisis. 52 Americans were being held hostage in the American Embassy in Iran. The Soviet Union had invaded Afghanistan, leading many to question détente. In the U.S. the conservative movement had been gaining strength and social and economic conservatives mobilized to support the election of Reagan. On election day, Ronald Reagan won a convincing victory.

Despite being the oldest person to take office as president, Ronald Reagan embarked on an ambitious agenda. His "Reaganomics" plan sought to stimulate the economy through tax cuts and spending reductions. In foreign policy, he took a more aggressive stance against the Soviet Union even labeling communism the "evil empire". In his second term he would meet with the Soviet Union's new leader Mikhail Gorbachev and reduce Cold War tensions. Even many who disagreed with his policies acknowledge that President Reagan was an important president, if not a great one. For many Americans, especially conservatives, he is viewed as one of the greatest presidents in American history.

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