Ronald Reagan
(January 20, 1981 to January 20, 1989)

Born: February 6, 1911
Died: June 5, 2004

Political Party: Republican
Previous Occupation: Actor, public official

Elected From: California
Vice President: George Bush (1981-89)
Cabinet Members: view list

Other Government Positions:
· Governor of California, 1966-74


Inaugural Address: 1981, 1985
Biography: view

Presidential Highlights:
· Was shot on March 30, 1981 in an assassination attempt, but quickly recovered and returned to duty.

· Cut billions of dollars from domestic programs, sharply increased defense spending, and won the largest federal tax cut in U.S. history. President Reagan’s budget dramatically reduced the high interest rates, high unemployment rates, and high inflation inherited from President Carter’s administration, but also created large federal deficits.

· Obtained an overhaul of the income tax code, which eliminated many deductions and exempted millions of people with low incomes.

· Approved the U.S.-Canada free trade agreement (reduced tariffs and other barriers between U.S. and Canadian trade).

· In the early 1980’s, Central American governments friendly to the United States were threatened by communist insurgents. In 1981, President Reagan approved U.S. military aid to the government of El Salvador to stop the spread of communism in the Americas. In 1983, Reagan ordered the invasion of the Caribbean island of Grenada to defeat the Grenadian Army's Marxist bloody-coup.

· Declared war against international terrorism. Ordered the bombing of Libya after evidence proved that Libya was involved in an attack on American soldiers in a West Berlin nightclub.

· Increased funding for the Strategic Defense Initiative (a nuclear weapons defense system), causing the Soviet Union to bankrupt themselves by increasing their military spending. The U.S.-Soviet "cold war" ended with the United States emerging victorious.

· Approved the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (the United States and Soviet Union agreed to reduce their mobile nuclear missile fleets).

· The Iran-Contra scandal. The Reagan administration sold arms to Iran for the release of fifty-two hostages held by Iranian agents in Lebanon. The proceeds of the sale were then used to illegally assist the Contras in Nicaragua to fight the Communist Sandinistas.

Presidential Election:
1980
Ronald Reagan489
James Carter, Jr.49
John Anderson0

1984
Ronald Reagan525
Walter F. Mondale13

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