The Legacy of the Lone Ranger

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After a decade of national defeatism and despair after the Vietnam War, the America people were ready for something new, something to believe in and along came this charming, charismatic cowboy ready to be their saviour. From being an actor, salesman, over to governor and finally becoming America’s 40th president, one wonders whether it was Reagan’s charisma, that won the hearts of the American’s or was it his brilliant politics? In order to determine whether Reagan’s presidency was truly transformative, we need to analyse the changes he introduced during his presidency and determine if these changes still persist today. We need to evaluate whether the presidents that followed could easily undo what Reagan did for America. Was he truly a great president or just a great man? Was his presidency a politically transformative one or was it merely patriotically transformative? This essay argues that the transformative qualities of Reagan’s presidency restructured the mindset of the American people, their behavior and how they are today as a country and as a community, hence patriotically transformative versus politically transformative. Reagan had been known as a motivator and a rhetorician with tremendous personal popularity, as well as for his ability to use that popularity to promote the Republican Party. But what did he do for America? Domestically Reagan is primarily known for three main areas: 1. His tax reform, where he cut the marginal tax rates from 70% to 28%, which led to a solid growth in the 80s. 2. His less government intervention views, specifically referring to individual reward and the free market. He created a more flexible labour market by lowering minimum wages to stimulate employers to hire more people; furtherm... ... middle of paper ... ... the Americans today – work your way to the top, can-do all attitude – live The American Dream. It is interesting to see what Reagan truly left behind for the people he loved so much. He never fulfilled his promise on eliminating the deficit and his SDI program was merely seen as science fiction, but he brought restoration and confidence to the souls of the American people. He left America feeling stronger than when he first came into power, he left a pathway for all individuals being able to pursue and succeed in their quest for the American Dream. A quote by George H. Nash (historian and interpreter of American conservatism) can support the conclusion of this essay: “Reagan reaffirmed with eloquence the continuing validity and vitality of the American Dream. In this more than in any policies or decisions lie his legacy and enduring claim to greatness”.(e)

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