List of Pros and Cons of Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan has left a long legacy behind from his time served in office as President of the United States. Some people would say he was one of the best last Presidents we had whom was very fiscally conservative. Others may say some of his policies were bad for the nation. Here is a look at some of the pros and cons of Ronald Reagan.

List of Pros of Ronald Reagan

1. Ended the Cold War with the Soviet Union
Ronald Reagan’s escalation of the cold war is credited with ending the long cold war with the former Soviet Union. The former Soviets contend that Reagan’s policies had less to do with ending the cold war than the policies of Jimmy Carter that brought U. S. goods and services to the U. S. S. R.

2. Just Say No
Reagan is credited with producing the first coherent strategy to fight the epidemic of drug use in the United States. Reagan combines the use of military, FBI, CIA, and public service messages to attempt to dissuade people in the United States from using drugs.

3. Consensus Government
Reagan was one of the few presidents that enjoyed a consensus government. Both legislative houses and the Supreme Court were aligned with the same party as Reagan. This situation allowed Reagan to push most of his policies through the system with ease.

4. Great Talker
Reagan had a phenomenal ability to make speeches that made the U. S. public agree with him. Reagan’s ability to persuade the public to his point of view is credited with his landslide victory in 1984. Despite many problems in his second administration Reagan maintained one of the highest approval ratings any president ever had except George Washington.

5. Support for Afghanistan’s War with Russia
Reagan unknowingly signed multiple bills that supported giving arms and supplies to Afghans that were fighting the Russian invasion of Afghanistan.

List of Cons of Ronald Reagan

1. Talked the Talk but did not walk the Walk
Reagan as Governor of California attempted to have the records of his divorce from Jane Wyman sealed. Reagan hoped that in so doing he could hide the fact that he had multiple affairs with other women. Seventeen women testified through affidavit that they slept with Reagan when he was married to Wyman. The conservatives and religious right just overlooked the fact.

2. Iran Contra
Reagan denied any knowledge of the Iran Contra affair. He publicly apologized for what members of his administration had been doing. When the documents from Reagan’s administration were released Reagan was shown to have full knowledge of selling cocaine for weapons and conducting illegal wars.

3. Reganomics lost the Presidency for the Republicans
Reagan’s economic policies proved to be disasters for the United States economy and the world. The economic policies of Reagan were so short sighted that they alone can be considered to be the reason the Republican George Bush lost the second term run for the Presidency.

4. War on Drugs Failed
The “Just Say No” program to fight drug use became a laughing point for comedians and drug abusers. The policy did not reduce drug use but cost the tax payer billions in wasted funds. Reagan can be credited with the growth of the heroin and cocaine trade from China and South America with his myopic drug policy.

5. Reagan caused the Rise of Bin Laden
Reagan refused to support the rebuilding of Afghanistan after the Soviet defeat. Reagan refused to build even one school in Afghanistan despite the insistence of more knowledgeable people that this move would provide an Afghan ally. The lack of foresight ultimately led to the rise of Osama Bin Laden.

6. Reagan set the precedent for amnesty for illegal aliens
Ronald Reagan provided amnesty to more than three million illegal aliens that resided in the United States. This move set the precedent for the fight between Republican and Democrats over the status of illegal aliens that is still raging.