Changes

*Control the money supply to reduce inflation.

*Control the money supply to reduce inflation.

Fueled by his poor economic policies, extremely high defense spending and a congress that spent less than what was asked for in Reagan's budget proposals, the national debt increased 160% during his two terms in office. However, the economic growth that resulted from tax cuts made deficits as a percentage of [[GDP]] lower than what they had been in during the previous decade of stagflation. The period of high [[inflation]] and [[unemployment]] when Reagan took office was over after eight years of his Presidency. In 1986 Reagan signed the [[Tax Reform Act]], which obtained an overhaul of the income tax code and eliminated many deductions and exempted millions of people with low incomes. The [[income tax]] rates of the top personal tax bracket dropped from 70% to 28% in 7 years. At the end of his administration, the Nation was enjoying its longest recorded period of peacetime prosperity without [[recession]] or [[depression]].<ref>http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/rr40.html</ref>

Fueled by an over spending [[Congress]] that steadfastly refused Reagan's budget proposals, the national debt increased 160% during his two terms in office. However, the economic growth that resulted from tax cuts made deficits as a percentage of [[GDP]] lower than what they had been in during the previous decade of stagflation. The period of high [[inflation]] and [[unemployment]] when Reagan took office was over after eight years of his Presidency. In 1986 Reagan signed the [[Tax Reform Act]], which obtained an overhaul of the income tax code and eliminated many deductions and exempted millions of people with low incomes. The [[income tax]] rates of the top personal tax bracket dropped from 70% to 28% in 7 years. At the end of his administration, the Nation was enjoying its longest recorded period of peacetime prosperity without [[recession]] or [[depression]].<ref>http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/rr40.html</ref>

 

===Social Security Reform 1983===

===Social Security Reform 1983===

Mounting concerns that rising Social Security benefits were causing a long-term deficit and were growing too fast resulted in a bipartisan compromise in 1983. Brokered by conservative [[Alan Greenspan]] and liberal [[Claude Pepper]], the agreement lowered benefits over the next 75 years and brought the system into balance. Key provisions included a gradual increase over 25 years in the retirement age from 65 to 67, to take account of longer life expectancy. (People could retire younger, but at a reduced rate of benefits.) Millions of people were added to the system, especially employees of state governments and of nonprofit organizations.<ref> 1983 Greenspan Commission on Social Security Reform (1983) [http://www.ssa.gov/history/reports/gspan5.html online version]; "Claude Pepper and Social Security Reform - 1981-1983," [http://www.claudepeppercenter.fsu.edu/webexhibits/socialsecurityreform/socialsecurityreform1981to1983.htm online exhibit]; Paul Charles Light, ''Artful Work: The Politics of Social Security Reform'' (1985)</ref>

Mounting concerns that rising Social Security benefits were causing a long-term deficit and were growing too fast resulted in a bipartisan compromise in 1983. Brokered by conservative [[Alan Greenspan]] and liberal [[Claude Pepper]], the agreement lowered benefits over the next 75 years and brought the system into balance. Key provisions included a gradual increase over 25 years in the retirement age from 65 to 67, to take account of longer life expectancy. (People could retire younger, but at a reduced rate of benefits.) Millions of people were added to the system, especially employees of state governments and of nonprofit organizations.<ref> 1983 Greenspan Commission on Social Security Reform (1983) [http://www.ssa.gov/history/reports/gspan5.html online version]; "Claude Pepper and Social Security Reform - 1981-1983," [http://www.claudepeppercenter.fsu.edu/webexhibits/socialsecurityreform/socialsecurityreform1981to1983.htm online exhibit]; Paul Charles Light, ''Artful Work: The Politics of Social Security Reform'' (1985)</ref>

==Family==

==Family==

Reagan married actress Jane Wyman in 1940 and together they had three children:  [[Maureen Reagan]], [[Michael Reagan]], and [[Christine Reagan]].  Christine was prematurate and died in infancy.  Maureen has passed away from cancer and Michael is a famous conservative talk show host.  Reagan's marriage to Jane ended in divorce in 1948 causing confusion during his Presidency since he represented the "moral majority." In 1952 he married Nancy Davis his wife until the time of his death.  Together they had two children, [[Patti Davis]] and [[Ron Reagan Jr]] both of whom are still living, and have both come out about the physical abuse they received from Nancy during their childhood.

Reagan married actress Jane Wyman in 1940 and together they had three children:  [[Maureen Reagan]], [[Michael Reagan]], and [[Christine Reagan]].  Christine was prematurate and died in infancy.  Maureen has passed away from cancer and Michael is a famous conservative talk show host.  Reagan's marriage to Jane ended in divorce in 1948.  In 1952 he married Nancy Davis his wife until the time of his death.  Together they had two children, [[Patti Davis]] and [[Ron Reagan Jr]] both of whom are still living.  

==Miscellaneous Facts==

==Miscellaneous Facts==

*Reagan made a deal with Iran to not release the hostages until after he won his first election

*Reagan was the first and only labor leader and former President of an [[AFL-CIO]] union ever elected US President.

*In exchange of the American hostages, Reagan gave Iran over 4,000 TOW Missiles in an illegal arms exchange.

*Reagan was the first and only divorced president.

*Reagan's economic impact brought Carter's $240 Billion deficit to almost $1.5 Trillion in his eight years as President.  

*Reagan was a lifeguard for seven years growing up, and was said to have saved 77 people.<ref>http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2004/reagan/stories/bio.part.one/index.html</ref>

*Even today, the blind sheep of the right look to Reagan's presidency as "The Good Ol' Days" all the while ignoring the piss-poor policies he implemented.

*Reagan was the first president to break the so-called "[[Curse of Tippecanoe]]", ie, the first president elected in a twenty year cycle who did not die in office (although an attempt was made on his life in 1981).

*Leave it to Bill Clinton to fix Reagan and Daddy Bush's economic downslump, bringing the country into a record surplus.

*At 69, Reagan was the oldest man elected to the presidency for a first term.

*Reagan's 1994 announcement that he had [[Alzheimer's disease|Alzheimer's Disease]] brought large amounts of public attention to the disease.

*Reagan loved jelly beans.<ref>http://www.jellybelly-uk.com/pages/q&a/trivia.shtml</ref> The blueberry flavor was made in his honor. [[Jelly Belly]] even created a [http://www.jellybelly-uk.com/pages/q&a/bean_art_gallery.shtml Ronald Reagan [[portraits|portrait]] out of jelly beans].

*After his death, some of his closest supporters wished to put him on the $10 bill<ref>http://money.cnn.com/2004/06/08/news/economy/reagan_hamilton/index.htm</ref>

*Reagan was known affectionately to some as "The Gipper," harking back to a film where he was cast as All-American George Gip.<ref>[http://www.nationalreview.com/nrof_bartlett/bartlett200310290853.asp]</ref>

*Reagan signed Proclamation 5018 declaring 1983 the [[Year of the Bible]].

== Quotes ==

== Quotes ==