Ronald Reagan’s vast popularity originated from his vivid personality. Reagan repeatedly demonstrated enthusiasm and optimism in speeches, interviews, and debates. His …show more content…
To lower taxes in the 1980’s, many programs lost a percentage of federal funding, except the military, which encountered a significant budget increase. The Reagan Administration lead a major military increase greater than Nixon, Carter, and Ford combined. This national defense increase led to an investment in numerous nuclear warheads, advanced missiles, and an anti-ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) system. This increase nearly led to an arms race with Russia, but the government in the Soviet Union knew that their economy would be unable to compete. Instead, Mikhail Gorbachev, acting Soviet leader, agreed to sign the INF (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces) Treaty, which compelled the U.S. and Russia to disassemble nuclear missiles with a range of 500-5,500 kilometers (Druckman, 1991). This agreement served as the first major step in improving relations with Russia and ending the Cold War. Along with ending the Cold War, President Reagan intended to combat communism by funding a Nicaraguan anti-communist militia. Although the plan ultimately failed, it proved that protecting Americans and the values they stand for was worth fighting