President Ronald Reagan Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

President Ronald Reagan - Term Paper Example One such example of a nation with rich history of leaders is the United States. In the modern society of the United States, the president is viewed as the greatest leader of the country. The US has had its share of its own leaders, from the first presidents and community heads, to today’s president, Barrack Obama. One of these leaders of the American nation who served as a president is Ronald Reagan. He has numerous contributions during his term, but one must objectively assess these contributions, so as to fully appreciate whether these contributions and achievements had any real impact or effect. In relation, this paper will then look into the said contributions and achievements of a US president, specifically Ronal Reagan. This paper will first present an overall look at the president’s biography, especially focusing on Reagan’s term as the president of the United States. Afterwards, this paper will then present a critical appraisal of the president’s c ontribution to the country, using the different criteria provided by different secondary literatures and resources. In here, different ratings or appraisals will be given to the president and his performance, based on the said literatures. In addition, after different individual grades, an overall grade or evaluation of former president Ronald Reagan will be presented. More importantly, this paper will attempt to prove that President Ronald Reagan can be given a grade of A-, based on his achievements and accomplishments, also including numerous issues, controversies, and problems that arose during his reign as president. Biography and Overview of President’s Administration Ronald Wilson Reagan was born on the 6th of February in 1911, in a second floor apartment in Tampico, Illinois, where his parents resided at the time. The young Reagan was then raised in Dixon, and he received his education at Eureka College, graduating with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Eco nomics.1 After he graduated, Reagan first went into the entertainment sector, wherein he served as a radio broadcaster in Iowa. He then moved to Los Angeles in 1937, where his career in the entertainment sector soared as he found roles for acting in films, and then television shows.2 Some of Reagan’s most notable films include Bedtime for Bonzo, Kings Row, All American, and numerous others. In the later years of his career as an actor, Reagan found himself serving as the president of the Screen Actors Guild. Later, he also became the spokesman for the company General Electric (GE), where history saw to the earlier beginnings of his political career.3 Reagan was originally a member and follower of the Democratic Party, but by the late 1950s, his positions started shifting rightward and by 1962, he transferred to the Republican Party. His most notable move to the political arena was seen when, after delivering a stirring speech in 1964 supporting the presidential candidacy of t hen candidate Barry Goldwater, his leadership potentials were noticed and then brought to the limelight. With this acknowledgement of his potentials, Reagan was then persuaded to run for the governorship. Two years later, he won the said California governorship, a position he won again in 1970.4 In 1968, he ran for presidential nomination as candidate for the Republican Party, but he lost, and again in 1976, he ran for the same nomination for presidential candidacy but was defeated. Finally, in 1980, he won the said