Ronald Reagan - Audio Biography

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At the end of his two terms in office, Ronald Reagan viewed with satisfaction the achievements of his innovative program known as the Reagan Revolution, which aimed to reinvigorate the American people and reduce their reliance upon Government. He felt he had fulfilled his campaign pledge of 1980 to restore “the great, confident roar of American progress and growth and optimism.”On February 6, 1911, Ronald Wilson Reagan was born to Nelle and John Reagan in Tampico, Illinois. He attended high school in nearby Dixon and then worked his way through Eureka College. There, he studied economics and sociology, played on the football team, and acted in school plays. Upon graduation, he became a radio sports announcer. A screen test in 1937 won him a contract in Hollywood. During the next two decades he appeared in 53 films.From his first marriage to actress Jane Wyman, he had two children, Maureen and Michael. Maureen passed away in 2001. In 1952 he married Nancy Davis, who was also an actress, and they had two children, Patricia Ann and Ronald Prescott.As president of the Screen Actors Guild, Reagan became embroiled in disputes over the issue of Communism in the film industry; his political views shifted from liberal to conservative. He toured the country as a television host, becoming a spokesman for conservatism. In 1966 he was elected Governor of California by a margin of a million votes; he was re-elected in 1970.Ronald Reagan won the Republican Presidential nomination in 1980 and chose as his running mate former Texas Congressman and United Nations Ambassador George Bush. Voters troubled by inflation and by the year-long confinement of Americans in Iran swept the Republican ticket into office. Reagan won 489 electoral votes to 49 for President Jimmy Carter.On January 20, 1981, Reagan took office. Only 69 days later he was shot by a would-be assassin, but quickly recovered and returned to duty. His grace and wit during the dangerous incident caused his popularity to soar.Dealing skillfully with Congress, Reagan obtained legislation to stimulate economic growth, curb inflation, increase employment, and strengthen national defense. He embarked upon a course of cutting taxes and Government expenditures, refusing to deviate from it when the strengthening of defense forces led to a large deficit.A renewal of national self-confidence by 1984 helped Reagan and Bush win a second term with an unprecedented number of electoral votes. Their victory turned away Democratic challengers Walter F. Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro.In 1986 Reagan obtained an overhaul of the income tax code, which eliminated many deductions and exempted millions of people with low incomes. At the end of his administration, the Nation was enjoying its longest recorded period of peacetime prosperity without recession or depression.In foreign policy, Reagan sought to achieve “peace through strength.” During his two terms he increased defense spending 35 percent, but sought to improve relations with the Soviet Union. In dramatic meetings with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, he negotiated a treaty that would eliminate intermediate-range nuclear missiles. Reagan declared war against international terrorism, sending American bombers against Libya after evidence came out that Libya was involved in an attack on American soldiers in a West Berlin nightclub.By ordering naval escorts in the Persian Gulf, he maintained the free flow of oil during the Iran-Iraq war. In keeping with the Reagan Doctrine, he gave support to anti-Communist insurgencies in Central America, Asia, and Africa.Overall, the Reagan years saw a restoration of prosperity, and the goal of peace through strength seemed to be within grasp.

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Ronald Reagan Audio Biography - President Reagan Revolution

2023-11-1405:25

Welcome to the Ronald Reagan Audio Biography.This audio biography is sourced from The White House and recorded for your enjoyment by Quiet Please Studios. If you enjoy this be sure to check out Ronald Reagan Great Speeches podcast. Now for the Biography.As the sun set on Ronald Reagan's presidency, he gazed back at the vibrant tapestry of his years in office, a period he fondly dubbed the Reagan Revolution. It was a time of reawakening the American spirit, a bold endeavor to lessen the nation's dependence on government, and an era where Reagan's 1980 campaign promise to reignite “the great, confident roar of American progress and growth and optimism” found its fulfillment.Born on a cold February day in 1911 in Tampico, Illinois, Ronald Wilson Reagan's journey was as storied as it was remarkable. From the halls of Dixon High School to the classrooms of Eureka College, where he delved into economics and sociology, played football, and tread the boards in school plays, Reagan's early life was a mosaic of diverse experiences. His voice, first heard on radio as a sports announcer, soon found its way to Hollywood, where a 1937 screen test launched a two-decade-long acting career.Reagan’s personal life, too, was a tapestry rich with experiences and relationships. His first marriage to actress Jane Wyman blessed him with two children, Maureen and Michael, while his second union with Nancy Davis, another star of the screen, added Patricia Ann and Ronald Prescott to his family.In his role as president of the Screen Actors Guild, Reagan found himself at the heart of the era's ideological tussles, a crucible that saw his political views shift from liberal to conservative. His journey took him across the nation as a television host and a voice for conservative ideals, culminating in a landslide victory as Governor of California in 1966, followed by a re-election in 1970.The pinnacle of Reagan's political journey was the 1980 Presidential election. Teaming up with George Bush, the duo rode a wave of public discontent over inflation and international challenges to a resounding victory over Jimmy Carter.Reagan’s presidency, beginning on January 20, 1981, was almost cut short by an assassin's bullet just 69 days later. His recovery, marked by grace and wit, endeared him further to the American public. His tenure was defined by a skilled negotiation with Congress, leading to legislation that spurred economic growth, curbed inflation, and bolstered national defense. Even as defense spending led to deficits, Reagan remained steadfast in his policy of tax cuts and reduced government spending.Reelection in 1984 was a testament to a renewed national confidence, as Reagan and Bush secured an overwhelming victory. Domestically, Reagan's overhaul of the income tax code and the period of economic prosperity it ushered in were hallmarks of his administration.In foreign policy, Reagan's philosophy of “peace through strength” led to a significant increase in defense spending and a series of landmark meetings with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, culminating in a treaty to eliminate intermediate-range nuclear missiles. His stance against international terrorism was unequivocal, notably in his decisive action against Libya. In the Persian Gulf, his policies ensured the free flow of oil amid regional conflicts.Reagan's tenure, characterized by a restoration of prosperity and a pursuit of global peace, was a period where the promise of America's strength and optimism seemed not just a dream, but a tangible reality. As he left office for a quieter life, the Reagan Revolution remained a vivid chapter in the American story, a testament to a leader's unwavering commitment to his nation's ideals.For more on Ronald Reagan. Search Ronald Reagan - Great Speeches and hear Regan in his own words.

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Ronald Reagan - Audio Biography