LETTER: How about a more complete view of Ronald Reagan?
The recent letter by Jon Burke regarding Ronald Reagan’s deficits is not inaccurate, but it is incomplete and misleading.
With Reagan’s tax cuts, the government’s revenues increased nearly 70 percent during his tenure due to increased economic activity that more than outpaced any short-term revenue shortfalls from the tax cuts. The deficits came about from Congress’ profligate spending increases that exceeded the increased revenues.
Furthermore, Reagan inherited an abandoned military in terrible condition that needed rebuilding. Ergo, economically his tenure is more accurately viewed as a wartime president. He rebuilt the military in such a complete way that he bankrupted and eventually destroyed the Soviet Union as it was trying to match our military strength.
Reagan stood for three things: a smaller, less-intrusive government; low taxes; and a strong national defense. Those tenets have given us 40 years of prosperity since he introduced them.
Reagan’s achievements, if anything, are being forgotten, not exaggerated. Reagan erased the economic malaise he inherited from Jimmy Carter. We are largely still benefiting from what he accomplished.