Faith Qiao Blog 11— Ronald Reagan

Last semester I remember writing a quick blog about Ronald Reagan’s Challenger speech when I first began considering the POAS project. Now, with one day before the impending due date, I’m writing this blog out of a mixture of frustration, fatigue, and admiration. I started the project reading a biography that was unabashedly opinionated where even the author acknowledged that he wrote the book because he was disgruntled with the current sentiment regarding the 40th president. I too, came in biased, hoping to get this project over with by choosing a President with such a questionable legacy. Since my mind seems to only be occupied with the due date haunting me relentlessly, I will take the time to write what I couldn’t in my POAS paper. 

Ronald Reagan’s legacy has nothing to do with his accomplishments because at the root of everything was his incomparable popularity and the speeches that built that immovable tower. Ronald Reagan truly lived the American Dream, going from struggling to pay a college tuition of $400 to becoming the President of the United States. His journey to the top was rooted in the all-American values drilled into him by his parents. He took these values to be a universal truth and they would be the things that make him “The Great Communicator.” If you remember any of his speeches, you’d know that his one-liners are all commonsensical. But in a sense, he lost himself in every speech he gave to the people around him simplifying complexities that plague American society down to one line ultimately disenfranchising many. 

He promised to reduce government overreach, yet expanded its military institution and bloated the federal budget deficit. He promised to help the everyday worker, but drove them further into poverty. Yet, when it came time for reelection, he won 49 of the 50 states. And to this day, his name is the ethos of the Republican party. Ultimately, Ronald Reagan’s successes, his reigning legacy, is built upon the power of language.


Image sourced from: https://assets.teenvogue.com/photos/5f0745d7cc15fba9177aab19/16:9/w_3151,h_1772,c_limit/ronald%20reagan%20donald%20trump%20anti-trump%20republicans%20bad%20president%20teen%20vogue%20op-ed.jpg


Comments

  1. Krish ParikhFebruary 23, 2022 at 10:41 AM

    Hi Faith,

    I never knew Ronald Reagan was such a popular president. Winning 49 out of 50 states is practically unheard of today! I think his reelection won on the foundation of his speeches, despite his poor performance as a president, exemplifies politics today with its rhetoric yet failure to govern effectively. Reagan is a real testament to how language begets power.

    Sincerely,
    Krish

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anwika PalleFebruary 23, 2022 at 3:09 PM

    Hi Faith,
    Last year I remember watching Ronald Reagan’s first inaugural address, and his words were truly captivating. Reagan spoke about major issues during the time, including rising inflation and employment. He emphasized that economic affliction was a major problem of the nation, and highlighted the need for the federal government to reduce public spending severely. As soon as Reagan entered office, he tried to make real change in our country. I hold a lot of respect for Reagan, just as many others do.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sean WangFebruary 23, 2022 at 3:50 PM

    Hi Faith,

    Wow. Being called "The Great Communicator" seems like an insane honour; imagine being so good with words that your reputation is built around that very same characteristic. If this isn't proof that language is important in one's appearance, I don't know what is. Reagan's reelection reminds me of a great lawyer; in the face of one, no case is impossible. There is always a way around something, and Reagan evidently mastered the art of devising these workarounds. I'm sure anyone is capable of doing so, but the hardest part is probably having faith in your own words.

    Sincerely,

    Sean Wang

    ReplyDelete
  4. RaymondFebruary 23, 2022 at 5:20 PM

    Hi Faith,
    While studying my POAS, I also learned a little bit about Ronald Reagan. My book had said that the main talent that helped him become as popular as he was and make his speeches as inspiring as they were was his belief in everything he said. While other politicians may have not believed in their own words, Reagan did. Of course, this did not make his beliefs correct as many of them were incorrect, but his conviction was able to be communicated through the emotion in his speeches.
    Sincerely,
    Raymond Yu

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sophie Minh Thy C NguyenFebruary 23, 2022 at 6:20 PM

    Hi Faith,
    I had not really known much about Ronald Reagan other than that he was one of the Presidents of the United States. I did not know if he was hated or loved. I didn't know much about his legacy either. From your introduction, I find it interesting that his legacy is "questionable" as you said in your blog this week. It's impressive that he is the ethos of the Republican party and I intend to research a little bit more about him to know exactly what his legacy was in more detail.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sierra DellenbaughFebruary 23, 2022 at 7:23 PM

    Hi Faith, as everyone adds more and more to this blog topic, I've realized that there have been so many political figures who have made their mark just by their use of language. Hitler did nothing good for Germany, it doesn't really seem like Reagan was most popular for how America "advanced" during his presidency, and we all know about Trump. Public image is so important for politicians that it seems like they overlook the importance of actually helping the people, which I find quite ironic. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yi-Kuan CFebruary 23, 2022 at 7:48 PM

    Hi Faith,

    Elections are indeed simply a popularity contest are they not. Campaigning only ever involves speaking, but there is always little practical aspect of comparison between competitors. It feels only natural that a candidate with the best speaking ability would be able to win over people's hearts, and in turn, their votes. I think that you painted the speaking ability of Reagan's in quite a negative light. I feel as if a president with a strong capability to move the American people with his words is just as useful as a president on the opposite spectrum.
    Yi-Kuan Cheng

    ReplyDelete
  8. VivanFebruary 23, 2022 at 9:27 PM

    Hi Faith,

    It is quite obvious that a president with better communication skill would receive the most amount of votes. But 49 out of 50 states? That's pretty crazy, despite the fact that he made the poor poorer. In compared to him, at least he was better than Hitler (obviously) and of course, Trump.

    Sincerely,
    Vivan Waghela

    ReplyDelete
  9. DeetaMarch 11, 2022 at 8:27 PM

    Hey Faith!
    It is so crazy that someone could win by such a landslide. 49 states out of 50 is a super huge deal, and it truly shows that he was loved by the people. I have heard a lot about him being a bad president in essence. I think that shows the testament the language can make you seem capable but does not necessarily mean you can execute the promises you make.

    ReplyDelete

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