Ronald Reagan: Difference between revisions

Reagan began his political career as a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]], viewing [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] as "a true hero".{{sfn|Yager|2006|pp=12–13}} He joined the [[American Veterans Committee (1943–2008)|American Veterans Committee]] and [[Hollywood Independent Citizens Committee of the Arts, Sciences and Professions]] (HICCASP), worked with the [[AFL–CIO]] to fight [[right-to-work law]]s,{{sfn|Woodard|2012|p=28}} and continued to speak out against racism when he was in Hollywood.{{sfn|Pemberton|1998|p=139}} In 1945, Reagan planned to lead an HICCASP anti-nuclear rally, but Warner Bros. prevented him from going.{{sfn|Lettow|2006|pp=4–5}} In 1946, he appeared in a radio program called ''Operation Terror'' to speak out against rising [[Ku Klux Klan]] activity in the country, citing the attacks as a "capably organized systematic campaign of fascist violence and intimidation and horror".<ref name="Racism">{{cite journal |last=Vaughn |first=Stephen |year=2002 |title=Ronald Reagan and the Struggle for Black Dignity in Cinema, 1937–1953 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1562493 |journal=The Journal of African American History |volume = The Past Before Us(Winter, 2002) |issue = 87 |pages = 83–97 |doi=10.1086/JAAHv87n1p83 |jstor=1562493 |s2cid=141324540 |access-date=May 1, 2023 |issn = 1548-1867 }}</ref> Reagan also supported [[Harry S. Truman]] in the [[1948 United States presidential election|1948 presidential election]],{{sfn|Woodard|2012|p=49}} and [[Helen Gahagan Douglas]] for the [[1950 United States Senate election in California|U.S. Senate in 1950]]. It was Reagan's belief that communism was a powerful backstage influence in Hollywood that led him to rally his friends against them.{{sfn|Woodard|2012|p=28}}

In 1961, Reagan adapted his speeches into [[Ronald Reagan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine|another speech]] to criticize [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]].{{sfn|Skidmore|2008|p=103}} In his view, its legislation would have meant "the end of [[individual freedom]] in the United States".{{sfn|Onge|2017|p=240}} In 1962, Reagan was dropped by GE,{{sfn|Cannon|2003|p=112}} and he formally registered as a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]].{{sfn|Cannon|2000|p=53}}

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In retirement, Ronald and Nancy Reagan lived at [[668 St. Cloud Road]] in [[Bel Air, Los Angeles|Bel Air]], in addition to [[Rancho del Cielo]] in [[Santa Barbara, California|Santa Barbara]].{{sfn|Woodard|2012|p=180}} He received [[List of accolades received by Ronald Reagan|multiple awards and honors]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/08/u-s-responds-to-the-death-of-queen-elizabeth-whose-reign-spanned-14-american-presidents-00055589 |title=Bidens offer condolences after death of Queen Elizabeth, whose reign spanned 14 American presidents |last=Ward |first=Myah |date=September 8, 2022 |website=[[Politico]] |access-date=January 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121035400/https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/08/u-s-responds-to-the-death-of-queen-elizabeth-whose-reign-spanned-14-american-presidents-00055589 |archive-date=January 21, 2023}}; {{cite web |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-presenting-the-presidential-medal-freedom-president-ronald-reagan |title=Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to President Ronald Reagan |date=January 23, 2023 |website=The American Presidency Project |access-date=January 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230123133832/https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/remarks-presenting-the-presidential-medal-freedom-president-ronald-reagan |archive-date=January 23, 2023}}</ref> in addition to generous payments for speaking engagements. In 1989 he supported repealing the [[Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution|Twenty-second Amendment]]'s presidential term limits. In 1991, the [[Ronald Reagan Presidential Library]] opened. Reagan also addressed the [[1992 Republican National Convention]] "to inspire allegiance to the party regulars";{{sfn|Woodard|2012|pp=181–182}} and favored a [[constitutional amendment]] requiring a balanced budget.