"All of us need to be reminded that the federal government did not create the states; the states created the federal government."
-Ronald Reagan
New Federalism
On January 26, 1982 Ronald Reagan delivered his State of the Union address where he called for "New Federalism". This was Reagan's way of taking power from the federal government and returning it to the states. Reagan did this because he didn't want people to be so reliant on the government and he wanted the federal government to be more efficient with the responsibilities it had. In 1982 Reagan reduced the federal budget by $44 billion. But this was not Reagan trying to do away with the federal government, just him trying to make it work. This was important to his presidency because, not only was this his main philosophy that he stuck to throughout his presidency, but it is also a big part of the "Reagan Revolution" that people always remember. Most of the actions that Reagan took while in office relate back to his original goal of following New Federalism.
Iran-Contra Affair
Ronald Reagan allowed the sale of weapons to Iran, despite the embargo, in hopes that this sale would encourage the Iranian terrorists to release the seven American hostages being held in Lebanon. And then the money made from this sale was used to fund U.S. support of the Contras in South America. The sale of weapons to Iran was authorized by Reagan and he admits that he did that with good intention, but where the water clouds is when that money is used to support the Contras. As show in the picture to the left, Oliver North claims that he had the word from Reagan that he could continue that support of the Contras but it was determined that Reagan could not have been linked to the diversion of funds. This event was important to Reagan's presidency because it really changed the public's opinion and support of him for a while. The Iran-Contra Affair is an event that pops into many Americans' minds when someone says Reagan, just like when people think of Nixon they think of Watergate. If this event is what reminds people of Reagan then it must be one of the most important and influential events of his administration.
Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor was the first female to be appointed to the Supreme Court. She was appointed in 1981 by Ronald Reagan and retired from her position in 2006. This is a huge step for American society; this event symbolizes the fading of sexism and the emergence of women into politics. This event shows that life for women in America was changing during Reagan's presidency and they were beginning to have more opportunities in the business world. It is important because it has led to a succession of powerful female roles in politics.