Ronald Reagan's inaugural speech had a patriotic theme. In it, he stated that the country, which had unlimited potential, was limiting itself by jeopardizing its future. Striving to create a sense of confidence, he pledged to "cut taxes and end deficit spending" and to restore the glory of the United States (35). He sensed what the public wanted, and he promised to achieve it. Throughout his terms, he wanted them to feel that life was improving, whether it actually was or was not.

Reagan's image played a key role in his popularity. To his oath taking on inauguration day,

During the 1984 Presidential Election, Reagan's administration concentrated its effort on proving his main opponent, Walter Mondale, appear inferior to Reagan. On television, Mondale looked gray and had a whiney voice, contrasting sharply with Reagan's vitality and commanding voice. Reagan's staff used special lighting to emphasize Mondale's droopy eyes, making him appear tired. Mondale was a pessimist, while Reagan was an optimist. The public favored optimism, as they wanted to enjoy life and ignore threatening issues. Reagan's staff designed commercials that emphasized his patriotic spirit and family values. When his age was questioned, he implied that it gave him maturity and experience. Reagan easily defeated Mondale in the election.

Reagan went out of his way to keep his popularity from diminishing. When confronted with the new issue of AIDS, he avoided it at first. He was afraid that voicing his opinion, or any opinion, would offend the public and decrease his popularity. If he confronted the issue, he would have to discuss ways to keep from contracting it. Many of these ways were unpopular, and he feared that suggesting that the public not take part in them would make him less popular. However, after Rock Hudson died of AIDS, the public increased its interest in it. Reagan addressed the issue of AIDS only after he knew that public interest in it had increased.

Reagan's quest to lower taxes also increased his popularity. Two of his goals were to decrease federal income and business tax rates by 30 percent over three years and to eliminate "bracket creep." Bracket creep pushed the taxpayers into a higher income bracket, forcing them to pay higher progressive income taxes. In support of Reagan, Congress lowered the taxes 25 percent, which was a staggering percentage. When Stockman confronted Reagan about the growing deficit, Reagan insisted that there was no need to decrease federal spending and to raise taxes. He blamed President Carter for the deficit, and he said that, in the future, the Treasury would have enough money to begin paying off the debt.

Some of President Reagan's decisions increased his popularity. Sometimes he stayed with his original decision, and sometimes he changed his unpopular decision to a more popular one. In August 1981, almost 12,000 air traffic controllers of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization went on strike, even though they had agreed not to do so in their employment contracts. Reagan warned the controllers to end the strike, but it continued. He fired the

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Approximate Word count = 1721
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)