The Gipper: Ronald Reagan(b)|传奇的美国总统――里根

The Gipper: Ronald Reagan

by William Ryan

As with many political figures, history seems a lot kinder now than when he was president.

　　After graduation, Ronald Reagan joined the military and then went on to conquer Hollywood. Then, this conservative decided to step into the political arena in 1964. He promptly won the California governorship and was even re-elected. Reagan lost the Republican presidential nomination in 1968 and 1976, though. He finally got the nod in 1980 and won in a landslide victory in the general election over incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter.

　　At 69 years of age, Reagan was the oldest president elected. By this time, the public had tired of what it viewed as failed liberal policies. The president-elect wasted no time setting the tone for his conservative agenda. In his inaugural speech on January 20, 1981, Reagan announced that the US government was not the solution to problems, but was instead the problem. He called for an era of national renewal and hoped that America would again become a beacon of hope for those who did not have freedom.

　　Largely popular among upper middle-class voters and the business community, Reagan's conservative policies were not considered helpful to black Americans or women. The new administration opposed abortion and cut many programs to assist mothers, children, and minorities. Reagan's administration and most of those he appointed to other government positions were primarily white males. In an attempt to increase his popularity among female voters, he appointed the first female Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O'Connor, but this single act seemed small compared to his previous years of neglect.

　　During his tenure, President Reagan was a divisive political figure despite his charismatic personality. Thirty years later, he enjoys a mostly positive global image. His emphasis on limited government, strong foreign policy, and family values seem to be undergoing a modern-day revival among many Republicans.

传奇的美国总统――里根

就像许多政治人物一样，今日历史对他的评论似乎比他担任总统时要仁慈许多。

　　隆纳德‧里根毕业后便入伍服役，接着便进军好莱坞。接下来，这名保守派份子在 1964 年决定踏入政治界。他很快便赢得了加州州长一职，甚至还当选连任。然而，里根在 1968 年和 1976 年共和党的总统候选人提名中两度铩羽而归。他最终在 1980 年获得提名，并在总统大选中以压倒性的胜利击败了当时仍在任的民主党候选人吉米‧卡特。

　　里根在六十九岁那一年当选，是所有总统中当选时年龄最大的。在当时，民众已经受够了被他们视为失败的自由政策。这位总统当选人立刻就为他的保守议程定了调。1981 年一月二十日当天，里根在他的就职演说中宣称美国政府不是问题的解决方案，而是问题本身。他呼吁民族复兴，并希望美国可以再一次为那些没有自由的人带来希望之光。

　　里根广受中上层阶级的选民和商业界的欢迎，但他的保守政策被认为对美国黑人和女性并没有帮助。新政府反对堕胎并删减了许多帮助母亲、孩童和弱势族群的计划。里根政府以及大多数受他任命担任其他政府职位的人主要都是白人男性。为了要提高女性选民对他的支持度，他任命桑德拉‧戴‧奥康纳为首位最高法院的女性大法官，但单单这项行动和他之前对女性的漠视相比，似乎微不足道。

　　里根总统在他的任期中，尽管拥有迷人的个性，却也是一位褒贬不一的政治人物。三十年后，他在国际间留下的大多都是正面的形象。他对于有限政府、坚强的外交政策以及家庭观念的重视似乎在许多共和党人士身上都见证到一场现代复兴。