Political positions of Ronald Reagan Political positions of Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan was the 40th President of the United States (1981–1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975). Reagan served as President during the later part of the Cold War, an era of political and ideological disagreement between the United States and the Soviet Union. Reagan labeled the Soviet Union an "evil empire" that would be consigned to the "ash heap of history" and he later predicted that communism would collapse. He reversed the policy of détente and massively built up the United States military. Through it, Reagan ordered production of the MX missile, the
Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan have you believe that Reagan was a cross between Abe Lincoln and Mother Teresa, with an overlay of Mister Rogers." Howard Kurtz, "The Washington Post"<nowiki>'</nowiki>s media columnist, said Reagan was "a far more controversial figure in his time than the largely gushing obits on television would suggest." "The Nation" ran a series of articles about the many controversies of his presidency. Video coverage of the funeral Newspaper and media coverage Additional coverage and photos Eyewitness accounts Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan On June 5, 2004, Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, died after having suffered