Basically, popularized the neoliberal economic policies that have systematically ground down workers rights, pay, and civil liberties in America all while adopting an extreme interventionist attitude that led to him directly supporting fascists across the world, especially in South America.

Ignored the AIDs crisis because it was killing gay people and drug users, so he loved it.

Started the War on Drugs, which in addition to the massive death toll and creation of massive criminal empires to supply the need turned American cops into a paramilitary force.

Like, we can be here all day. Guy sucked so hard in addition to all his outright evil he literally took scheduling advice for press conferences from a fucking astrologer. Just the dumbest, most malicious bastard to be in the office that we can't prove owned slaves.

[–] rev@ihax0r.com 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Richard Nixon started the war on drugs.

[–] kautau@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

True, though Reagan passed https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Drug_Abuse_Act_of_1986 which turned drug punishments from rehabilitative to punitive and was basically a way to lock up as many black people as possible for as long as possible. Another success for the “War on Drugs”. (Read: War on Black People)

After the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, the number of black people sent to federal prison skyrocketed from approximately 50 in 100,000 adults to approximately 250 in 100,000 adults.

[–] db2@sopuli.xyz 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Deregulation, "trickle down economics", etc. He was one of the steps down toward the toilet the Republican party is today.

[–] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

More like a leap than a step tbh. SO much of what's destroying the country today started under him.

[–] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

no one has even given you the worst stuff so far for some reason?

after receiving reports that Saddam Hussein was using chemical weapons against his own people, Reagan funded... Saddam Hussein
and then after there was another attack on the Kurds, killing 5000 with a chemical weapon, Reagan swiftly went into action and... gave them more money and advice, AND vetod a UN resolution to condemn Hussein
he did make a law to make it illegal to do what he did in the last two points, but then not only continued to do it to break his own law, but broke it again in also selling weapons to Hussein's enemy in Iran. So now he's funding both sides of the war.
and then he did it again in selling weapons to Nicaragua
and then formed the Nicaraguan contra in order to help terrorists overthrow the democratic government
and did it again in Iran, which is what formed Al Qaeda.

[–] mexicancartel@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 year ago

damn

[–] WalrusDragonOnABike@kbin.social 5 points 1 year ago

He was an actor/celebrity who somehow became US president. Usual pro-corporate, racist republican politician.