Reagan accomplished a lot of good for America. He was the most brilliant communicator since Franklin D. Roosevelt--a tremendous asset in the age of instant communication. He was the first president since Eisenhower to fill out two full terms, which brought stability to the Executive Branch. His sunny demeanor and outstanding communication lifted Americans from a long period of gloom. His courage in going public with his colon cancer, and his brave (even humorous) response to the near-fatal assassination attempt, inspired Americans. Although he came to office as the most rhetorically anti-Soviet president, he was pragmatic enough to see that Gorbachev was a different kind of Soviet leader. He and Gorby forged an important agreement to remove medium-range missiles from Europe, which set the stage for the more significant nuclear arms reductions negotiated by George H.W. Bush and Clinton.

But, Reagan used his matchless communication skills to make Americans believe that government (which he headed) was their enemy. Not surprisingly, the people he brought into government had contempt for it, and plundered the public. His lifting of restrictions on S&L's required a $200 billion bailout that we're still paying off. He cut the safety net from millions of America's most needy people, putting seriously mentally and physically ill people out on the street. Wprst of all: he presided over the greatest upward transfer of wealth in our history--the rich have gotten richer ever since, and the middle class pays for it.

Overall: more harm than good.