union busting, Reagan fired Patco workers who were on strike soon after his first inaugural signaling war on unions. The (GOP) Southern Strategy that was implemented after the Civil Rts. legislation of the 1960s increased votes for Republicans, even in former Democratic areas.
Add in the fabricated 'Welfare Queen' myth and racism, promises of the 'Free Market,' Trickle Down Economics - big tax cuts for the wealthy cuz having more rich people will make others rich, bs. 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' 1980s TV show glamorized wealth, and the movie 'Wall Street' (1987) highlighted the 'greed is good' ethic through increasing profits by M & A, Mergers and Aquisitions of companies, absorbing pensions, rising stock market, more.
It was off to the races. Many Americans bought into the myth of Reaganomics and the message of the old Cold Warrior. AM Radio with hard right hosts spread the ideology since the mid 1980s.
There was opposition, but the 'Reagan Revolution' continued and has brought increased wealth to some but middle class decline and harm to many others in the US.
Reagan also didn't acknowledge the AIDS Crisis for years, and advocated Tough on Crime which led to more militarized police and privatized, for profit US prisons. He contributed to increased college tuition costs (end state support) to keep down a large, educated middle class that was making demands on industry regarding pollution and safe consumer products, and to curb the growth of anti war, Vietnam political protests since the 1960s at colleges, and activism for equal rights for minorities, blacks, women, more. While governor of Calif, 2 terms, Dutch also worked to break down the mental health system in the Golden State which was implemented nationally.
Others here will have perspectives as well, esp. Californians I'm sure.
----------
Wiki.. Reagan's 1980 landslide election resulted from a dramatic conservative shift to the right in American politics, including a loss of confidence in liberal, New Deal, and Great Society programs and priorities that had dominated the national agenda since the 1930s.
Domestically, the Reagan administration enacted a major tax cut, sought to cut non-military spending, and eliminated federal regulations. The administration's economic policies, known as "Reaganomics", were inspired by supply-side economics. The combination of tax cuts and an increase in defense spending led to budget deficits, and the federal debt increased significantly during Reagan's tenure...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidency_of_Ronald_Reagan#:~:text=Reagan%20signed%20the%20Tax%20Reform,to%20three%20million%20illegal%20immigrants
= new reply since forum marked as read
