President Reagan’s goal of making Americans realize our own greatness is a cause still worthy of our generation and those yet to come.
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By Congressman Michael Turner

On February 6th, we marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of our 40th President, Ronald Reagan. President Reagan believed in the enduring greatness of America. He rekindled a sense of pride in our nation that was severely lacking in the years following the Vietnam War, Watergate, and the malaise of the late 1970’s.

After six months in the White House, Reagan reflected: ‘What I'd really like to do, is go down in history as the President who made Americans believe in themselves again.’ Throughout his presidency, he restored prosperity, confidence, optimism, faith, and pride in America. We along with countless others around the globe will be forever grateful for his steadfast efforts.

Much like when President Reagan took office 30 years ago, many in our nation are worried about the present and future of our nation. Our country continues to struggle in turning around the economy, and many Americans are struggling to find work. Currently, unemployment hovers around 10% in southwest Ohio. However, upon this 100th anniversary of Reagan’s birth, we have the opportunity to rekindle President Reagan’s trademark optimism. His reforms to our tax code and tax cuts coupled with a significantly lowered rate of inflation restored America’s belief in our economic strength. By the time he left office, the United States was enjoying the longest peacetime economic expansion in our history.

I have consistently supported legislative efforts to reduce the burden of our federal tax code on families and small businesses, and to help American workers keep a larger share of their hard-earned income. This includes my vote to pass the extension of the Bush era Tax Cuts. Increasing taxes while the economy continues to recover is the wrong approach for encouraging the growth and investments we desperately need. Businesses and job creators will use the revenue saved with the tax cuts to put Americans back to work.

As America moves forward, it is still apparent that our brightest days lie ahead. Our fundamental American spirit remains unshaken. Our ability to foster innovation and pioneer new directions in terms of science and technology continues to excite the world. President Reagan’s goal of making Americans realize our own greatness is a cause still worthy of our generation and those yet to come. Through adhering to the principles of our 40th president, Ronald Reagan, we will once again expand our economy and continue to be a beacon of freedom throughout the world.