Reagan's image has been substantially laundered. In many ways, he set the table for Trump.

1) I had just finished college prior to the '80 election. In many ways, Carter vs Reagan was like Biden vs Trump.

2) Many believe Reagan's people had a deal w Iran to not release hostages, so as to make Carter look bad. The continuance of Republican dirty tricks (post McCarthy and Nixon).

3) Reagan's right-hand, Ed Meese, used heavy-handed tactics on student protesters while Reagan was CA Gov. He was one of Reagan’s shady Bechtel connections, along with Schultz and Weinberger. This was the beginning of the “Halliburton” and “Blackwater” era of shadowy corporate foreign policy.

4) People forget that alternative energy was doing well prior to Reagan, basically squelched by the Gipper in favor of oil and nuclear industry. Many other casualties (cars favored over rail etc etc)

5) We were in S America and Africa in 80s & 90s, Reagan squelched all foreign-aid funding for Planned Parenthood-like things, so needed in those countries. Fortunately, Nancy and Barb Bush were privately pro-choice. Reagan-Bush placated the religious-right, but were fortunately not fully onboard.

6) His Interior Secretary, James Watt, hated anything environmental and turned Fed lands into corporate playgrounds for exploitation.

7) The big one, the 1987 FCC ruling getting rid of Fairness Doctrine, ushering in the age of right-wing hate radio/tv. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairness_doctrine

8) Reagan didn't bring down the Soviets, he just happened to be Prez when they collapsed on their own.

9) Reagan substantially increased our deficit.

10) I'm a lifelong centrist, but I couldn't stand Reagan then, can't stand him now. Funny how he was the Trump enabler, but now looks tame in comparison. Oh and I almost forgot Reagan's veiled racist and phony-Christian pretexts.