Having Dinner With America's 40th President by Adeline

Having Dinner With America's 40th President by Adeline - October 2017 Scholarship Essay

I would choose to have dinner with Ronald Reagan. It would be very interesting to dine with a president who led America years ago. I would ask him if the U.S. is anything like he imagined it would be forty years into the future. I would ask him what choices he would make if he was president now, what steps he would've taken to set America up for more success, and any choices he might have changed during his time in the White House.

Reagan was a great president who was elected for two terms. He had many interesting jobs before he became president; he was a lifeguard, a radio broadcaster, served in the Army Enlisted Reserve, and was the first actor to achieve the highest office in the United States. He held firmly to his beliefs. People liked that he was a strong leader, and could encourage perseverance with his speeches.
He did what he could to improve the economy, create more job opportunities, and believed in a smaller and less controlling government. He believed that it was important for America to cling to its roots and the beliefs of the founding fathers. He understood that the original purpose of America was freedom.

At the time of his presidency the country was dealing with the threat of communism, of control over the people. Many agreed with the president: the spread of communist control could spell disaster for the free countries of the world. He led the country during a difficult time, making the best of bad situations, and being strong for the people of America. The current United States is a very different country than it was in Reagan's time. The people and the country have changed, in some ways for the better, and in some ways for the worse. I would hope that I could learn something from President Reagan, and use what knowledge I gained from our conversations to make America a better place in any way that I could.