President Reagan believed in working together for the common good – no matter the political affiliation, no matter if you worked for the government or if you were a civilian. In 1982 he once said, “Sometimes we don't always agree, but I remain appreciative, because I'm listening, and I'm willing to go that extra mile to make certain we strengthen our partnership.

As Governor of California and President of the United States, Ronald Reagan advocated strongly for States' Rights; for putting more authority in the hands of the states and out of the hands of the federal government.

Ronald Reagan was raised that all men and women were equal, regardless of their background or skin color.

President Reagan wholeheartedly supported all law enforcement. He also believed that a nation promising justice for all must ensure that its citizens are free from fear of crime in their homes and on the streets.

In one of his final speeches as President of the United States, Ronald Reagan spoke about the importance of Limited Government when he said, “Back in the 1960s…the government was taking more of our money, more of our options, and more of our freedom. I went into politics in part to put up my hand and say, ‘Stop.’ I was a citizen politician, and it seemed the right thing for a citizen to do…As government expands, liberty contracts.”

Limited government and controlling the federal budget were pillars of Ronald Reagan’s presidency. He didn’t just speak from a bully pulpit, he demanded people take responsibility for their actions.

President Reagan believed so strongly in the importance of a solid national defense policy. In 1983 he said, “The defense policy of the United States is based on a simple premise: The United States does not start fights. We will never be an aggressor. We maintain our strength in order to deter and defend against aggression -- to preserve freedom and peace."

Ronald Reagan felt very strongly about the judicial system. In his autobiography he wrote, “In a country ruled by laws, it seemed to me that nothing was more important than removing politics from the process of choosing judges.”

Ed Meese, Ronald Reagan’s campaign manager, once said, “[Optimism] was just such a natural characteristic of Ronald Reagan that it was implicit in everything we did. He didn’t come out and say, ‘We should revive our spirits.’ He did this subtly by his own manner, by the ideas he projected and by his talks in which he expressed his confidence in the American people.”

Ronald Reagan began speaking of Peace Through Strength on a more national level during the 1980 presidential campaign. Ronald Reagan argued that President Jimmy Carter’s administration failed to maintain the “margin of safety” between the United States and the Soviet Union. He also advocated for negotiation with the declining Soviet Union as well as a significant military buildup to thwart the global spread of communism.

President Reagan often spoke of a nation that was hopeful, big hearted, idealistic, daring, decent and fair. That was how he saw America, and that was how America came to know him.

During his inaugural address, President Reagan so eloquently said, “There are no constraints on the human mind, no walls around the human spirit, no barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect.” He used this theme of what the human spirit can do if only we’re open to it throughout his entire presidency.