The Office Wife [v0.87]

Reagan reported for duty with severe near-sightedness. His first assignment was at Fort Mason as a liaison officer, a role that allowed him to transfer to the United States Army Air Forces (AAF). Reagan became an AAF public relations officer and was subsequently assigned to the 18th AAF Base Unit in Culver City[43] where he felt that it was "impossible to remove an incompetent or lazy worker" due to what he felt was "the incompetence, the delays, and inefficiencies" of the federal bureaucracy.[44] Despite this, Reagan participated in the Provisional Task Force Show Unit in Burbank[45] and continued to make theatrical films.[46] He was also ordered to temporary duty in New York City to participate in the sixth War Loan Drive before being reassigned to Fort MacArthur until his discharge on December 9, 1945, as a captain. Throughout his military service, Reagan produced over 400 training films.[45]

The Office Wife [v0.87]

Reagan, who had been critical of administrators tolerating student demonstrations in the city of Berkeley,[120] sent the California Highway Patrol and other officers to quell the People's Park protests in May 1969. One student was shot and killed while many police officers and two reporters were injured. Reagan then commanded the state National Guard troops to occupy Berkeley for seventeen days to subdue the protesters, allowing other students to attend class safely. In February 1970, violent protests broke out near the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he once again commanded the National Guard. On April 7, Reagan defended his response to the protests, saying, "If it takes a bloodbath, let's get it over with. No more appeasement." When further violence erupted on April 18, one student was inadvertently killed by a policeman, leaving Reagan distraught.[121]

The 40th president of the United States,[180] Reagan was sworn into office for his first term on January 20, 1981. In his inaugural address, he addressed the country's economic malaise, arguing, "In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem."[181] In a final insult to President Carter, Iran had waited until Reagan had been sworn in before sending the hostages home.[182]

Reagan took office in the midst of stagflation.[199] The economy briefly experienced growth before plunging into a recession in July 1981.[200] As Federal Reserve chairman, Paul Volcker fought inflation by pursuing a tight money policy of high interest rates,[201] which restricted lending and investment, raised unemployment, and temporarily reduced economic growth.[202] In December 1982, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) measured the unemployment rate at 10.8 percent.[203] Around the same time, economic activity began to rise until its end in 1990, setting the record for the longest peacetime expansion.[204] In 1983, the recession ended[205] and Reagan nominated Volcker to a second term in fear of damaging confidence in the economic recovery.[206]

The deficits were exacerbated by the early 1980s recession, which cut into federal revenue.[222] The national debt tripled between the fiscal years of 1980 and 1989, and the national debt as a percentage of the gross domestic product rose from 33 percent in 1981 to 53 percent by 1989. During his time in office, Reagan never submitted a balanced budget. The United States borrowed heavily in order to cover newly spawned federal budget deficits.[223] Reagan described the tripled debt the "greatest disappointment of his presidency".[224] Jeffrey Frankel opined that the deficits were a major reason why Reagan's successor, Bush, reneged on his campaign promise by raising taxes through the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990.[225]

Opposition to apartheid strengthened during Reagan's first term in office as its component disinvestment from South Africa movement, which had been in existence for quite some years. The opposition also gained critical mass following in the United States, particularly on college campuses and among mainline Protestant denominations.[310][311] President Reagan was opposed to divestiture because, as he wrote in a letter to Sammy Davis Jr., it "would hurt the very people we are trying to help and would leave us no contact within South Africa to try and bring influence to bear on the government". He also noted the fact that the "American-owned industries there employ more than 80,000 blacks" and that their employment practices were "very different from the normal South African customs".[312] The anti-communist focus of Reagan's administration lent itself to closer ties with the apartheid regime of South Africa, particularly with regards to matters pertaining to nuclear weapons.[313]

In August 1994, Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, which he announced through a handwritten letter in November.[355] There was speculation over how long he had demonstrated symptoms of mental degeneration,[356] but lay observations that he suffered from Alzheimer's while still in office have been widely refuted by medical experts;[357][358][359] his doctors said that he first began exhibiting overt symptoms of the illness in late 1992[360] or 1993.[359] Over time, the disease destroyed Reagan's mental capacity, leaving him able to recognize only a few people including his wife. Still, he continued to walk through parks and on beaches, playing golf, and until 1999, go to his office in nearby Century City.[359] Eventually, his family decided that he would live in quiet semi-isolation with his wife.[361]

As the chief law officer of the state, the California Attorney General provides legal opinions upon request to designated state and local public officials and government agencies on issues arising in the course of their duties. The formal legal opinions of the Attorney General have been accorded "great respect" and "great weight" by the courts. 041b061a72