Ahem,
The "malaise" of the late 70's and early 80's was caused by the Carter Administration and it's very
short sighted economic and foreign policies. The Big Three networks, led by Tom Brokaw, reported the misery index nightly. For those too young to recall, the misery index comprised, unemployment, interest
rates and inflation. Carter and his Administration were incompetent at best, impotent at their worst.
Witness the Iranian hostage crisis in which radical Islam was birthed,(Thanks Jimmuh!) The radicals in Iran knew that Carter was beyond weak and took full advantage of it. Why? because they saw the same
President and how the Soviets took advantage of him and gave rise to the Afghan fiasco.(Thanks, Jimmuh, again!)
Jimmuh also gutted the field force of the CIA operatives in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia in favor of satellites under his CIA director, Stansfield Turner. (trifecta, Jimmuh!)
Where in the world is the world having the most problems today? Eastern Europe (Serbia), the Middle East, and Southwest Asia......thanks Jimmuh!
Jimmuh's response to the gas crisis was to lower the thermostats in the White House and appear on TV in a sweater and tell us of the malaise in America. Proper decorum does not allow what Jimmuh really is.
Reagan, and to their credit, the blue dog democrats in the House and the Senate, decided enough was
enough, and cut taxes in order to "stimulate the economy". The rest is history. Tax Revenues went up to the Treasury, spending increased because the Democrats still controlled the Congress, but the Reagan vision for America based on the tenets of freedom and liberty, unleashed the advance of science and technology that started with Reagan, through Bush I and well into the Clinton presidency.
Reagan was the finest person ever groomed to be President.
God Bless You President Reagan (and Nancy)