Project Theme #1 Rough Draft #5

Body Paragraph #3
The concepts of personal freedoms and human dignity did not seem to be making much improvement in the world. But things were progressing more nicely in the United States. The decades of the 1980's through the 1990's were a period that these concepts really took flight. This was a result of people taking advantage of their opportunities of individual responsibilities and human dignity. However, the most important contributers of evolving these concepts were the Presidents. President Ronald Reagan made great steps toward evolving personal freedom during his two terms in the 80's. The first thing Reagan did, was cutting government spending on social programs and lowered income taxes. When Reagan moved into the white house, according to the website, www.house.gov, the top tax rate was 70%. Eventually, Reagan got it cropped in at least half, coming down to 35%. Also during Reagan's administration, from the National Review, charitable donations increased 57.7% between 1980 and 1989, and income tax revenue increased by more than 54% in the same period. Reagan's tax cuts meant that the people were given their dignity to have the money that they earn rather than giving it to the government. They also were given individual responsibilities to contribute that money to the economy. Ronald Reagan also gave freedom to many Europeans by outspending, and breaking up the Soviet Union in the Cold War. When making his farewell address in January of 1989, President Reagan stated the two things he was most proud of were "the recovery of the economy and our morale as a nation," and that the country was "more prosperous, more secure, and happier than it was eight years ago."
It is more debatable on whether President Clinton was a positive factor in the 90's. One of Clintons policies was the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. This joined together the United States, Canada and Mexico into a free-trade zone to strengthen the economy of each nation and create more American jobs. However, those who opposed this agreement claimed that the American jobs would be transfered to Mexico, where the wages are lower than the U.S. or Canada, and their weak antipollution laws would harm the environment. NAFTA had mixed results, wherein, freedoms and responsibilities were given to Mexicans, but in turn taken away from American and Canadian citizens. Clinton also had created an affordable health care plan for all Americans, with first lady Hillary Clinton at the helm. It seamed like it would help improve freedom and dignity but the bill was never even voted on in Congress. President Clinton also wanted to create a stronger an d growing economy by balancing the government's budget to preserve Medicare, Medicaid, education, and the environment. This did not bode well with the new Republican-controlled Congress. President Clinton and the Congress butted heads about the issue until the government was actually shut down for a two month period. But these two were not the only Presidents who expanded on the concept of personal freedoms. There have been many other periods in the this nations growth that give its citizens more and more freedoms, responsibilities and dignity.