I'm at a loss how Reagan gets the lion's share of the credit for the break-up of the Soviet Union. What of the Marshall Plan? And the concerted efforts of every single American administration since then, Democrat and Republican? And Gorbachev, and the fact that the Soviet Union was doomed to fail given that it's a system that cannot work. It's easier to place the credit at Reagan's feet than to do the more complicated research. And before you canonize the man, ponder some other of his "highlights":

-the hypocrisy of Iran-Contra and the backing of bloody civil wars in Central America

-the fact that he never submitted a balanced budget to Congress, and the resulting running up of the National Debt (the first sign of "starving the beast"?)

-the shameful lack of leadership on the AIDS front (how many deaths can be tied to his lack of funding)?

-the deregulation of the Savings and Loan industry and the resulting losses in the hundreds of billions of dollars at taxpayer's expense

- the loss of 241 Marines in the Beirut barracks bombing (guess that was "cut and run" before it was known as such)

-the slashing of the social safety net and the resulting increase in poverty and homelessness for our most vulnerable citizens

Please look beyond your own needs when assessing the Reagan legacy.

Peter T.