Samuel Kernell, Going Public: New Strategies of Presidential Leadership, chapter 6: p.148-177.

Overview
o Reagan was the best president at going public in modern history
Before he came in, predictions that hed flunk because he was an outsider
Instead, even opponents paid him begrudging respect
o His first three years provide a good case study to see the successes and failures of
going public
His first two years were hugely successful
Third year: political capital spent, struggled a bit
Reagan as an outsider
o Career in entertainment served him well for going public. Also gave him national
fame that he could leverage
o Spokesman for GE and Borax: also gave him great training
o In politics, went to the top in his first political stint: governor of CA
o Honed his skills there
o Went on to be a nationally syndicated columnist, speaker. More excellent
training/accumulation of political fame
o So basically, was the least experienced president to come in to date at the time
Worked in his favor post scandals and war
o Also framed himself as a conservative outsider moving into DC, which was a city
he perceived as dominated by liberal insiders
Reagans three budgets
o In his first three years, managed to get his 3 major campaign promises passed
Huge budget reductions
Increased military spending
Massive 3 yr tax cut
o Sept 1981, tide begins to turn
Reagan messes up in trying to reform socials security; backs away
1982: makes compromises on most of his policies, including budget
Economy begins to sour
Midterm elections: 26 House seats flip to Dems
o Reagan unable to cope with new harsher political realities: instead, gives up on
budget resolution and threatens to veto any appropriations bills violating his
recommendations
Budget politics in 1981
o Record low popularity (for 2 months into office) when he tried to get his budget
passed
o Assassination attempt: popularity jumps by 10%
o To spend his new political capital, does grassroots efforts to swing Dem
congresspeople. Also does a presidential address of congress. Dramatic.
o Easily passes

When Dems tried to break it up later, Reagan does a quick public appeal, and it
passes through. Dem leaders shocked.
o Then wins his tax cuts with same coalition of Republicans and southern
Democrats
Grassroots efforts
Dealing with southern Dems
Televised national speeches
The Dems called it devastating
It was a blockbuster
The tax cuts bill passed
The president, armed with public support, defeated the majority party
in an institution designed to prevent this from happening
nd
o His 2 year budget was marred by his fumbles with social security. Reagan
quietly drops it after failed appeals to the public and waits.
o Social security 1981 was a turning point
o Public becomes decidedly pessimistic on Reaganomics
o His economics drive the economy downwards
Budget politics in 1982
o Failed from the start
o Didnt recognize shifted political climate
o Went on speech giving tours, gave nationalized speeches, tried to strong-arm
Republicans into supporting. All failed
o Republicans pass their own bill; Reagan has no choice but to endorse
o But then Reagan goes on more public talks, threatens to withhold party funds
from Republicans who dont support, etc.
o A compromised bill is passed with slim support
o Still, overall, not as disastrous as it sounds
Budget politics in 1983
o Unfavorable conditions for Reagan
Popularity at historic low
Fewer Republicans in Congress
o Unemployment at high
o Republican association with Reaganomics was a liability
o Boll weevils (Southern Dems who vote Republican often) also go back into their
parties because they lost their swing vote ability
o Democrats present a solidly anti Reagan budget
o Reagan tries his best to fight against it
o Neither a republican budget nor the Presidents even gets to the floor
o Dem budget passes in house
o Reagan tries to give speech. Even the republicans rebuke him. His aides tell him
to compromise. He doesnt. passes by 1 vote in the senate.
o Reagan retreats defeated to the white house and just threatens to veto.
o

Lessons learned
o From his budgets:
Reagan was good at going public (because of his entertainment,
spokesman, etc background) but bad as a bargainer (because he never
went through the city council, local politics, etc. route)
o Dependence of policy on popularity
Going public works best when you are popular. When unpopular, it is
ineffective (i.e. 1983 budget)
President is better at using his existing popularity to help with other
issues, rather than in shoring up his political popularity, by going public
o Governing as campaigning
Going public puts the office on a campaign footing
Reagans governance of his office resembled his campaign for it
Becomes more partisan
policy serves rhetoric: it becomes more simplified and stylized to
satisfy the cognitive requirements of a largely inattentive national
audience