He was in fact out of office when the Soviet empire collapsed, but I will not deny his aggressive military buildup was instrumental in that collapse. He presided over a boom economy but he also quadrupled the national debt. He restored american pride and confidence after the Carter years, but he also turned thousands of the mentally ill into homeless. He wasn't an idiot by any stretch but he clearly showed signs of alzhiemers his last couple years in office. Whether you loved him or hated him one thing was absolutely certain: the man believed in his principles and you knew where he was coming from at all times. No vacillation in this guy. Reagan was a rock. It should be noted however that rocks can be dangerous in stormy seas.