framing and two important policians Framing comprises ways of how people organize, perceive and communicate about reality. Reagan applied Reaganomics when he became president. In order to frame it as something positive, supporters called it “tax reliefs” instead of “tax cuts”. Rich people were called “job creators” to make it sound positive to the economy. But the policy didn’t work : the debt tripled under his term. He is also considered as “someone who won the cold war”. He started the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), the idea of having a laser defense against missiles to protect the USA. The project was unrealistic and still had propaganda effect, which in some way accelerated the collapse of the USSR, who kept on making missiles and bettering technology in the fear of being left behind. CIA called it “the end of the cold war”, which is not true, but just for political purpose. People remembering Raegan ignore his terrible policies and focus on his optimism and easy-going-ness. He’s considered to be a “man of values”, who stated his values, connected with the viewers, project empathy, communicated clearly. He resonated with American myths, active those frames such as freedom, danger of elites, government problems, etc. and appeared authentic in what he believed. As for Thatcher, she is a mythic divisive figure. In the post-war decline, she was “proud to be British”, starting the slogan among the people “we are England again”. She played on nationalism and secured her power : the Falklands war united the nation. In terms of the role of government, she represented the idea of low taxes, a minimal state (even though she didn’t actually do much of what she promised). She changed the post-war consensus, questioning for the first time the aids given by the state. She was in defense of a no-rules policy, thinking the market would regulate itself. Her idea of free market spread around the world. She also said there was no such thing as society : only individuals and families. In her opinion, freedom is getting rid of society, of the social, forcing individuals to rely on families instead of on the state.