Quote from IShopAtPublix:
You are a walking cliche. The "25 year bull market" occurred in LARGE part because of the scam known as 401(k) and the mutual fund industry. You divert ever more of american worker's paycheck into the stock market and voila! It was also the time of considerable technological expansion that had nothing to do with Reagan.
US was not going to lose the cold war the moment it got nukes, nato and ballistic missiles(and marshall plan). When Arabs shut off oil valves in 1973 it was Soviet Union(among others) that was selling oil to US (USSR profited mightily). There was no reason why detente could not be extended indefinitely(for as long soviet union existed). Soviet Union was going to collapse no matter what, its economic system was unworkable. What did NOT have to happen was tripling the US national debt in a demented rush to accelerate the process.
Reagan did not take over a 3rd world nation and turn it into a powerhouse, Reagan tookover a super power and used the tools CREATED BY OTHERS to finish the job in the most moronic way possible.