That's simply NOT true. You're wrong.
Ronald Reagan was a big believer in free trade, as long as it was fair trade. And while Reagan wasn't a protectionist per se, many economists considered his administration to be the most "protectionist" Presidency since Herbert Hoover. Reagan signed off on special trade protection for Harley-Davidson, imposed quotas on steel imports, pressured Japan to restrict vehicle shipments to the United States, tightened limits on foreign textiles, accepted new barriers to imported sugar, raised duties on Canadian shakes and shingles. All in the name of fair trade.
In 1980 Reagan campaigned on creating a free trade agreement with Canada and Mexico. Later that became NAFTA, which Reagan supported in principle. I think Reagan would have a different perception today of the poor results produced by NAFTA. Unlike Bush41, Clinton and Bush43, Reagan wasn't a hardcore globalist.
Here's two radio speeches to the nation on the issues of free and fair trade.
President Ronald Reagan, Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade, September 7th, 1985
President Ronald Reagan, Radio Address to the Nation on Free and Fair Trade,April 25th, 1987
"We hope that through these negotiations we will be able to convince our trading partners to stop their unfair trading practices and open those markets that are now closed to American exports. We will take countermeasures only as a last resort, but our trading partners should not doubt our determination to see international trade conducted fairly with the same rules applicable to all. I'm committed to and will continue to fight for fair trade. American exporters and American workers deserve a fair shake abroad, and we intend to see they get it. Our objective will always be to make world trading partnerships freer and fairer for all."
President Ronald Reagan
I knew President Reagan had made some concessions to the protectionists, as all presidents have, but didn't realize President reagan had used the actual Naderite term "fair trade" which denotes the leveling of results at the expense of the fairness of process. The subsidizing other nations do of certain industries only hurts their economies, and it's too bad President Reagan was forced to do the same to ours. However, I still find don't believe that President Reagan believed in free but fair trade--- a free market in wages is incompatible with "fair" wages just as free and "fair" trade are incompatible. But thanks for the quote and links!
In 1993, before NAFTA passed, we exported $41.6 billion to Mexico and $100.4 billion to Canada. In 2005 we exported $120.3 billion to Mexico and $211.9 billion to Canada.
I know how inconvenient facts are to your position, but that doesn't look like a poor result to me.
Thanks for the post.