First, Reagan was not president in 1980, Carter was. Reagan took office in 1981. The 1981 through 1989 budgets are the correct measure.
Second, you have included the effect of inflation in your data. You need to use constant dollar numbers to make an accurate comparison.
Even your incorrect and flawed data contradict your original false statement that Reagan “TRIPLED FEDERAL SPENDING”.
Reagan needed to rebuild the military that was underfunded and weakened under Carter. Under Reagan big spending Democrats controlled Congress. Under Clinton, Newt Gingrich and other fiscally responsible Republicans controlled spending in spite of Clinton’s opposition.
Splitting hair is never a good in making a point. Whether he tripled or doubled or doubled and a half is not important. What is significant is the non-significant increase in spending during his 8 years.
I ALWAYS look at the big picture.
The BIG picture is, for a “conservative”, the spending record under president Reagan can never make any fiscal conservative deliriously happy.
Also, I have no problem with his increases in military spending. Those were necessary. What I did not like is the increases in NON-military spending which were evern larger than increases in military spending.
How many spending bills vetoes did he sign, which he could have. If the democrat congress overrode his vetoes, my admiration for Reagan would be even higher.