ALSO HELPED THAT REAGAN was a leading advocate for one of the most potent social issues of all: restoring the death penalty. Lethal injection was best, he said in 1973: “Being a former farmer and horse raiser, I know what it’s like to try to eliminate an injured horse by shooting him. Now you call the veterinarian and the vet gives it a shot and the horse goes to sleep—that’s it.” Violent crime was skyrocketing: 4.6 murders
