Ronald Reagan ran for the presidency in 1980 and defeated his democratic rival, Jimmy Carter. Reagan emphasized the idea that the government--through its various agencies--was spending exorbitant amounts of money on programs that were largely wasteful, primarily because government bureaucrats were out of touch with the general beliefs and ethics of the American public. He claimed that traditional allocations by the government like providing food for the homeless was not the providenc of a federal government located far away in Washington, DC. Instead he asserted that local problems had to be solved locally, which would be far cheaper and more successful than a 'program.' So, for example, if someone were homeless or employed in a low paying job, it wasn't the government's responsibility to provide aid (which would be largely wasteful anyway) but to simply motivate people that made poor decisions or encourage low-wage workers to develop higher paid skills. This was appealing to a large segment of the population since many people resented the fact that their tax dollars went to people that were to complacent to help themselves. To buttress his argument, Reagan also claimed that lowering taxes on wealthy people was a good idea because with the extra money they retained thanks to lower tax rates, they could invest in their workers, for example, modernizing equipment, increase wages, and help build a strong work ethic. Underlying these arguments was the implicit suggestion that tax dollars were collected by the government went primarily to minority populations who weren't able to support themselves adequately owing to a variety of reasons. This appealed to many voters that felt minority groups benefitted the most to what amounted to 'handouts,' which was a buzz word that conservative politicians used to define government programs like welfare, food stamps, and unemployment. As for specific examples of how conservative policies affected American society, whether they limited government, or what goals (if any) were realized, those are issues you should study for yourself.
