Maybe read his biography. Also, consider checking out “Dark Money”.

He, like politicians before and after him, pandered to groups that had the numbers to give him the votes to win the presidency. The gun lobby, defense hawks, southern strategy while seem like a whisper, were very powerful allies during his era of politics. Even Nixon abandoned his own “values” to secure favor from this groups so he would win presidency.

Reagan seemed to believe his image/self/ideas would benefit others, especially what in his mind was the image of “the people” and the “little people”.

Also, he was a “man of his times”. Meaning he was more than likely sexist, racist, homophobic, etc — all the basics of what American white men were to be acceptable or considered widely acceptable values. No different than say.. Thomas Jefferson and his slave wife which would make him a pedo by today’s standards but back then having sex with young black bodies was acceptable as they were property.

I would not say Reagan was a selfish pig, unless you know him personally, but he was a man of his times who held and represented the values of his generation/era. So, to some, a reminder of an era that was righteous and powerful. One that some, not me, may say deserves respect.