Counterpunch.org: Ronald Reagan, Goodbye and Good Riddance

[Sandpiper]

June 7, 2004

Ronald Reagan, 1911-2004
Goodbye and Good Riddance
By PHIL GASPER

Ronald Reagan has finally died at age 93. Predictably, politicians from both major parties have issued gushing tributes to this venal and vicious man, who was happy to slash workers' wages, see families thrown onto the street, support sadistic death squads and bomb other countries, if this was in the interests of the American ruling class.

Meanwhile, if recent history is any guide, the mainstream media will steer well clear of providing an accurate portrayal of Reagan, the man and the president. Last year, in a stunning act of cowardice, CBS canceled its much-publicized "docudrama" about Ron and Nancy, The Reagans, caving in to a campaign by the Republican National Committee, right-wing radio hosts, Fox News and conservative Internet sites. The movie was instead shown later to a much smaller audience on the Showtime cable network.

Conservatives attacked the film for portraying Reagan as homophobic, and Nancy as a domineering wife and mother who pulled the strings behind the scenes while abusing her children. They were apparently even more incensed that James Brolin, husband of liberal icon Barbra Streisand, played the part of Reagan.

While The Reagans was undoubtedly a monumental example of third-rate TV schlock, examples cited by conservatives of substantial inaccuracies didn't hold up. One complaint was that the movie showed Reagan ignoring the AIDS crisis because of its association with gay sex, and telling his wife, "They that live in sin shall die in sin."

But in real life, Reagan refused to mention AIDS publicly for six years, under-funded federal programs dealing with the disease and, according to his authorized biography, said, "Maybe the Lord brought down this plague," because "illicit sex is against the Ten Commandments."

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[physioex]

1. Why did he not refer to him..

As an early Chickenhawk and Arm Chair Warrior...

[Fitzovich]

2. He wasn't the worst

President we have ever had that title would go to the current occupant of the White House but, I really didn't enjoy 8 years of this guy.

[oscar111]

3. He WAS the worst ever

He made ultrarightism "legit".

the current usurper in the WHOUSE, merely is continuing RR's programs. I believe the INDEX OF SOCIAL HEALTH ISH, has just remained on the ocean floor during bush. PS we need monthly ISH, released the same day as GDP, to show our side of things.

It .. ISH... dropped half its total drop.. of the last 34 years... during the early RR years ... years of trashing our society.

BTW, half the historic drop of the ISH happened during the Carter years, the late 70"s. Anyone able to tell us more on that? I dont think we are aware of the full guilt of Carter for that. Either turkey guilt, or vulture guilt. I dont know which it was. I also have learned that Carter refused to get behind a push to get universal health.