Eugene Jarecki: Remembering the Real Reagan

Tuesday 08 February 2011

by: Laura Flanders  |  GRITtv | Video Interview

More GRITtv

"I think the myth is shattering in front of us," Eugene Jarecki says of Ronald Reagan. Conservatives have tried for so long to "engineer Reagan into our drinking water," he notes, but it's an illusory Reagan, a Reagan who stands for whatever program those people want to pass, whatever agenda they're promoting. The real Reagan was quite different from what we hear about--and this week we're hearing a lot about Reagan, as it's the 100th anniversary of his birth.

Eugene Jarecki joins Laura in studio to set the record straight. He's the director of a new HBO documentary on Reagan, premiering Monday at 9 and available this week on that channel. 

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Comments

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I remember Reagan as the one

 Tue, 02/08/2011 - 17:48 — Kaye (not verified)

I remember Reagan as the one who said "trees were pollution" and "ketchup was a vegetable".

I remember Reagan as the one who took off the solar panels from the White House roof.

I remember Reagan as the one who cancelled President Carter's standards to keep coal emissions from its power plants cleaner.

I remember Reagan as the one who helped deregulate the air waves so that we now have at least 1/3 of the time commercials instead of 1/4 of the time back pre-1980s. Thanks Reagan for all the commercials.

I remember Reagan for mostly being a man with one-liners (my grandmother said he was a good stand-up) who did not do much but apparently people still remember him for his one-liners.



Oooooooo... The Amiable

 Tue, 02/08/2011 - 17:55 — JoHill (not verified)

Oooooooo... The Amiable Dunce rises from his grave to haunt us yet again!



The greatest fraud ever

 Tue, 02/08/2011 - 19:14 — Angryspittle (not verified)

The greatest fraud ever perpetrated on the American people, and they are still trying to foist this fantasy on the nation.



How is it that Angryspittle

 Tue, 02/08/2011 - 20:56 — Anonymous (not verified)

How is it that Angryspittle can post 14 duplicate comments - and I cannot post one legitimate one without Truthout's censorship software flagging my comment as "spam" and a "duplicate". You people really must fix your comment policy... and please, place Truthout comments BEFORE Facebook comments - you owe that much to your loyal readers who have supported you long before you started allowing Facebook onto your site



The mentally ill homeless or

 Wed, 02/09/2011 - 02:25 — Anonymous Duh (not verified)

The mentally ill homeless or " Raygun's "domestic army is another milestone for our amiable" Eichmann."[ Lets not bring up the slaughter in Central and South America. ] Yes, it was first suggested by the 'Demos ' during Kennedy's time but scrapped because after review it was found to be too harsh but just the thing during " Big Al's " jelly bean presidency.



I think the fact Reagan cut

 Wed, 02/09/2011 - 13:52 — John (not verified)

I think the fact Reagan cut Education during his tenure says enough.
That's where all that, 'Ketchup is a vegetable', thing came from- hungry schoolchildren having their lunch programs cut back. It happened across the board, though, and also included college students having their Pell Grants cut back, as well preschoolers having the Head Start program terminated- which had long proven successful on solving problems with early illiteracy. Even Day Care was cut back- yet parents were still expected to hold down jobs
Who would do any of that, and then expect not to raise successive generations of misinformed and undereducated? Isn't proper Education the backbone of a strong and well informed society?



I have to agree with Anon

 Thu, 02/10/2011 - 01:37 — Anonymous (not verified)

I have to agree with Anon 2.9.11 @ 1:56...

Facebook comments SHOULD come after if they are grouped due to your base.

Instead, a better way of doing it would be to have the posts post as they were posted, regardless of origin.



Reagan was an expert at

 Fri, 03/04/2011 - 14:58 — nikto (not verified)

Reagan was an expert at patting The American People on the back with one hand, while he picked their pockets with the other hand.

Big achievement, that.