The fundies are going beserk over the Regan mini-series

[kcwayne]

George Putnam is spinning up a tornado over "the lies" embodied in the upcoming CBS miniseries "the Reagans". http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/10/31/150741.shtml">Putnam\'s rant

An example spin:
"The CBS presentation ignores the fact that the Reagan administration began the greatest amount of spending on AIDS research and prevention in history. The movie also depicts Reagan as intolerant and uncaring toward gays and those who suffer from AIDS."

Gee, how could anyone possibly get this idea? Maybe it was the fact that Reagan never publically mentioned AIDS until 1987.

Here is a quote from an http://www.thebody.com/encyclo/congress.html">Interesting article on Congressional AIDS funding and legislation

"From June 1981 to June 1982, the period generally considered the first twelve months of the epidemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) spent $1 million on AIDS, compared with $9 million in response to the much smaller problem of Legionnaires' disease. In late 1982, Congress allocated $2.6 million to be targeted for the CDC's AIDS research, but the Reagan administration claimed that the CDC did not need the money and opposed any congressional supplemental appropriations designed to fund federal governmental AIDS policy efforts. "

So indeed, Reagan administration did begin the "largest spending on AIDS research and prevention in history" as Putnam says. But the facts are that they coughed up pennies and stood in the way of treating the epidemic as a disease instead of a moral issue. So they started the spending in the most inept, immoral, and begruding manner imaginable. Reagan's AIDS legacy is that because his administration did so little, valuable time and opportunity was lost to prevent the disease from becoming the world threatening crises it is today.

Don't look for the fair and balanced news organizations to correct or counter the lies being spun by the likes of Putnam. The GOP will most likely be successful in thwarting the presentation of "The Reagans". There is revisionist history going on, that is for certain, and the right wing is willfully spewing lies and distortions at will, to an unchallenging compliant media and populace.

[ithacan]

1. from what I've heard it is very inaccurate

because it portrays him in an overly generous way, despite the few notes of reality that the fundies and right wingers are screaming about, this sounds like a whitewash.

Will there be episodes on how he supported Saddam Hussein and buddied up to him while he was gassing Kurds and others?

Will there be episodes on his support for the right wing death squads in Central America?

Will there be mention of his support of the apartheid regime in South Africa?

Or will we have a hagiography that is "marred" by a few small mentions of AIDS and ketchup?

[tom_paine]

2. You'd expect the same from Nazis or Commies

If anyone had dare to include anything critical, factual or otherwise, about their beloved Fuhrer or Premier.

:puke:

America, once a relative beacon of truth and freedom, has now become a Beacon of Lies and Pravda.

Oh God, what did we allow these monsters to do to our beautiful nation?

And where will they stop?

[Skittles]

4. YOU KNOW IT TOM_PAINE

it is seriously creepy watching these people in action.

[Maccagirl]

3. The key word here is "began"

Yes, because there had been no funding for AIDS before! If they had budgeted $1 it would have been "the greatest amount of AIDS spending..."! Anyone who doesn't shoot this down immediately isn't doing their job. I'm truly embarressed for them because this production has really made them take leave of their senses.

[Military Brat]

5. The Great Plastic President

And the fundies still believe he was real

[LeahMira]

6. Just more baloney from fundies.

"The CBS presentation ignores the fact that the Reagan administration began the greatest amount of spending on AIDS research and prevention in history. The movie also depicts Reagan as intolerant and uncaring toward gays and those who suffer from AIDS."

Of course he began the spending because before then no one knew AIDS even existed! Can't spend on something that isn't there to spend for. And just how did Reagan demonstrate his "tolerance and caring" towards gays and AIDS patients? I don't recall any incidents that would demonstrate "caring."

I also take notice that there hasn't been a "liberal attack" on the Private Jessica film that I believe is on this evening! I do suspect that there are any number of "facts" in that film that are open to debate.

The right wing fundies need to get a life!