Ronald Reagan circa 1947 The other Reagan legacy and why the rw loves him so much

[AlCzervik]

St. Ronnie at HUAC

STRIPLING: Mr. Reagan, what is your feeling about what steps should be taken to rid the
motion picture industry of any communist influences?

REAGAN: Well, sir, 99 percent of us are pretty well aware of what is going on, and I think,
within the bounds of our democratic rights and never once stepping over the rights given us by
democracy, we have done a pretty good job in our business of keeping those people's activities
curtailed. After all, we must recognize them at present as a political party. On that basis we have
exposed their lies when we came across them, we have opposed their propaganda, and I can
certainly testify that in the case of the Screen Actors Guild we have been eminently successful in
preventing them from, with their usual tactics, trying to run a majority of an organization with a
well organized minority. In opposing those people, the best thing to do is make democracy
work. In the Screen Actors Guild we make it work by insuring everyone a vote and by keeping
everyone informed. I believe that, as Thomas Jefferson put it, if all the American people know
all of the facts they will never make a mistake. Whether the party should be outlawed, that is a
matter for the government to decide. As a citizen, I would hesitate to see any political party
outlawed on the basis of its political ideology. However, if it is proven that an organization is an
agent of foreign power, or in any way not a legitimate political party -- and I think the
government is capable of proving that -- then that is another matter. I happen to be very proud of
the industry in which I work; I happen to be very proud of the way in which we conducted the
fight. I do not believe the communists have ever at any time been able to use the motion picture
screen as a sounding board for their philosophy or ideology.

http://www.twcnet.edu/cschutz/history-page/Consensus/Reagan-huac-testimony.html

[keithjx]

1. If I didn't know better,

I'd think he was describing today's neocons....
Ugh.
KJ

[originalpckelly]

2. You bet, he's talking about the reds anyway. I'm sick of these red neo-connies.

[jody]

3. "Agent of foreign power", he could mean AIPAC. n/t