The Reagan Myth: Sleepwalking Through History.

[Maddy McCall]

I don't know how many of you have read this book, but it's the best account of the Reagan presidency I've ever read. Maybe the Republicans presidential candidates should read it too, since they seem to have little knowledge of the Reagan presidency.



Sleepwalking Through History: America in the Reagan Years.
By Haynes Johnson

From Publishers Weekly
Washington Post columnist Johnson here presents a stunning indictment of the Reagan administration that details its impact on social, economic and political life in America. He reviews abuses in the S&L institutions, in HUD, in the National Security Council, on Wall Street, in religious broadcasting and, most impressively, reveals how the administration renounced responsibility for ameliorating social distress. The book makes clear why the rich got richer and the poor poorer in the last decade. Johnson portrays President Reagan as a kind of Dr. Feelgood who fulfilled a public need for reassurance, and ironically evaded judgment during the Iran- contra affair because of his reputation for not being in charge. Summarizing what he sees as Reagan's legacy, the "ethical wastland of the eighties," the author points to growing fractionalization, subversion of the constitutional system, corruption and ineffectiveness of government, and cynicism and inattention of the American people. First serial to Vanity Fair.

[indepat]

1. Hopefully someone will write an equally accurate, comprehensive, and devastating assessment of W's

reign as Haynes did on the Gipper.

[Maddy McCall]

2. I'm hopeful that that will happen, too.

Any historian who attempts to do so will have lots of problems accessing files that I'm sure the Bush house will attempt to keep closed forever.

[illinoisprogressive]

3. I read that book. it was fun and so true

[silverojo]

4. Here's another important book

"The Clothes Have No Emperor: A Chronicle of the American '80s" by Paul Slansky

Literally taken from the headlines of newspapers and magazines, and quoted from MILES of videotaped news/entertainment stories recorded by the author, this includes verbatim quotes of all Reagan's gaffes, horribly insensitive statements, and messed-up logic...as well as the same sort of evidence against Poppy Bush and Dan Quayle.

It reads like a diary, with each day's mind-bending quotes and facts, covering the 1980's ruthlessly and relentlessly. Provides lots of facts AND sources, for the next time you find yourself arguing with a Republican and need proof that they're dead wrong.

Get it here:
http://www.amazon.com/Clothes-Have-No-Emperor-Chronicle/dp/0671673394/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-2773851-6427201?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1178242064&sr=1-1

[Maddy McCall]

5. Thanks for rec'ing that!

I'll have to pick it up next time I'm at BN.

[Zomby Woof]

6. I read it when it came out

Haynes Johnson is one of my heroes. He wrote an equally well-researched assessment of Bush Sr's term called "Divided We Fall".

Whenever Reagan worship comes up on DU, I recommend "Sleepwalking...". My other favorite is out-of-print, called "The Clothes Have No Emperor" by Paul Slansky. It's a chronology of the Reagan era like no other.

And one last recommendation, "On Bended Knee: The Press and the Reagan Presidency" by Mark Hertsgaard.

When Reagan left office, his approvals were less than 40%. Thanks to Rush Limbaugh, by 1992 it had climbed to more than 60%. Then when his Alzheimer's was disclosed, America followed along with their own kind of amnesia and his popularity climbed some more.

I refuse to let my memory go so easily. Reagan was a missed abortion, and by far the worst president between WW2 and the end of the century.

[Jade Fox]

7. Reagan and Alzheimer's....

It is amazing to me how so many have developed Alzheimer's themselves, managing to forget that Reagan's disease was quite noticeable, to anyone not in denial, throughout his second term.

Another aspect of the disaster of Reagan:
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2007/012907.html