Truth is messy, it’s paradoxical.
Reagan was a great leader, he didn’t pay attention, he was all flash, he made bold proclamations, he cheated on his wife, he made for great television, he reached out to Gorbachev, he financed Islamists, he brought us out of malaise, he raised taxes, he was against big government, he promoted the untenable and impossible Star Wars, he won reelection, he liked jellybeans, he fell asleep at cabinet meetings, he joked about bombing Russia, by all accounts he was a genial man.
Let’s quote a song featuring Reagan that they don’t play on the 80s hits stations. The Beatnig’s “Television”…
TELEVISION One nation, under one God
has turned into one nation
under the influence
of one drug.
Television
And one man
who is the master of this medium,
our president, Ronald Reagan
Television,
the drug of the nation,
breeding ignorance,
feeding radiation
TV! Is the reason
why less than
ten percent of our nation
reads books daily
Why most people think
Central America means Kansas,
Communism means unamerican,
and apartheid is
a new headache remedy.
Where the Cosby show is watched
by rich whites
and Dynasty is watched by everybody
TV! Is the stomping ground
for political candidates,
where bears in
the woods are chased
by Grecian formula’d
bald eagles.
Where all you need
to do to get elected
is make monkey movies
(Just ask Clint and Ronnle)
and where straight teeth
in your mouth are more important
than the words
that come out of it,
TV! Is the place where
self-cancelling phrases
like Pop-Art
Fresh-Frozen,
and Military-intelligence
have become standard.
TV! Is the place where
words are redefined
like “Contra”
to “Freedom Fighter”,
and Sandinista
to Repressive Regime,
TV! Is where the pursuit
of happiness has become
the pursuit of trivia
where toothpaste and cars
have becomc sex objects
and where Sesame Street
is more real than Hill Street!
Have a great weekend y’all!
