Ronald Reagan Would Not Like Tea Party, Filmmaker Jarecki Says at Sundance

[pampango]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-27/ronald-reagan-would-not-like-tea-party-filmmaker-jarecki-says.html

"He’s in the news so much now you would think he was alive, well and running the country,” said filmmaker Eugene Jarecki, whose documentary “Reagan” is playing at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

There’s the genial leader who gave Americans a renewed sense of optimism after the depressing Jimmy Carter years, and the proponent of economic policies that made the rich richer and damaged the poor and middle class.

While many Tea Party leaders cite him as their hero, Jarecki said he thinks Reagan would be turned off by the ultra- conservative movement. “His track record of pragmatism, depth and candor all speak to a person who would find the Tea Party simplistic, opportunistic and misguided,” he said. “Reagan was surrounded by some very smart people who gave him very sound advice. They were not wondering where certain countries are on the map.”

According to Jarecki, many myths about Reagan have been perpetuated by people trying to exploit his enduring popularity. They include claims that Reagan shrunk the federal government, never raised taxes and took a hard-line against illegal immigration.

[Tikki]

1. After the Carter years...reagan gave sanctioned hate and disdain..

to the American people after President Carter tried to heal the wounds
of a generation lost from war.



Tikki