This good book provides a healthy and bracing antidote to the recently forged Reagan Diary hoax, although this book seems soft on REagan, Bush, Ollie North and the rest. But that is simply the author's professional and gentle style from an earlier age of journalism, long before the rage of Hannity, Coulter and O'Reilly, when Rush was still an oddity and an anomaly, when journalism was not yet mere slap down steel cage entertainment but the scholarly presentation of historical facts clearly and concisely, as in this book, as in Murrow, as in IF Stone.
This book contains the facts of that age, objectively written by a trained journalist and historian and a true professional and gentleman with full access to all parties, the objective truth and facts about the long national nightmare which was and still is the Reagan/Bush dynastic regime, from which we as a nation still struggle to awaken and may never succeed.
As you can see I would prefer a little more polemic on the part of the author, but he is a skilled professional correctly concerned with maintaining his access to all parties and yet presenting the truth. Thus, while restraining himself from commenting directly nor editorializgin at length regarding the phenomena of that time, he skillfully does so indirectly through quotes from the players and writers of that age. We therefore read the harshest words regarding Reagan coming from the mouth of none other than Dick Cheney, quoted at great length. Haynes can wear the velvet glove and fine demeanor, and let others speak the truth no matter whom it disturbs from their eager slumber.
THe most telling section comes near the end with a closing factual summation of the effects of the Reagan administration, moving us from our position as the world's greatest lender nation to its deepest debtor nation, a depth of debt ever spiralling downwards, the destruction of our industrial and our agricultrural base, the destruction of our technological research and development, the destruction of our moral base as a nation from the largesse and self sacrifice called for so effectively by President Kennedy to the lust and unregulated greed under Reagan. We see the facts, gently presented of all of the Reagan scandals, noted by Haynes Johnson calmly in passing without outrage we might expect now, like a bored tour guide might indicate the town square stone, but letting us read the horrors there written.
For this is the teflon journalist. He points out the truth of the horror and the mud and the corruption and the dirt, but none of it sticks to him. He is too clever for that. Yet we read between the lines and we read directly the lines and we see the truth of that horrendous administration.
We must read again this book and remember the truth, for we have fallen far more deeply and we cannot get up. Whereas Reagan cut taxes and went into debt to fund his military nmonstrosities and absurdities, we go far more deeply into dept to fund an unfounded yet endless war in Iraq, consuming officially $86 billion every six months, but actually much much more for no clear nor strategic reason. We have lost nearly four thousands officially counted servicemen and women, yet actually much much more, including in civilians, women and children murdered, for what purpose.
Thus this book with its modest figures of corruption, administrative negligence and wasteful military spending bankrupting us for generations to come as our infrastructure collapses and melts down, seems like small change compared to what is happening now. Read this book, read the facts, and you will see. Reagan played Nero to the current Caligula.
Excellent book requiring space in every school library and in every truly patriotic American home. Well written, judicious, careful and correct.
