Chapter
Imbalanced Budgeting: Prioritizing Defense Over Public Health
41:03 - 45:45 (04:41)
The Reagan administration's decision to spend a total of $220 billion on defense while cutting $150 million from the CDC's budget led to priorities that favored funding for Legionnaire's disease over AIDS, despite AIDS eventually causing a much larger epidemic.
Clips
Promotional snippets for Death Island, Beauty Translated, and a podcast on AIDS and the Reagan Administration.
41:03 - 42:41 (01:37)
Summary
Promotional snippets for Death Island, Beauty Translated, and a podcast on AIDS and the Reagan Administration.
ChapterImbalanced Budgeting: Prioritizing Defense Over Public Health
EpisodePart One: Ronald and Nancy Reagan: The Bastards Behind the AIDS Crisis
PodcastBehind the Bastards
In the early 1980s, during Reagan's administration, the CDC spent less than a million dollars on AIDS whereas Legionnaire's disease, which killed 50 people, received nine million dollars of federal funding.
42:41 - 45:45 (03:04)
Summary
In the early 1980s, during Reagan's administration, the CDC spent less than a million dollars on AIDS whereas Legionnaire's disease, which killed 50 people, received nine million dollars of federal funding. Furthermore, Reagan proposed a cut of nearly 50% in the CDC's appropriation, from 327 million to 161 million, despite requesting a total of $220 billion for defense spending.