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Modern Republicans have gone off the deep end. There's no other way to put it. Republicans weren't always like this, but their actions now are dangerous.

Scientists warned Reagan and Bush of an oncoming crisis. They said that CFCs were depleting the ozone layer and, left unchecked, would cause severe issues in the future. Reagan and Bush didn't like the idea of regulations that might be harmful to the economy and weren't entirely confident in the science. But their economic advisors said that the risk was great and, if the scientists were right, failing to act would lead to much greater harm in the future. Although personally reluctant, Reagan and Bush took action and the US was a leader in implementing the Montreal Protocol. The ozone layer is recovering and history has vindicated them.

Republicans of that era would want to reopen the economy during this pandemic. They wouldn't like restrictions on individual liberty. But scientists are advising that we may need some restrictions to bring the pandemic under control. Republicans from that era would probably support a short lockdown, perhaps a month long, to slow the rate of new infections. They would then insist on a national mask mandate and social distancing rules. Those Republicans would argue that relatively limited restrictions on individual liberty would be necessary in order to bring the pandemic under control. They would note that not acting would result in a greater economic hit overall and that we can't be free if we have to worry about catching a dangerous virus while going about our daily activities. They would accept the science and choose the least restrictive option that would allow us to mostly resume our daily lives and economic activities in a reasonably safe manner.

Current Republicans are nothing like that. They deny science. They take actions that supposedly prioritize freedom but actually jeopardize both safety and the economy. As a result, the pandemic is out of control and we're going to take a big economic hit this winter because of it.

Reagan and Bush had plenty of faults, no doubt. They certainly made plenty of mistakes and did plenty of dumb things. Trump and current Republicans actively discredit Dr. Fauci. In contrast, Bush very much trusted Fauci [cbs58.com] and took his advice. Despite the valid criticism of Reagan's handling of HIV, Fauci made it clear that Reagan took his advice seriously [aaas.org].