I’m on your side here, but to think the start of misinformation is was in the 21st century (or even in the 20th or the 19th) is just not accurate. There have always been liberals and conservatives (lower case), although they’ve had many names. The R’s use of this trope was around the start of the viral spreading of misinformation online.
The family lore is that after moving out of a house of 20+ years, my father found a an unopened box from when they moved in. My mother made him take it directly to the curb.
You just need a few retired neighbors who walk their dogs all the time. In the beginning you laugh about it, but nosy neighbors are actually a Good Thing. Unless you have something to hide…
History (and documentaries) are written by the winners. So we may never know.