The president was a strong supporter of the idea that the federal government had too much power and influence. A nation that cannot control its borders is not a nation. Paul J. Richards/Agence France-Presse via. Ronald Wilson Reagan ( RAY-gn; February 6, 1911 - June 5, 2004) was an American politician who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989 and became a highly influential voice of modern conservatism.Prior to his presidency, he was a Hollywood movie actor and union leader before serving as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 to 1975. It seems clear from the tone of this witticism that the phrase had been around at least a little while. You don't know. If interested, we could discuss this in a chat. }); When a business or an individual spends more than it makes, it goes bankrupt. It isn't literally true, and it isn't even true in most cases. Our core problem is a dogmatic anti-government attitude, reflected in Reagans quip, that arose in the 1970s and 80s. Motivational Quotes. Rosenberg, Jennifer. I don't really know the details of exactly how the script was changed, the person I know wasn't involved until after the re-write (and isn't really into games anyway so didn't probe for more details!). But I want to take this discussion a little further and talk about the meaning and utility of this sentiment the most terrifying words are Im from the government and Im here to help.. @gerrit it's related because the the government instigated these events by using a combination of federal funding for universities and dear colleague letters from the department of education. FDR, JFK and LBJ were not Stalin or Mao, nowhere close. What he was talking about is is government incompetence and overreach. Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them. Google Podcasts ), It had clearly become a well-worn observation in political and government circles by the time Reagan said it when discussing government support to farmers during the 1986 press conference I mentioned at the beginning. Known as "the Great Communicator," Reagan is often remembered for his quick wit and storytelling. Christian Science Monitor: a socially acceptable source among conservative Christians? I understand the sentiment that holds that little of value comes from dealing with the federal government because what the feds do is take too much money through taxes, infringe upon our freedoms (speech, arms and worship), drive up the cost of almost everything with too much regulation, and saddle us with PC cultural nonsense. As President Reagan said, "The nine scariest words in the English language are I'm with the Government and I'm here to help.". As the de facto representative of the federal government to the nation and around the world, it might seem at odds that the president would make such a claim about government intervention. 15. Would Marx consider salary workers to be members of the proleteriat? I doubt you will find many Germans who believe their government is a tyranny. If you want to get an idea of how government was thought of at that time watch some 70s or 80s movies or watch Stranger Things on Netflix (I can't watch that, it's just SOS for me). "We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone.". I hope these quotes prove an inspiration and motivate you to be the . function getCookieWithoutJQuery(name) { $21.99 $32.99. Or it can be a result of incentives of individual members of government (increase one's power, get re-elected, or a mundane "I wanna go home by 4:30pm and have 1 hour lunch" by a clerk who will take shortcuts and do a shoddy job which presumably isn't your own goal). I don't know if Reagan meant it literally - but it could reasonably be interpreted literally and still be true. Even where tribes have done fairly well, poverty and substance abuse are higher than in comparable areas. When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat. As a veteran that lives in Arizona (pertinent due to the issues that they had a few years back) I can attest that although they needed extra access to specialty services (which caused some leadership to fudge numbers), the overall care at the VA was exemplary. } Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. //]]> Of course, there have been lots of times when governments, including the U.S. government, have done terrible (indeed inexcusable) things allowing slavery and child labor to exist and thrive, helping to wipe out Native Americans, and so many more. " To grasp and hold a vision, that is the very essence of successful leadership - not only on the movie set where I learned it, but everywhere. Such is the case with this statement made by President Ronald Reagan at that press conference in 1986. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. The popular opinion was that the government was malicious, corrupt, incompetent or any combination of the three. Reagan: Thanks. Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them. Ronald Reagan. While others have provided some excellent examples, I would like to provide a few more. Ronald Reagan. window.Mobvious.device_type = 'mobile'; It's hard, when you're up to your armpits in alligators, to remember you came here to drain the swamp. Add to that the cronyism and corruption (minor and major) that results from long term stagnation and you get a number of organizations who do what is good for the organization (not good for the country or the citizens). I think this cultural habit is already extreme, problematic, and sometimes dangerous, as Ive explained in many of these Quote or No Quote shows. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. (Source: Frederick News, 19 July 1976), The same basic idea was uttered during testimony before the U.S. Senate when they were considering Extension of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act in 1977. Before ascending to the presidency, he previously served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 to 1975 and was the president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1947 to 1952 and . If the American experience of the past few years has taught us anything, it should have been that shallow, stupid, and reactionary approaches to the countrys problems only end up hurting us more, and putting us in deeper and deeper holes. This Reaganism certainly sums up his views on government (even though, as Ill show later, the formulation of this quote and sentiment is hugely problematic). In some areas, businesses have lost 70% of their revenue since the pandemic hit. Do you trust other people to look out for your interests better than you do? " Obviously government is essential to domestic order, especially in times of trouble like natural disasters. !function(){function n(n,t){var r=i(n);return t&&(r=r("instance",t)),r}var r=[],c=0,i=function(t){return function(){var n=c++;return r.push([t,[].slice.call(arguments,0),n,{time:Date.now()}]),i(n)}};n._s=r,this.csa=n}(); Shop high quality Ronald Reagan Quote T-Shirts from CafePress. The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help. Are we to be terrified when an Emergency Medical Technician uses the jaws of life to extract us from a wrecked automobile thats crushing us? Along those lines, I would like to tell an appropriate story: "The three most unbelieved statements in the world are: 2) Of course, I'll love you in the morning like I do tonight, and, 3) I'm from the government and I'm here to help you. Subscribe to our free newsletter to get blog posts and episode links before anyone else. q("i", arguments) "The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave." Ronald Reagan. 14. Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. Now, read some journalistic reporting on what really happened. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things." 52. If men were angels, no government would be necessary. The views of Ronald Reagan on big government have seen a resurgence in recent years, as the country has again grappled with unnecessary spending and influence by the government. It's more like he's saying the government is neither trustworthy nor competent. Quotes "My fellow Americans. He came from a poor family and started his career as a sports announcer on various regional radio stations. How dry does a rock/metal vocal have to be during recording? Finally, we should also realize that its our responsibility as voters to make sure this trend towards the terrifying stops. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). Table 2.2 Misery Index by President Source: miseryindex. [CDATA[ We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. Showing 1-30 of 350 "Government exists to protect us from each other. Some on the right are willing to call a halt to an argument that is serving us so badly. This takes a variety of shapes, including unintended consequences ("Cobra effect") that make the problem worse; or simple errors. " There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit. On the topic of sexual assault in higher education, let's first agree that sexual assault is both horrible and criminal. Ronald Reagan quotes on government have the capacity to get your thought process reeling as you contemplate someone who was a president and seem to condemn governance. googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(true); "//securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/tag/js/gpt.js"; Either you will control your government, or government will control you. And recovery is when, Balancing the budget is a little like protecting your virtue: You just have to learn to say "no.". And how do you tell an anti-Communist? "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help." - President Reagan Aug. 12, 1986Join us on Facebo. Dionne Jr. is a Washington Post columnist. | Privacy Policy. 4.7 out of 5 stars22 $9.99$9.99 Get it as soon as Wed, May 4 FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon Only 5 left in stock - order soon. So basically it was a late-70s clich to say when you didn't want the government to be involved in a situation. President (1981-1989 : Reagan), Ronald Reagan (1982). function isShowingBuyableFeatures() { })(); In all quarters and at all times, we must teach tolerance and denounce racism, anti-Semitism and all ethnic or religious bigotry wherever they exist as unacceptable evils. Not literally, of course. googletag.pubads().setTargeting("author", [3543]); } Improve yourself, find your inspiration, share with friends, This website or its third-party tools use cookies, which are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the cookie policy. Its childish because, as Ive implied, its an overly-simplistic way of looking at the world, how it operates, and how we might try to make it operate better. Dionne: Reagans 9 most terrifying words, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Dionne: Reagans 9 most terrifying words still a destructive force. Watergate was still fresh on people's minds it exposed not what Nixon had done but what everyone had been doing. Many were branded rapists and expelled from school. It is not too much to say that absent the federal government, whole groups of people might still have to pay a poll tax or pass a literacy test in order to vote. function(a9, a, p, s, t, A, g) { They're famously . if (a[a9]) return; Ronald Wilson Reagan ( 6 February 1911 - 5 June 2004) was an American politician and actor, who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. While they are "sovereign" nations, they have effectively been ghettoized and segregated. Make no mistake about it, inflation is a tax and not by accident. "The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.". We don't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. Quotes by Ronald Reagan on Politics. // Tuition rates resumed an accelerated increase. Government is like a baby. (function() { "Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.". } As one of the most quote politicians in the world, Ronald Reagan had some pretty memorable things to say during his time as President of the United States. " Ronald Reagan 02. Carry on Ronald Reagan's tradition of support for personal freedom and conservative values by signing up for your own Reagan.com email address. This "misery" helps explain his loss to Ronald Reagan in 1980. Rosenberg, Jennifer. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same. The work of both Jerry Taylor and Samuel Hammond at the libertarian-leaning Niskanen Center has aroused great interest because it faces up to what has long been true: Many big government countries (in Scandinavia, for example) are also among the freest nations on earth. It's not that liberals aren't smart, it's just that so much of what they know isn't so. When did the US start separating illegal immigrants from their children and what is this policy called? "Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.". Ronald Reagan, Ronald Reagan (1983). Ronald Reagan Quotes-"The Last Stand On Earth"-Political Wall Art Print- 10 x 8" Patriotic American Flag Poster Print w/Reagan Portrait-Ready to Frame. The judgements were delivered harshly and without a sense of friendliness. Why is sending so few tanks Ukraine considered significant? A Time for Choosing (aka "The Speech"), Air date 27 October 1964, Los Angeles, CA, Ronald Reagan, Michael Reagan (2016). Kirkman: Here's a long shot. Took lessons since I was in the crib. President (1981-1989 : Reagan), Ronald Reagan (1982). pubID: '3211', adServer: 'googletag', bidTimeout: 4e3, params: { aps_privacy: '1YN' } Even the most facile and simple utterances become maxims when they happen to have come out of the mouths of Gandhi, Churchill, Lincoln, Einstein, and Mark Twain. As little as possible? Neither do we. Reagan-worshipping pundits and media outlets trot this out at such times, investing it with gravity and inherent truth as if it came from the Bible or the US Constitution. I find it hard to follow your final example. If you want to know more or withdraw your consent to all or some of the cookies, please refer to the, Remarks at a Dallas Ecumenical Prayer Breakfast, delivered 23 August 1984 at Reunion Arena, Dallas, TX, United States. Our journalism needs your support. Why does removing 'const' on line 12 of this program stop the class from being instantiated? Yet his campaign statements should have warned us that save for the human rights thrust in foreign policy, his passion in government is for how things are done, rather than what should be done. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions. Top 10 Ronald Reagan Quotes. "The nine scariest words in the English language are 'I'm with the government and I'm here to help'" - Ronald Reagan. As I write this, there have been some 6.1 million confirmed U.S. cases of COVID-19, and weve lost almost 185,000 Americans to this virus in just six months. Our secure private email service will keep your information and personal communications safe. Does that make more sense? Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one. Ronald Wilson Reagan, 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989, famously said: The nine most terrifying words in the English language are "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.". "Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.". Youre right to cower in fear whenever the government comes to the rescue, they assert with all the confidence that comes from being backed up by Reagan. $19.99 $29.99. We must condemn those who seek to divide us. Underlying the contemporary conservative view is a belief that government is oppressive no matter what form a political system takes. And, of course, prostitution/sex trafficking is hardly the only time this happens. googletag.cmd.push(function() { It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. googletag.pubads().setTargeting("gr_author", "false"); The little things. if (window.Mobvious === undefined) { Reason, a libertarian magazine, delivers a more pointed assessment, with the title: Feds 'Rescue' Women from Freedom and Money in 11th 'Operation Cross Country', and some stories about the experience of the "rescued" women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today's world . By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Follow Author Ronald Reagan > Quotes (?) Politics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for people interested in governments, policies, and political processes. He passed on the baton to George Bush Sr. and wife Barbara Bush in 1988. I'd say he was referring to the belief (often held by conservative voters in the United States), that the government, in general, is incredibly inefficient in everything that they do. Albert B. Kelly is the mayor of Bridgeton. - Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan. 26 WALLPAPERS 9 POINTS. Your boyish sincerity is your best quality, sir. (. } else { Ronald . "Events.SushiEndpoint": "https://unagi.amazon.com/1/events/com.amazon.csm.csa.prod", Stay victorious! But he said under the name of liberalism the American people will adopt every fragment of the socialist program. News never stops. And ever since he told me that, I stopped worrying. All rights reserved (About Us). It believes that eternal principles like truth, liberty, and democracy have no meaning beyond the whim of the state. In many ways, I believe, Reagan meant it literally. 100. I exaggerate, but not by much. Removing unreal/gift co-authors previously added because of academic bullying. Tuskegee syphilis experiment is among the most (in)famous examples. Ronald Reagan Meaningful work, not welfare, is every American's hope, and we have a continuing responsibility to make those hopes a lasting reality. they quite literally do get talking points. var ue_sid = "030-2569640-1314931"; The whole secret of government lies in knowing when to be the one or the other. I don't suppose he meant it literally. rev2023.1.18.43170. Nothing can harm business more than uncertainty since you can't make longer term plans and investments; and ones you make get screwed up. 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And, as I said in the shows opening, it has re-appeared in 2021 during the debates over the Biden administrations plan to drastically increase funding to meet Americas infrastructure needs. Reagan summarized his long-held suspicions about the effectiveness and morality of the role of government in peoples lives by saying, The nine most terrifying words in the English language are Im from the government and Im here to help.. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. 18. Look at what were called "The Projects" which was suppose to help the poor by providing cheap housing. } 17. "Trust, but verify.". return true; This texture is really good! That led Ronald Reagan to take on big government with spending cuts, including a nearly 5-percent reduction in his very first year, with an overall reduction in discretionary domestic spending of about 14 percent during his inaugural year. Perfect Patriotic Gift. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. If we lose freedom here, there is no place to escape to. (Source: Rearing before the Subcommittee on Retirement Income and Employment of the Select Committee on Aging, House of Representatives, Ninety-fifth Congress, second session, Jackson, Miss., February 20, 1978. Fred R. Shapiro, The Yale Book of Quotations. But government is so crappy at running things that that was indeed the outcome.