President Reagan

President Ronald Reagan
Date of Birth: February 6, 1911
Happy Birthday, Mr. President.

Some quotations from President Ronald Reagan:

Before I refuse to take your questions, I have an opening statement. * Thomas Jefferson once said, 'We should never judge a president by his age, only by his works.' And ever since he told me that, I stopped worrying. * How can a president not be an actor? * Politics is just like show business. You have a hell of an opening, coast for a while, and then have a hell of a close. * Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book. * I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national emergency, even if I'm in a cabinet meeting. * I never drink coffee at lunch. I find it keeps me awake for the afternoon.

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.' * I don't believe in a government that protects us from ourselves. * The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it. * The problem is not that people are taxed too little, the problem is that government spends too much. * We should measure welfare's success by how many people leave welfare, not by how many are added. * Welfare's purpose should be to eliminate, as far as possible, the need for its own existence. * Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them. * Today, if you invent a better mousetrap, the government comes along with a better mouse. * Governments tend not to solve problems, only to rearrange them. * No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. * Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! * Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty. * How do you tell a communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin. * Of the four wars in my lifetime, none came about because the U.S. was too strong. * Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means. * When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat. * To sit back hoping that someday, someway, someone will make things right is to go on feeding the crocodile, hoping he will eat you last--but eat you he will. * Don't be afraid to see what you see. * Trust, but verify. * Heroes may not be braver than anyone else. They're just braver five minutes longer. * I have wondered at times what the 10 Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the US Congress. * I've never been able to understand why a Republican contributor is a 'fat cat' and a Democratic contributor of the same amount of money is a 'public-spirited philanthropist'. * Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the democrats believe every day is April 15. * We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone. * Going to college offered me the chance to play football for four more years. * Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music.

President Ronald Reagan
Date of Death: June 5, 2004