“Nations crumble from within when the citizenry asks of government those things which the citizenry might better provide for itself. ... [I] hope we have once again reminded people that man is not free unless government is limited. There's a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: As government expands, liberty contracts.”

Outstanding!! But of course, those invested in the "government is all" will hate this. Interestingly, this same crowd believes that THEY are the ones that will be in charge of the rest of us....no thanks.

Comrade Anonymous' religious patrons continue passing statutes and rules proving the subject of the quote to be absolute and true.

History proves the 100% accuracy of this statement.

Reston lives in a socialist dream world.

By this logic, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Niger, Haiti, or many other such places with virtually no government should be the most successful countries in the world. Welcome to lawless chaos. Compare them to Sweden or Norway, for example, with extensive government services, such as universal health care and the highest standards of living in the world. The statement is a foolish cliché typical of Ronald Reagan.

Jack, you've been listening to too much propaganda and too many fairy tails. It has been my personal experience that the health and dental average of Norway and Sweden be less than that of America, and both Countries are attempting to reduce their socialism as it is bankrupting them. As far as personal material wealth, America takes a back seat to no-one. And contrary to Socialist rhetoric, those that love liberty understand that it exists by the order of law, not control or the absence of control.

God knkows we need another Ronald W. Reagan. Unfortunately, they only come once in a lifetime.

This statement could not be any truer. As a nation if we cherish the liberties that our parents and previous generations have fought and died for, then we need to stop sitting around and start fighting for for our freedom. A people that sit idly by are just as guilty of the retraction of liberty as those who actively fight to destroy it.

Mike - you are ABSOLUTELY right!

Socialists confuse government with law. America is great because of its roots in Roman law and a common Judeo-Christian heritage and English language. Those things, not government, made this country the great nation it is. Only adherence to those and the unique principles of the U.S. Constitution will save us.

I had just graduated from high school when I heard this quote from our 40th President and thought to myself " I sure feel as if our government was stronger than ever and would take a lot to break down what our great President has built"

Jack, further, concerning Somalia, Sierra Leone, Niger, Haiti, etc., those nations have crumbled from within when the citizenry asked of government those things which the citizenry might better provide for themselves. For example; the citizenry ask for protection from militarized gangs, corrupt politicos and U.S.A. supplied and trained terrorists. What little government there was, did not allow or took the implements of defense (weapons, education, etc.) so that wealth creation and better living standards were guaranteed to be non-existent.

Too bad and tragic that the Joker in the White House and the Clowns in Congress have forgotten what made America great.

Looks to me that the "Crony Capitalists" and the Socialists are winning the war against freedom.

Semper Fi.

I agree with this article: Perhaps not the worst but definitely close to the top.
https://consortiumnews.com/2014/02/06/ronald-reagan-worst-president-ever-2/
The quote is good but the reality was the opposite - he actually increased government.... Like EPA etc, etc, etc.
Reagan, for a republican, was a nice man, and that is where it should have stopped.

Come on Robert, you know besides being a nice guy, he had a lot of excellent one-liners / media bites ;-).