Quotes by Ronald Reagan

I dont believe in a fate that will fall on us no matter what we do. I do believe in a fate that will fall on us if we do nothing.

Yes, our country has its shortcomings, but theres no moral equivalency between democracy and totalitarianism…Theres no moral equivalency between propaganda and the truth.

Why should we subsidize intellectual curiosity?

You can tell a lot about a fellows character by his way of eating jellybeans.

Just think how happy youd be if you lost everything you have right now & then got it back.

Government does not solve problems. It subsidizes them.

Democracy is worth dying for, because its the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man.

In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem, government IS the problem. It isnt so much that liberals are ignorant, its just that they know so much that isnt so.

You and I are told we must choose between a left or right, but I suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There is only an up or down. Up to mans age-old dream -- the maximum of individual freedom consistent with order --or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. Regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would sacrifice freedom for security have embarked on this downward path.

Nothing lasts longer than a temporary government program.

Let me speak plainly: The United States of America is and must remain a nation of openness to people of all beliefs. Our very unity has been strengthened by this pluralism. Thats how we began; this is how we must always be. The ideals of our country leave no room whatsoever for intolerance, anti-Semitism, or bigotry of any kind -- none. The unique thing about America is a wall in our Constitution separating church and state. It guarantees there will never be a state religion in this land, but at the same time it makes sure that every single American is free to choose and practice his or her religious beliefs or to choose no religion at all. Their rights shall not be questioned or violated by the state.-- Remarks at the International Convention of Bnai Brith, 6 September 1984

Sometimes when Im faced with an atheist, I am tempted to invite him to the greatest gourmet dinner that one could ever serve, and when we have finished eating that magnificent dinner, to ask him if he believes theres a cook.

I was not a great communicator, but I communicated great things.

I discovered that night (in his colleges student politics) that an audience has a feel to it, and, in the parlance of the theater, that audience and I were together.

I hope we once again have reminded people that man is not free unless government is limited. Theres a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: As government expands, liberty contracts.

Our natural, inalienable rights are now considered to be a dispensation from government, and freedom has never been so fragile, so close to slipping from our grasp as it is at this moment.

A troubled and afflicted mankind looks to us, pleading for us to keep our rendezvous with destiny; that we will uphold the principles of self-reliance, self-discipline, morality, and, above all, responsible liberty for every individual that we will become that shining city on a hill.

Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty

Getting shot hurts. Still my fear was growing because no matter how hard I tried to breath it seemed I was getting less & less air. I focused on that tiled ceiling and prayed. But I realized I couldnt ask for Gods help while at the same time I felt hatred for the mixed up young man who had shot me. Isnt that the meaning of the lost sheep? We are all Gods children & therefore equally beloved by him. I began to pray for his soul and that he would find his way back to the fold.

They had that special grace, that special spirit that says, Give me a challenge and Ill meet it with joy. on Challenger disaster