During a recent Western Governors Association meeting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona misquoted a well-known Ronald Reagan statement about government involvement. Using Reagan’s name but changing the meaning of his original remarks, Cardona discussed partnerships between federal and state leaders on school funding.
Secretary Cardona was overheard stating, “We’re from the government,” as President Reagan—I believe—said. We’re available to assist. advocating for a supportive role for the federal government in state-level education initiatives. Reagan’s original remark, which had a far more cautious tone toward government engagement, was greatly altered from this interpretation.
At a news conference in 1986, President Reagan first stated, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” Reagan’s remark came to represent his doubts about the effectiveness of government, which many other conservatives also felt.
According to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute, Reagan’s remarks emphasized his conviction that inefficiencies in government can lead to more problems than they solve. Reagan, according to the foundation, supported small government, which frees people and institutions from onerous government regulation and allows them to function more efficiently.
Secretary Cardona’s false statement has brought attention to the glaring ideological disparities between the current and previous administrations about the extent and size of government.