100+ Best Ronald Reagan Quotes That Inspire, Motivate & Provoke Thought

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so."

"I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national emergency—even if I'm in a cabinet meeting."

"They don't make tape recorders like they used to. Of course, they didn't then either."

"My political philosophy can fit on the back of a postage stamp: Government has no money of its own. It can only spend what it takes from the people."

"If you've seen one shopping center, you've seen them all."

"I paid for the microphone, Senator, and I'll keep talking until it runs out of batteries."

"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'"

"A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A depression is when you lose yours. And recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his."

"I believe in states' rights, but I also believe the state of my birth has the right to expect me to visit once in a while."

"I didn't leave the Democratic Party. The party left me."

"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I've come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."

"I have wondered from time to time what God was doing before He created heaven and earth. Then I read there was no 'before' because time itself was part of creation."

"America is too great for small dreams."

"We are a nation that has a government—not the other way around."

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction."

"Let us begin an era of national renewal."

"The work of our time is to secure peace through strength."

"Our nation has a mission that God Himself has assigned to us."

"We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker."

"This country has too much at stake for the spirit of ’76 to expire."

"It is the American cause that we serve, and it is the American dream that we defend."

"There can be no prosperity without freedom."

"We remain confident of our future because we remain confident in our people."

"America is not just a place. It's an idea—a belief in human dignity and liberty."

"If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."

"Without God, there is no virtue, because there's no prompting of the conscience."

"I had learned early that you can't eat your cake and have it too."

"The Lord has always blessed those who put their trust in Him."

"We need religion in the schools not to teach a particular religion, but to teach morality."

"God didn't create man to live alone. That's why He gave us families."

"Our founding fathers were men of deep religious faith."

"I believe in prayer because I believe in God."

"The Ten Commandments contain no fine print."

"We should invoke the name of God in our public institutions."

"Faith is not just believing in God—it’s trusting Him."

"No problem of civilization has ever been solved by abandoning the moral precepts of our faith."

"Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction."

"Government is not the solution to our problems. Government is the problem."

"The conservative believes that the individual is the foundation of society."

"The most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.'"

"We must limit the size and power of government."

"Liberty is always one generation away from extinction."

"In a free society, the highest office is citizen."

"The Founding Fathers knew a government can’t control the economy without controlling people."

"Freedom is worth fighting for, dying for, and preserving."

"We must never forget that America’s greatness lies in the freedom granted to its citizens."

"The truth is that freedom is not free."

"We must protect the rights of the minority from the tyranny of the majority."

"The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things."

"Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don’t interfere."

"Real change begins not with government programs, but with personal responsibility."

"We are not going to sacrifice the safety of this world to achieve peace."

"Peace is not the absence of conflict; peace is the creation of an environment where all can flourish."

"The role of leadership is to define reality and offer hope."

"You can’t strengthen the weak by weakening the strong."

"Leadership is not about popularity. It's about doing what's right."

"The future doesn't belong to those who see problems. It belongs to those who see possibilities."

"We must lead with confidence and clarity."

"Optimism is a political duty."

"As president, I wanted to give people hope, not handouts."

"The rich aren't getting richer. They're getting wealthier. There's a difference."

"Taxes are taking more than they need. They're taking what belongs to you."

"The engine of growth is individual initiative."

"Inflation is taxation without legislation."

"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."

"Lower taxes mean higher take-home pay and more jobs."

"The entrepreneur is the lifeblood of a free economy."

"When you can’t get something done in Washington, go around it."

"Prosperity comes not from government spending, but from private investment."

"The best social program is a job."

"We must reduce the burden of taxation to unleash the creative energy of the people."

"Economic growth starts with freedom to produce and trade."

"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

"The West won't contain communism. It will transcend it."

"Peace through strength is not a slogan. It's a policy."

"Evil does exist in the world. A friend told me not to use that word anymore. I said, 'Wouldn't it be easier to just rename the devil?'"

"The Soviet Union is the focus of evil in the modern world."

"We must stand tall and speak clearly to tyrants."

"Democracy is not inevitable. It must be defended."

"The march of freedom and democracy will leave Marxism-Leninism on the ash heap of history."

"We must confront aggression with resolve."

"America must be a beacon of liberty abroad."

"Strength is the prerequisite for peace."

"Deterrence is not based on fear. It's based on capability."

"Let us renew our covenant! We are Americans."

"We are a nation of optimists."

"Nothing is impossible to a determined people."

"The future is ours to shape."

"America's best days are still ahead."

"We must have faith in ourselves and in our future."

"We can do anything we set our minds to."

"The American dream is alive and well."

"Let us not dwell on what went wrong. Let us instead work on what can be made right."

"Believe in yourself. Believe in America."

"We are heirs to a great legacy. Let us add to it."

"Hope is not naive. It is necessary."

"The family is the cornerstone of our society."

"Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see."

"The home is the first school of character."

"Love is the greatest gift we can give our children."

"Marriage is not just a bond between two people. It's a commitment before God."

"Parents are the true teachers of moral values."

"A strong family builds a strong nation."

"The dinner table is where values are passed on."

"Families hold society together."

"We must honor mothers and fathers for their quiet heroism."

"Grandparents are a link to our past and a bridge to our future."

"The most important things in life happen at home."

"I’ve shared the American dream all my life. Now I want to pass it on."

"My fondest hope is that I helped restore pride in America."

"History teaches us that courage and perseverance triumph over fear."

"I am grateful for the chance to serve."

"The presidency is not about ego. It's about purpose."

"I leave behind a nation stronger in spirit and purpose."

"Greatness is not measured by time in office, but by impact on the soul of a nation."

"I believe in America. I always have. I always will."

"The American people are my proudest legacy."

"I did my best. I hope it made a difference."

"Service is the rent we pay for living."

"Let us go forward with faith and confidence."