President Reagan was elected on the promise of getting government off the backs of the people and now he demands that government wrap itself around the waists of the people.

Meaning of the quote

This quote means that when President Reagan was elected, he promised to make the government less involved in people's lives. However, once he became president, he actually wanted the government to have more control over people and be more involved in their daily activities.

About Ralph Nader

Ralph Nader is an American political activist, author, and attorney known for his work in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform. He became famous in the 1960s for his book ‘Unsafe at Any Speed’, which criticized the automotive industry and led to the passage of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. Nader has run for president several times and has been named one of the most influential Americans in history.

More about the author

More quotes from Ralph Nader

President Reagan was elected on the promise of getting government off the backs of the people and now he demands that government wrap itself around the waists of the people.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

The liberal intelligentsia has allowed its party to become a captive of corporate interests.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

Your best teacher is your last mistake.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

The only difference between the Republican and Democratic parties is the velocities with which their knees hit the floor when corporations knock on their door. That’s the only difference.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

This (George W. Bush’s) administration is not sympathetic to corporations, it is indentured to corporations.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

For almost seventy years the life insurance industry has been a smug sacred cow feeding the public a steady line of sacred bull.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

Addiction should never be treated as a crime. It has to be treated as a health problem. We do not send alcoholics to jail in this country. Over 500,000 people are in our jails who are nonviolent drug users.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

Every time I see something terrible, it’s like I see it at age 19. I keep a freshness that way.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

Once you don’t vote your ideals… that has serious undermining affects. It erodes the moral basis of our democracy.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

Turn on to politics, or politics will turn on you.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

The networks are not some chicken-coop manufacturing lobby whose calls nobody returns.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

Like sex in Victorian England, the reality of Big Business today is our big dirty secret.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

Power has to be insecure to be responsive.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

Our founders did not oust George III in order for us to crown Richard I.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

Sanctions against polluters are feeble and out of date, and are rarely invoked.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

No presidential candidate should visit Las Vegas without condemning organized gambling.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

There can be no daily democracy without daily citizenship.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

This country has far more problems than it deserves and far more solutions than it applies.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

Let’s not just look at it as taking votes away from Gore. Our support comes from a lot of people.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

I don’t think meals have any business being deductible. I’m for separation of calories and corporations.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

When strangers start acting like neighbors… communities are reinvigorated.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

People are stunned to hear that one company has data files on 185 million Americans.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

John D. Rockefeller wanted to dominate oil, but Microsoft wants it all, you name it: cable, media, banking, car dealerships.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist

The corporate lobby in Washington is basically designed to stifle all legislative activity on behalf of consumers.

Ralph Nader

American lawyer and activist