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It was a big swing and a miss for Joe Biden’s education secretary, Miguel Cardona, who failed miserably in his recent attempt to borrow one of Ronald Reagan’s most famous quotes and make it his own.
Cardona was participating in the Western Governors’ Association’s winter meeting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, a few weeks back when the embarrassing blunder took place. In his closing remarks at a panel on the Department of Education’s priorities, Cardona went to great pains to reassure the governors that he was there for them, emphasizing his commitment with this gem:
“You know, we’re going to set up follow up calls for every governor we met with to make sure we’re available. As I think it was President Reagan who said: ‘We’re from the government. We’re here to help.'”
Our friends over at Townhall isolated the gaffe in this video:
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona:
“I think it was President Reagan who said, ‘We’re from the government. We’re here to help!'”
Here’s the actual quote:
“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.” pic.twitter.com/Hgxpt2Xdoh
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— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 27, 2023
There’s really only one word for it: Oof.
Reagan’s actual quote, of course, was: “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.'” It was a direct rebuke of big government bureaucrats like Miguel Cardona, a point that is completely lost on the man who supposedly heads up our education system.
Let’s calm our nerves for a moment by listening to Reagan deliver the line as it was intended:
What President Reagan really said: pic.twitter.com/a66Dz50MrI https://t.co/aOFx8qi7FJ
— Inu (@inuonx) November 27, 2023
Cardona’s take was hilarious on so many levels, not the least of which is that Ronald Reagan particularly despised the Department of Education, which Jimmy Carter had created as a quid pro quo with the teachers unions, and had vowed to dismantle it. In fact, Reagan said way back in 1981, “By eliminating the Department of Education less than 2 years after it was created, we cannot only reduce the budget but ensure that local needs and preferences, rather than the wishes of Washington, determine the education of our children.” He didn’t quite get there, but it’s clear Reagan knew who the enemy of the people was.
Cardona, clearly not a history major, completely misinterpreted the quote — a fact that many X/Twitter users were happy to point out. “Hey, @SecCardona, if taking quotes out of context was an art, this would be a masterpiece,” tweeted one user. The 1776 Project PAC opined, “Lots of things happening here: Cardona both misquotes President Reagan and completely butchers the meaning of his quote, which is the complete opposite of what he implies.”
It will come as no surprise to the readers of RedState that our country is run by clowns. Miguel Cardona’s complete misreading of one of the all-time best arguments against big government proves not only that the entire Biden administration is a joke, but that Reagan was right in wanting to (metaphorically) burn the Department of Education to the ground.
