October 23

"I have wondered at times what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress."
Ronald Reagan, 40th President, 1981-1989, -found in a collection of one liners on 3x5 cards compiled by Reagan. Whether or not anyone agreed or disagreed with Reagan's politics and policies, no one could deny Reagan's ability to speak and warm up a room. Although seen as warm and friendly, Reagan took very strong stands was willing to engage in debate and discussion to uphold his viewpoint. Most of his speeches contained humorous remarks, but with a point. He is quoted as having said, "Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means." (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/ronaldreag169550.html#H4yBOqgmSKjuiWFg.99) His daughter, Patti Davis, has said that his humor was a lifelong coping mechanism, stating, "I think everything goes back to the fact of him being the child of an alcoholic. He protected himself against the unpredictability of his home, by developing this sort of coating of humor over everything." (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-reagan-wit/) Reagan did mention the Ten Commandments many times over his career. His remarks might be said to reveal a couple more parts of his personality and beliefs: In terms of government, Reagan believed there was too much of it. In one speech to the National Association of Manufactures on March 18, 1982, Reagan said, ". . . It is reported to us," ..."that the Lord's Prayer contains 57 words. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address has 266 words. The Ten Commandments are presented in just 297 words, and the Declaration of Independence has only 300 words." And then it goes on to say," . . . an Agriculture Department order setting the price of cabbage has 26,911 words." He also quotes economist William Freund, "...(who) has said that if the Ten Commandments had been published as government regulations and issued on stone, Moses would have come down from Mt. Sinai with a sprained back and without the tablets." (http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/) On a personal level, we glimpse Reagan's character and value systems in the following remark: "...Government exists to ensure that liberty does not become license to prey on each other. We haven't been perfect in living up to that ideal, but we've come a long way...and yet if we simply adhere to the Ten Commandments that Moses brought down from the mountains—and he didn't just bring down 10 suggestions—and the admonition of the Man from Galilee to do unto others as you would have them do unto you, we could solve an awful lot of problems with a lot less government." (Remarks at Kansas State University at the Alfred M. Landon Lecture Series on Public Issues, September 9, 1982)(http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/)