One does wonder how many of these actually came from Reagan himself, or simply him picking out key phrases used by one of his many advisors in back room discussions. “trust, but verify” was a translation of a Russian proverb that he often used in discussions with the Russians, so it gave it an extra edge.

Doing that well is a talent in itself.

Here’s a few more:

“The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would steal them away.”

“One way to make sure crime doesn’t pay would be to let the government run it.”

“Politics I supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.”

Gareth