--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 1980 candidate Reagan asked whether we…" description: "\"“In 1980 candidate Reagan asked whether we were better off than we had been 4 years earlier. In 1992 we will be asked whether we expect our children to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/frank-levy-238083_children_in-1980-candidate-reagan-asked-whether-w_2946421.jpg" --- # In 1980 candidate Reagan asked whether we were better off… ![“In 1980 candidate Reagan asked whether we were better off than we had been 4 years earlier. In 1992 we will be asked whether we expect our children to live better than we do.” quote by Frank Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/frank-levy-238083_children_in-1980-candidate-reagan-asked-whether-w_2946421.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/frank-levy-238083_children_in-1980-candidate-reagan-asked-whether-w_2946421.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/frank-levy-238083_children_in-1980-candidate-reagan-asked-whether-w_2946421.jpg) > ““In 1980 candidate Reagan asked whether we were better off than we had been 4 years earlier. In 1992 we will be asked whether we expect our children to live better than we do.”” Frank Levy ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Economic progress should be measured by future generations' quality of life, not just current metrics. **In simple terms:** Judge success by future wellbeing. Key Takeaway Plan policies for long‑term benefit. Themes economics politics future generations policy quality of life sustainability Mood forward‑looking concerned Type Children:1 Economics:1 Live better:0 Politics:1 Reagan:0 Years Earlier:0 Better Years:0 Reagan Asked:0 Candidate Reagan:0 When to use this quote - government budgeting - environmental regulation - education funding - healthcare reform Key Concepts public policy intergenerational ethics economic planning Questions to Reflect On - What policies ensure future prosperity? - How can we balance present needs with future wellbeing? A Different Perspective Short‑term gains may sacrifice long‑term health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Live better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-better/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [When President Ronald Reagan asked me a stupid question once, I called him an idiot in public! I thought I was going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bikram-choudhury/when-president-ronald-reagan-asked-me-a-stupid-question-once-i-called/) [Bikram Choudhury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bikram-choudhury/) > [“Has Trey ever told you that he's a virgin?" Reagan asked, stroking Ethan's hair with one hand and Trey's with the other. Ethan lifted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-cunning/has-trey-ever-told-you-that-he-s-a-virgin-reagan-asked-stroking-ethan/) [Olivia Cunning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-cunning/) > [“I sat down with Governor Reagan, and we chatted a little bit. Then I explained why we needed the aircraft. He said to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-feinstein/i-sat-down-with-governor-reagan-and-we-chatted-a-little-bit-then-i/) [Andrew Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-feinstein/) > [For instance, it's a little better now than it was two or three years ago, but something like 70% of the poems I receive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-davison/for-instance-it-s-a-little-better-now-than-it-was-two-or-three-years/) [Peter Davison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-davison/) > [I am always focusing on what I can do better for years down the line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/i-am-always-focusing-on-what-i-can-do-better-for-years-down-the-line/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) > [Some years are going to be better than others. Some years are not. That's just a part of the game. You've got to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gurley/some-years-are-going-to-be-better-than-others-some-years-are-not-that/) [Todd Gurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gurley/) > [Ask Osama bin Laden is he is better off now than he was four years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/ask-osama-bin-laden-is-he-is-better-off-now-than-he-was-four-years-ago/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [I've spent the better part of the last twenty-five years doing a lot of traveling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantegna/i-ve-spent-the-better-part-of-the-last-twenty-five-years-doing-a-lot/) [Joe Mantegna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantegna/) > [Years of living in the hope that what you'll get will be better than what you have. Years of looking and feeling worse in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/years-of-living-in-the-hope-that-what-you-ll-get-will-be-better-than/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [I've definitely got better over the years at conserving my energy in pre-season - at knowing what to focus on and what to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ricciardo/i-ve-definitely-got-better-over-the-years-at-conserving-my-energy-in/) [Daniel Ricciardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ricciardo/) > [Just like fine wine, you grow better with the years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-like-fine-wine-you-grow-better-with-the-years/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One step in the right direction is better than a hundred years of thinking about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/one-step-in-the-right-direction-is-better-than-a-hundred-years-of/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [It's always what you did before. The year before is always so much better. Even when the critics hated what you did then, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gian-carlo-menotti/it-s-always-what-you-did-before-the-year-before-is-always-so-much/) [Gian Carlo Menotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gian-carlo-menotti/) > [“Amidst extremely adverse conditions, there was an incredible faith that things were changing for the better--that the next ten years would not be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-cole/amidst-extremely-adverse-conditions-there-was-an-incredible-faith/) [Nathan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-cole/) > [“Ten minutes with a genuine friend is better than years spent with anyone less.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-woods/ten-minutes-with-a-genuine-friend-is-better-than-years-spent-with/) [Crystal Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-woods/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. 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You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. 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