--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I came up under [Ronald] Reagan and under…" description: "\"I came up under [Ronald] Reagan and under [George] Bush, and what are we to do now? We are here to fight. People can run off all they want. But for me,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ea/junot-diaz-531_dominican-republic_i-came-up-under-ronald-reagan-and-under_2170160.jpg" --- # I came up under \[Ronald\] Reagan and under \[George\] Bush… ![“I came up under [Ronald] Reagan and under [George] Bush, and what are we to do now? We are here to fight. People can run off all they want. But for me, [Donald] Trump is already in the Dominican Republic.” quote by Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ea/junot-diaz-531_dominican-republic_i-came-up-under-ronald-reagan-and-under_2170160.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ea/junot-diaz-531_dominican-republic_i-came-up-under-ronald-reagan-and-under_2170160.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ea/junot-diaz-531_dominican-republic_i-came-up-under-ronald-reagan-and-under_2170160.jpg) > “I came up under \[Ronald\] Reagan and under \[George\] Bush, and what are we to do now? We are here to fight. People can run off all they want. But for me, \[Donald\] Trump is already in the Dominican Republic.” [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political leaders are often distant; the speaker feels disconnected from current leadership. **In simple terms:** Leaders feel distant from ordinary people. Key Takeaway Seek personal agency despite political disillusionment. Themes politics disillusionment agency Mood skeptical determined Type commentary reflective When to use this quote - voting - community organizing - public protest - personal activism Key Concepts civic engagement social critique Questions to Reflect On - How can you influence change locally? - What role does hope play in activism? A Different Perspective Political realities may limit individual impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bush/) [Dominican republic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dominican-republic/) [Donald trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/donald-trump/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Republic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republic/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Trump Dominican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump-dominican-4643790/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-donald-1603984/) ## Related quotes > [It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-might-interest-you-that-just-as-the-u-s-was-ramping-up-its/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [I have a very powerful sense of place, but I have a very powerful sense of being a migrant, so it's both. It seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-have-a-very-powerful-sense-of-place-but-i-have-a-very-powerful/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [People can say what they want, but historically, feminism in the Dominican Republic has been extremely strong. I guess the best way of saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/people-can-say-what-they-want-but-historically-feminism-in-the/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Congressman Heck says Donald Trump is the candidate he trusts on national security and changing our economy. Well, I don't know about you, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-cortez-masto/congressman-heck-says-donald-trump-is-the-candidate-he-trusts-on/) [Catherine Cortez-Masto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-cortez-masto/) > [Legislation for the Caribbean basin has led to more jobs in the Dominican Republic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/legislation-for-the-caribbean-basin-has-led-to-more-jobs-in-the/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The Dominican Republic is my holy land, my Mecca.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raquel-cepeda/the-dominican-republic-is-my-holy-land-my-mecca/) [Raquel Cepeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raquel-cepeda/) > [Between 1831 and 1891, US armed forces - usually the Marines - invaded Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, Colombia, Nicaragua, Uruguay,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-parenti/between-1831-and-1891-us-armed-forces-usually-the-marines-invaded/) [Michael Parenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-parenti/) > [The Dominican Republic says 'We're black behind the ears.' And in Mexico, 'there's a black grandma in the closet.' They know, they've just been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-louis-gates/the-dominican-republic-says-we-re-black-behind-the-ears-and-in-mexico/) [Henry Louis Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-louis-gates/) > [I am Dominican American. My father was born and raised in the U.S. and his heritage is German and Eastern European, and my mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-raymund/i-am-dominican-american-my-father-was-born-and-raised-in-the-u-s-and/) [Monica Raymund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-raymund/) > [For anyone inclined to caricature environmental history as 'environmental determinism,' the contrasting histories of the Dominican Republic and Haiti provide a useful antidote. Yes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/for-anyone-inclined-to-caricature-environmental-history-as/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) > [The whole history between Haiti and the Dominican Republic is complicated. We share the island of Hispaniola, and Haiti occupied the Dominican Republic for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwidge-danticat/the-whole-history-between-haiti-and-the-dominican-republic-is/) [Edwidge Danticat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwidge-danticat/) > [I believe it is my responsibility to do what I can for children and people with Down syndrome as well as in my native…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-pujols/i-believe-it-is-my-responsibility-to-do-what-i-can-for-children-and/) [Albert Pujols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-pujols/) > [I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smedley-butler/i-helped-make-mexico-especially-tampico-safe-for-american-oil/) [Smedley Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smedley-butler/) > [People ask me all the time how I got hired onto the Office. Another common question is how do I manage to stay so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/people-ask-me-all-the-time-how-i-got-hired-onto-the-office-another/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [For my first three books the setting (or place if you will) has always been a given - N.J. and the Dominican Republic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/for-my-first-three-books-the-setting-or-place-if-you-will-has-always/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) ## More by Junot Diaz > [It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-might-interest-you-that-just-as-the-u-s-was-ramping-up-its/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Tell her that you love her hair, that you love her skin, her lips, because, in truth, you love them more than you love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/tell-her-that-you-love-her-hair-that-you-love-her-skin-her-lips/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [It took me sixteen years to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-took-me-sixteen-years-to-write/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [You ask everybody you know: How long does it usually take to get over it? There are many formulas. One year for every year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/you-ask-everybody-you-know-how-long-does-it-usually-take-to-get-over/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Instead of finding himself in nerd heaven—where every nerd gets fifty-eight virgins to role-play with—he woke up in Robert Wood Johnson with two broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/instead-of-finding-himself-in-nerd-heaven-where-every-nerd-gets-fifty/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [The one thing about being a dude and writing from a female perspective is that the baseline is, you suck. The baseline is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/the-one-thing-about-being-a-dude-and-writing-from-a-female/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“I used to think those were the barrio rules, Latinos and blacks in, whites out —a place we down cats weren’t supposed to go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-used-to-think-those-were-the-barrio-rules-latinos-and-blacks-in/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“I put my hand on her knee. I just wish you'd say you love me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-put-my-hand-on-her-knee-i-just-wish-you-d-say-you-love-me/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [I've always thought that you don't love a country by turning a blind eye to its crimes and to a problem. The way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/i-ve-always-thought-that-you-don-t-love-a-country-by-turning-a-blind/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“Called her a whore and attacked her walls, tearing down her posters and throwing her books everywhere. I found out because some whitegirl ran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/called-her-a-whore-and-attacked-her-walls-tearing-down-her-posters/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [You're Dominican only if you do this, this, and that. And if you do this and that, you'll be accepted to a certain degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/you-re-dominican-only-if-you-do-this-this-and-that-and-if-you-do-this/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“Ramfis fled the country after Trujillo's death, lived dissolutely off his father's swag, and ended up dying in a car crash of his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/ramfis-fled-the-country-after-trujillo-s-death-lived-dissolutely-off/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [If you didn't grow up like I did then you don't know, and if you don't know it's probably better you don't judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/if-you-didn-t-grow-up-like-i-did-then-you-don-t-know-and-if-you-don-t/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“If you ask me I don't think there are any such things as curses. I think there is only life. That's enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/if-you-ask-me-i-don-t-think-there-are-any-such-things-as-curses-i/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [The only difference between a published and unpublished writer is a tolerance for imperfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/the-only-difference-between-a-published-and-unpublished-writer-is-a/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) [Explore all 486 Junot Diaz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) ## More Bush quotes > [President Bush is a friend of mine. He's not a moron at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/president-bush-is-a-friend-of-mine-he-s-not-a-moron-at-all/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [The administration of George W. Bush, emboldened by the Sept. 11 attacks and the backing of a Republican Congress, has sought to further extend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/the-administration-of-george-w-bush-emboldened-by-the-sept-11-attacks/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [Obama's policies have been approximately the same as Bush's, though there have been some slight differences, but that's not a great surprise. The Democrats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/obama-s-policies-have-been-approximately-the-same-as-bush-s-though/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This country was the moral leader of the world until George Bush became president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/this-country-was-the-moral-leader-of-the-world-until-george-bush/) [Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/) > [We're half an hour from Toronto, which offers everything you could want from a city, and a couple of hours from beautiful vacation country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linwood-barclay/we-re-half-an-hour-from-toronto-which-offers-everything-you-could/) [Linwood Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linwood-barclay/) > [On election night 2000, I had never met then-Governor Bush, though I'd supported him for years. I believed he would be a strong, optimistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-perino/on-election-night-2000-i-had-never-met-then-governor-bush-though-i-d/) [Dana Perino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-perino/) > [The president of the United States of North America, George W. Bush, the little gentleman of the North, the political cadaver that is visiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-chavez/the-president-of-the-united-states-of-north-america-george-w-bush-the/) [Hugo Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-chavez/) > [Obama and the Democrats were so critical of what Bush did, the interrogations, the secret prisons, Guantanamo and all of that, and even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/obama-and-the-democrats-were-so-critical-of-what-bush-did-the/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [I remember when President Bush, George W. Bush, came into office, he focused on No Child Left Behind, and with - and before very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-alexander/i-remember-when-president-bush-george-w-bush-came-into-office-he/) [Lamar Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-alexander/) > [ If George Bush \[Jr.\] decided he was going to turn the troops loose on Syria and Iran after that he would last in office… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-eagleburger/if-george-bush-jr-decided-he-was-going-to-turn-the-troops-loose-on/) [Lawrence Eagleburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-eagleburger/) > [I mean, look, no matter how you feel about Bush, watching him speak is difficult. It's like- it's like watching a drunk man cross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-carlson/i-mean-look-no-matter-how-you-feel-about-bush-watching-him-speak-is/) [Tucker Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-carlson/) > [I'm not tempted to write a song about George W. Bush. I couldn't figure out what sort of song I would write. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-m-not-tempted-to-write-a-song-about-george-w-bush-i-couldn-t-figure/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [It would be a tragic mistake for us out here to imagine that Bush represents the hearts and the minds of the majority of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/breyten-breytenbach/it-would-be-a-tragic-mistake-for-us-out-here-to-imagine-that-bush/) [Breyten Breytenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/breyten-breytenbach/) > [In the bush, trust no one you don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/in-the-bush-trust-no-one-you-don-t-know/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [Leadership is about making decisions with the information you have, not the information people will have 12 years later, i kind of feel sorry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/leadership-is-about-making-decisions-with-the-information-you-have/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) [Browse all 764 Bush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bush/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I came up under [Ronald] Reagan and under [George] Bush, and what are we to do now? 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