--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is not to say that the government…" description: "\"This is not to say that the government should confiscate from the \"haves\" and bestow upon the \"have-nots\", beyond the requirements of a compassionate w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/ronald-reagan-119_compassionate_this-is-not-to-say-that-the-government-s_1017330.jpg" --- # This is not to say that the government should confiscate… ![“This is not to say that the government should confiscate from the "haves" and bestow upon the "have-nots", beyond the requirements of a compassionate welfare program to provide for those who cannot provide for themselves. Far from it. But it is to say that our duty is to foster a strong, vibrant…” quote by Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/ronald-reagan-119_compassionate_this-is-not-to-say-that-the-government-s_1017330.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/ronald-reagan-119_compassionate_this-is-not-to-say-that-the-government-s_1017330.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d5/ronald-reagan-119_compassionate_this-is-not-to-say-that-the-government-s_1017330.jpg) > “This is not to say that the government should confiscate from the "haves" and bestow upon the "have-nots", beyond the requirements of a compassionate welfare program to provide for those who cannot provide for themselves. Far from it. But it is to say that our duty is to foster a strong, vibrant wealth-producing economy which operates in such a way that new additions to wealth accrue to those who presently have little or no ownership stake in their country.” [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues for economic policies that grow overall wealth, allowing those with little ownership to benefit without direct redistribution. **In simple terms:** Grow the economy so everyone can share new wealth. Key Takeaway Focus on wealth‑creating policies, not handouts. Themes economics wealth distribution policy social equity Mood optimistic serious Type political economic When to use this quote - government budgeting - tax reform - entrepreneurship - education funding Key Concepts capitalism trickle‑down theory economic growth Questions to Reflect On - How can growth be made inclusive? - What safeguards ensure benefits reach the truly needy? A Different Perspective Critics say trickle‑down often fails to reach the poorest. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassionate/) [Compassionate Welfare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassionate-welfare-2246444/) [Confiscate Haves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confiscate-haves-2246443/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Economy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economy/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Liberalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberalism/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Ownership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ownership/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Program](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/program/) [Requirements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requirements/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Stakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stakes/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [Wealth Producing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth-producing-2246445/) [Welfare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare/) [Welfare Program](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare-program-286514/) [Welfare programs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare-programs/) ## Related quotes > [The best place to have some food set aside is within our homes, together with a little money in savings. The best welfare program…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/the-best-place-to-have-some-food-set-aside-is-within-our-homes/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [In some instances, alimony has become akin to a social-welfare program provided by working women to their ex-husbands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-garnick/in-some-instances-alimony-has-become-akin-to-a-social-welfare-program/) [Diane Garnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-garnick/) > [We find all the no-life-support-wealth-producing people going to their 1980s jobs in their cars and buses, spending trillions of dollars' worth of petroleum daily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/we-find-all-the-no-life-support-wealth-producing-people-going-to/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [Everyone should own a piece of the wealth-producing capital of this country, but not everyone can be a manager. Or should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-o-kelso/everyone-should-own-a-piece-of-the-wealth-producing-capital-of-this/) [Louis O. Kelso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-o-kelso/) > [We have no more right to consume happiness without producing it than to consume wealth without producing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/we-have-no-more-right-to-consume-happiness-without-producing-it-than/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [We want to make sure that Social Security is fixed for those people who have had that promise and there's something in the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-hastert/we-want-to-make-sure-that-social-security-is-fixed-for-those-people/) [Dennis Hastert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-hastert/) > [“At the old welfare program’s height in 1994, it served more than 14.2 million people—4.6 million adults and 9.6 million children. In 2012, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/at-the-old-welfare-program-s-height-in-1994-it-served-more-than-14-2/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [The family is the world's greatest welfare agency, and the most successful. What the federal government has done in welfare is small and trifling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-rushdoony/the-family-is-the-world-s-greatest-welfare-agency-and-the-most/) [R.J. Rushdoony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-rushdoony/) > [When you create an economy where you subsidize corporate profits through a welfare program and food stamps in order to keep wages low in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/when-you-create-an-economy-where-you-subsidize-corporate-profits/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [“Out of every one hundred Americans, fewer than two get aid from today’s cash welfare program. Just 27 percent of poor families with children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/out-of-every-one-hundred-americans-fewer-than-two-get-aid-from-today/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [The most important social welfare program in America is a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/the-most-important-social-welfare-program-in-america-is-a-job/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [“America’s cash welfare program—the main government program that caught people when they fell—was not merely replaced with the 1996 welfare reform; it was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/america-s-cash-welfare-program-the-main-government-program-that/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [And the same goes for government benefits. The Center for Immigration Studies estimates that 62 percent of households headed by illegal immigrants use some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/and-the-same-goes-for-government-benefits-the-center-for-immigration/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Republicans ... are conservatives who think it would be best if we faced the fact that people are no damned good. They think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/republicans-are-conservatives-who-think-it-would-be-best-if-we-faced/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) ## More by Ronald Reagan > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/yes-across-europe-this-wall-will-fall-for-it-cannot-withstand-faith/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/simple-fairness-dictates-that-government-must-not-raise-taxes-on/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The time has come to turn to God and reassert our trust in Him for the healing of America - our country is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-time-has-come-to-turn-to-god-and-reassert-our-trust-in-him-for/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Professional politicians like to talk about the value of experience in government. Nuts! The only experience you gain in politics is how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/professional-politicians-like-to-talk-about-the-value-of-experience/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Where there's liberty, art succeeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/where-there-s-liberty-art-succeeds/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Since I came to the White House, I got two hearing aids, a colon operation, skin cancer, a prostate operation, and I was shot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/since-i-came-to-the-white-house-i-got-two-hearing-aids-a-colon/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/a-moment-i-ve-been-dreading-george-brought-his-ne-re-do-well-son/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [On Father's Day, we pay tribute to all in our society who have taken on the responsibilitie s and joys of fatherhood. Whether our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/on-father-s-day-we-pay-tribute-to-all-in-our-society-who-have-taken/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-limit-to-the-amount-of-good-you-can-do-if-you-don-t-care/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [It's not that liberals aren't smart, it's just that so much of what they know isn't so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/it-s-not-that-liberals-aren-t-smart-it-s-just-that-so-much-of-what/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Love your country, not for her power or wealth, but for her selflessness and her idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/love-your-country-not-for-her-power-or-wealth-but-for-her/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Explore all 1,244 Ronald Reagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More Compassionate quotes > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [More compassionate mind, more sense of concern for other's well-being, is source of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/more-compassionate-mind-more-sense-of-concern-for-other-s-well-being/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [A hard heart makes for hard judgments; a compassionate heart understands the humanity of the one we presume to judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/a-hard-heart-makes-for-hard-judgments-a-compassionate-heart/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“Seeing human suffering changes you. It either makes you compassionate or it makes you hard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-wilson-howarth/seeing-human-suffering-changes-you-it-either-makes-you-compassionate/) [Jane Wilson-Howarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-wilson-howarth/) > [It has been hard to muster the resources to support fledgling democracies and to intervene on behalf of the most desperate. The AIDS orphans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/it-has-been-hard-to-muster-the-resources-to-support-fledgling/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [It is not enough to be compassionate, we must act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-not-enough-to-be-compassionate-we-must-act/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God is compassionate and just, loving and holy, wrathful and forgiving. WE can't sideline His more difficult attributes to make room for the palatable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/god-is-compassionate-and-just-loving-and-holy-wrathful-and-forgiving/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [ \[Chinese\] are a huge empire now, you'll soon be - in a few years two billion people in the world. So, you should be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/chinese-are-a-huge-empire-now-you-ll-soon-be-in-a-few-years-two/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I love the idea of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the beautiful stories about it, which I loved in Sunday school and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-love-the-idea-of-the-teachings-of-jesus-christ-and-the-beautiful/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [If the photographer is interested in the people in front of his lens, and if he is compassionate, it's already a lot. The instrument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/if-the-photographer-is-interested-in-the-people-in-front-of-his-lens/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [Those who grieve frequently find themselves alone. Missed is the laughter of children, the commotion of teenagers, and the tender, loving concern of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/those-who-grieve-frequently-find-themselves-alone-missed-is-the/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [The logical conclusion to a compassionate and respectful relationship to sentient animals is that we stop eating them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-balcombe/the-logical-conclusion-to-a-compassionate-and-respectful-relationship/) [Jonathan Balcombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-balcombe/) > [Nothing is more urgent than a serious, dare I say compassionate, debate as to where we are going at home and abroad. Technicians cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/nothing-is-more-urgent-than-a-serious-dare-i-say-compassionate-debate/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [“The kindness sent from one compassionate soul to another during the time of loss of one held so dear allows the sorrow-filled heart to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-friedenfeld/the-kindness-sent-from-one-compassionate-soul-to-another-during-the/) [Molly Friedenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-friedenfeld/) > [A strong person is not meant to be insensitive. He might be compassionate and loving. But, he relentlessly fights for the things he thinks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-strong-person-is-not-meant-to-be-insensitive-he-might-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 1,064 Compassionate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassionate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This is not to say that the government should confiscate from the \"haves\" and bestow upon the \"have-nots\", beyond the requirements of a compassionate welfare program to provide for those who cannot provide for themselves. Far from it. 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