US Education Secretary Miguel Cardona is the man at the top of the US public education system. He is, consequently, the most visible representative of the government’s efforts to take over the educational task God has assigned to parents and not to them (Deut. 11:18-19, Eph. 6:1-4, Prov. 3, etc.). In late November, while announcing yet another government initiative to improve education, Cardona referenced Ronald Reagan as a justification:
“I think it was President Reagan who said, ‘We are from the government, and we are here to help.’”
But he got the quote entirely backward. What Reagan actually said was:
“I think you all know that I’ve always felt the nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.”
That this educated public education man managed to reference a warning against government intrusions even as he was seeking to expand them is all the funnier when we remember that God caused this to happen. In Cardona’s role, he personifies his government’s overreach. And in getting the quote exactly backwards, that arrogance was exposed. It is funnier still when we consider God’s patience in the delivery. He started telling this joke back on Aug. 12, 1986, and delivered the punchline 37 years later!
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