President Ronald Reagan- Government is the problem.
It’s pretty simple: People are inherently sinful and self-centered. Giving them power over others is therefore dangerous, but necessary to the orderly functioning of a country. The only solution therefore is to strictly limit the power of those in government and install numerous safeguards by balancing the power (cravenness) of one branch against another. How brilliant was it for our founders to have realized this and tempered it as much as possible by directing the self-interest of one group against that of another?
That system works so long as most, if not all of those in government are believers in God, self-restrained as much as possible through their adherence to God’s moral code. The other structural restraints are still needed, though, as even the best believer is still in a sinful state. But once the general quality of the people declines to such a point that most of those in government are nothing more than unbelieving, hedonistic pagans, there is no longer any system that can restrain their evil. And it’s even worse with today’s “progressives” who are not only personally corrupt, but who see themselves as on a common mission to corrupt everything good and decent about America. Because of that common evil purpose, trying to pit them against each other doesn’t work. They just collude on every level to realize their horrific vision.
That is why, as stated by John Adams? our form of government, a constitutional republic, can only endure if it’s citizens are a moral and God-fearing people. It is wholly unsuited and adequate for any other.