South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said Wednesday that Americans need to learn from former President Ronald Reagan in understanding that "government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem."
The Republican governor invoked Reagan in a Fox News opinion column in which she attacked President Joe Biden's massive-spending progressive agenda.
"Joe Biden's policies and actions reflect his true goals: to diminish the role of the individual and create a government more powerful and threatening to individual liberty," Noem wrote.
"Make no mistake, President Biden plans to cripple our country with massive debt in the form of 'infrastructure stimulus' spending and entitlement programs that extinguish the drive to think for oneself and stand independent of the government.
"We are seeing this president expand the reach of the federal government to historic levels. If we allow it to continue, America may never be the same."
Noem said that she wanted Americans to follow the example of Reagan, who even in his personal life "didn't rely on others to do his work for him at the ranch. Instead, he cleared brush, built fences, and enjoyed the work of it all."
"We can't rely on a debt-ridden federal government to take care of us," she said. "We are burning through borrowed cash. Many people wake up looking for a handout, rather than tackling tasks for themselves that will lead to prosperity and opportunity."
In expressing her admiration for Reagan, Noem said the past can help America in the present and future.
"I've learned that looking back can help us move forward in incredible ways," she said. "Former leaders and important periods of history remind us of what makes America special."
In saying Reagan focused on "growing the private sector, creating jobs and building the economy," Noem added that the 40th president's "shining city on a hill" can be restored "with old-fashioned work ethic" and belief in one another.
"But it will only happen with fiscal discipline that is not being displayed today by power-hungry politicians," she said.
During a recent visit to the Ronald Reagan ranch outside Santa Barbara, California, Noem lashed out at the Biden administration and in an interview with Newsmax’s Rob Schmitt.
"I promised the people when I ran for governor that I would protect them from federal government intrusion," Noem said. "I went, unfortunately, from President [Donald] Trump, being on offense every day and solving problems, to now being on defense every day fighting the federal government on ways they're trying to steal an authority that the states have and that the people have."
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