Ron Swanson is a character in the NBC sitcom, Parks and Recreation. Swanson is the head of the local government’s Parks Department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana. He is, however, a strident libertarian who is ideologically opposed to an activist government (or to government full stop), and frequently clashes with his deputy, the liberal Leslie Knope. Despite the irony of Swanson working for the government he hates, he uses his position to attempt to restrict and undermine as much government action as he possibly can.

  1) I think that all government is a waste of taxpayer money. My dream is to have the park system privatized and run entirely for profit by corporations, like Chuck E. Cheese. They have an impeccable business model. I would rather work for Chuck E. Cheese.

2) The government should not prop up a failed business. That would be like giving food to a mortally wounded animal instead of slitting its throat and properly utilising its meat and pelts.

3) Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Don’t teach a man to fish, and you feed yourself. He’s a grown man. Fishing’s not that hard.

4) Capitalism: God’s way of determining who is smart and who is poor.

5) It’s never too early to learn that the government is a greedy piglet that suckles on a taxpayer’s teet until they have sore, chapped nipples.

6) There is only one bad word. Taxes.

7) The whole point of this country is if you want to eat garbage, balloon up to 600 pounds, and die of a heart attack at 43, you can. You are free to do so. To me, that’s beautiful.

8) I am an official member of a task force dedicated to slashing the city budget. Just saying that gave me a semi.

9) Capitalism is the only way, Leslie. It’s what makes America great. And England okay, and France terrible.

10) I believe in cutting useless government projects. I also believe in cutting useful government projects.