"I have wondered at times what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the US Congress"

Ronald Reagan’s observation humorously highlights the complexity, inefficiency, and contentiousness often associated with the legislative process in the United States Congress. By imagining the Ten Commandments, known for their clarity, brevity, and moral authority, subjected to congressional review, Reagan points out the tendency of lawmakers to complicate even the simplest matters.

The Ten Commandments, as traditionally understood, are direct and absolute. Each command is stated clearly, leaving little room for ambiguity. In contrast, Congress is notorious for lengthy debates, endless amendments, and the insertion of loopholes or compromises reflecting the diverse interests and opinions of its members and constituents. Legislation emerging from Congress is often the result of negotiation and political maneuvering, producing documents that can be verbose, filled with legal jargon, and occasionally contradictory.

Reagan’s remark suggests that, had Congress been responsible for producing the Ten Commandments, the result might have been a much less clear set of directives, potentially watered down by countless exceptions, caveats, and legal qualifications. For example, instead of "Thou shalt not steal", Congress might produce an extensively worded statement with exemptions, clarifications, and provisions responding to lobbying by various interest groups. The process could turn straightforward moral imperatives into complex, lengthy statutes difficult to understand and enforce.

Beyond its immediate humor, the quote is a critique of bureaucracy and political process. It reflects skepticism about the ability of large, deliberative bodies to efficiently and effectively address serious ethical issues. Reagan implicitly contrasts divine or moral authority, with its inherent clarity and certainty, to human institutions, which are often mired in debate, compromise, and self-interest. The remark serves as both a comedic jab at political inefficiency and a reminder of the value of simplicity and moral clarity in creating laws and principles to guide society.