"You know, I left the country when Reagan got in; I went to France. And when George Bush Jr. got in, my instincts told me it was time to go - I'd felt that we had grown above that, you know?"

This quote by Tommy Chong reflects the political environment of the United States during the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush Jr. Chong's decision to leave the country when Reagan was elected and once again when Bush Jr. was chosen recommends that he felt the country had actually fallen back in regards to its values and ideals. He implies that the nation had grown beyond the worths and suitables that Reagan and Bush Jr. represented, which he felt the requirement to leave the country in order to safeguard himself from the modifications that were taking place. This quote speaks to the power of politicians to shape the values and perfects of a nation, and how those values and suitables can be seen as either progressive or regressive.