'I'm from the government and I'm here to help (you)'

[Arnold M. Zwicky]

On Mar 7, 2005, at 9:12 PM, Geoffrey Nunberg wrote:

> ...The earliest cite I've found for the line is from an April, 1978 NYT
> article in which someone says, "you know the three great lies,,, ;the
> check is in the mail; I'm going to love you as much in the morning as
> I do tonight, and I'm from the Government and here to help you." ...

indications of a misspent young life:  #2 for me was "I'll still love
you in the morning" (a briefer variant), but #3 was the very different
"I won't come in your mouth".  (i never really understood the force of
#3, but then i'm not your average informant on these things.)

arnold