Behind the best mustache on cable TV lies my absolute favorite thing about Ron Swanson. He has a strong opinion about government’s role — he wants to minimize it. In the words of Ron, played by University graduate Nick Offerman, “It is never too early to learn that government is a greedy piglet that suckles on the teat of the taxpayer until they have chapped nips.” That opinion is never portrayed in as likable of a way as NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” has done it. Ron Swanson is the best thing to happen to conservatism since Reagan.

Ron is everything awesome about a do-it-yourself, pull-yourself-up-by-your-boot-straps, don’t-need-no-stinking-hand-out conservative man. He is the head of the parks and recreation department in Pawnee, Ind., but he is constantly trying to slash the government and his own department’s influence and power. Ron is a hunter, avid bacon enthusiast, outdoorsman and woodworker.

He wears his libertarianism on his sleeve in a way that almost dips into anarchism, and yet the show finds a way to humanize him and make him extremely lovable. In one episode Ron finds out that websites can track your searches and purchases and immediately throws out his computer, all the while cursing his lack of privacy.

When his colleague and ideological opponent Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, wants to regulate candy to improve health Ron absolutely disagrees, reciting one of his classic and beautiful Swanologues, “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.”

It is his catchy Swanologues that make libertarianism comedic and relatable. For example, “You give a man a fish you feed him for a day. You don’t teach a man to fish, and you feed yourself. He’s a grown man. Fishing isn’t that hard.” It is this type of standoffish attitude that makes him so liked and lovable. He fends for himself and lets everyone else have the freedom to do the same.

Swanson’s government ideology clashes with Knope. Their back-and-forth offers humorous insight without making a distinction between Republican and Democrat or liberal and conservative. Though the show’s approach is to make Ron so far out to the right that they are almost making fun of him, the juxtaposition with Leslie’s character, who leans far left, creates for more than comedy — it creates a satirical discussion of political issues. The show’s co-creator and executive producer Michael Schur, reported by the Huffington Post, said that was intentional.

“We have never said the words Democrat or Republican on the show, and we never will,” Schur said. “We are aided by the fact that many city council elections don’t have party affiliations, so that’s one thing that’s good. We don’t try to avoid issues at all. In fact, I think we try to use them. But we use them in a way that’s hopefully equal-handed and satirical instead of preachy or soap-boxy.”

I find it an unbelievably impressive feat that Parks and Rec has managed to make two characters with completely opposite beliefs both able to coexist to solve problems in a way that is relatable to a vast audience. Both hold powerful roles at their department and every day come across issues that beg the question of what they should do as the governing body. It can be anything from regulating the parks to adding more benches, but their contrasting approaches offer insight to solve problems with compromise.

Schur might be a little optimistic about seeing this relationship mirrored in Washington. He said Leslie and Ron’s relationship should not be something impossible. It is symbolic for the fact that opposite political views can coexist peacefully though so often we don’t see it.

Sure Ron’s character is made out to be a ridiculous borderline anarchist, but it presents an important discussion of the other side of the coin. At times he may be irrational and sound loony, but we can’t help it — we like him. And that he makes you ask yourself if you really need the government. He makes you want to stay in the woods for a month, grow a mustache, carve your own furniture and get the government out of your personal business.

Keep fighting the good fight my mustachioed comrade.

Brian is a junior in Media. He can be reached at [email protected].