--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The unfortunate and inescapable…" description: "\"The unfortunate and inescapable historical truth is that those in government - from both parties and with a few courageous exceptions - do not feel con..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/589/andrew-napolitano-37145_can-do_the-unfortunate-and-inescapable-historic_2727576.png" --- # The unfortunate and inescapable historical truth is that… ![“The unfortunate and inescapable historical truth is that those in government - from both parties and with a few courageous exceptions - do not feel constrained by the Constitution. They think they can do whatever they want.” quote by Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/589/andrew-napolitano-37145_can-do_the-unfortunate-and-inescapable-historic_2727576.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/589/andrew-napolitano-37145_can-do_the-unfortunate-and-inescapable-historic_2727576.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/589/andrew-napolitano-37145_can-do_the-unfortunate-and-inescapable-historic_2727576.png) > “The unfortunate and inescapable historical truth is that those in government - from both parties and with a few courageous exceptions - do not feel constrained by the Constitution. They think they can do whatever they want.” [Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-napolitano/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government officials often ignore constitutional limits, acting with unchecked power regardless of party. **In simple terms:** Politicians may act beyond constitutional bounds. Key Takeaway Demand accountability and constitutional adherence. Themes politics law power constitution accountability Mood critical urgent concerned Type political legal When to use this quote - legislation - public policy - activism Key Concepts authoritarianism civic duty legal oversight Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens effectively enforce constitutional limits? - What mechanisms protect against abuse of power? A Different Perspective It may generalize all officials, ignoring reforms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Courageous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courageous/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Historical truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical-truth/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [No matter what a candidate for president may say during the campaign, once someone is sworn in, they are constrained by the Constitution -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-mcconnell/no-matter-what-a-candidate-for-president-may-say-during-the-campaign/) [Mitch McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-mcconnell/) > [Parties that win elections should form the government, not parties that lose elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/parties-that-win-elections-should-form-the-government-not-parties/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [The average politician speaks out of both sides of their mouth. No matter if it's Canada or the United States. And it's all three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-ford-jr/the-average-politician-speaks-out-of-both-sides-of-their-mouth-no/) [Doug Ford, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-ford-jr/) > [I think this is the other big issue that is not going away: Do we really believe that bit in the Constitution or not?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-think-this-is-the-other-big-issue-that-is-not-going-away-do-we/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [I think the president, very simply, has never read a copy of the Constitution. I think that that's true. He's just never bothered to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kiriakou/i-think-the-president-very-simply-has-never-read-a-copy-of-the/) [John Kiriakou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kiriakou/) > [If we do not get a universal acceptance of the constitution the likelihood of the violence continuing is there. If it had been an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/if-we-do-not-get-a-universal-acceptance-of-the-constitution-the/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [The people who are worried about privacy have a legitimate worry. But we live in a complex world where you're going to have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/the-people-who-are-worried-about-privacy-have-a-legitimate-worry-but/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [The tenth amendment said the federal government is supposed to only have powers that were explicitly given in the Constitution. I think the federal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-malpass/the-tenth-amendment-said-the-federal-government-is-supposed-to-only/) [David Malpass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-malpass/) > [I think frustration unfortunately, reflects a real breakdown in the political parties themselves, which is fascinating because our constitution did not anticipate political parties.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-minow/i-think-frustration-unfortunately-reflects-a-real-breakdown-in-the/) [Martha Minow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-minow/) > [I think that there's been a lot of people in Congress that didn't know all the ins and outs of the Constitution. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santelli/i-think-that-there-s-been-a-lot-of-people-in-congress-that-didn-t/) [Rick Santelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santelli/) > [I loved the old government in 1861. I loved the old Constitution yet. I think it is the best government in the world, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-bedford-forrest/i-loved-the-old-government-in-1861-i-loved-the-old-constitution-yet-i/) [Nathan Bedford Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-bedford-forrest/) > [I think that it is high time that we remembered that we have sworn to uphold and defend the Constitution. I think that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/i-think-that-it-is-high-time-that-we-remembered-that-we-have-sworn-to/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [I wish the government would read the Constitution. I think that would probably help quite a bit. And maybe they did read it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/i-wish-the-government-would-read-the-constitution-i-think-that-would/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [“The law is too important to be left to the lawyers, to paraphrase Georges Clemenceau about war and generals. We laymen know too little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-k-shipler/the-law-is-too-important-to-be-left-to-the-lawyers-to-paraphrase/) [David K. Shipler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-k-shipler/) > [Let's face a historical truth: we have never had a "free market", we have always had government intervention in the economy, and indeed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/let-s-face-a-historical-truth-we-have-never-had-a-free-market-we-have/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## More by Andrew Napolitano > [The Constitution simply does not authorize the federal government to own any of this land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-napolitano/the-constitution-simply-does-not-authorize-the-federal-government-to/) [Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-napolitano/) > [“Assaults by fanatics on our safety... does not justify assaults by the government on our freedom!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-napolitano/assaults-by-fanatics-on-our-safety-does-not-justify-assaults-by-the/) [Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-napolitano/) > [The other General Welfare Clause is in the first of the authorities given to the Congress and it's not a grant, it's a restriction.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-napolitano/the-other-general-welfare-clause-is-in-the-first-of-the-authorities/) [Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-napolitano/) > [Democracy is not freedom. Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-napolitano/democracy-is-not-freedom-democracy-is-two-wolves-and-a-lamb-voting-on/) [Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-napolitano/) > [All presidents but Jefferson have argued that their first job was to keep us safe. All presidents but Jefferson were wrong. If you read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-napolitano/all-presidents-but-jefferson-have-argued-that-their-first-job-was-to/) [Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-napolitano/) > [Freedom is the default position. Everything the government does takes away some of our freedom... That's why we have a constitution, to restrain the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-napolitano/freedom-is-the-default-position-everything-the-government-does-takes/) [Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-napolitano/) > [The only problem with voting is no matter who you vote for the government always gets in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-napolitano/the-only-problem-with-voting-is-no-matter-who-you-vote-for-the/) [Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-napolitano/) > [The federal government views the Constitution as its enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-napolitano/the-federal-government-views-the-constitution-as-its-enemy/) [Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-napolitano/) > [Why are liberals who want the government to regulate their health care upset that the government wants to regulate their internet?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-napolitano/why-are-liberals-who-want-the-government-to-regulate-their-health/) [Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-napolitano/) > [ It's hard for me to believe that it \[World Trade Center Building 7\] came down by itself... Twenty years from now, people will look… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-napolitano/it-s-hard-for-me-to-believe-that-it-world-trade-center-building-7/) [Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-napolitano/) > [The redistribution of wealth creates dependence on the people to whom it is redistributed, it doesn't incentivize them to create their own wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-napolitano/the-redistribution-of-wealth-creates-dependence-on-the-people-to-whom/) [Andrew Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-napolitano/) [Explore all 12 Andrew Napolitano quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-napolitano/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The unfortunate and inescapable historical truth is that those in government - from both parties and with a few courageous exceptions - do not feel constrained by the Constitution. 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