--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think the government is out to…" description: "\"I don't think the government is out to get me or help someone else get me but it wouldn't surprise me if they were out to sell me something or help som..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2dc/andy-rooney-1253_census_i-don-t-think-the-government-is-out-to-g_229115.png" --- # I don't think the government is out to get me or help… ![“I don't think the government is out to get me or help someone else get me but it wouldn't surprise me if they were out to sell me something or help someone else sell me something. I mean, why else would the Census Bureau want to know my telephone number?” quote by Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2dc/andy-rooney-1253_census_i-don-t-think-the-government-is-out-to-g_229115.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2dc/andy-rooney-1253_census_i-don-t-think-the-government-is-out-to-g_229115.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2dc/andy-rooney-1253_census_i-don-t-think-the-government-is-out-to-g_229115.png) > “I don't think the government is out to get me or help someone else get me but it wouldn't surprise me if they were out to sell me something or help someone else sell me something. I mean, why else would the Census Bureau want to know my telephone number?” [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He expresses skepticism about government data collection, suggesting commercial motives behind census inquiries. **In simple terms:** He doubts the census is purely for public service, suspecting hidden sales agendas. Key Takeaway Maintain critical awareness of data privacy. Themes privacy government trust surveillance Mood cautious skeptical Type political ethical When to use this quote - personal data protection - policy advocacy - media literacy - consumer rights Key Concepts census policy data commodification public skepticism Questions to Reflect On - Why do governments collect personal data? - How can individuals protect privacy while participating in civic duties? A Different Perspective May ignore legitimate public‑service purposes of data collection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bureau Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bureau-want-2323647/) [Census](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/census/) [Census bureau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/census-bureau-29188/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-help/) [Help Sell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-sell-436174/) [Help Wouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-wouldn-466378/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Phone number](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phone-number/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Surprise me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise-me/) [Telephones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telephones/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [The U.S. Census Bureau reports that American homes are 650 square feet larger today than they were in 1980. Unfortunately, so are most Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/the-u-s-census-bureau-reports-that-american-homes-are-650-square-feet/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [One thing that's really interesting is not only the magnitude of the recent immigration into this country, but also its distribution and its investment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-prewitt/one-thing-that-s-really-interesting-is-not-only-the-magnitude-of-the/) [Kenneth Prewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-prewitt/) > [“According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a family is defined as two or more people living together who are related by birth, marriage or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/according-to-the-u-s-census-bureau-a-family-is-defined-as-two-or-more/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [The Census Bureau is thinking of creating a new category because so many kids don't know how to describe themselves using the existing categories.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/the-census-bureau-is-thinking-of-creating-a-new-category-because-so/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [The long view of the Census bureau allows some changes that are taken for granted to be studied in more detail. Everyone knows, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/the-long-view-of-the-census-bureau-allows-some-changes-that-are-taken/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) > [“census: (n.) being counted so we can be discounted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-luckman/census-n-being-counted-so-we-can-be-discounted/) [Sol Luckman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-luckman/) > [The actual assertion that the Census Bureau could behave in such a way as to tilt things one way or the other way in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-prewitt/the-actual-assertion-that-the-census-bureau-could-behave-in-such-a/) [Kenneth Prewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-prewitt/) > [Usually God favours the people who try to do good. So, when you find that the crowd is desperately trying to sell, help them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/usually-god-favours-the-people-who-try-to-do-good-so-when-you-find/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [I let my music do the talking. Ain't no TV show gonna help me. Ain't no hit single gon help me sell no records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/schoolboy-q/i-let-my-music-do-the-talking-ain-t-no-tv-show-gonna-help-me-ain-t-no/) [Schoolboy Q](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/schoolboy-q/) > [Everything is designed to help you sell out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-swayze/everything-is-designed-to-help-you-sell-out/) [Patrick Swayze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-swayze/) > [“If more folk would help each other out, we wouldn’t need to get the law involved on everything,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-stimpson/if-more-folk-would-help-each-other-out-we-wouldn-t-need-to-get-the/) [Michelle Stimpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-stimpson/) > [If someone comes to you and asks for help, and you can help them, you're supposed to help them. Why wouldn't you? You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-scott-heron/if-someone-comes-to-you-and-asks-for-help-and-you-can-help-them-you/) [Gil Scott-Heron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-scott-heron/) > [When I was a kid and I'd be in trouble. I'd ask God to help me, and then once the fire was out, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/when-i-was-a-kid-and-i-d-be-in-trouble-i-d-ask-god-to-help-me-and/) [Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/) > [“Because there is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect you, Eleanor. Nothing I wouldn’t do to help you. And nothing I wouldn’t do to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-reisz/because-there-is-nothing-i-wouldn-t-do-to-protect-you-eleanor-nothing/) [Tiffany Reisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-reisz/) > [“She hadn't met Earth or Fire, the other two cousins, but she'd filled a couple of library requests for each of them in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bishop/she-hadn-t-met-earth-or-fire-the-other-two-cousins-but-she-d-filled-a/) [Anne Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bishop/) ## More by Andy Rooney > [I like Valentine's Day. The trouble is the florists and the candy-makers and the card people are all advertising so much, you don't dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-like-valentine-s-day-the-trouble-is-the-florists-and-the-candy/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Almost all of us have an elevator or two in our lives somewhere. We wait for them, we ride on them. We're annoyed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/almost-all-of-us-have-an-elevator-or-two-in-our-lives-somewhere-we/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Last night we had three small zucchini for dinner that were grown within fifty feet of our back door. I estimate they cost somewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/last-night-we-had-three-small-zucchini-for-dinner-that-were-grown/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Sooner or later the world will have to return to the good old days when we fought wars and killed people the old-fashioned way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/sooner-or-later-the-world-will-have-to-return-to-the-good-old-days/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I've learned that no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-ve-learned-that-no-matter-how-serious-your-life-requires-you-to-be/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Unfortunately, propaganda works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/unfortunately-propaganda-works/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [You're almost always better off keeping your mouth shut, but don't let that stop you from popping off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/you-re-almost-always-better-off-keeping-your-mouth-shut-but-don-t-let/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [The fastest thing computers do is go obsolete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/the-fastest-thing-computers-do-is-go-obsolete/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Every one starts out being an atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/every-one-starts-out-being-an-atheist/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [If you don't enjoy getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends, then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/if-you-don-t-enjoy-getting-up-and-working-and-finishing-your-work-and/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [As an old reporter, we have a few secrets, and the first thing is we try the phone book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/as-an-old-reporter-we-have-a-few-secrets-and-the-first-thing-is-we/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I've learned... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-ve-learned-that-it-s-those-small-daily-happenings-that-make-life-so/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [... all of us talk faster than we listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/all-of-us-talk-faster-than-we-listen/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [You can't be a good writer without being a good thinker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/you-can-t-be-a-good-writer-without-being-a-good-thinker/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [A great many people do not have the right to their own opinion because they don't know what they are talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/a-great-many-people-do-not-have-the-right-to-their-own-opinion/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) [Explore all 264 Andy Rooney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) ## More Census quotes > [...the number of saintly men has not yet risen to the level where the census makes them a separate statistical category.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stigler/the-number-of-saintly-men-has-not-yet-risen-to-the-level-where-the/) [George Stigler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stigler/) > [There are two economic realities in America in 2016. There's been a record six straight years of job growth, and new census numbers show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-holt/there-are-two-economic-realities-in-america-in-2016-there-s-been-a/) [Lester Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-holt/) > [One thing that's really interesting is not only the magnitude of the recent immigration into this country, but also its distribution and its investment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-prewitt/one-thing-that-s-really-interesting-is-not-only-the-magnitude-of-the/) [Kenneth Prewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-prewitt/) > [If Congress sees fit to impose a capitation, or other direct tax, it must be laid in proportion to the census; if Congress determines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salmon-p-chase/if-congress-sees-fit-to-impose-a-capitation-or-other-direct-tax-it/) [Salmon P. Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salmon-p-chase/) > [As we search for change and seek for our voices to be heard, completing the census will help get us the resources we need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mccourty/as-we-search-for-change-and-seek-for-our-voices-to-be-heard/) [Jason McCourty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mccourty/) > [“According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a family is defined as two or more people living together who are related by birth, marriage or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/according-to-the-u-s-census-bureau-a-family-is-defined-as-two-or-more/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [The Census Bureau is thinking of creating a new category because so many kids don't know how to describe themselves using the existing categories.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/the-census-bureau-is-thinking-of-creating-a-new-category-because-so/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [People resist a census, but give them a profile page and they'll spend all day telling you who they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-barry/people-resist-a-census-but-give-them-a-profile-page-and-they-ll-spend/) [Max Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-barry/) > [Money nowadays is money; money brings office; money gains friends; everywhere the poor man is down. \[Lat., In pretio pretium nunc est; dat census…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/money-nowadays-is-money-money-brings-office-money-gains-friends/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [According to the National Crime Survey administered by the Bureau of the Census and the National Institute of Justice, it was found that only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kleck/according-to-the-national-crime-survey-administered-by-the-bureau-of/) [Gary Kleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kleck/) > [“Are you going to count me on the census form?” “Sure. Ghost squatter, quantity of one. Sex male, race Caucasian, age dead. That’ll really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chessela-helm/are-you-going-to-count-me-on-the-census-form-sure-ghost-squatter/) [Chessela Helm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chessela-helm/) > [According to the U.S. Census, the most common reason people give for not voting is that they were too busy or had conflicting work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-miller/according-to-the-u-s-census-the-most-common-reason-people-give-for/) [Jeff Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-miller/) > [There are some who complain that there is not enough food grain. But I put the argument that at the moment we use 2000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-v-thomas/there-are-some-who-complain-that-there-is-not-enough-food-grain-but-i/) [K. V. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-v-thomas/) > [Conservatives need to know how important it is to fill out the census. It is one of the only things our Constitution specifically asks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-mchenry/conservatives-need-to-know-how-important-it-is-to-fill-out-the-census/) [Patrick McHenry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-mchenry/) > [“According to 2008/09 census there were 61,080,000 dogs in the United States. Many homeless or mistreated. There are more pet dogs than babies in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-fontana/according-to-2008-09-census-there-were-61-080-000-dogs-in-the-united/) [Alexander Fontana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-fontana/) [Browse all 82 Census quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/census/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think the government is out to get me or help someone else get me but it wouldn't surprise me if they were out to sell me something or help someone else sell me something. 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