--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's important to make sure that…" description: "\"It's important to make sure that governments have some checks on what they do, that people can oversee what's being done so the government doesn't abus..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/450/barack-obama-17_abuse_it-s-important-to-make-sure-that-governm_2348859.jpg" --- # It's important to make sure that governments have some… ![“It's important to make sure that governments have some checks on what they do, that people can oversee what's being done so the government doesn't abuse it.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/450/barack-obama-17_abuse_it-s-important-to-make-sure-that-governm_2348859.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/450/barack-obama-17_abuse_it-s-important-to-make-sure-that-governm_2348859.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/450/barack-obama-17_abuse_it-s-important-to-make-sure-that-governm_2348859.jpg) > “It's important to make sure that governments have some checks on what they do, that people can oversee what's being done so the government doesn't abuse it.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement stresses the necessity of checks and balances and public oversight to prevent governmental abuse. **In simple terms:** Governments need oversight to avoid abuse. Key Takeaway Support transparent accountability mechanisms. Themes governance transparency accountability Mood formal inspirational Type political educational When to use this quote - policy making - civic engagement - media monitoring Key Concepts checks and balances democratic oversight Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms best ensure oversight? - How can citizens stay informed? A Different Perspective Implementation can be hindered by political resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Being done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-done/) [Checks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/checks/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-doesn/) [Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments/) [Governments Checks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments-checks-5711628/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Oversee Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oversee-government-5711629/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Sure Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sure-governments-2354026/) ## Related quotes > [To be sure, governments will remain critical to any comprehensive effort to save our planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/to-be-sure-governments-will-remain-critical-to-any-comprehensive/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [“All governments, even these precious “democracies,” derive all their power by force. Do something the government doesn’t want, like, say, cross the street against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-evan-townsend/all-governments-even-these-precious-democracies-derive-all-their/) [S. Evan Townsend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-evan-townsend/) > [I'll be honest, there have been times when I've listened to the rhetoric in Europe where an easy equivalent somehow between the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-ll-be-honest-there-have-been-times-when-i-ve-listened-to-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Government doesn't have to be the enemy, but too much government has produced a new kind of inequality in America: opportunity inequality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/government-doesn-t-have-to-be-the-enemy-but-too-much-government-has/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [I want to work closely with the government but it doesn't mean I become so weak and just toe the government line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/i-want-to-work-closely-with-the-government-but-it-doesn-t-mean-i/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [E = mc2 if the government doesn't get its hands on it first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/e-mc2-if-the-government-doesn-t-get-its-hands-on-it-first/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [If the national government doesn't fix your problem, you've got a problem. You've got to fix it yourself. That's just part of the American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-la-russa/if-the-national-government-doesn-t-fix-your-problem-you-ve-got-a/) [Tony La Russa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-la-russa/) > [The government doesn't go about refuting everything that floats around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-sitharaman/the-government-doesn-t-go-about-refuting-everything-that-floats-around/) [Nirmala Sitharaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-sitharaman/) > [Strong government doesn't mean simply military power or an efficient intelligence apparatus. Instead, it should mean effective, fair administration - in other words, 'good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghuram-rajan/strong-government-doesn-t-mean-simply-military-power-or-an-efficient/) [Raghuram Rajan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghuram-rajan/) > [Big government doesn't help the middle class, it buries it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/big-government-doesn-t-help-the-middle-class-it-buries-it/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [A leftist government doesn't exist because being on the left has nothing to do with governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/a-leftist-government-doesn-t-exist-because-being-on-the-left-has/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [The government doesn't have any money. The only power it has is to take from some and give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-government-doesn-t-have-any-money-the-only-power-it-has-is-to/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Government doesn't have to come up with new killer features on its own. It has to step aside and let others come up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-newsom/government-doesn-t-have-to-come-up-with-new-killer-features-on-its/) [Gavin Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-newsom/) > [My own belief is that the way we grow the economy, create jobs, create wealth is in the private sector. The government doesn't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/my-own-belief-is-that-the-way-we-grow-the-economy-create-jobs-create/) [Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/) > [The government doesn't have to solve everyone's problem here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/the-government-doesn-t-have-to-solve-everyone-s-problem-here/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's important to make sure that governments have some checks on what they do, that people can oversee what's being done so the government doesn't abuse it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-important-to-make-sure-that-governments-have-some-checks-on-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-important-to-make-sure-that-governments-have-some-checks-on-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/450/barack-obama-17_abuse_it-s-important-to-make-sure-that-governm_2348859.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/450/barack-obama-17_abuse_it-s-important-to-make-sure-that-governm_2348859.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/450/barack-obama-17_abuse_it-s-important-to-make-sure-that-governm_2348859.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's important to make sure that governments have some checks on what they do, that people can oversee…” — Barack Obama", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's important to make sure that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-important-to-make-sure-that-governments-have-some-checks-on-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-important-to-make-sure-that-governments-have-some-checks-on-what/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```