---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the Democrats are right to…"
description: "\"I think the Democrats are right to protest, but I don't think Jeff Sessions is so far out of the range of normalcy that he shouldn't be confirmed.\" — D..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/david-brooks-644_democracy_i-think-the-democrats-are-right-to-prote_1229603.png"
---

#  I think the Democrats are right to protest, but I don't…

![“I think the Democrats are right to protest, but I don't think Jeff Sessions is so far out of the range of normalcy that he shouldn't be confirmed.” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/david-brooks-644_democracy_i-think-the-democrats-are-right-to-prote_1229603.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/david-brooks-644_democracy_i-think-the-democrats-are-right-to-prote_1229603.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/david-brooks-644_democracy_i-think-the-democrats-are-right-to-prote_1229603.png)

> “I think the Democrats are right to protest, but I don't think Jeff Sessions is so far out of the range of normalcy that he shouldn't be confirmed.”

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Brooks acknowledges the right to protest while questioning the extremity of opposing a nominee, suggesting a balance between dissent and practicality.

**In simple terms:** Protest is okay, but not extreme opposition.

Key Takeaway

Weigh protest against practical outcomes.

Themes

politics protest moderation

Mood

critical analytical

Type

opinion political

When to use this quote

- activism
- legislative hearings
- public opinion
- media commentary

Key Concepts

civic engagement judicial appointments

Questions to Reflect On

- Is protest always effective?
- When should dissent become opposition?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on moderation may silence legitimate concerns.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrat/) [Normalcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normalcy/) [Protest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protest/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [I think Democrats are right. We fight for the American dream, for the environment, for privacy rights, a woman's right to choose, a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-boxer/i-think-democrats-are-right-we-fight-for-the-american-dream-for-the/)

[Barbara Boxer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-boxer/)

> [Jeff Sessions has some problematic spots on his history, but he has been a pretty normal, respectable senator, more conservative than a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/jeff-sessions-has-some-problematic-spots-on-his-history-but-he-has/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [The great adventures which our opponents offer is a voyage into the past. Progress is our heritage, not theirs. What is right for us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/the-great-adventures-which-our-opponents-offer-is-a-voyage-into-the/)

[Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/)

> [I do believe that 2016 is going to be a great year for Democrats... because we are right on the key issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-chafee/i-do-believe-that-2016-is-going-to-be-a-great-year-for-democrats/)

[Lincoln Chafee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-chafee/)

> [It seems to me the American people never really forgave the Democrats for being right about Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-begala/it-seems-to-me-the-american-people-never-really-forgave-the-democrats/)

[Paul Begala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-begala/)

> [But people ought to be proud to be Democrats right now. You know, we're a happy warrior party. And this Congress has every reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/but-people-ought-to-be-proud-to-be-democrats-right-now-you-know-we-re/)

[Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/)

> [The Democrats right now are living in an alternative universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-democrats-right-now-are-living-in-an-alternative-universe/)

[Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/)

> [I still believe that the Democrats have it right about health care, education, the war in Iraq and, yes the war on terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-colmes/i-still-believe-that-the-democrats-have-it-right-about-health-care/)

[Alan Colmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-colmes/)

> [I'm not someone who thinks Republicans are always wrong and Democrats are always right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/i-m-not-someone-who-thinks-republicans-are-always-wrong-and-democrats/)

[Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/)

> [People have a right to protest peacefully, but there's absolutely no excuse for anyone to be conducting a campaign of intimidation that may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-soutphommasane/people-have-a-right-to-protest-peacefully-but-there-s-absolutely-no/)

[Tim Soutphommasane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-soutphommasane/)

> [As an American, you have the right to protest me or another individual or a group, but I believe that protesting the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markwayne-mullin/as-an-american-you-have-the-right-to-protest-me-or-another-individual/)

[Markwayne Mullin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markwayne-mullin/)

> [You have a right to protest. But I don't quite understand why anybody thinks it's a good idea to deny somebody else the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/you-have-a-right-to-protest-but-i-don-t-quite-understand-why-anybody/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [I think every person in a group has a right to protest something and not like something. I always find it to be interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-t-murphy/i-think-every-person-in-a-group-has-a-right-to-protest-something-and/)

[Ryan T. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-t-murphy/)

> [People have a right to give a speech. And people have a right to protest. But I'm not a great fan of disrupting people's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/people-have-a-right-to-give-a-speech-and-people-have-a-right-to/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [We will always stand up for rule of law, the right to protest, the right of assembly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-ortagus/we-will-always-stand-up-for-rule-of-law-the-right-to-protest-the/)

[Morgan Ortagus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-ortagus/)

## More by David Brooks

> [The brain is not the mind. It is probably impossible to look at a map of brain activity and predict or even understand the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/the-brain-is-not-the-mind-it-is-probably-impossible-to-look-at-a-map/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [When you're running for president, you're a guest in the living room for four years. And if people don't think you're going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/when-you-re-running-for-president-you-re-a-guest-in-the-living-room/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [“I’ve come to think that flourishing consists of putting yourself in situations in which you lose self-consciousness and become fused with other people, experiences,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-ve-come-to-think-that-flourishing-consists-of-putting-yourself-in/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [We have rapidly increasing technology, which is making life very good for people who are good at using words, and not so good for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/we-have-rapidly-increasing-technology-which-is-making-life-very-good/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [I think Barack Obama's foreign policy will be regarded more failure than success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-think-barack-obama-s-foreign-policy-will-be-regarded-more-failure/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [If you know that most processing is below the level of awareness, you learn the value of sleep. You're brain is working on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/if-you-know-that-most-processing-is-below-the-level-of-awareness-you/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [Trade has suddenly become massively unpopular. I think that's massively unjust. I think free trade has been wonderful for America on balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/trade-has-suddenly-become-massively-unpopular-i-think-that-s/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [Politics is based on social identity, and so, again, there is going to be differences between rural and urban and between left and right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/politics-is-based-on-social-identity-and-so-again-there-is-going-to/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [Pain now is better than pain deferred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/pain-now-is-better-than-pain-deferred/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [It’s worth noting that you can devote your life to community service and be a total schmuck. You can spend your life on Wall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/it-s-worth-noting-that-you-can-devote-your-life-to-community-service/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [If it feels all right for you, it's probably OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/if-it-feels-all-right-for-you-it-s-probably-ok/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [I do think Donald Trump is a fundamentally unstabilizing force and that the people who swore to uphold the Constitution are going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-do-think-donald-trump-is-a-fundamentally-unstabilizing-force-and/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [Tim Kaine has been obviously a governor. He's been a senator. He's one of the smartest rising stars in the Democratic Party. He is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/tim-kaine-has-been-obviously-a-governor-he-s-been-a-senator-he-s-one/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [“Women, in general, are less visually aroused than men, a trait that has nearly cut the market for pornography in half.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/women-in-general-are-less-visually-aroused-than-men-a-trait-that-has/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

> [I wasn't born with a tie or with Mark Shields stapled to my left hip. I have another life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-wasn-t-born-with-a-tie-or-with-mark-shields-stapled-to-my-left-hip/)

[David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

[Explore all 431 David Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/)

## More Democracy quotes

> [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/)

[Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/)

> [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/)

[Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/)

> [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [There is plenty of time for Republicans to have a Macaca moment. But right now, as of October 17, 2014, the Republican Senate candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-continetti/there-is-plenty-of-time-for-republicans-to-have-a-macaca-moment-but/)

[Matthew Continetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-continetti/)

> [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/)

[Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/)

> [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [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/)

> [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/)

[William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/)

> [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/)

[Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/)

> [In a democratic nation, power must be linked with responsibility, and obliged to defend and justify itself within the framework of the general good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/in-a-democratic-nation-power-must-be-linked-with-responsibility-and/)

[Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/)

> [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Browse all 11,220 Democracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think the Democrats are right to protest, but I don't think Jeff Sessions is so far out of the range of normalcy that he shouldn't be confirmed.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Brooks"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-think-the-democrats-are-right-to-protest-but-i-don-t-think-jeff/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Democracy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-think-the-democrats-are-right-to-protest-but-i-don-t-think-jeff/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/david-brooks-644_democracy_i-think-the-democrats-are-right-to-prote_1229603.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/david-brooks-644_democracy_i-think-the-democrats-are-right-to-prote_1229603.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d4/david-brooks-644_democracy_i-think-the-democrats-are-right-to-prote_1229603.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think the Democrats are right to protest, but I don't think Jeff Sessions is so far out of the range of…” — David Brooks",
                "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": "David Brooks",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think the Democrats are right...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-think-the-democrats-are-right-to-protest-but-i-don-t-think-jeff/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-think-the-democrats-are-right-to-protest-but-i-don-t-think-jeff/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
