--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 'This is how democracy works,' Barack…" description: "\"'This is how democracy works,' Barack Obama lectured the country before giving everyone the specifics of his expansive one-man executive overreach on i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f43/david-harsanyi-11003_barack_this-is-how-democracy-works-barack-obama_2839868.png" --- # 'This is how democracy works,' Barack Obama lectured the… ![“'This is how democracy works,' Barack Obama lectured the country before giving everyone the specifics of his expansive one-man executive overreach on immigration. If you enjoy platitudinous straw men but are turned off by open debate and constitutional order, this speech was for you.” quote by David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f43/david-harsanyi-11003_barack_this-is-how-democracy-works-barack-obama_2839868.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f43/david-harsanyi-11003_barack_this-is-how-democracy-works-barack-obama_2839868.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f43/david-harsanyi-11003_barack_this-is-how-democracy-works-barack-obama_2839868.png) > “'This is how democracy works,' Barack Obama lectured the country before giving everyone the specifics of his expansive one-man executive overreach on immigration. If you enjoy platitudinous straw men but are turned off by open debate and constitutional order, this speech was for you.” [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker claims democracy is undermined by executive overreach on immigration, framing it as a straw‑man argument against open debate. **In simple terms:** Executive overreach threatens democracy. Key Takeaway Guard democratic processes. Themes democracy immigration executive power Mood critical analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - voting - public policy - civic engagement Key Concepts political theory constitutional law Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards protect democratic debate? - How can policy balance security and liberty? A Different Perspective Complex issues may need nuanced solutions beyond rhetoric. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) [Debate Constitutional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate-constitutional-3717921/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democracy Works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy-works-767911/) [Enjoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoy/) [Executives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executives/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Notable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notable/) [Obama Lectured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama-lectured-3717920/) [One man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-man/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Overreach Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overreach-immigration-3717922/) [Specifics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/specifics/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Straws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/straws/) [Turned off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turned-off/) ## Related quotes > [We have to yet really seriously debate the constitutional issues and whether or not we're willing to give up more freedom in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cohen/we-have-to-yet-really-seriously-debate-the-constitutional-issues-and/) [William Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cohen/) > [I understand how democracy works. Quite a little bit of criticism in it, which is fine. That's fine. That's part of the process. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-understand-how-democracy-works-quite-a-little-bit-of-criticism-in/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > ['Compromise' isn't supposed to be a dirty word. It is, in fact, how representative democracy works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/compromise-isn-t-supposed-to-be-a-dirty-word-it-is-in-fact-how/) [Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/) > [We should - we will - welcome people of faith into the political process... It is essential that believers enter the arena. Your involvement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-should-we-will-welcome-people-of-faith-into-the-political-process/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We can't fully heal as a nation if our democracy only works for the well-off and well-connected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-kim/we-can-t-fully-heal-as-a-nation-if-our-democracy-only-works-for-the/) [Andy Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-kim/) > [No party has a monopoly on wisdom. No democracy works without compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/no-party-has-a-monopoly-on-wisdom-no-democracy-works-without/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Our democracy works because the parties air and debate their differences in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-schlossberg/our-democracy-works-because-the-parties-air-and-debate-their/) [Jack Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-schlossberg/) > [We want a free market, but we know that the paradox of a 'free' market is that sometimes you have to intervene. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margrethe-vestager/we-want-a-free-market-but-we-know-that-the-paradox-of-a-free-market/) [Margrethe Vestager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margrethe-vestager/) > [You have fewer rights because you are a minority. Absolutely, that’s how democracy works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-zuma/you-have-fewer-rights-because-you-are-a-minority-absolutely-that-s/) [Jacob Zuma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-zuma/) > [If you look at the way all of the new reform movements dedicated to the public interest are living and thriving on the Internet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/if-you-look-at-the-way-all-of-the-new-reform-movements-dedicated-to/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Well, that's the way democracy works. We have to build this Europe with the material we have at our disposal. And this material is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/well-that-s-the-way-democracy-works-we-have-to-build-this-europe-with/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [I think that my general feeling about the United States is that democracy works, and I've believed that my whole life, and my experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-steyer/i-think-that-my-general-feeling-about-the-united-states-is-that/) [Tom Steyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-steyer/) > [We must remember that democracy works when given time to develop, mature and deliver. People must have access to information for informed debate. Government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/we-must-remember-that-democracy-works-when-given-time-to-develop/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [Democracy only works when we claim it as our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/democracy-only-works-when-we-claim-it-as-our-own/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [Democracy works when people claim it as their own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/democracy-works-when-people-claim-it-as-their-own/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) ## More by David Harsanyi > [Modern Democrats aren't the first political party to abuse power - far from it. Obama isn'€™t the first president to abuse executive power -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/modern-democrats-aren-t-the-first-political-party-to-abuse-power-far/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [I don't think that voters should be fixated on public policy. In a healthy republic, they wouldn't have to worry every waking hour about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/i-don-t-think-that-voters-should-be-fixated-on-public-policy-in-a/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [Washington has a mysterious power to turn perfectly reasonable, wholesome, well-meaning human beings into equivocating crooked gasbags.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/washington-has-a-mysterious-power-to-turn-perfectly-reasonable/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [A true fascist is anyone who wants to take away my air conditioning or force me to ride a bike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/a-true-fascist-is-anyone-who-wants-to-take-away-my-air-conditioning/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [A religion without rules or God isn't sustainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/a-religion-without-rules-or-god-isn-t-sustainable/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [I believe that the war on drugs is a tragically misplaced use of resources - an immoral venture that produces far more suffering than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/i-believe-that-the-war-on-drugs-is-a-tragically-misplaced-use-of/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [It would probably strike the average politician as absurd to argue that the best way to fix the economy is to stop trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/it-would-probably-strike-the-average-politician-as-absurd-to-argue/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [It's difficult for democracy to function properly under the most favorable circumstances, but it has no chance at all when millions of voters are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/it-s-difficult-for-democracy-to-function-properly-under-the-most/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [You don't have to get things done all the time to be productive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/you-don-t-have-to-get-things-done-all-the-time-to-be-productive/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [The realization that you can't predict the future -- and mold it -- could only come as a shock to an academic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/the-realization-that-you-can-t-predict-the-future-and-mold-it-could/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [You'll often hear the left lecture about the importance of dissent in a free society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/you-ll-often-hear-the-left-lecture-about-the-importance-of-dissent-in/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [The deepest mystery of Twitter is why celebrities and elected officials take part. After all, we all know they can't write their own lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/the-deepest-mystery-of-twitter-is-why-celebrities-and-elected/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [Biblical movies need not sermonize, just be honest to the foundational story. As powerful as the message is for people of faith, it's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/biblical-movies-need-not-sermonize-just-be-honest-to-the-foundational/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [The crusade to convince us that global warming can only be dealt with by wealth destruction and higher energy prices began with an effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/the-crusade-to-convince-us-that-global-warming-can-only-be-dealt-with/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [Twitter's popularity and usefulness are mysteries to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/twitter-s-popularity-and-usefulness-are-mysteries-to-me/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) [Explore all 62 David Harsanyi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) ## More Barack quotes > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I can tell you who's planning terroris attacks. The leaders of ISIL. And I can tell you where they're at. They're in Raqqa, Syria.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-can-tell-you-who-s-planning-terroris-attacks-the-leaders-of-isil/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [ The president \[Barack Obama\] asked for a commitment of, I think, 100,000 jobs for veterans and military spouses over the next couple of years.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-president-barack-obama-asked-for-a-commitment-of-i-think-100-000/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [The big story today, Barack Obama was accused of insulting Sarah Palin when he criticized Republican policies by saying, you can put lipstick on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/the-big-story-today-barack-obama-was-accused-of-insulting-sarah-palin/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [ I think the president's \[Barack Obama\] position has been very clear on Syria. He wants more aggressive, he's put the Special Ops on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/i-think-the-president-s-barack-obama-position-has-been-very-clear-on/) [Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/) > [ It cannot be an American fight. And I think what the president \[Barack Obama\] has consistently said - which I agree with - is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-cannot-be-an-american-fight-and-i-think-what-the-president-barack/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [It doesn't matter to me where Barack Obama goes. If he wants to go to Hawaii because it's his home state, fine! Hunky-dory. Plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-where-barack-obama-goes-if-he-wants-to-go-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ It wasn't \[Barack\] Obama per se; it was the feeling on the ground; it was seeing an old black woman in a wheelchair being… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/it-wasn-t-barack-obama-per-se-it-was-the-feeling-on-the-ground-it-was/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [I don't think that we really know a whole lot about Barack Obama at all that you would really call distinctive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-mcwhorter/i-don-t-think-that-we-really-know-a-whole-lot-about-barack-obama-at/) [John H. McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-mcwhorter/) > [Just like Barack Obama, my views on gay marriage have evolved, and now I am a reluctant groom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/just-like-barack-obama-my-views-on-gay-marriage-have-evolved-and-now/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [I think President Barack Obama has been an extraordinarily successful president, and that this period will record that with a bunch of exclamation points.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-sunstein/i-think-president-barack-obama-has-been-an-extraordinarily-successful/) [Cass Sunstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-sunstein/) > [The archives recall not one single incriminating incident, not one drunken escapade, not one reported affair, not one spat with a team-mate or reporter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atherton/the-archives-recall-not-one-single-incriminating-incident-not-one/) [Michael Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-atherton/) > [In public, Barack Obama's giving the simple version of his beliefs for the mass public. In private, he can discuss it at a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-chait/in-public-barack-obama-s-giving-the-simple-version-of-his-beliefs-for/) [Jonathan Chait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-chait/) [Browse all 1,672 Barack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "'This is how democracy works,' Barack Obama lectured the country before giving everyone the specifics of his expansive one-man executive overreach on immigration. 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