--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We believe that in times like these we…" description: "\"We believe that in times like these we should turn to each other, not on each other. We believe that government has a role to play, not in solving ever..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/deval-patrick-15111_american_we-believe-that-in-times-like-these-we-s_2727206.png" --- # We believe that in times like these we should turn to each… ![“We believe that in times like these we should turn to each other, not on each other. We believe that government has a role to play, not in solving every problem in everybody's life but in helping people help themselves to the American dream. That's what Democrats believe.” quote by Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/deval-patrick-15111_american_we-believe-that-in-times-like-these-we-s_2727206.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/deval-patrick-15111_american_we-believe-that-in-times-like-these-we-s_2727206.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/975/deval-patrick-15111_american_we-believe-that-in-times-like-these-we-s_2727206.png) > “We believe that in times like these we should turn to each other, not on each other. We believe that government has a role to play, not in solving every problem in everybody's life but in helping people help themselves to the American dream. That's what Democrats believe.” [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In crises we should support each other, with government assisting rather than solving all personal problems, enabling self‑reliance toward the American dream. **In simple terms:** Help each other; government guides, not solves everything. Key Takeaway Encourage mutual aid and limited government. Themes community government self‑reliance American dream Mood hopeful reflective Type political inspirational When to use this quote - social services - community building - policy debate Key Concepts civic responsibility political philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What balance best empowers citizens? - How to foster community without over‑dependence? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on government can hinder independence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [American dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-dream/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-government-280945/) [Democrats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrats/) [Democrats Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democrats-believe-495898/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dream Democrats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream-democrats-2927132/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Each](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/each/) [Every](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every/) [Everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everybody/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Role](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-role-630682/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Helping people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping-people/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Other](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Role](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/role/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Solving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solving/) [Themselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/themselves/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times/) [Turn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turn/) ## Related quotes > [Do we believe that the goal of government is to promote equal opportunity for all Americans to make the most of their lives? Or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/do-we-believe-that-the-goal-of-government-is-to-promote-equal/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [I have nothing against wealth; I believe that government has a role to play in creating it by supporting pro-growth policies. However, success comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-trudeau/i-have-nothing-against-wealth-i-believe-that-government-has-a-role-to/) [Justin Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-trudeau/) > [Democrats believe that government should reflect the sense of community that Americans demonstrated after Katrina - the sense of community that has defined and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/democrats-believe-that-government-should-reflect-the-sense-of/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [And I don't think that government has a role in telling people how to live their lives. Maybe a minister does, maybe your belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/and-i-don-t-think-that-government-has-a-role-in-telling-people-how-to/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [Government can't do everything, but there is a role for government and smart policy, especially in equalizing opportunities for folks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tubbs/government-can-t-do-everything-but-there-is-a-role-for-government-and/) [Michael Tubbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tubbs/) > [Government has a role as well in what is referred to as redistributive justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/government-has-a-role-as-well-in-what-is-referred-to-as/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [Every level of government has a role to play in combating the rise of MS-13 and other gangs, and we must crack down on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-zeldin/every-level-of-government-has-a-role-to-play-in-combating-the-rise-of/) [Lee Zeldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-zeldin/) > [Government has the role of suiting people for freedom. People aren't made for freedom spontaneously. There's sort of a 19-year race between when people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/government-has-the-role-of-suiting-people-for-freedom-people-aren-t/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [You have to have an idea of what you need to do, what needs to be fixed, what can be improved, what we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hsien-loong/you-have-to-have-an-idea-of-what-you-need-to-do-what-needs-to-be/) [Lee Hsien Loong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hsien-loong/) > [I think the government has a role in protecting the fundamental rights of its citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/i-think-the-government-has-a-role-in-protecting-the-fundamental/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [The point is, is that when you elect a politician, it has nothing to do with their personality. Politicians perform a function, a role…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/the-point-is-is-that-when-you-elect-a-politician-it-has-nothing-to-do/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [Government's role should be only to keep the playing field level, and to work hand in hand with business on issues such as employment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/government-s-role-should-be-only-to-keep-the-playing-field-level-and/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [“It may be bad for you, but government has no role in dictating our lives. People should be free to imprison themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/it-may-be-bad-for-you-but-government-has-no-role-in-dictating-our/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [And government's only role is to secure our rights for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-moore/and-government-s-only-role-is-to-secure-our-rights-for-us/) [Roy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-moore/) > [It's always been government's role to protect the security of the nation. And cyber-attacks is a security issue, from our perspective. And it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-napolitano/it-s-always-been-government-s-role-to-protect-the-security-of-the/) [Janet Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-napolitano/) ## More by Deval Patrick > [Hope for the best and work for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/hope-for-the-best-and-work-for-it/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [Anybody who knows me knows that I'm no attack dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/anybody-who-knows-me-knows-that-i-m-no-attack-dog/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [ Two \[Massachusetts coal burning power plants\] remain: Brayton Point in the South Coast region and Mt. Tom, just down the road. Within the next… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/two-massachusetts-coal-burning-power-plants-remain-brayton-point-in/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [My most vivid memory of my father centers on the day he left. It was warm, and my mother was especially short with Rhonda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/my-most-vivid-memory-of-my-father-centers-on-the-day-he-left-it-was/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [I’m planning to stay in politics now, but, you know, George Burns worked until he was 100. I don’t know. I don’t want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/i-m-planning-to-stay-in-politics-now-but-you-know-george-burns-worked/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [It's a free country. I wish it weren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/it-s-a-free-country-i-wish-it-weren-t/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [One great thing about being a black man is that if you put on a hat, you can move around unnoticed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/one-great-thing-about-being-a-black-man-is-that-if-you-put-on-a-hat/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [I have never taken a job or done a job where I felt I needed to leave my conscience at the door. One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/i-have-never-taken-a-job-or-done-a-job-where-i-felt-i-needed-to-leave/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [I don't want to be a senator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-senator/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [I very much believe in values-based leadership and that the values that I believe in and try to govern by are transcendent values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/i-very-much-believe-in-values-based-leadership-and-that-the-values/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [We have drained common sense out of our politics. The more we focus on tactics and games, the more good people check out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/we-have-drained-common-sense-out-of-our-politics-the-more-we-focus-on/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [People read inevitability as entitlement, and the American people want their candidates to sweat for the job. They want them to actually make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/people-read-inevitability-as-entitlement-and-the-american-people-want/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [This is a horrific day in Boston. My thoughts and prayers are with those who have been injured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/this-is-a-horrific-day-in-boston-my-thoughts-and-prayers-are-with/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [In the view of some people, you can only believe in civil rights if you work as a civil rights lawyer. I just don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/in-the-view-of-some-people-you-can-only-believe-in-civil-rights-if/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [I went to big, broken, under-resourced public schools, but we had a real sense of community, because those were days in the '50s and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/i-went-to-big-broken-under-resourced-public-schools-but-we-had-a-real/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) [Explore all 44 Deval Patrick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. 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The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. 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But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) [Browse all 7,717 American quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We believe that in times like these we should turn to each other, not on each other. We believe that government has a role to play, not in solving every problem in everybody's life but in helping people help themselves to the American dream. 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