--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We should know at least the broad strokes…" description: "\"We should know at least the broad strokes of the powers that the government's claiming in our name, and using allegedly, on our behalf. And also agains..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/382/edward-snowden-555_behalf_we-should-know-at-least-the-broad-stroke_3161292.jpg" --- # We should know at least the broad strokes of the powers… ![“We should know at least the broad strokes of the powers that the government's claiming in our name, and using allegedly, on our behalf. And also against us as well.” quote by Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/382/edward-snowden-555_behalf_we-should-know-at-least-the-broad-stroke_3161292.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/382/edward-snowden-555_behalf_we-should-know-at-least-the-broad-stroke_3161292.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/382/edward-snowden-555_behalf_we-should-know-at-least-the-broad-stroke_3161292.jpg) > “We should know at least the broad strokes of the powers that the government's claiming in our name, and using allegedly, on our behalf. And also against us as well.” [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Citizens must understand governmental claims and their dual use against or for them. **In simple terms:** Know government powers and their impact. Key Takeaway Stay informed and critically evaluate authority. Themes privacy government critical thinking Mood cautionary empowering Type political educational When to use this quote - public policy debates - personal data protection - activism - legal reforms Key Concepts surveillance civil liberties accountability Questions to Reflect On - What sources can you trust to learn about government actions? - How can you protect your privacy in daily life? A Different Perspective Complex legal language can obscure understanding for many. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [The people are the source of governmental power. Along with many religious people, Latter-day Saints affirm that God gave the power to the people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/the-people-are-the-source-of-governmental-power-along-with-many/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [A constitution, in the American sense of the word, is a written instrument by which the fundamental powers of the government are established, limited,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-freeman-miller/a-constitution-in-the-american-sense-of-the-word-is-a-written/) [Samuel Freeman Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-freeman-miller/) > [All powers of government, legislative, executive and judicial, derive, under God, from the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-powers-of-government-legislative-executive-and-judicial-derive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-legitimate-powers-of-government-extend-to-such-acts-only-as-are-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A question arises whether all the powers of government, legislative, executive, and judicial, shall be left in this body? I think a people cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/a-question-arises-whether-all-the-powers-of-government-legislative/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-legitimate-powers-of-government-extend-to-such-acts-only-as-are/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [As the people are the only legitimate fountain of power, and it is from them that the constitutional charter, under which the several branches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/as-the-people-are-the-only-legitimate-fountain-of-power-and-it-is/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [No power but Congress can declare war; but what is the value of this constitutional provision, if the President of his own authority may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/no-power-but-congress-can-declare-war-but-what-is-the-value-of-this-2/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [“The pretense that the workings of the mind, like the actions of the body, are subject to the control of laws, does not seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-pretense-that-the-workings-of-the-mind-like-the-actions-of-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Great power often corrupts virtue; it invariably renders vice more malignant. . . . In proportion as the powers of government increase, both its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-of-caroline/great-power-often-corrupts-virtue-it-invariably-renders-vice-more/) John Taylor of Caroline > [The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as they are injurious to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-legitimate-powers-of-government-extend-to-such-acts-only-as-they/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [That the Powers of Government may be resumed by the People, whensoever it shall become necessary to their Happiness; that every Power, Jurisdiction and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-the-powers-of-government-may-be-resumed-by-the-people-whensoever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The legislative powers of government reach actions only and not opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-legislative-powers-of-government-reach-actions-only-and-not/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Whenever the powers of government are placed in any hands other than those of the community, whether those of one man, of a few,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mill/whenever-the-powers-of-government-are-placed-in-any-hands-other-than/) [James Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mill/) > [What defines patriotism, for me, is the idea that one rises to act on behalf of one's country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/what-defines-patriotism-for-me-is-the-idea-that-one-rises-to-act-on/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## More by Edward Snowden > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Much of what I saw in Geneva really disillusioned me about how my government functions and what its impact is in the world. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/much-of-what-i-saw-in-geneva-really-disillusioned-me-about-how-my/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The NSA and Israel wrote Stuxnet together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-nsa-and-israel-wrote-stuxnet-together/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [As a general rule, so long as you have any choice at all, you should never route through or peer with the UK under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/as-a-general-rule-so-long-as-you-have-any-choice-at-all-you-should/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ \[Brazil\] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-new-standards-for-this-we-need/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [You are also asked to take an oath, and that's the oath of service. The oath of service is not to secrecy, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/you-are-also-asked-to-take-an-oath-and-that-s-the-oath-of-service-the/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We need to think about encryption not as this sort of arcane, black art. It's a basic protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-need-to-think-about-encryption-not-as-this-sort-of-arcane-black/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [A lot of people in 2008 voted for Obama. I did not vote for him. I voted for a third party. But I believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/a-lot-of-people-in-2008-voted-for-obama-i-did-not-vote-for-him-i/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Too often we forget that social and political movements don't happen overnight. They don't bring change immediately - you have to build a critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/too-often-we-forget-that-social-and-political-movements-don-t-happen/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [ There was a real choice when \[Barack Obama\] became president. It was a very difficult choice - to say, "We're not going to hold… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/there-was-a-real-choice-when-barack-obama-became-president-it-was-a/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We've learned that we've allowed technological capabilities to dictate policies and practices, rather than ensuring that our laws and values guide our technological capabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-ve-learned-that-we-ve-allowed-technological-capabilities-to/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [It's much easier, I think, to protect communications while they're in transit at least, than it is to enforce legislation in every country in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-s-much-easier-i-think-to-protect-communications-while-they-re-in/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I care more about the country than what happens to me. But we can't allow the law to become a political weapon or agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-care-more-about-the-country-than-what-happens-to-me-but-we-can-t/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) [Explore all 478 Edward Snowden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## More Behalf quotes > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [Nonviolent tactics can move into action on our behalf men not naturally inclined to act for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-deming/nonviolent-tactics-can-move-into-action-on-our-behalf-men-not/) [Barbara Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-deming/) > [Adults look upon a child as something empty that is to be filled through their own efforts, as something inert and helpless for which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/adults-look-upon-a-child-as-something-empty-that-is-to-be-filled/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Having children, they're not your property. They need to figure out their own views. I think my daughters have a pretty healthy self-awareness, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lennox/having-children-they-re-not-your-property-they-need-to-figure-out/) [Annie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lennox/) > [I don't expect anybody here to cheerlead for Donald Trump. I expect us to have platforms like this, where we can fairly and effectively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/i-don-t-expect-anybody-here-to-cheerlead-for-donald-trump-i-expect-us/) [Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/) > [Antitrust law isn't about protecting competing businesses from each other, it's about protecting competition itself on behalf of the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/antitrust-law-isn-t-about-protecting-competing-businesses-from-each/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [We have some of the most influential Members of Congress here today, and I do hope that we can get this appropriation for these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-have-some-of-the-most-influential-members-of-congress-here-today/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [When we surrender to His timing, He does mighty things in and for us, according to His will and His timing. God acts on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/when-we-surrender-to-his-timing-he-does-mighty-things-in-and-for-us/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) > [When you leave good people afraid to speak on behalf of justice, however awkwardly or insensitively, those unafraid to speak will rise to power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-e-morgan/when-you-leave-good-people-afraid-to-speak-on-behalf-of-justice/) [C.E. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-e-morgan/) > [ I couldn't ever act or think on behalf of what my father \[\[Albert Camus\]\] would have said or done. He's an artist, he considers… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-camus/i-couldn-t-ever-act-or-think-on-behalf-of-what-my-father-albert-camus/) [Catherine Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-camus/) > [Are you going to go down on your knees and beg for your life, old one?" Abbot Mortimer stared calmly into Cluny's savage eye.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/are-you-going-to-go-down-on-your-knees-and-beg-for-your-life-old-one/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [If a fellow wants to be nobody in the business world, let him neglect sending the mailman to somebody on his behalf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/if-a-fellow-wants-to-be-nobody-in-the-business-world-let-him-neglect/) [Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/) > [The real test of one's belief in the doctrine of Habeas Corpus is not when one demands its application on behalf of one's friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clement-attlee/the-real-test-of-one-s-belief-in-the-doctrine-of-habeas-corpus-is-not/) [Clement Attlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clement-attlee/) > [It is important that Miers not be confirmed unless, in her 61st year, she suddenly and unexpectedly is found to have hitherto undisclosed interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/it-is-important-that-miers-not-be-confirmed-unless-in-her-61st-year/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [I heard you're campaigning on my behalf." He walked over to me. "That wouldn't be because you'd miss me too much if I were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/i-heard-you-re-campaigning-on-my-behalf-he-walked-over-to-me-that/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) Browse all 578 Behalf quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We should know at least the broad strokes of the powers that the government's claiming in our name, and using allegedly, on our behalf. And also against us as well.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward Snowden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-should-know-at-least-the-broad-strokes-of-the-powers-that-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behalf" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-should-know-at-least-the-broad-strokes-of-the-powers-that-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/382/edward-snowden-555_behalf_we-should-know-at-least-the-broad-stroke_3161292.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/382/edward-snowden-555_behalf_we-should-know-at-least-the-broad-stroke_3161292.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/382/edward-snowden-555_behalf_we-should-know-at-least-the-broad-stroke_3161292.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We should know at least the broad strokes of the powers that the government's claiming in our name, and…” — Edward Snowden", "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": "Edward Snowden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We should know at least the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-should-know-at-least-the-broad-strokes-of-the-powers-that-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-should-know-at-least-the-broad-strokes-of-the-powers-that-the/#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 } } ] } ```