--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The other night, the president gave a…" description: "\"The other night, the president gave a speech. He said, \"children are our most prescious natural resource\". I thought, \"let's hope it never comes to tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f3/emo-philips-1788_children_the-other-night-the-president-gave-a-spe_990433.png" --- # The other night, the president gave a speech. He said… ![“The other night, the president gave a speech. He said, "children are our most prescious natural resource". I thought, "let's hope it never comes to that".” quote by Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f3/emo-philips-1788_children_the-other-night-the-president-gave-a-spe_990433.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f3/emo-philips-1788_children_the-other-night-the-president-gave-a-spe_990433.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f3/emo-philips-1788_children_the-other-night-the-president-gave-a-spe_990433.png) > “The other night, the president gave a speech. He said, "children are our most prescious natural resource". I thought, "let's hope it never comes to that".” [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The president’s claim that children are a precious resource is a rhetorical exaggeration that may mask deeper societal issues. **In simple terms:** Rhetoric can hide problems. Key Takeaway Question grand statements. Themes politics rhetoric children Mood skeptical critical Type political satirical When to use this quote - education policy - public speeches - media analysis Key Concepts symbolic language policy critique Questions to Reflect On - What underlying issues does this rhetoric conceal? - How can we address child welfare beyond slogans? A Different Perspective Idealizing children may overlook systemic neglect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Natural resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-resources/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) ## Related quotes > [ \[For American consumer society\], the country's reserves of ignorance constitute a natural resource as precious as the Mississippi River or the long-lost herds of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/for-american-consumer-society-the-country-s-reserves-of-ignorance/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [New technology lets you grow the resource pie, which is the only way you can get out between that pincer of rising consumption (as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramez-naam/new-technology-lets-you-grow-the-resource-pie-which-is-the-only-way/) [Ramez Naam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramez-naam/) > [Water is our most precious and interconnected natural resource. It sustains all ecosystems, communities, and economies from local watersheds to the seas. It's vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-cousteau/water-is-our-most-precious-and-interconnected-natural-resource-it/) [Alexandra Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-cousteau/) > [Children, be worried when they call you America's most valuable natural resource. Have you seen what they've done to the other natural resources?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/utah-phillips/children-be-worried-when-they-call-you-america-s-most-valuable/) [Utah Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/utah-phillips/) > [Man's brain is, after all, the greatest natural resource.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-brandt/man-s-brain-is-after-all-the-greatest-natural-resource/) Karl Brandt > [The electronic spectrum is the only natural resource in which there's no such thing as private property rights. You can't own a piece of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-cronauer/the-electronic-spectrum-is-the-only-natural-resource-in-which-there-s/) [Adrian Cronauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-cronauer/) > [We must treat water as if it were the most precious thing in the world, the most valuable natural resource. Be economical with water!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-gorbachev/we-must-treat-water-as-if-it-were-the-most-precious-thing-in-the/) [Mikhail Gorbachev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-gorbachev/) > [We talk a lot about our abundant natural resources, but we need to talk more about the most precious natural resource God has entrusted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bel-edwards/we-talk-a-lot-about-our-abundant-natural-resources-but-we-need-to/) [John Bel Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bel-edwards/) > [I always felt like if you get to a point where you've got enough money to invest in something real, you gotta invest in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akon/i-always-felt-like-if-you-get-to-a-point-where-you-ve-got-enough/) [Akon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akon/) > [From earliest times, water has always been acknowledged as a primary human good and an indispensable natural resource. Around the great rivers of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/from-earliest-times-water-has-always-been-acknowledged-as-a-primary/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [No "natural" resource is more precious and to be used more wisely than time. These mortal moments matter more than we know. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/no-natural-resource-is-more-precious-and-to-be-used-more-wisely-than/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [The greatest natural resource that any country can have is its children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-kaye/the-greatest-natural-resource-that-any-country-can-have-is-its/) [Danny Kaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-kaye/) > [You are about to be told one more time that you are America's most valuable natural resource. Have you seen what they do to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/utah-phillips/you-are-about-to-be-told-one-more-time-that-you-are-america-s-most/) [Utah Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/utah-phillips/) > [Women-the greatest natural resource in the world today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-steichen/women-the-greatest-natural-resource-in-the-world-today/) [Edward Steichen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-steichen/) > [It seems that almost every time a valuable natural resource is discovered in the world-whether it be diamonds, rubber, gold, oil, whatever-often what results…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/it-seems-that-almost-every-time-a-valuable-natural-resource-is/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) ## More by Emo Philips > [Once I was in a restaurant and I dropped my fork on the floor, and they gave me a new fork. So I pushed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/once-i-was-in-a-restaurant-and-i-dropped-my-fork-on-the-floor-and/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [I give money to Unicef because I like the 'bang for your buck' aspect. Here's $10, go and save 1,000 kids from blindness!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/i-give-money-to-unicef-because-i-like-the-bang-for-your-buck-aspect/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [Libertarians believe consenting adults have the right to do whatever they choose, except band together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/libertarians-believe-consenting-adults-have-the-right-to-do-whatever/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [I love England. In fact, they're getting to know me so well at Heathrow Immigration that this time I was able to completely bypass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/i-love-england-in-fact-they-re-getting-to-know-me-so-well-at-heathrow/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [He taught me never to smile, which helps me when I visit disaster sites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/he-taught-me-never-to-smile-which-helps-me-when-i-visit-disaster-sites/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [The way I understand it, the Russians are sort of a combination of evil and incompetence... sort of like the Post Office with tanks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/the-way-i-understand-it-the-russians-are-sort-of-a-combination-of/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [I got in a fight one time with a really big guy, and he said, "I'm going to mop the floor with your face."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/i-got-in-a-fight-one-time-with-a-really-big-guy-and-he-said-i-m-going/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [I don't know if I was put on this Earth for a purpose or not. But I'm fairly confident that I'll be taken off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/i-don-t-know-if-i-was-put-on-this-earth-for-a-purpose-or-not-but-i-m/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [I got a letter from the IRS. Apparently I owe them $800. So I sent them a letter back. I said, If you'll remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/i-got-a-letter-from-the-irs-apparently-i-owe-them-800-so-i-sent-them/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [If you're worth over $50m you should have to dress like that guy on the Monopoly box. The super-rich shouldn't get all the benefits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/if-you-re-worth-over-50m-you-should-have-to-dress-like-that-guy-on/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [Race is still somewhat of a taboo in comedy. But if you're a minority, then you can make fun of your own minority. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/race-is-still-somewhat-of-a-taboo-in-comedy-but-if-you-re-a-minority/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [I like to play chess with bald men in the park although it's hard to find 32 of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/i-like-to-play-chess-with-bald-men-in-the-park-although-it-s-hard-to/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into a committee - that will do them in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/if-computers-get-too-powerful-we-can-organize-them-into-a-committee/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [You don't appreciate a lot of stuff in school until you get older. Little things like being spanked every day by a middle-aged woman:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/you-don-t-appreciate-a-lot-of-stuff-in-school-until-you-get-older/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [Thinking up jokes is easy. The hard part is trying them out on stage, because you never know if they're funny until you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/thinking-up-jokes-is-easy-the-hard-part-is-trying-them-out-on-stage/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) [Explore all 208 Emo Philips quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The other night, the president gave a speech. He said, \"children are our most prescious natural resource\". 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