--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our democracy is predicated on the belief…" description: "\"Our democracy is predicated on the belief that our government should be accessible by the people. We cannot allow ourselves to give in to fear or shy a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/erik-paulsen-30333_accessible_our-democracy-is-predicated-on-the-belie_2279640.jpg" --- # Our democracy is predicated on the belief that our… ![“Our democracy is predicated on the belief that our government should be accessible by the people. We cannot allow ourselves to give in to fear or shy away from interacting with the public.” quote by Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/erik-paulsen-30333_accessible_our-democracy-is-predicated-on-the-belie_2279640.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/erik-paulsen-30333_accessible_our-democracy-is-predicated-on-the-belie_2279640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/erik-paulsen-30333_accessible_our-democracy-is-predicated-on-the-belie_2279640.jpg) > “Our democracy is predicated on the belief that our government should be accessible by the people. We cannot allow ourselves to give in to fear or shy away from interacting with the public.” [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy requires public accessibility and participation; fear should not prevent citizens from engaging with government. **In simple terms:** Democracy works when people stay involved despite fear. Key Takeaway Engage with local representatives regularly. Themes civic duty participation transparency fear engagement Mood motivational concerned Type political inspirational When to use this quote - town hall meetings - community organizing - voter education - public forums Key Concepts democratic theory public trust civic responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to overcome fear of political involvement? - How can institutions become more approachable? A Different Perspective Fear can be paralyzing and may be justified in certain political climates. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [By the people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/by-the-people/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [After all, I have spent the better part of my adult life insisting that government be open... that government be accessible... and that government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-barnes/after-all-i-have-spent-the-better-part-of-my-adult-life-insisting/) [Roy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-barnes/) > [A democracy is predicated on an educated citizenry. You cannot have a democracy with people that are more interested in what Nicole Kidman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamza-yusuf/a-democracy-is-predicated-on-an-educated-citizenry-you-cannot-have-a/) [Hamza Yusuf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamza-yusuf/) > [It is up to Labour to keep alive the belief that government should be for the whole nation and that no section of society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/it-is-up-to-labour-to-keep-alive-the-belief-that-government-should-be/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [Mr. Obama is proud of his belief that government knows best. When he told the world that individuals were not totally responsible for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/mr-obama-is-proud-of-his-belief-that-government-knows-best-when-he/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [I am a Republican because of my military background, my pro-life beliefs, my support for the Second Amendment, and my belief that government should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shimkus/i-am-a-republican-because-of-my-military-background-my-pro-life/) [John Shimkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shimkus/) > [“the belief that the government can impose top-down measures to rescue the”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/the-belief-that-the-government-can-impose-top-down-measures-to-rescue/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [Conservatives believe government's principal functions are the preservation of freedom and removal of restraints on the individual. Liberalism's ascent in the first two-thirds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/conservatives-believe-government-s-principal-functions-are-the/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [Way down deep the American people are afraid of an entangling relationship between formal religions - or whole bodies of religious belief - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/way-down-deep-the-american-people-are-afraid-of-an-entangling-2/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [At the heart of liberalism really is a hatred for God and a belief that government should replace God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/at-the-heart-of-liberalism-really-is-a-hatred-for-god-and-a-belief/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [Way down deep the American people are afraid of an entangling relationship between formal religions - or whole bodies of religious belief - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-cuomo/way-down-deep-the-american-people-are-afraid-of-an-entangling/) [Mario Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-cuomo/) > [“Government” itself does no harm, because it is a fictional entity. But the belief in “government” – the notion that some people actually have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larken-rose/government-itself-does-no-harm-because-it-is-a-fictional-entity-but/) [Larken Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larken-rose/) > [What we have to do is strike a balance between the idea that government should do everything and the idea, the belief, that government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-jordan/what-we-have-to-do-is-strike-a-balance-between-the-idea-that/) [Barbara Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-jordan/) > [The conservative movement, to which I subscribe, has as one of its basic tenets the belief that government should stay out of people’s private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/the-conservative-movement-to-which-i-subscribe-has-as-one-of-its/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [Neither the wording of the amendment itself nor common practice challenged the widely held belief that government guaranteed freedom of religion, not freedom from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/neither-the-wording-of-the-amendment-itself-nor-common-practice/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [Corporations are created by the people, acting through their governments. We grant them corporate charters that confer certain legal rights and privileges, like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mcgovern/corporations-are-created-by-the-people-acting-through-their/) [Jim McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mcgovern/) ## More by Erik Paulsen > [There is no question we need an energy policy overhaul in America. A key part of that overhaul must include moving forward aggressively with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/there-is-no-question-we-need-an-energy-policy-overhaul-in-america-a/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [Since I joined Congress, I've been shocked at how many times we were forced to vote on 1,000-plus-page bills without ample time to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/since-i-joined-congress-i-ve-been-shocked-at-how-many-times-we-were/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [Any law can be changed, obviously, at any time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/any-law-can-be-changed-obviously-at-any-time/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [As Congress debates overhauling the nation's health care system, it should not authorize a reform plan that would further our financial woes. We must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/as-congress-debates-overhauling-the-nation-s-health-care-system-it/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [Minnesotans are ticket splitters. They look to the candidate, not the party, which is the way it should be, and that's only going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/minnesotans-are-ticket-splitters-they-look-to-the-candidate-not-the/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [The medical device tax repeal is the only proposal that had the most bipartisan votes coming out of the House and has the opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/the-medical-device-tax-repeal-is-the-only-proposal-that-had-the-most/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [The bottom line is we need a tax code that is more simpler, that is more fairer, that gets rid of the special carve-outs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/the-bottom-line-is-we-need-a-tax-code-that-is-more-simpler-that-is/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [College campuses are a focus of prevention efforts for meningococcal disease because of the increased incidence of the disease during adolescence and young adulthood,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/college-campuses-are-a-focus-of-prevention-efforts-for-meningococcal/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [I'm not a supporter of ObamaCare. I voted to repeal it, to defund it, et cetera. But we do need to move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/i-m-not-a-supporter-of-obamacare-i-voted-to-repeal-it-to-defund-it-et/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [I've criticized Republicans for their lack of fiscal discipline when they controlled Congress before 2007. However, that is no excuse to just continue with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/i-ve-criticized-republicans-for-their-lack-of-fiscal-discipline-when/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [Spending more time with my colleagues outside the Capitol helps build bipartisan relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/spending-more-time-with-my-colleagues-outside-the-capitol-helps-build/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [We need a tax code that promotes savings, investment, achievement, innovation, and hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/we-need-a-tax-code-that-promotes-savings-investment-achievement/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [I just want to listen and build relationships with as many of my colleagues as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/i-just-want-to-listen-and-build-relationships-with-as-many-of-my/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [After thinking carefully about how I can best help my fellow Minnesotans, I have decided to not seek election for a different office in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/after-thinking-carefully-about-how-i-can-best-help-my-fellow/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) > [Thats been hard being away from the family, because Washington can be lonely. When you tune out of all the activity, thats like, youre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/thats-been-hard-being-away-from-the-family-because-washington-can-be/) [Erik Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) [Explore all 17 Erik Paulsen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/) ## More Accessible quotes > [Whether it be a televised match or even a live event match, in this day and age, the Internet is so accessible and everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommaso-ciampa/whether-it-be-a-televised-match-or-even-a-live-event-match-in-this/) [Tommaso Ciampa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommaso-ciampa/) > [With the 'Watchmen' comic, we attempted to tell it in an accessible way. I deliberately made the artwork very clear, deceptively so. You think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gibbons/with-the-watchmen-comic-we-attempted-to-tell-it-in-an-accessible-way/) [Dave Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gibbons/) > [I think sometimes - not always - I write songs that are accessible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-think-sometimes-not-always-i-write-songs-that-are-accessible/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [There's also the tradition of voodoo, the Haitian magic arts, in New Orleans. And because New Orleans is below sea level, when they bury…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-trammell/there-s-also-the-tradition-of-voodoo-the-haitian-magic-arts-in-new/) [Sam Trammell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-trammell/) > [Podcasts feel about as accessible and ubiquitous as books or articles or anything like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bowen-yang/podcasts-feel-about-as-accessible-and-ubiquitous-as-books-or-articles/) [Bowen Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bowen-yang/) > [Our constituents deserve outstanding services, and my office is working to ensure we are as accessible as possible to residents across the 18th Congressional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lamb/our-constituents-deserve-outstanding-services-and-my-office-is/) [Conor Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lamb/) > [Accessible design is good design.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/accessible-design-is-good-design/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Patrick Swayze reminded me a lot of Gene Kelly. Patrick had that Everyman quality. Gene made dancing sort of an accessible idea for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-ortega/patrick-swayze-reminded-me-a-lot-of-gene-kelly-patrick-had-that/) [Kenny Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-ortega/) > [And it's been one of my big sort of campaigns throughout my career, really, is to sort of make art accessible but without dumbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grayson-perry/and-it-s-been-one-of-my-big-sort-of-campaigns-throughout-my-career/) [Grayson Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grayson-perry/) > [Self-expression should not be a challenge that demands extraordinary talent but should be a right accessible to all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deeyah-khan/self-expression-should-not-be-a-challenge-that-demands-extraordinary/) [Deeyah Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deeyah-khan/) > [Empathy is the most mysterious transaction that the human soul can have, and it's accessible to all of us, but we have to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/empathy-is-the-most-mysterious-transaction-that-the-human-soul-can/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [Media is so weird; everything is so accessible now. It used to be this thing where, if you did something on 'This American Life,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/media-is-so-weird-everything-is-so-accessible-now-it-used-to-be-this/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [We are able to use technology to make it clear that someone's car is available or a room in a home is accessible; that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gansky/we-are-able-to-use-technology-to-make-it-clear-that-someone-s-car-is/) [Lisa Gansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gansky/) > [A president aiming for 'Great' or 'Near Great' status must do more. He must give lots of interviews, make records accessible, and heap the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-frank/a-president-aiming-for-great-or-near-great-status-must-do-more-he/) [Thomas Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-frank/) > [Like almost every major infrastructure, the Internet can be abused and its users harmed. We must, however, take great care that the cure for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/like-almost-every-major-infrastructure-the-internet-can-be-abused-and/) [Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/) Browse all 211 Accessible quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our democracy is predicated on the belief that our government should be accessible by the people. We cannot allow ourselves to give in to fear or shy away from interacting with the public.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erik Paulsen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/our-democracy-is-predicated-on-the-belief-that-our-government-should/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accessible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/our-democracy-is-predicated-on-the-belief-that-our-government-should/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/erik-paulsen-30333_accessible_our-democracy-is-predicated-on-the-belie_2279640.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/erik-paulsen-30333_accessible_our-democracy-is-predicated-on-the-belie_2279640.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f3/erik-paulsen-30333_accessible_our-democracy-is-predicated-on-the-belie_2279640.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our democracy is predicated on the belief that our government should be accessible by the people. We cannot…” — Erik Paulsen", "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": "Erik Paulsen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-paulsen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Our democracy is predicated on the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/our-democracy-is-predicated-on-the-belief-that-our-government-should/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-paulsen/our-democracy-is-predicated-on-the-belief-that-our-government-should/#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 } } ] } ```