---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem is that agencies sometimes…"
description: "\"The problem is that agencies sometimes lose sight of common sense as they create regulations.\" — Fred Thompson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f0/fred-thompson-8900_agency_the-problem-is-that-agencies-sometimes-l_2189709.jpg"
---

#  The problem is that agencies sometimes lose sight of…

![“The problem is that agencies sometimes lose sight of common sense as they create regulations.” quote by Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f0/fred-thompson-8900_agency_the-problem-is-that-agencies-sometimes-l_2189709.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f0/fred-thompson-8900_agency_the-problem-is-that-agencies-sometimes-l_2189709.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f0/fred-thompson-8900_agency_the-problem-is-that-agencies-sometimes-l_2189709.jpg)

> “The problem is that agencies sometimes lose sight of common sense as they create regulations.”

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Regulators can become detached from practicality, losing common sense.

**In simple terms:** Regulation can ignore common sense.

Key Takeaway

Balance rules with practicality.

Themes

policy common sense regulation

Mood

analytical cautious

Type

political pragmatic

When to use this quote

- lawmaking
- business compliance
- public administration

Key Concepts

governance bureaucracy

Questions to Reflect On

- How can regulators stay grounded?
- What safeguards keep policies sensible?

A Different Perspective

Over‑regulation can stifle innovation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Agencies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agencies/) [Agencies Lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agencies-lose-4764949/) [Agency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agency/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) [Create Regulations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create-regulations-4764951/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problem Agencies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-agencies-4764950/) [Regulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regulation/) [Sight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sight/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/)

## Related quotes

> [The best agencies understood the importance of routines. The worst agencies were headed by people who never thought about it, and then wondered why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/the-best-agencies-understood-the-importance-of-routines-the-worst/)

[Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/)

> [Traditional ad agencies have so much to unlearn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-boches/traditional-ad-agencies-have-so-much-to-unlearn/)

[Edward Boches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-boches/)

> [Well, you could take several stories off the buildings of most U.S. government agencies and we'd all probably be better for it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/well-you-could-take-several-stories-off-the-buildings-of-most-u-s/)

[John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/)

> [Debt, we've learned, is the match that lights the fire of every crisis. Every crisis has its own set of villains - pick your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ross-sorkin/debt-we-ve-learned-is-the-match-that-lights-the-fire-of-every-crisis/)

[Andrew Ross Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ross-sorkin/)

> [When comics came along in the 1930s there was a talent pool waiting. And one reason is so many areas were closed to Jews.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/when-comics-came-along-in-the-1930s-there-was-a-talent-pool-waiting/)

[Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/)

> [Visit USA.gov and you'll find thousands of directorates, agencies, boards, offices, and services replete with overlapping responsibilities, ancient priorities, and divided accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/visit-usa-gov-and-you-ll-find-thousands-of-directorates-agencies/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The broken consumer credit market had to be repaired by making sure that consumers had the right information and could use it effectively. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-broken-consumer-credit-market-had-to-be-repaired-by-making-sure/)

[Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/)

> [The SEC got more than 100 rules to write under Dodd-Frank, the lion's share of all the agencies. And we've moved, I think, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/the-sec-got-more-than-100-rules-to-write-under-dodd-frank-the-lion-s/)

[Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/)

> [The United States should help strengthen nongovernmental humanitarian agencies working in Sudan so that they can handle an increased flow of aid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-united-states-should-help-strengthen-nongovernmental-humanitarian/)

[Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/)

> [The Obama administration believes in experts and blue-ribbon panels. They believe in creating new agencies and boards. They believe in all that, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sher-valenzuela/the-obama-administration-believes-in-experts-and-blue-ribbon-panels/)

[Sher Valenzuela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sher-valenzuela/)

> [One of the principal factors fueling the proliferation of the abuse of secrecy and sensitive but unclassifieds is the administration's adherence to the unitary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-gup/one-of-the-principal-factors-fueling-the-proliferation-of-the-abuse/)

[Ted Gup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-gup/)

> [You have safety and soundness as primary purpose of the Federal Reserve, the OCC, and the other agencies which control banking regulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-gregg/you-have-safety-and-soundness-as-primary-purpose-of-the-federal/)

[Judd Gregg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-gregg/)

> [Federal overreach from agencies like the EPA is hurting family farms. I will fight against these crippling regulations, and always side with the hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/federal-overreach-from-agencies-like-the-epa-is-hurting-family-farms/)

[Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/)

> [Our covering ministry is Challenge for Christ ministries, and Travel the Road was solely our mission arm, designed to expose people to what missions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/our-covering-ministry-is-challenge-for-christ-ministries-and-travel/)

[Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/)

> [Here we are 17 years later. Those agencies never did come through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-rifkin/here-we-are-17-years-later-those-agencies-never-did-come-through/)

[Jeremy Rifkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-rifkin/)

## More by Fred Thompson

> [We are always just one successful terrorist attack away from a nuclear disaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/we-are-always-just-one-successful-terrorist-attack-away-from-a/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

> [You can't buy peace by just wishing it and avoiding the challenges that other nations present to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/you-can-t-buy-peace-by-just-wishing-it-and-avoiding-the-challenges/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

> [The University of North Carolina-Greensboro has ordered a Christian club to allow non-Christians as leaders. While we're at it, let's put high school dropouts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/the-university-of-north-carolina-greensboro-has-ordered-a-christian/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

> [You can't substitute promise after promise with known violators of prior promises at the expense of protecting ourselves or setting an example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/you-can-t-substitute-promise-after-promise-with-known-violators-of/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

> [A new report shows that medicare and Medicaid made more than $50 Billion in bad payments during fiscal year 2011. Under Obamacare, that'll become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/a-new-report-shows-that-medicare-and-medicaid-made-more-than-50/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

> [After two years in Washington, I often long for the realism and sincerity of Hollywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/after-two-years-in-washington-i-often-long-for-the-realism-and/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

> [Being a POW certainly doesn't qualify anyone to be president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/being-a-pow-certainly-doesn-t-qualify-anyone-to-be-president/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

> [In the end, we may be hurting the very people we should be concerned about - the inner-city poor, those who already have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/in-the-end-we-may-be-hurting-the-very-people-we-should-be-concerned/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

> [Jay Carney told the reporters at his morning briefing that he hoped they would watch the new movie about Obama's first term 'many times.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/jay-carney-told-the-reporters-at-his-morning-briefing-that-he-hoped/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

> [This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/this-business-will-get-out-of-control-it-will-get-out-of-control-and/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

> [But if the Chinese mainland, the PRC, attacked Taiwan, we'd be obligated to come to their aid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/but-if-the-chinese-mainland-the-prc-attacked-taiwan-we-d-be-obligated/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

> [A new report shows that, in Virginia, gun violence has fallen as the sale of firearms has soared to a new record. In other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/a-new-report-shows-that-in-virginia-gun-violence-has-fallen-as-the/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

> [China is one of the world's greatest proliferators of weapons of mass destruction to these rogue nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/china-is-one-of-the-world-s-greatest-proliferators-of-weapons-of-mass/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

> [So China will be having to make some choices as to whose side it wants to be on. Hopefully, this will be the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/so-china-will-be-having-to-make-some-choices-as-to-whose-side-it/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

> [For example, lead paint in old houses can be a greater threat to children's health than lead that may be under some industrial site…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/for-example-lead-paint-in-old-houses-can-be-a-greater-threat-to/)

[Fred Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

[Explore all 77 Fred Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/)

## More Agencies quotes

> [Here we are 17 years later. Those agencies never did come through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-rifkin/here-we-are-17-years-later-those-agencies-never-did-come-through/)

[Jeremy Rifkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-rifkin/)

> [Our covering ministry is Challenge for Christ ministries, and Travel the Road was solely our mission arm, designed to expose people to what missions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/our-covering-ministry-is-challenge-for-christ-ministries-and-travel/)

[Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/)

> [Nine out of every 10 large corporations and government agencies have been attacked by computer intruders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/nine-out-of-every-10-large-corporations-and-government-agencies-have/)

[Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/)

> [When I first went to visit different agencies in New York, a lot of them were like, 'You have to lose a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gigi-hadid/when-i-first-went-to-visit-different-agencies-in-new-york-a-lot-of/)

[Gigi Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gigi-hadid/)

> [The SEC got more than 100 rules to write under Dodd-Frank, the lion's share of all the agencies. And we've moved, I think, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/the-sec-got-more-than-100-rules-to-write-under-dodd-frank-the-lion-s/)

[Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/)

> [The intelligence investigation under the leadership of Senator Church, which I know has helped cause this investigation by you, points out that the agencies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sherman-cooper/the-intelligence-investigation-under-the-leadership-of-senator-church/)

[John Sherman Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sherman-cooper/)

> [The broken consumer credit market had to be repaired by making sure that consumers had the right information and could use it effectively. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-broken-consumer-credit-market-had-to-be-repaired-by-making-sure/)

[Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/)

> [Visit USA.gov and you'll find thousands of directorates, agencies, boards, offices, and services replete with overlapping responsibilities, ancient priorities, and divided accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/visit-usa-gov-and-you-ll-find-thousands-of-directorates-agencies/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When comics came along in the 1930s there was a talent pool waiting. And one reason is so many areas were closed to Jews.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/when-comics-came-along-in-the-1930s-there-was-a-talent-pool-waiting/)

[Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/)

> [With respect to sticking accelerator pedals, we failed to connect the dots between problems in Europe and problems in the United States because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-toyoda/with-respect-to-sticking-accelerator-pedals-we-failed-to-connect-the/)

[Akio Toyoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-toyoda/)

> [Debt, we've learned, is the match that lights the fire of every crisis. Every crisis has its own set of villains - pick your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ross-sorkin/debt-we-ve-learned-is-the-match-that-lights-the-fire-of-every-crisis/)

[Andrew Ross Sorkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ross-sorkin/)

> [Part of my job is to advocate on my constituents' behalf to federal agencies who aren't always responsive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-horsford/part-of-my-job-is-to-advocate-on-my-constituents-behalf-to-federal/)

[Steven Horsford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-horsford/)

> [The Federal Reserve, the Treasury, all the regulator agencies - if there's a problem of the financial mechanism in society, the only one to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-cheney/the-federal-reserve-the-treasury-all-the-regulator-agencies-if-there/)

[Dick Cheney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-cheney/)

> [The best agencies understood the importance of routines. The worst agencies were headed by people who never thought about it, and then wondered why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/the-best-agencies-understood-the-importance-of-routines-the-worst/)

[Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/)

> [Well, you could take several stories off the buildings of most U.S. government agencies and we'd all probably be better for it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/well-you-could-take-several-stories-off-the-buildings-of-most-u-s/)

[John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/)

[Browse all 97 Agencies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agencies/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The problem is that agencies sometimes lose sight of common sense as they create regulations.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Fred Thompson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/the-problem-is-that-agencies-sometimes-lose-sight-of-common-sense-as/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Agencies"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/the-problem-is-that-agencies-sometimes-lose-sight-of-common-sense-as/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f0/fred-thompson-8900_agency_the-problem-is-that-agencies-sometimes-l_2189709.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f0/fred-thompson-8900_agency_the-problem-is-that-agencies-sometimes-l_2189709.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f0/fred-thompson-8900_agency_the-problem-is-that-agencies-sometimes-l_2189709.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The problem is that agencies sometimes lose sight of common sense as they create regulations.” — Fred Thompson",
                "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": "Fred Thompson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-thompson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The problem is that agencies sometimes...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/the-problem-is-that-agencies-sometimes-lose-sight-of-common-sense-as/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-thompson/the-problem-is-that-agencies-sometimes-lose-sight-of-common-sense-as/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
