--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Brian Kemp and Kris Kobach aren't the…" description: "\"Brian Kemp and Kris Kobach aren't the only figures subverting democracy to their own ends; they are just the most open and egregious.\" — Jamelle Bouie" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/jamelle-bouie-5467_brian_brian-kemp-and-kris-kobach-aren-t-the-on_3063409.jpg" --- # Brian Kemp and Kris Kobach aren't the only figures… ![“Brian Kemp and Kris Kobach aren't the only figures subverting democracy to their own ends; they are just the most open and egregious.” quote by Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/jamelle-bouie-5467_brian_brian-kemp-and-kris-kobach-aren-t-the-on_3063409.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/jamelle-bouie-5467_brian_brian-kemp-and-kris-kobach-aren-t-the-on_3063409.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/jamelle-bouie-5467_brian_brian-kemp-and-kris-kobach-aren-t-the-on_3063409.jpg) > “Brian Kemp and Kris Kobach aren't the only figures subverting democracy to their own ends; they are just the most open and egregious.” [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that certain political actors openly undermine democratic norms for personal gain. **In simple terms:** Some politicians openly corrupt democracy. Key Takeaway Guard democracy against abuse. Themes politics corruption democracy Mood cautious concerned Type political activist When to use this quote - elections - legislation - media coverage - public policy Key Concepts authoritarianism ethics Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards protect democratic institutions? - How can citizens hold leaders accountable? A Different Perspective Powerful actors may hide motives behind rhetoric. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brian/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Egregious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egregious-532005/) [Kris Kobach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kris-kobach-1435113/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Open](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open/) [Open Egregious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-egregious-5149115/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Subverting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subverting-1218125/) [Subverting Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subverting-democracy-5149114/) ## Related quotes > [ The Kansas secretary of state Kris Kobach who helped write the immigration laws in Arizona said that \[Donald\] Trump's policy advisors are drafting, they're… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/the-kansas-secretary-of-state-kris-kobach-who-helped-write-the/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) > [Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach has been an adviser to Trump, although he still very publicly couldn't land a job in the president's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kander/kansas-secretary-of-state-kris-kobach-has-been-an-adviser-to-trump/) [Jason Kander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kander/) > [He's like a bizarro me. One of us is working for good, and the other is Kris Kobach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kander/he-s-like-a-bizarro-me-one-of-us-is-working-for-good-and-the-other-is/) [Jason Kander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kander/) > [I refuse to censor myself and kids will find their own way to my books and to all of the books that matter to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-refuse-to-censor-myself-and-kids-will-find-their-own-way-to-my/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“I wonder if we're truly subverting anything, or if we're just playing with a loaded gun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tour/i-wonder-if-we-re-truly-subverting-anything-or-if-we-re-just-playing/) [Touré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tour/) > [I love subverting expectations or playing with the sort of unspoken kind of connections that the audience has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/i-love-subverting-expectations-or-playing-with-the-sort-of-unspoken/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [To call the American role in the world imperial was, for many who did so, a way of asserting that the United States was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mandelbaum/to-call-the-american-role-in-the-world-imperial-was-for-many-who-did/) [Michael Mandelbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mandelbaum/) > [“While others obsess with observing the rules, we’re subtly undermining them and subverting them to our advantage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/while-others-obsess-with-observing-the-rules-we-re-subtly-undermining/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [I know that my tendency is to be linear, and I'm trying to find ways to subvert that. And so in 'Bellocq's Ophelia' my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-trethewey/i-know-that-my-tendency-is-to-be-linear-and-i-m-trying-to-find-ways/) [Natasha Trethewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-trethewey/) > [“Nothing is more egregious than greedy politicians.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-rumzi/nothing-is-more-egregious-than-greedy-politicians/) [Sonia Rumzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-rumzi/) > [Critics called me 'egregious' - I had to look that one up - and 'creepy', but now I don't read them, I weigh them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-charles/critics-called-me-egregious-i-had-to-look-that-one-up-and-creepy-but/) [Craig Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-charles/) > [Of all the forms of injustice, that is the most egregious which makes the circumstances of sex a reason for excluding one half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brockden-brown/of-all-the-forms-of-injustice-that-is-the-most-egregious-which-makes/) [Charles Brockden Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brockden-brown/) > [When Obama heralds another 'teachable moment,' it means he has already made an egregious rookie mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/when-obama-heralds-another-teachable-moment-it-means-he-has-already/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) > [“One of the most egregious examples is happening in Ohio, a critical swing state”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-most-egregious-examples-is-happening-in-ohio-a-critical/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Donald Trump is so egregious in the way he talks about women, the way he allegedly treated women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/donald-trump-is-so-egregious-in-the-way-he-talks-about-women-the-way/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) ## More by Jamelle Bouie > [The 2020 presidential election was arguably the most secure - and among the most scrutinized - in American history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/the-2020-presidential-election-was-arguably-the-most-secure-and-among/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Racial hysteria has been a part of many winning campaigns in our country. But it's rarely the only part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/racial-hysteria-has-been-a-part-of-many-winning-campaigns-in-our/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Texas's official hostility toward gender nonconforming children has had the predictable effect of pushing families out of the state in search of less hostile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/texas-s-official-hostility-toward-gender-nonconforming-children-has/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Trump was not helped by either of his impeachments, and there's no reason other than his own mythology to think that a trial and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/trump-was-not-helped-by-either-of-his-impeachments-and-there-s-no/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [If 'The Lord of the Rings' is a cautionary tale about the desire for power and the use of power, then it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/if-the-lord-of-the-rings-is-a-cautionary-tale-about-the-desire-for/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [By no means is Trump the first president or even the first Republican president to abuse the power of the office in an effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/by-no-means-is-trump-the-first-president-or-even-the-first-republican/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [For liberals in particular, the idea that government is only hypocrisy and dysfunction is self-defeating and nihilistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/for-liberals-in-particular-the-idea-that-government-is-only-hypocrisy/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Nineteenth-century American politics were notoriously raucous, with frequent violence in and around elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/nineteenth-century-american-politics-were-notoriously-raucous-with/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Trump did not win the 2016 presidential election solely on the votes of his base; he won it after he consolidated wavering Republicans and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/trump-did-not-win-the-2016-presidential-election-solely-on-the-votes/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Trump's authoritarian instincts - his refusal to accept or even learn the rules of the constitutional system - are a huge part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/trump-s-authoritarian-instincts-his-refusal-to-accept-or-even-learn/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Americans tend to focus on external threats to our democracy: foreign adversaries wielding disinformation and subversion. But the most serious dangers have always come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/americans-tend-to-focus-on-external-threats-to-our-democracy-foreign/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is notorious for his efforts to secure 'election integrity' through voter purges and other efforts to shrink the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/kansas-secretary-of-state-kris-kobach-is-notorious-for-his-efforts-to/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [To vote in the United States, you can't simply go cast a ballot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/to-vote-in-the-united-states-you-can-t-simply-go-cast-a-ballot/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [The ring, in 'The Lord of the Rings,' represents power in all of its terrible glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/the-ring-in-the-lord-of-the-rings-represents-power-in-all-of-its/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > [As long as voting is voluntary, young people will likely always vote at lower rates than their older counterparts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/as-long-as-voting-is-voluntary-young-people-will-likely-always-vote/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) [Explore all 100 Jamelle Bouie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) ## More Brian quotes > [Brian Johnson, AC/DC, singing 'The Hokey Pokey' with him - I'll take that over any other moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-breuer/brian-johnson-ac-dc-singing-the-hokey-pokey-with-him-i-ll-take-that/) [Jim Breuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-breuer/) > [Witness for the defense, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/witness-for-the-defense-albus-percival-wulfric-brian-dumbledore/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ We went to America a few times and \[Brian\] Epstein always tried to waffle on at us about saying nothing about Vietnam. So there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-went-to-america-a-few-times-and-brian-epstein-always-tried-to/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [ Brian Mulroney, myself, \[and\] Rajiv Gandhi; I think that was the real core \[of the Commonwealth \]. That was the engine room, I reckon. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/brian-mulroney-myself-and-rajiv-gandhi-i-think-that-was-the-real-core/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [It was my first time in prison. I was there to volunteer with Defy Ventures, along with 500 teammates Tara Graham, Brian Wang, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-tsai/it-was-my-first-time-in-prison-i-was-there-to-volunteer-with-defy/) [Christine Tsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-tsai/) > [What can I say about Brian Williams. Nothing, because I work for NBC.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-strong/what-can-i-say-about-brian-williams-nothing-because-i-work-for-nbc/) [Cecily Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-strong/) > [Here's Brian Flynn. His official height is five feet five and he doesn't look much taller than that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-green/here-s-brian-flynn-his-official-height-is-five-feet-five-and-he-doesn/) [Alan Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-green/) > [I don't get the regular AIDS test anymore. I get the roundabout AIDS test. I ask my friend Brian, "Do you know anybody who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-get-the-regular-aids-test-anymore-i-get-the-roundabout-aids/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I don't care if it's Dr. Dre or Dr. Luke or Brian Eno. When you're in a studio and making music together, it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/i-don-t-care-if-it-s-dr-dre-or-dr-luke-or-brian-eno-when-you-re-in-a/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [When I was in Buffalo, Fred Jackson was you know, I would say he was a big mentor of mine and when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hogan/when-i-was-in-buffalo-fred-jackson-was-you-know-i-would-say-he-was-a/) [Chris Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hogan/) > [Brian came back in on the road and Al stayed, but Al's the original member of the group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-johnston/brian-came-back-in-on-the-road-and-al-stayed-but-al-s-the-original/) [Bruce Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-johnston/) > [With these Funny or Die videos, I do everything for them. I write them, act in them, and co-direct them with my buddy Brian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/with-these-funny-or-die-videos-i-do-everything-for-them-i-write-them/) [Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/) > [ We \[ with Brian Mulroney and Rajiv Gandhi\] went to the meeting in Canada \[the 1987 Vancouver CHOGM\] and I said to them there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hawke/we-with-brian-mulroney-and-rajiv-gandhi-went-to-the-meeting-in-canada/) [Bob Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hawke/) > [I always respected Luke Cage and thought that he was interesting, and I really liked what Brian Michael Bendis did in his update of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheo-hodari-coker/i-always-respected-luke-cage-and-thought-that-he-was-interesting-and/) [Cheo Hodari Coker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheo-hodari-coker/) > [Just a whole different style, just a whole different way of going about an audience and a way about skating. And they are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-stojko/just-a-whole-different-style-just-a-whole-different-way-of-going/) [Elvis Stojko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-stojko/) [Browse all 283 Brian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Brian Kemp and Kris Kobach aren't the only figures subverting democracy to their own ends; they are just the most open and egregious.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jamelle Bouie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/brian-kemp-and-kris-kobach-aren-t-the-only-figures-subverting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brian" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/brian-kemp-and-kris-kobach-aren-t-the-only-figures-subverting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/jamelle-bouie-5467_brian_brian-kemp-and-kris-kobach-aren-t-the-on_3063409.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/jamelle-bouie-5467_brian_brian-kemp-and-kris-kobach-aren-t-the-on_3063409.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/jamelle-bouie-5467_brian_brian-kemp-and-kris-kobach-aren-t-the-on_3063409.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Brian Kemp and Kris Kobach aren't the only figures subverting democracy to their own ends; they are just the…” — Jamelle Bouie", "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": "Jamelle Bouie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Brian Kemp and Kris Kobach aren't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/brian-kemp-and-kris-kobach-aren-t-the-only-figures-subverting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/brian-kemp-and-kris-kobach-aren-t-the-only-figures-subverting/#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 } } ] } ```