--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Instead of engaging on the merits and…" description: "\"Instead of engaging on the merits and saying, \"Well, we want an open border, you know, we really do,\" and that's all good for America because they know..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jeff-sessions-2380_america_instead-of-engaging-on-the-merits-and-sa_2460354.png" --- # Instead of engaging on the merits and saying, "Well, we… ![“Instead of engaging on the merits and saying, "Well, we want an open border, you know, we really do," and that's all good for America because they know the people will reject that, they [the elites] attack Donald Trump as an extremist, which I think is unfair.” quote by Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jeff-sessions-2380_america_instead-of-engaging-on-the-merits-and-sa_2460354.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jeff-sessions-2380_america_instead-of-engaging-on-the-merits-and-sa_2460354.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jeff-sessions-2380_america_instead-of-engaging-on-the-merits-and-sa_2460354.png) > “Instead of engaging on the merits and saying, "Well, we want an open border, you know, we really do," and that's all good for America because they know the people will reject that, they \[the elites\] attack Donald Trump as an extremist, which I think is unfair.” [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that elites unfairly label Trump extremist while ignoring public opposition to open borders, framing it as a political tactic. **In simple terms:** Elites attack Trump while public opposes open borders. Key Takeaway Recognize political framing in debates. Themes politics media public opinion Mood critical skeptical Type analytical political When to use this quote - election campaigns - policy discussions - media analysis Key Concepts polarization strategic labeling Questions to Reflect On - How do elites influence political narratives? - What evidence shows public rejection of open borders? A Different Perspective The claim may oversimplify complex voter attitudes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Borders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borders/) [Elites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elites/) [Extremist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremist/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Donald Trump is an extremist leader who came out of nowhere. He's self-financed, recruits through social media, attracts his followers with a radical ideology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasan-minhaj/donald-trump-is-an-extremist-leader-who-came-out-of-nowhere-he-s-self/) [Hasan Minhaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hasan-minhaj/) > [I think the desire to reject elites, to retreat within more comfortable geographic and personal borders and to lash out at political correctness is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-michael-cillizza/i-think-the-desire-to-reject-elites-to-retreat-within-more/) [Christopher Michael Cillizza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-michael-cillizza/) > [I think the elites who have done nothing about it, who don't want a wall and don't care that the border is illegal, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/i-think-the-elites-who-have-done-nothing-about-it-who-don-t-want-a/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [ There \[in Afghanistan\] is also a growing insurgency threat from al-Qaida, the Taliban and other extremist elements, some of which comes from the tribal… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-petraeus/there-in-afghanistan-is-also-a-growing-insurgency-threat-from-al/) [David Petraeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-petraeus/) > [For some reason, I grew up generally believing that Japan and Korea were quite friendly. I do know that there is some bad history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joichi-ito/for-some-reason-i-grew-up-generally-believing-that-japan-and-korea/) [Joichi Ito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joichi-ito/) > [The United States of America is engaged in a war against an extremist group of folks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-united-states-of-america-is-engaged-in-a-war-against-an-extremist/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The nations of the Middle East will have to decide what kind of future they want for themselves for their country and, frankly, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-nations-of-the-middle-east-will-have-to-decide-what-kind-of/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [One stupid act of some stupid extremist puts us all down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amani/one-stupid-act-of-some-stupid-extremist-puts-us-all-down/) [Amani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amani/) > [We see today that there is a growing understanding in the international community that the extremist regime in Tehran is not just Israel's problem,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/we-see-today-that-there-is-a-growing-understanding-in-the/) [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/) > [If you look at the people who are advising Rudy Giuliani it turns out that they seem to be all the people who were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-marshall/if-you-look-at-the-people-who-are-advising-rudy-giuliani-it-turns-out/) [Josh Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-marshall/) > [The wisest among my race understand that agitations of social equality is the extremist folly, and that progress in the enjoyment of all privileges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/the-wisest-among-my-race-understand-that-agitations-of-social/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [It is a great mistake to think that the extremist is a better man than the moderate. Usually the difference is not that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-a-great-mistake-to-think-that-the-extremist-is-a-better-man/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [We will not waste 30 years of our lives dealing with extremist ideas; we will destroy them today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammad-bin-salman/we-will-not-waste-30-years-of-our-lives-dealing-with-extremist-ideas/) [Mohammad bin Salman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammad-bin-salman/) > [Teenage girls are extremists who see the world in black-and- white terms, missing shades of gray. Life is either marvelous or notworth living. School…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pipher/teenage-girls-are-extremists-who-see-the-world-in-black-and-white/) [Mary Pipher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pipher/) > [Extremist perspectives win sympathy and recruits because they offer narratives that claim to identify deep injustices and enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-gahr-store/extremist-perspectives-win-sympathy-and-recruits-because-they-offer/) [Jonas Gahr Store](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-gahr-store/) ## More by Jeff Sessions > [We're going to create factory jobs for recent immigrants, and Donald Trump is going to take care of them. That's why his numbers, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/we-re-going-to-create-factory-jobs-for-recent-immigrants-and-donald/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [Marriage has been defined by every legislature that has ever sat in the United States from every State, now 50 States, the same way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/marriage-has-been-defined-by-every-legislature-that-has-ever-sat-in/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [You cannot be president of the United States if people below $50,000 don't think you care about them and you have no real communication…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/you-cannot-be-president-of-the-united-states-if-people-below-50-000/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [This country does not punish its political enemies. What this country ensures is that no one is above the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/this-country-does-not-punish-its-political-enemies-what-this-country/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [I've supported civil rights activity in my state. I have done my job with integrity, equality and fairness for all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/i-ve-supported-civil-rights-activity-in-my-state-i-have-done-my-job/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [We can never go back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/we-can-never-go-back/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [ Basically \[I become a Republican\], pretty early. I had an English teacher that got me to subscribe to the National Review. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/basically-i-become-a-republican-pretty-early-i-had-an-english-teacher/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [I deeply understand the history of civil rights and the horrendous impact that relentless and systemic discrimination and the denial of voting rights has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/i-deeply-understand-the-history-of-civil-rights-and-the-horrendous/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [My advice is to listen and accept the will of the American people, the Republican voters. The Republican Party is the Republican voters, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/my-advice-is-to-listen-and-accept-the-will-of-the-american-people-the/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [In America, the Supreme Court and the American people believe no one is above the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/in-america-the-supreme-court-and-the-american-people-believe-no-one/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [You do not walk into any hearing or committee meeting and reveal confidential communications with the president of the United States, who's entitled to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/you-do-not-walk-into-any-hearing-or-committee-meeting-and-reveal/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [We should create an America in which it's - we can - Americans have a better chance to progress wages and job prospects, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/we-should-create-an-america-in-which-it-s-we-can-americans-have-a/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [How is it appropriate for a judge ever to say that they will choose to see some facts and not others?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/how-is-it-appropriate-for-a-judge-ever-to-say-that-they-will-choose/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [ This \[Gang of Eight bill (S.744)\] is far, far too many low-skilled workers that are going to take jobs and pull down wages of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/this-gang-of-eight-bill-s-744-is-far-far-too-many-low-skilled-workers/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [ \[Donald Trump\] was a magnificent witness. The reporter, when asking me about his testimony, said, "Sessions gushed about his testimony." But it was remarkable. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/donald-trump-was-a-magnificent-witness-the-reporter-when-asking-me/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) [Explore all 169 Jeff Sessions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Instead of engaging on the merits and saying, \"Well, we want an open border, you know, we really do,\" and that's all good for America because they know the people will reject that, they [the elites] attack Donald Trump as an extremist, which I think is unfair.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeff Sessions" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/instead-of-engaging-on-the-merits-and-saying-well-we-want-an-open/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/instead-of-engaging-on-the-merits-and-saying-well-we-want-an-open/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jeff-sessions-2380_america_instead-of-engaging-on-the-merits-and-sa_2460354.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jeff-sessions-2380_america_instead-of-engaging-on-the-merits-and-sa_2460354.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f32/jeff-sessions-2380_america_instead-of-engaging-on-the-merits-and-sa_2460354.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Instead of engaging on the merits and saying, \"Well, we want an open border, you know, we really do,\" and…” — Jeff Sessions", "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": "Jeff Sessions", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Instead of engaging on the merits...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/instead-of-engaging-on-the-merits-and-saying-well-we-want-an-open/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/instead-of-engaging-on-the-merits-and-saying-well-we-want-an-open/#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 } } ] } ```