--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I created no authority that wasn't…" description: "\"I created no authority that wasn't already there under the constitution.\" — John Engler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/john-engler-16761_authority_i-created-no-authority-that-wasn-t-alrea_1513336.jpg" --- # I created no authority that wasn't already there under the… ![“I created no authority that wasn't already there under the constitution.” quote by John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/john-engler-16761_authority_i-created-no-authority-that-wasn-t-alrea_1513336.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/john-engler-16761_authority_i-created-no-authority-that-wasn-t-alrea_1513336.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/john-engler-16761_authority_i-created-no-authority-that-wasn-t-alrea_1513336.jpg) > “I created no authority that wasn't already there under the constitution.” [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authority derives from the constitution, not from personal creation. **In simple terms:** Authority comes from law, not individuals. Key Takeaway Respect constitutional limits. Themes government law authority Mood formal serious Type political legal When to use this quote - legislative drafting - judicial review - public policy - civic education Key Concepts constitutional law separation of powers Questions to Reflect On - How do we ensure officials follow constitutional limits? - What happens when law and politics clash? A Different Perspective Constitutional authority can be contested by political pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Authority Wasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority-wasn-5575487/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Created Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/created-authority-5575486/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Wasn Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasn-constitution-5575488/) ## Related quotes > [In 1962, the smallest things were upsetting to authority. It wasn't the Civil Rights Movement. It wasn't the Anti-war Movement. 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This is the book to be read in schools in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/the-book-called-the-bible-is-filled-with-passages-equally-horrible/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [I would save the Union. I would save it the shortest way under the Constitution. The sooner the national authority can be restored; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-would-save-the-union-i-would-save-it-the-shortest-way-under-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The authority of the Supreme Court must not be permitted to control the Congress or the Executive when acting in their legislative capacities, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jackson/the-authority-of-the-supreme-court-must-not-be-permitted-to-control/) [Andrew Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-jackson/) > [I believe in the separation of powers. If a judge crosses the line between interpreting and making the law, he has crossed the line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-hatch/i-believe-in-the-separation-of-powers-if-a-judge-crosses-the-line/) [Orrin Hatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-hatch/) > [ The Constitution does not vest in Congress the authority to protect society from every bad act that might befall it…\[I\]f followed to its logical… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/the-constitution-does-not-vest-in-congress-the-authority-to-protect/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [ \[A\]s it must be admitted that the remedy under the Constitution lies where it has been marked out by the Constitution; and that no… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/a-s-it-must-be-admitted-that-the-remedy-under-the-constitution-lies/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Elect me to office. I will protect and defend the U.S. Constitution. Because there's no constitutional authority for Congress spending on the objects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/elect-me-to-office-i-will-protect-and-defend-the-u-s-constitution/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [Obedience is the psychological mechanism that links individual action to political purpose. It is the dispositional cement that binds men to systems of authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/obedience-is-the-psychological-mechanism-that-links-individual-action/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [“The idea of authority, which they represented, was associated in our minds with a greater insight and a more humane wisdom. But the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/the-idea-of-authority-which-they-represented-was-associated-in-our/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [Sometimes it's easier for people who are in authority to be authoritarian, because people know where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometimes-it-s-easier-for-people-who-are-in-authority-to-be/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [“I'm of the age and immaturity level that I cannot give you my respect solely because you are older or ranked higher on an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/i-m-of-the-age-and-immaturity-level-that-i-cannot-give-you-my-respect/) [Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) ## More by John Engler > [All 50 states had the same national economy. And on virtually any measurement you wish to look at, Michigan has moved up and improved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/all-50-states-had-the-same-national-economy-and-on-virtually-any/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [Michigan is also the only industrial state that has a AAA credit rating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/michigan-is-also-the-only-industrial-state-that-has-a-aaa-credit/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [I wish we could have acted quicker on Detroit or other failing schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-wish-we-could-have-acted-quicker-on-detroit-or-other-failing-schools/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [Sometimes it is better to begin the journey, to get under way, then it is to sit back and wait until such time that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/sometimes-it-is-better-to-begin-the-journey-to-get-under-way-then-it/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [I've been in the legislative branch and now the executive branch and in each case I felt it was important we use our constitutional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-ve-been-in-the-legislative-branch-and-now-the-executive-branch-and/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [The asbestos problem impacts everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/the-asbestos-problem-impacts-everyone/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [I expect my next job to be outside government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-expect-my-next-job-to-be-outside-government/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [You win by working hard, making tough decisions and building coalitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/you-win-by-working-hard-making-tough-decisions-and-building-coalitions/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [I've gone from being one of the youngest governors to now the longest consecutive serving governor in the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-ve-gone-from-being-one-of-the-youngest-governors-to-now-the-longest/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [Nobody gets any guarantees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/nobody-gets-any-guarantees/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [Despite these hurdles, manufacturers in the U.S. and their employees are doing remarkable work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/despite-these-hurdles-manufacturers-in-the-u-s-and-their-employees/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [The parent knows instinctively that if they're working and setting an example for their child that means that child is more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/the-parent-knows-instinctively-that-if-they-re-working-and-setting-an/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [We have broken the cycle of dependency. People have found out they're better off working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/we-have-broken-the-cycle-of-dependency-people-have-found-out-they-re/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [The greatest luck that I've had has been the ability to find men and women who came into my administration who worked with me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/the-greatest-luck-that-i-ve-had-has-been-the-ability-to-find-men-and/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [I had made a decision early on that we were going to do the right things and that if they worked we were going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-had-made-a-decision-early-on-that-we-were-going-to-do-the-right/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) [Explore all 39 John Engler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) ## More Authority quotes > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [“I'm of the age and immaturity level that I cannot give you my respect solely because you are older or ranked higher on an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-goros/i-m-of-the-age-and-immaturity-level-that-i-cannot-give-you-my-respect/) [Erica Goros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-goros/) > [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Miracles are like candles lit up until the sun rises, and then blown out. Therefore, I am amused when I hear sects and churches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/miracles-are-like-candles-lit-up-until-the-sun-rises-and-then-blown/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The execution was set for the 29th of March, at nine in the morning. This delay was due to a desire on the part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/the-execution-was-set-for-the-29th-of-march-at-nine-in-the-morning/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/) [Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Sometimes it's easier for people who are in authority to be authoritarian, because people know where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometimes-it-s-easier-for-people-who-are-in-authority-to-be/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) [Browse all 4,003 Authority quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I created no authority that wasn't already there under the constitution.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Engler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-created-no-authority-that-wasn-t-already-there-under-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Authority" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-created-no-authority-that-wasn-t-already-there-under-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/john-engler-16761_authority_i-created-no-authority-that-wasn-t-alrea_1513336.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/john-engler-16761_authority_i-created-no-authority-that-wasn-t-alrea_1513336.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/john-engler-16761_authority_i-created-no-authority-that-wasn-t-alrea_1513336.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I created no authority that wasn't already there under the constitution.” — John Engler", "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": "John Engler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I created no authority that wasn't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-created-no-authority-that-wasn-t-already-there-under-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-created-no-authority-that-wasn-t-already-there-under-the/#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 } } ] } ```