--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The government, both state and federal…" description: "\"The government, both state and federal, has a duty to be reasonable and accommodating.\" — John Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea2/john-lewis-1310_duty_the-government-both-state-and-federal-ha_1974855.jpg" --- # The government, both state and federal, has a duty to be… ![“The government, both state and federal, has a duty to be reasonable and accommodating.” quote by John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea2/john-lewis-1310_duty_the-government-both-state-and-federal-ha_1974855.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea2/john-lewis-1310_duty_the-government-both-state-and-federal-ha_1974855.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea2/john-lewis-1310_duty_the-government-both-state-and-federal-ha_1974855.jpg) > “The government, both state and federal, has a duty to be reasonable and accommodating.” [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government must act reasonably and accommodate citizens' needs. **In simple terms:** Governments should be fair and supportive. Key Takeaway Demand fairness and reasonable policies. Themes justice government rights Mood concerned hopeful Type political advocacy When to use this quote - public services - disability access - housing - education - healthcare Key Concepts public policy accommodation Questions to Reflect On - How can governments ensure reasonable accommodations without excessive cost? - What rights should be prioritized? A Different Perspective Balancing fairness with budget constraints can be difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [FTX has shareholders and we have a duty to do reasonable things by them and I certainly feel more comfortable incinerating my own money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-bankman-fried/ftx-has-shareholders-and-we-have-a-duty-to-do-reasonable-things-by/) [Sam Bankman-Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-bankman-fried/) > [That's a fact of our federal system of government: each state runs their election differently - and that's OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-shapiro/that-s-a-fact-of-our-federal-system-of-government-each-state-runs/) [Josh Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-shapiro/) > [The government, whether state or central, is elected. That means we have a responsibility to elect the right kind of leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-government-whether-state-or-central-is-elected-that-means-we-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We should distinguish at this point between "government" and "state" ... A government is the consensual organization by which we adjudicate disputes, defend our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-boaz/we-should-distinguish-at-this-point-between-government-and-state-a/) [David Boaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-boaz/) > [The president's very right about one thing: When you have a disaster of that scale, whether it be natural or a terrorist attack, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-rudman/the-president-s-very-right-about-one-thing-when-you-have-a-disaster/) [Warren Rudman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-rudman/) > [In 1996, Bill Clinton declared the era of big government over in the State of the Union address.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-easton/in-1996-bill-clinton-declared-the-era-of-big-government-over-in-the/) [Nina Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-easton/) > [We can only restore faith in government if the state itself becomes an efficient, effective and transparent ally of the people. Bureaucratic inefficiencies, abuses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-ponta/we-can-only-restore-faith-in-government-if-the-state-itself-becomes/) [Victor Ponta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-ponta/) > [Why should a city be mandated to do something by the federal government or state government without the money to do it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-daley/why-should-a-city-be-mandated-to-do-something-by-the-federal/) [Richard M. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-daley/) > [We have a cleaner system of government in this state where people run based on their ideas, not based on their ability to raise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/we-have-a-cleaner-system-of-government-in-this-state-where-people-run/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) > [I believe that there should be no wrong door to access state government, and that state government's top priority should be serving Pennsylvanians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-shapiro/i-believe-that-there-should-be-no-wrong-door-to-access-state/) [Josh Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-shapiro/) > [We’re against the state, not government. The state just happens to monopolize the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-kinsella/we-re-against-the-state-not-government-the-state-just-happens-to/) [Stephan Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-kinsella/) > [First, we need to focus government on the things that are required of the State. Second, we need to achieve competence in government so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/first-we-need-to-focus-government-on-the-things-that-are-required-of/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [It actually turns out to be much harder to really understand government across state local and federal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/it-actually-turns-out-to-be-much-harder-to-really-understand/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [He who desires or attempts to reform the government of a state and wishes to have it accepted, must at least retain the semblance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-desires-or-attempts-to-reform-the-government-of-a-state-and/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“They were inconveniently reasonable, these women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-perkins-gilman/they-were-inconveniently-reasonable-these-women/) [Charlotte Perkins Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-perkins-gilman/) ## More by John Lewis > [ I happen to believe that this election year \[2016\] is...one of the most important elections that we're going to face in a very long… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-happen-to-believe-that-this-election-year-2016-is-one-of-the-most/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [If you're not hopeful and optimistic, then you just give up. You have to take that long hard look and just believe that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/if-you-re-not-hopeful-and-optimistic-then-you-just-give-up-you-have/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [The reward for playing jazz is playing jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-reward-for-playing-jazz-is-playing-jazz/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [I am very, very hopeful about the American South - I believe that we will lead America to what Dr. King called 'the beloved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-am-very-very-hopeful-about-the-american-south-i-believe-that-we/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [ \[Donald Trump's inauguration\] will be the first one that I miss since I've been in Congress. You cannot be at home with something that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/donald-trump-s-inauguration-will-be-the-first-one-that-i-miss-since-i/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [To question the legitimacy of the next United States president, you know, and you're worried about a tweet that says, hey, why don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/to-question-the-legitimacy-of-the-next-united-states-president-you/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [We are tired of being beaten by policemen. We are tired of seeing our people locked up in jails over and over again. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/we-are-tired-of-being-beaten-by-policemen-we-are-tired-of-seeing-our/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Now we have black and white elected officials working together. Today, we have gone beyond just passing laws. Now we have to create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/now-we-have-black-and-white-elected-officials-working-together-today/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [“For me, the nomination of Barack Obama as a candidate for president and his inauguration in Washington represents a brief glimpse at the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/for-me-the-nomination-of-barack-obama-as-a-candidate-for-president/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Too many people struggled, suffered, and died to make it possible for every American to exercise their right to vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/too-many-people-struggled-suffered-and-died-to-make-it-possible-for/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [The vote is precious. It's almost sacred, so go out and vote like you never voted before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-vote-is-precious-it-s-almost-sacred-so-go-out-and-vote-like-you/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [My position is very, very simple. That I fought too long and too hard against discrimination based on race and color, not to stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/my-position-is-very-very-simple-that-i-fought-too-long-and-too-hard/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Many of us in Nashville accepted nonviolence as a way of life, a way of living, not simply as a technique or a tactic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/many-of-us-in-nashville-accepted-nonviolence-as-a-way-of-life-a-way/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Right now, what my job is - pardon me? Those are just words. Right now, what my - my job is right now going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/right-now-what-my-job-is-pardon-me-those-are-just-words-right-now/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [ Donald Trump has made it clear that certainly over the last few years that President \[Barack\] Obama was born in Hawaii. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/donald-trump-has-made-it-clear-that-certainly-over-the-last-few-years/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) [Explore all 258 John Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) ## More Duty quotes > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Few political debates have been as divisive as the European one. I fought as hard as I could on the Remain side, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/few-political-debates-have-been-as-divisive-as-the-european-one-i/) [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) > [I'm a strange mixture of my mother's curiosity; my father, who grew up the son of the manse in a Presbyterian family, who had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/i-m-a-strange-mixture-of-my-mother-s-curiosity-my-father-who-grew-up/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [“Is that what they teach you at the convent? That the gods demand the hearts from our bodies?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-lafevers/is-that-what-they-teach-you-at-the-convent-that-the-gods-demand-the/) [Robin LaFevers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-lafevers/) > [The less we show our love to a woman, Or please her less, and neglect our duty, The more we trap and ruin her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/the-less-we-show-our-love-to-a-woman-or-please-her-less-and-neglect/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“You have a right to be sad, and a duty to move on. Only wins who wipes the tears, gather strength and move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusto-branco/you-have-a-right-to-be-sad-and-a-duty-to-move-on-only-wins-who-wipes/) [Augusto Branco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusto-branco/) > [Our duty as Christians is always to keep heaven in our eye and earth under our feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/our-duty-as-christians-is-always-to-keep-heaven-in-our-eye-and-earth/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Regardless of how you feel about war and peace those serving military are doing a duty for the rest of us and they're protecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-cardellini/regardless-of-how-you-feel-about-war-and-peace-those-serving-military/) [Linda Cardellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-cardellini/) > [“Duty is a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/duty-is-a-done-deal/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Politics...You see, it depends on what kind of politics. What we did during my father's generation was a duty. And it was beautiful because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/politics-you-see-it-depends-on-what-kind-of-politics-what-we-did/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [I do not so much rejoice that God hath made me to be a Queen, as to be a Queen over so thankful a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/i-do-not-so-much-rejoice-that-god-hath-made-me-to-be-a-queen-as-to-be/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [The whole duty of man is summed up in obedience to God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-whole-duty-of-man-is-summed-up-in-obedience-to-god-s-will/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) [Browse all 5,178 Duty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The government, both state and federal, has a duty to be reasonable and accommodating.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Lewis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-government-both-state-and-federal-has-a-duty-to-be-reasonable-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Duty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-government-both-state-and-federal-has-a-duty-to-be-reasonable-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea2/john-lewis-1310_duty_the-government-both-state-and-federal-ha_1974855.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea2/john-lewis-1310_duty_the-government-both-state-and-federal-ha_1974855.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea2/john-lewis-1310_duty_the-government-both-state-and-federal-ha_1974855.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The government, both state and federal, has a duty to be reasonable and accommodating.” — John Lewis", "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 Lewis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The government, both state and federal,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-government-both-state-and-federal-has-a-duty-to-be-reasonable-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-government-both-state-and-federal-has-a-duty-to-be-reasonable-and/#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 } } ] } ```