---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If it's easy for the government to learn…"
description: "\"If it's easy for the government to learn about us, it should be easier for us to learn about the government, what they're doing.\" — Jonathan Alter"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/jonathan-alter-27761_easier_if-it-s-easy-for-the-government-to-learn_2482408.png"
---

#  If it's easy for the government to learn about us, it…

![“If it's easy for the government to learn about us, it should be easier for us to learn about the government, what they're doing.” quote by Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/jonathan-alter-27761_easier_if-it-s-easy-for-the-government-to-learn_2482408.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/jonathan-alter-27761_easier_if-it-s-easy-for-the-government-to-learn_2482408.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/jonathan-alter-27761_easier_if-it-s-easy-for-the-government-to-learn_2482408.png)

> “If it's easy for the government to learn about us, it should be easier for us to learn about the government, what they're doing.”

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

## About This Quote

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

Citizens should have equal access to government information as the government has to learn about them.

**In simple terms:** Know the government as well as it knows you.

Key Takeaway

Demand transparency and civic education.

Themes

civic engagement transparency accountability

Mood

inquisitive empowered

Type

political educational

When to use this quote

- voting
- community meetings
- public records requests
- journalism

Key Concepts

democratic participation information asymmetry

Questions to Reflect On

- How can individuals improve their understanding of government actions?
- What tools help balance information power?

A Different Perspective

Government may with or hide data, limiting access.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Easy Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy-government-879122/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-doing-259921/) [Government Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-learn-879120/) [Learn Easier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-easier-879123/) [Learn Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-government-879121/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/)

## Related quotes

> [If it's easy for the government to learn about us, it should be easier for us to learn about the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/if-it-s-easy-for-the-government-to-learn-about-us-it-should-be-easier/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

> [If you want to learn about the whole government and how it operates, the Appropriations Committee is the best place to learn it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-j-rooney/if-you-want-to-learn-about-the-whole-government-and-how-it-operates/)

[John J. Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-j-rooney/)

> [“The best thing to learn from any government is that it does not get affacted by what other people talk or think about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/the-best-thing-to-learn-from-any-government-is-that-it-does-not-get/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [We in government should learn to look at our country with the eyes of the entrepreneur, seeing possibilities where others see only problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/we-in-government-should-learn-to-look-at-our-country-with-the-eyes-of/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [“the U.S. government will learn that we can be trusted. We know about bad guys, what they do, and, often, who they are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-luttrell/the-u-s-government-will-learn-that-we-can-be-trusted-we-know-about/)

[Marcus Luttrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-luttrell/)

> [“It's always easier to pretend you know something than it is to learn about it. It's always easier to be cute than it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-goff/it-s-always-easier-to-pretend-you-know-something-than-it-is-to-learn/)

[Stan Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-goff/)

> [No matter where you are in life, you'll save a lot of time by not worrying too much about what other people think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/no-matter-where-you-are-in-life-you-ll-save-a-lot-of-time-by-not-2/)

[Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/)

> [“No matter where you are in life, you’ll save a lot of time by not worrying too much about what other people think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/no-matter-where-you-are-in-life-you-ll-save-a-lot-of-time-by-not/)

[Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/)

> [Be'teachable'and remain a humble student of life and learn from ALL those around you, it is easier to move forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/be-teachable-and-remain-a-humble-student-of-life-and-learn-from-all/)

[Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/)

> [“Surveillance is surveillance. I can never understand why some people think it matters whether it's the government doing it to you or a company.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-liu/surveillance-is-surveillance-i-can-never-understand-why-some-people/)

[Ken Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-liu/)

> [We're just trying to end illegitimate government support for a single technology, which is un-American. We should be leading the world in the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/we-re-just-trying-to-end-illegitimate-government-support-for-a-single/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [People constantly speak of 'the government' doing this or that, as they might speak of God doing it. But the government is really nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/people-constantly-speak-of-the-government-doing-this-or-that-as-they/)

[H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/)

> [Only two things ever stop the government from doing anything: money and politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-whitford/only-two-things-ever-stop-the-government-from-doing-anything-money/)

[Bradley Whitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-whitford/)

> [What government has been doing, we've got major programmes now, of billions of pounds, which are directed by central government into these areas of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-prescott/what-government-has-been-doing-we-ve-got-major-programmes-now-of/)

[John Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-prescott/)

> [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

## More by Jonathan Alter

> [I think it's a terrible system, but money in politics is like water running downhill -- it finds its way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/i-think-it-s-a-terrible-system-but-money-in-politics-is-like-water/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

> [With his ABC News experience, perhaps Pierre Salinger's next job could be cohosting-with Oliver Stone-a 24-hour Conspiracy Network.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/with-his-abc-news-experience-perhaps-pierre-salinger-s-next-job-could/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

> [By laying the groundwork for a system centered on home ownership rather than the public housing popular in Europe, the New Deal made possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/by-laying-the-groundwork-for-a-system-centered-on-home-ownership/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

> [Almost no one under 60 remembers what fundraising was like before Watergate. Until the 1970s, campaign money was collected by "bagmen," familiar characters from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/almost-no-one-under-60-remembers-what-fundraising-was-like-before/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

> [Every patient reacts a little differently, both biologically and psychologically. The only constant in cancer is inconstancy; the only certainty is a future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/every-patient-reacts-a-little-differently-both-biologically-and/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

> [The only reason the House hasn't done even more damage is that the Senate often sands down the most noxious ideas, making the bills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/the-only-reason-the-house-hasn-t-done-even-more-damage-is-that-the/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

> [If it's easy for the government to learn about us, it should be easier for us to learn about the government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/if-it-s-easy-for-the-government-to-learn-about-us-it-should-be-easier/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

> [It sometimes takes a while for executives to figure out that the reporters they think of as little bugs to be squashed or spun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/it-sometimes-takes-a-while-for-executives-to-figure-out-that-the/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

> [Unless the digital divide is narrowed soon, the United States may be headed to the class warfare of a century ago, the last time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/unless-the-digital-divide-is-narrowed-soon-the-united-states-may-be/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

> [Millions of Americans would still despair in the eight long years of the Depression that lay ahead and many of their individual dreams would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/millions-of-americans-would-still-despair-in-the-eight-long-years-of/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

> [The basic problem is with the business model of journalism. That business model is premised on the idea that talk is cheap and reporting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/the-basic-problem-is-with-the-business-model-of-journalism-that/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

> [The key to fixing education is better teaching, and the key to better teaching is figuring out who can teach and who can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/the-key-to-fixing-education-is-better-teaching-and-the-key-to-better/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

> [If Franz Kafka were alive today he'd be writing about customer service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/if-franz-kafka-were-alive-today-he-d-be-writing-about-customer-service/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

> [They say that 'history is an argument without end.' In Thompson's skillful hands, this momentous argument between two old friends on the most critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/they-say-that-history-is-an-argument-without-end-in-thompson-s/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

> [Obama was willing to compromise and Republicans were not. That's not a biased statement. One of my problems with the limitations of journalism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/obama-was-willing-to-compromise-and-republicans-were-not-that-s-not-a/)

[Jonathan Alter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

[Explore all 20 Jonathan Alter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/)

## More Easier quotes

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [I think hair gel was invented to make it easier to identify assholes from a distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-think-hair-gel-was-invented-to-make-it-easier-to-identify-assholes/)

[Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/)

> [It is easier to say you're mad, rather than admitting you're hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-easier-to-say-you-re-mad-rather-than-admitting-you-re-hurt/)

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

> [“Nothing is easier than yesterday's solutions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-sperry/nothing-is-easier-than-yesterday-s-solutions/)

[Roger Sperry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-sperry/)

> [When you have a cavity in your tooth and you let it get worse, eventually you have to get a root canal. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [Generally, I like all islands. There, it is easier to rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/generally-i-like-all-islands-there-it-is-easier-to-rule/)

[Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/)

> [It's funny, everything is so much easier when you do it yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carine-roitfeld/it-s-funny-everything-is-so-much-easier-when-you-do-it-yourself/)

[Carine Roitfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carine-roitfeld/)

> [It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-easier-to-perceive-error-than-to-find-truth-for-the-former-lies/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [I'm truly, 100% guided by the characters and my Muse. If one of the characters suddenly decided to do something very different, I'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/i-m-truly-100-guided-by-the-characters-and-my-muse-if-one-of-the/)

[Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/)

> [The easier it is to quantify, the less it's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-easier-it-is-to-quantify-the-less-it-s-worth/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [“it is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didnt”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-van-buren/it-is-easier-to-do-a-job-right-than-to-explain-why-you-didnt/)

[Martin Van Buren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-van-buren/)

> [“Often we find it easier to think our way around things rather than to feel our way through them:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/often-we-find-it-easier-to-think-our-way-around-things-rather-than-to/)

[Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/)

> [I know it is easier said than done, but you have to find a way to surround yourself with positivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-deprince/i-know-it-is-easier-said-than-done-but-you-have-to-find-a-way-to/)

[Michaela DePrince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-deprince/)

> [God puts you where God needs you. You are where you are supposed to be. The job you are doing may not be any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kushner/god-puts-you-where-god-needs-you-you-are-where-you-are-supposed-to-be/)

[Lawrence Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kushner/)

[Browse all 5,480 Easier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easier/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If it's easy for the government to learn about us, it should be easier for us to learn about the government, what they're doing.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jonathan Alter"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/if-it-s-easy-for-the-government-to-learn-about-us-it-should-be-easier-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Easier"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/if-it-s-easy-for-the-government-to-learn-about-us-it-should-be-easier-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/jonathan-alter-27761_easier_if-it-s-easy-for-the-government-to-learn_2482408.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/jonathan-alter-27761_easier_if-it-s-easy-for-the-government-to-learn_2482408.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/jonathan-alter-27761_easier_if-it-s-easy-for-the-government-to-learn_2482408.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If it's easy for the government to learn about us, it should be easier for us to learn about the government…” — Jonathan Alter",
                "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": "Jonathan Alter",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-alter/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If it's easy for the government...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/if-it-s-easy-for-the-government-to-learn-about-us-it-should-be-easier-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-alter/if-it-s-easy-for-the-government-to-learn-about-us-it-should-be-easier-2/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
