---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want it to stop, that power is…"
description: "\"“If you want it to stop, that power is still within your grasp. Simply stop voting for Republicans and stop voting for Democrats. That power, however, ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/joseph-befumo-7176_quote_if-you-want-it-to-stop-that-power-is-sti_1344362.jpg"
---

#  If you want it to stop, that power is still within your…

![“If you want it to stop, that power is still within your grasp. Simply stop voting for Republicans and stop voting for Democrats. That power, however, like so many other rights guaranteed by the Constitution, is quickly, insidiously, slipping away.” quote by Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/joseph-befumo-7176_quote_if-you-want-it-to-stop-that-power-is-sti_1344362.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/joseph-befumo-7176_quote_if-you-want-it-to-stop-that-power-is-sti_1344362.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/joseph-befumo-7176_quote_if-you-want-it-to-stop-that-power-is-sti_1344362.jpg)

> ““If you want it to stop, that power is still within your grasp. Simply stop voting for Republicans and stop voting for Democrats. That power, however, like so many other rights guaranteed by the Constitution, is quickly, insidiously, slipping away.””

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

## About This Quote

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

Citizens can influence politics by withdrawing support from both major parties, though this power is diminishing.

**In simple terms:** People can stop voting to affect politics.

Key Takeaway

Consider alternative political engagement.

Themes

politics citizen empowerment democracy

Mood

reflective hopeful

Type

political motivational

When to use this quote

- elections
- grassroots movements
- policy advocacy
- civic education

Key Concepts

voter disengagement constitutional rights

Questions to Reflect On

- Can non‑voting be effective?
- What alternatives exist?

A Different Perspective

Systemic barriers limit voter impact.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [“Did you think you could stop me?" Power shot from me, smacking into the door behind Dawson, blowing it off the hinges and into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/did-you-think-you-could-stop-me-power-shot-from-me-smacking-into-the/)

[Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/)

> [Change arises from conviction. Stop voting in fear. Start voting for hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-monbiot/change-arises-from-conviction-stop-voting-in-fear-start-voting-for/)

[George Monbiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-monbiot/)

> [“We have decided to stop voting, so pull down the posters. Let’s get all those ugly faces off our streets and out of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/we-have-decided-to-stop-voting-so-pull-down-the-posters-let-s-get-all/)

[Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/)

> [So, the real question isn't, in my view, whether someone can beat Trump in 2020. The question is can the Democrats start articulating a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-wiley/so-the-real-question-isn-t-in-my-view-whether-someone-can-beat-trump/)

[Maya Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-wiley/)

> [All of these charges by McCarthy were a way of getting the Democrats out of power. The Democrats had controlled the government for 20…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oshinsky/all-of-these-charges-by-mccarthy-were-a-way-of-getting-the-democrats/)

[David Oshinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oshinsky/)

> [I will make a bargain with the Republicans. If they will stop telling lies about Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson/i-will-make-a-bargain-with-the-republicans-if-they-will-stop-telling/)

[Adlai Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson/)

> [If the Republicans will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-e-stevenson/if-the-republicans-will-stop-telling-lies-about-the-democrats-we-will/)

[Adlai E. Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-e-stevenson/)

> [I never thought that Trump was going to run for president, but I was very firmly on record, including in the book that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/i-never-thought-that-trump-was-going-to-run-for-president-but-i-was/)

[Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/)

> [ “\[W\]hat possible purpose does this lashing-out serve? Will activists be shamed into recovering their previous enthusiasm? Will Republicans stop their vicious attacks because Obama… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/w-hat-possible-purpose-does-this-lashing-out-serve-will-activists-be/)

[Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/)

> [We've created over 200,000 jobs every month this year. Hasn't happened in 17 years. I guess my first question is, when do the Republicans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/we-ve-created-over-200-000-jobs-every-month-this-year-hasn-t-happened/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [“New Rule: Republicans must stop pitting the American people against the government. Last week, we heard a speech from Republican leader Bobby Jindal--and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-republicans-must-stop-pitting-the-american-people-against/)

[Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/)

> [I don't want to keep waiting around for you to call...I just want to stop caring, break down &amp; forget it all...how did I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-want-to-keep-waiting-around-for-you-to-call-i-just-want-to/)

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

> [I think we should be able to work until we want to stop, which is what I'm going to have to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-fox/i-think-we-should-be-able-to-work-until-we-want-to-stop-which-is-what/)

[Laurence Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-fox/)

> [“The thing is, most of the time when you're coming pretty close to doing it with a girl – a girl that isn't a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/the-thing-is-most-of-the-time-when-you-re-coming-pretty-close-to/)

[J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/)

> [They want me to stop making my opinions and not saying a word; I know the Left wants that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-ford/they-want-me-to-stop-making-my-opinions-and-not-saying-a-word-i-know/)

[Doug Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-ford/)

## More by Joseph Befumo

> [“Those who consider themselves ‘Conservative’ frequently identify with family values, so they should consider carefully the fact that in 1960, only 18% of women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/those-who-consider-themselves-conservative-frequently-identify-with/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [“I firmly believe that if we can all approach this topic with open minds, the inevitable result will be a level of outrage that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/i-firmly-believe-that-if-we-can-all-approach-this-topic-with-open/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [“I daresay most of people I know would agree with the logic of taking that Two Billion dollars each week that we’re spending in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/i-daresay-most-of-people-i-know-would-agree-with-the-logic-of-taking/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [“The Republicrat Junta promotes our separation into fragmented ethnic, religious, and social groups, for well they know that to divide is to conquer. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/the-republicrat-junta-promotes-our-separation-into-fragmented-ethnic/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [“Today, the entire nation has been indoctrinated to go along with whatever the Supreme Court says, regardless of whether it is right or wrong;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/today-the-entire-nation-has-been-indoctrinated-to-go-along-with/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [“Our law and our morality contradict one another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/our-law-and-our-morality-contradict-one-another/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [“Regardless of your political orientation, if you are reasonably intelligent, you should strongly resent being manipulated. Guileful scoundrels in business, government, and media smugly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/regardless-of-your-political-orientation-if-you-are-reasonably/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [“Recall those scenes from 1984, in which the brainwashed masses respond to blatant government lies with mindless chants of support? Keep this image in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/recall-those-scenes-from-1984-in-which-the-brainwashed-masses-respond/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [“The protection of our Constitution, and, moreover, of written law itself, has been laughed to scorn by traitors in black dresses who have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/the-protection-of-our-constitution-and-moreover-of-written-law-itself/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [“Those who speak of our rights as if they were privileges have as their objective the plunder of our property, and our eventual enslavement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/those-who-speak-of-our-rights-as-if-they-were-privileges-have-as/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [“While the sanitizers and rewriters of history have gone to enormous lengths to portray the second American revolution, also known as the Civil War,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/while-the-sanitizers-and-rewriters-of-history-have-gone-to-enormous/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [“Congressional representatives on balance rank among the wealthiest of wealthy Americans, and boast financial portfolios that are all but unattainable for most of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/congressional-representatives-on-balance-rank-among-the-wealthiest-of/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [“General Electric, one of America’s largest corporations, made $14,200,000,000 in profits in 2010 and paid $0 in taxes—that’s right, fourteen BILLION dollars in profits,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/general-electric-one-of-america-s-largest-corporations-made-14-200/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [“The purpose of government, and therefore of law, is not to cause justice to prevail, but rather, to prevent injustice from reigning. Justice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/the-purpose-of-government-and-therefore-of-law-is-not-to-cause/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

> [“Although we don’t hear Jesse Helms shouting “hang all niggers,” or Al Sharpton counseling his constituents to “kill whitey,” their subtle manipulations deliver similar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/although-we-don-t-hear-jesse-helms-shouting-hang-all-niggers-or-al/)

[Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

[Explore all 94 Joseph Befumo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/)

## More Want Stop quotes

> [They want me to stop making my opinions and not saying a word; I know the Left wants that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-ford/they-want-me-to-stop-making-my-opinions-and-not-saying-a-word-i-know/)

[Doug Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-ford/)

> [I think we should be able to work until we want to stop, which is what I'm going to have to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-fox/i-think-we-should-be-able-to-work-until-we-want-to-stop-which-is-what/)

[Laurence Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-fox/)

> [“The thing is, most of the time when you're coming pretty close to doing it with a girl – a girl that isn't a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/the-thing-is-most-of-the-time-when-you-re-coming-pretty-close-to/)

[J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/)

> [I don't want to keep waiting around for you to call...I just want to stop caring, break down &amp; forget it all...how did I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-want-to-keep-waiting-around-for-you-to-call-i-just-want-to/)

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

> [“If you tell me no, I will be silent. If you prefer, I shall never ask again. But you should know that I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-j-charles/if-you-tell-me-no-i-will-be-silent-if-you-prefer-i-shall-never-ask/)

[K.J. Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-j-charles/)

> [“Hell, yea, I want something. I want you to stop avoiding me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/hell-yea-i-want-something-i-want-you-to-stop-avoiding-me/)

[Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/)

> [“Then he leaned back against the arm of the couch and looked right into my eyes. “We can do whatever you want. We can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/then-he-leaned-back-against-the-arm-of-the-couch-and-looked-right/)

[Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/)

> [If you want to stop me you're going to have to came at me like your going to kill me." -Hatsuharu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsuki-takaya/if-you-want-to-stop-me-you-re-going-to-have-to-came-at-me-like-your/)

[Natsuki Takaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsuki-takaya/)

> [I love what I do and I dont want to stop - This is all Ive ever wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-dunst/i-love-what-i-do-and-i-dont-want-to-stop-this-is-all-ive-ever-wanted/)

[Kirsten Dunst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-dunst/)

> [Dear heart, so theres this guy that you want me to like but I dont want to, so can you please stop beating so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana/dear-heart-so-theres-this-guy-that-you-want-me-to-like-but-i-dont/)

[Ana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana/)

> [I never want to stop, and I want to try to be even better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-never-want-to-stop-and-i-want-to-try-to-be-even-better/)

[Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/)

> [I feel like guys don't want to stop me no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-brown/i-feel-like-guys-don-t-want-to-stop-me-no-more/)

[Antonio Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-brown/)

> [“Go (please stay), Go (please stay), Go if you want to,I can't stop you. Just go if you want to I can't stop you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-quin/go-please-stay-go-please-stay-go-if-you-want-to-i-can-t-stop-you-just/)

[Sara Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-quin/)

> [If I want to stop a research program I can always do it by getting a few experts to sit in on the subject,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/if-i-want-to-stop-a-research-program-i-can-always-do-it-by-getting-a/)

[Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/)

> [“My ears rang all the way home and I didn't want them to stop. It made me want to start something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/my-ears-rang-all-the-way-home-and-i-didn-t-want-them-to-stop-it-made/)

[Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/)

Browse all 147 Want Stop quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“If you want it to stop, that power is still within your grasp. Simply stop voting for Republicans and stop voting for Democrats. That power, however, like so many other rights guaranteed by the Constitution, is quickly, insidiously, slipping away.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Joseph Befumo"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/if-you-want-it-to-stop-that-power-is-still-within-your-grasp-simply/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Want Stop"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/if-you-want-it-to-stop-that-power-is-still-within-your-grasp-simply/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/joseph-befumo-7176_quote_if-you-want-it-to-stop-that-power-is-sti_1344362.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/joseph-befumo-7176_quote_if-you-want-it-to-stop-that-power-is-sti_1344362.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/joseph-befumo-7176_quote_if-you-want-it-to-stop-that-power-is-sti_1344362.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If you want it to stop, that power is still within your grasp. Simply stop voting for Republicans and stop…” — Joseph Befumo",
                "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": "Joseph Befumo",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“If you want it to stop,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/if-you-want-it-to-stop-that-power-is-still-within-your-grasp-simply/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/if-you-want-it-to-stop-that-power-is-still-within-your-grasp-simply/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
