--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We do not take away the powers of…" description: "\"We do not take away the powers of surveillance. We do not take away the right and the power of the government to go after those who would do us wrong.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/larry-craig-27026_government_we-do-not-take-away-the-powers-of-survei_2211108.png" --- # We do not take away the powers of surveillance. We do not… ![“We do not take away the powers of surveillance. We do not take away the right and the power of the government to go after those who would do us wrong.” quote by Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/larry-craig-27026_government_we-do-not-take-away-the-powers-of-survei_2211108.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/larry-craig-27026_government_we-do-not-take-away-the-powers-of-survei_2211108.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/larry-craig-27026_government_we-do-not-take-away-the-powers-of-survei_2211108.png) > “We do not take away the powers of surveillance. We do not take away the right and the power of the government to go after those who would do us wrong.” [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement asserts that surveillance powers and governmental authority to punish wrongdoing must remain intact. **In simple terms:** Surveillance and authority are essential for security. Key Takeaway Balance security with civil liberties. Themes security surveillance government authority law enforcement rights Mood cautious analytical Type political ethical When to use this quote - law enforcement - security - public policy debates - court rulings Key Concepts civil liberties privacy state power ethical governance Questions to Reflect On - When does surveillance become invasive? - How to protect rights while ensuring safety? A Different Perspective Overreach can erode trust and freedoms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Surveillance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surveillance/) ## Related quotes > [Real patriotism is a willingness to challenge the government when it's wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/real-patriotism-is-a-willingness-to-challenge-the-government-when-it/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [I'm against unanswerable concentrations of power, whether that be government or private industry or religious figures - anybody who is not accountable to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-suarez/i-m-against-unanswerable-concentrations-of-power-whether-that-be/) [Daniel Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-suarez/) > [I believe that it is my right and responsibility as an American to question our government when our government is wrong. I'm not one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sheehan/i-believe-that-it-is-my-right-and-responsibility-as-an-american-to-2/) [Cindy Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sheehan/) > [I believe that it is my right and responsibility as an American to question our government when our government is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sheehan/i-believe-that-it-is-my-right-and-responsibility-as-an-american-to/) [Cindy Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sheehan/) > [What is in the air there in Washington, what is in the water? What is wrong with them? This is not a rhetorical question.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-noonan/what-is-in-the-air-there-in-washington-what-is-in-the-water-what-is/) [Peggy Noonan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-noonan/) > [I will raise my voice as long as God gives me sound or ability, against this Communistic idea that the Government will take care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/i-will-raise-my-voice-as-long-as-god-gives-me-sound-or-ability/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-dangerous-to-be-right-when-the-government-is-wrong/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [A government cannot be wrong in punishing fraud or force, but it is almost certain to be wrong if, abandoning its legitimate function, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/a-government-cannot-be-wrong-in-punishing-fraud-or-force-but-it-is/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [Only when a republic's life is in danger should a man uphold his government when it is wrong. There is no other time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/only-when-a-republic-s-life-is-in-danger-should-a-man-uphold-his/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“He’d drunk the “my government can do no wrong” Kool-Aid”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-reid/he-d-drunk-the-my-government-can-do-no-wrong-kool-aid/) [Penny Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-reid/) > [There is something wrong in a government where they who do the most have the least. There is something wrong when honesty wears a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-something-wrong-in-a-government-where-they-who-do-the-most/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Is it not possible that an individual may be right and a government wrong? Are laws to be enforced simply because they were made?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/is-it-not-possible-that-an-individual-may-be-right-and-a-government/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Not once in my life has the Tory Party come anywhere close to winning an election in Scotland, and yet, for more than half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/not-once-in-my-life-has-the-tory-party-come-anywhere-close-to-winning/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [The weather is like the government, always in the wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/the-weather-is-like-the-government-always-in-the-wrong/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [There was a time when a willingness to criticize one's own government when it was wrong was the very definition of patriotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/there-was-a-time-when-a-willingness-to-criticize-one-s-own-government/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) ## More by Larry Craig > [I am not gay. I don't do these kinds of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/i-am-not-gay-i-don-t-do-these-kinds-of-things/) [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) > [The first right of every human being is the right of self-defense. Without that right, all other rights are meaningless. The right of self-defense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/the-first-right-of-every-human-being-is-the-right-of-self-defense/) [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) > [It is unacceptable to risk the lives of American soldiers and sailors merely to accommodate the sexual lifestyles of certain individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/it-is-unacceptable-to-risk-the-lives-of-american-soldiers-and-sailors/) [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) > [Flag desecration is not a constitutional issue for the courts. It is a political one that belongs to the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/flag-desecration-is-not-a-constitutional-issue-for-the-courts-it-is-a/) [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) > [Censure is a limp noodle across the wrist of the president. I think the way we vote on the articles will express the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/censure-is-a-limp-noodle-across-the-wrist-of-the-president-i-think/) [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) > [Every 13 seconds in America someone uses a gun - not to kill someone, but to stop a crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/every-13-seconds-in-america-someone-uses-a-gun-not-to-kill-someone/) [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) > [Congress has a responsibility to make sure our taxpayer dollars are being spent responsibly and effectively, and at the same time, that our men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/congress-has-a-responsibility-to-make-sure-our-taxpayer-dollars-are/) [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) > [I'm for anything that lets people come here to work legally. There are more protections for workers who are here legally than for those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/i-m-for-anything-that-lets-people-come-here-to-work-legally-there-are/) [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) > [I am not gay. I never have been gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/i-am-not-gay-i-never-have-been-gay/) [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) > [This bill says go after the criminal, don't go after the law-abiding gun manufacturer or the law-abiding gun seller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/this-bill-says-go-after-the-criminal-don-t-go-after-the-law-abiding/) [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) > [We came to Iraq to liberate them and to make our world a safer place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/we-came-to-iraq-to-liberate-them-and-to-make-our-world-a-safer-place/) [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) > [The American people already know that Bill Clinton is a bad boy, a naughty boy. I'm going to speak out for the citizens of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/the-american-people-already-know-that-bill-clinton-is-a-bad-boy-a/) [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) > [(I have) a wide stance when going to the bathroom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/i-have-a-wide-stance-when-going-to-the-bathroom/) [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) > [Agreements are always the product of time and place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/agreements-are-always-the-product-of-time-and-place/) [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) > [Laws protecting the United States flag do not cut away at the freedom of speech guaranteed in the First Amendment... Congress made this position…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/laws-protecting-the-united-states-flag-do-not-cut-away-at-the-freedom/) [Larry Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) [Explore all 21 Larry Craig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/) ## More Government quotes > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised - and it should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/it-is-afraid-of-an-informed-angry-public-demanding-the-constitutional/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Louisiana's spicy, colorful politics have saddled our state with a reputation for tolerating lax ethical standards in government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/louisiana-s-spicy-colorful-politics-have-saddled-our-state-with-a/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [He is almost a statesman. He lies well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/he-is-almost-a-statesman-he-lies-well/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [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/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [We can't have a government that will collapse in three months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/we-can-t-have-a-government-that-will-collapse-in-three-months/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) [Browse all 21,248 Government quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We do not take away the powers of surveillance. We do not take away the right and the power of the government to go after those who would do us wrong.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Larry Craig" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/we-do-not-take-away-the-powers-of-surveillance-we-do-not-take-away/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Government" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/we-do-not-take-away-the-powers-of-surveillance-we-do-not-take-away/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/larry-craig-27026_government_we-do-not-take-away-the-powers-of-survei_2211108.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/larry-craig-27026_government_we-do-not-take-away-the-powers-of-survei_2211108.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/larry-craig-27026_government_we-do-not-take-away-the-powers-of-survei_2211108.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We do not take away the powers of surveillance. We do not take away the right and the power of the…” — Larry Craig", "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": "Larry Craig", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-craig/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We do not take away the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/we-do-not-take-away-the-powers-of-surveillance-we-do-not-take-away/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-craig/we-do-not-take-away-the-powers-of-surveillance-we-do-not-take-away/#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 } } ] } ```