--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing is that we live in a…" description: "\"The thing is that we live in a presidential system with a parliamentary constitution. Congress has a lot of weight in Brazil, and the president cannot ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva-1160_brazil_the-thing-is-that-we-live-in-a-president_1710311.jpg" --- # The thing is that we live in a presidential system with a… ![“The thing is that we live in a presidential system with a parliamentary constitution. Congress has a lot of weight in Brazil, and the president cannot always do when he wants; he does what he can.” quote by Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva-1160_brazil_the-thing-is-that-we-live-in-a-president_1710311.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva-1160_brazil_the-thing-is-that-we-live-in-a-president_1710311.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva-1160_brazil_the-thing-is-that-we-live-in-a-president_1710311.jpg) > “The thing is that we live in a presidential system with a parliamentary constitution. Congress has a lot of weight in Brazil, and the president cannot always do when he wants; he does what he can.” [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Brazil’s government blends presidential power with parliamentary checks, limiting unilateral presidential action. **In simple terms:** Brazil’s system balances power between president and congress. Key Takeaway Recognize institutional limits and work within them. Themes politics governance checks and balances Mood analytical reflective Type political explanatory When to use this quote - legislative negotiations - policy implementation - public administration Key Concepts constitutional design separation of powers executive-legislative relations Questions to Reflect On - How do institutional checks affect policy outcomes? - What strategies help leaders navigate limited authority? A Different Perspective Presidential authority can be constrained by political realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brazil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brazil/) [Brazil President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brazil-president-1239852/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Constitution Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution-congress-1239853/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [President Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-wants-725640/) [Presidential Parliamentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presidential-parliamentary-1239854/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) ## Related quotes > [Here in Brazil, the president and the vice president are elected together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-temer/here-in-brazil-the-president-and-the-vice-president-are-elected/) [Michel Temer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-temer/) > [The Court's decision reflects the philosophy that judges should endure whatever interpretive distortions it takes in order to correct a supposed flaw in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/the-court-s-decision-reflects-the-philosophy-that-judges-should/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [It's not written in the Constitution or anything else… Congress, just out of the clear blue sky, said the airwaves belong to the people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-cronauer/it-s-not-written-in-the-constitution-or-anything-else-congress-just/) [Adrian Cronauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-cronauer/) > [You take an oath to defend the constitution. Congress is the next chapter of our national service. We pledged an oath to defend the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elissa-slotkin/you-take-an-oath-to-defend-the-constitution-congress-is-the-next/) [Elissa Slotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elissa-slotkin/) > [“What actually occurred was that the Supreme Court issued its abominable opinion in Dred Scott v. Sanford in 1857, asserting that slaves were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-w-dean/what-actually-occurred-was-that-the-supreme-court-issued-its/) [John W. Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-w-dean/) > [The law, in this country, is dead. The Supreme Court doesn't follow the Constitution, Congress doesn't follow the Constitution. The President doesn't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-shea/the-law-in-this-country-is-dead-the-supreme-court-doesn-t-follow-the/) [Matt Shea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-shea/) > [“The people’s right to alter or abolish their form of government was, to the American revolutionaries, supposedly absolute. Yet, strangely, neither the people nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-epps/the-people-s-right-to-alter-or-abolish-their-form-of-government-was/) [Garrett Epps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-epps/) > [I believe in the absolute separation of church and state and in the strict enforcement of the Constitution that Congress shall make no law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-smith/i-believe-in-the-absolute-separation-of-church-and-state-and-in-the/) [Al Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-smith/) > [We will be drawing down some troops. If the president wants to try to turn that into the beginning of a success, he actually,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-rothenberg/we-will-be-drawing-down-some-troops-if-the-president-wants-to-try-to/) [Stuart Rothenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-rothenberg/) > [I believe the president wants this bill, and I know he's taken some steps to bring it about, ... The reality is that with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lieberman/i-believe-the-president-wants-this-bill-and-i-know-he-s-taken-some/) [Joe Lieberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lieberman/) > [The President wants me to argue that he is as powerful a monarch as Louis XIV, only four years at a time, and is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-president-wants-me-to-argue-that-he-is-as-powerful-a-monarch-as/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [I'm not a policy and a strategy guy. I'm - you know, the military basically supports what the president wants, the decisions that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mullen/i-m-not-a-policy-and-a-strategy-guy-i-m-you-know-the-military/) [Michael Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mullen/) > [I don't play golf. I don't play basketball. I don't really like cards. I don't think anybody questions whether or not I have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/i-don-t-play-golf-i-don-t-play-basketball-i-don-t-really-like-cards-i/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [I believe that every president wants to give everyone work but they can't; they want everyone to eat but they can't make it happen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-allende/i-believe-that-every-president-wants-to-give-everyone-work-but-they/) [Salvador Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-allende/) > [The Senate just sits and waits till they find out what the president wants, so they know how to vote against him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/the-senate-just-sits-and-waits-till-they-find-out-what-the-president/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) ## More by Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva > [Hunger is actually the worst weapon of mass destruction. It claims millions of victims each year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/hunger-is-actually-the-worst-weapon-of-mass-destruction-it-claims/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [My greatest desire is that the hope that has overcome fear in my country will help vanquish it around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/my-greatest-desire-is-that-the-hope-that-has-overcome-fear-in-my/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Brazil does not want to become an exporter of crude oil. No. We want to be a country that exports oil byproducts - more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/brazil-does-not-want-to-become-an-exporter-of-crude-oil-no-we-want-to/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Even strong as they are today, rich countries should have no illusion: nobody is safe in aworld of injustices.War will never bring security.War can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/even-strong-as-they-are-today-rich-countries-should-have-no-illusion/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Every time he plays, Leo Messi reminds me more of Maradona, both left-footed and short, Messi is the best player in the world, along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/every-time-he-plays-leo-messi-reminds-me-more-of-maradona-both-left/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [If there was one last thing I could do in my life, it would be to help Dilma turn this country around, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/if-there-was-one-last-thing-i-could-do-in-my-life-it-would-be-to-help/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Without Messi there isn't a team for Argentina, Messi is brilliant, different, with a strong mentality. Let's hope he doesn't change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/without-messi-there-isn-t-a-team-for-argentina-messi-is-brilliant/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Only in my case, when my presidency ends, I will go back to my home industrial city town, 800 meters from my local trade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/only-in-my-case-when-my-presidency-ends-i-will-go-back-to-my-home/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [This is the first global crisis that doesn't start in poor countries and it was caused by the rich countries. So it's necessary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/this-is-the-first-global-crisis-that-doesn-t-start-in-poor-countries/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [You're going to be hearing a lot about one scrappy president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/you-re-going-to-be-hearing-a-lot-about-one-scrappy-president/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Brazil has rediscovered itself, and this rediscovery is being expressed in its people's enthusiasm and their desire to mobilize to face the huge problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/brazil-has-rediscovered-itself-and-this-rediscovery-is-being/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [I believe that it is very difficult in the world of today to continue with G-8 only without taking in account the importance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/i-believe-that-it-is-very-difficult-in-the-world-of-today-to-continue/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [I have known Evo Morales for many years, since the days of the union movement. From a historical and sociological standpoint, the election of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/i-have-known-evo-morales-for-many-years-since-the-days-of-the-union/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Brazil is in a solid position. In the past, if the United States sneezed, we caught pneumonia. Today, if the United States sneezes, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/brazil-is-in-a-solid-position-in-the-past-if-the-united-states/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) > [Brazil is a country that has rich people, as you have in New York City, as you have in Berlin or in London. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/brazil-is-a-country-that-has-rich-people-as-you-have-in-new-york-city/) [Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) [Explore all 59 Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/) ## More Brazil quotes > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [I thought I would be an overnight star when I had a hit record in Brazil with my first album - but things didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-de-burgh/i-thought-i-would-be-an-overnight-star-when-i-had-a-hit-record-in/) [Chris de Burgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-de-burgh/) > [Yes, Brazil, like the whole world, stands to lose a lot in a climate-altered world. But it's also one of the major forces determining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gisele-bundchen/yes-brazil-like-the-whole-world-stands-to-lose-a-lot-in-a-climate/) [Gisele Bundchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gisele-bundchen/) > [“Não, a vida nunca foi só a vida, nela há sonhos e fantasias que fazem a realidade ser o que é...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monteiro-lobato/n-o-a-vida-nunca-foi-s-a-vida-nela-h-sonhos-e-fantasias-que-fazem-a/) [Monteiro Lobato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monteiro-lobato/) > [Brazil is where I have to be, where I have my roots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/brazil-is-where-i-have-to-be-where-i-have-my-roots/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [ \[Brazil\] went to the UN and said, "We need new standards for this." We need to take a look at what they're calling "data… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/brazil-went-to-the-un-and-said-we-need-new-standards-for-this-we-need/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Brazil - they're so good it's like they are running round the pitch playing with themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-motson/brazil-they-re-so-good-it-s-like-they-are-running-round-the-pitch/) [John Motson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-motson/) > [Playing alongside Messi is special for me. He's a player I always wanted to play with. I have played against him with Brazil, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulinho/playing-alongside-messi-is-special-for-me-he-s-a-player-i-always/) [Paulinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulinho/) > [Look at me and tell me if I dont have Brazil in every curve of my body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-miranda/look-at-me-and-tell-me-if-i-dont-have-brazil-in-every-curve-of-my-body/) [Carmen Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-miranda/) > [For me it doesn't matter where, I just like to fight. If they put me in the States or in Brazil, for me it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-pereira/for-me-it-doesn-t-matter-where-i-just-like-to-fight-if-they-put-me-in/) [Alex Pereira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-pereira/) > [I think the Brazilian people are very fond of Neymar for the fact that he stayed at Santos for so long and stayed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar/i-think-the-brazilian-people-are-very-fond-of-neymar-for-the-fact/) [Oscar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar/) > [I found out there is a production paradise in Brazil. I was able to make my second collection for less money but without sacrificing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-brown/i-found-out-there-is-a-production-paradise-in-brazil-i-was-able-to/) [Antonio Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-brown/) > [I advise everyone with plans to visit Brazil for the Olympics in Rio - to stay home. You'll be putting your life at risk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/i-advise-everyone-with-plans-to-visit-brazil-for-the-olympics-in-rio/) [Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/) > [It's not easy to win a Cup. Brazil spent a long time, over 20 years, before winning it, so it's not easy. The Cup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivaldo/it-s-not-easy-to-win-a-cup-brazil-spent-a-long-time-over-20-years/) [Rivaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivaldo/) > [Because we are a small country, unlike England, Italy, or Brazil, we don't have as many good players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimitar-berbatov/because-we-are-a-small-country-unlike-england-italy-or-brazil-we-don/) [Dimitar Berbatov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimitar-berbatov/) [Browse all 643 Brazil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brazil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing is that we live in a presidential system with a parliamentary constitution. Congress has a lot of weight in Brazil, and the president cannot always do when he wants; he does what he can.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/the-thing-is-that-we-live-in-a-presidential-system-with-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brazil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/the-thing-is-that-we-live-in-a-presidential-system-with-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva-1160_brazil_the-thing-is-that-we-live-in-a-president_1710311.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva-1160_brazil_the-thing-is-that-we-live-in-a-president_1710311.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c3/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva-1160_brazil_the-thing-is-that-we-live-in-a-president_1710311.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The thing is that we live in a presidential system with a parliamentary constitution. Congress has a lot of…” — Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva", "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": "Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The thing is that we live...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/the-thing-is-that-we-live-in-a-presidential-system-with-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luiz-inacio-lula-da-silva/the-thing-is-that-we-live-in-a-presidential-system-with-a/#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 } } ] } ```