--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Government should not tell you what to do…" description: "\"Government should not tell you what to do unless there's a compelling public purpose.\" — Michael Bloomberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/789/michael-bloomberg-1293_compelling_government-should-not-tell-you-what-to-d_714844.png" --- # Government should not tell you what to do unless there's a… ![“Government should not tell you what to do unless there's a compelling public purpose.” quote by Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/789/michael-bloomberg-1293_compelling_government-should-not-tell-you-what-to-d_714844.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/789/michael-bloomberg-1293_compelling_government-should-not-tell-you-what-to-d_714844.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/789/michael-bloomberg-1293_compelling_government-should-not-tell-you-what-to-d_714844.png) > “Government should not tell you what to do unless there's a compelling public purpose.” [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Government intervention should be limited to cases with clear public benefit, avoiding unnecessary control. **In simple terms:** Government should only act when truly needed. Key Takeaway Demand justification for public policies. Themes governance civil liberty public interest Mood analytical cautious Type political ethical When to use this quote - opinion article - policy commentary - public discourse Key Concepts policy analysis legal standards citizen rights Questions to Reflect On - When is government intervention justified? - How to define “compelling public purpose”? A Different Perspective Balancing safety and freedom can be complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) ## Related quotes > [Considering community support and cost-benefit analysis, I have supported earmarks for projects of high public purpose involving such areas as higher education, alternative energy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fortenberry/considering-community-support-and-cost-benefit-analysis-i-have/) [Jeff Fortenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fortenberry/) > [I've spent about that amount of time trying to tell the public that there was purpose in... my business, my career and the roller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diahann-carroll/i-ve-spent-about-that-amount-of-time-trying-to-tell-the-public-that/) [Diahann Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diahann-carroll/) > [Natural resources must be so distributed, by way of auction or otherwise, that they serve a larger public purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-sibal/natural-resources-must-be-so-distributed-by-way-of-auction-or/) [Kapil Sibal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-sibal/) > [The case decided on Thursday, though, seemed promising to takings fans because it wasn't about compensation. It was about the requirement that any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kinsley/the-case-decided-on-thursday-though-seemed-promising-to-takings-fans/) [Michael Kinsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kinsley/) > [One answer is that the town's elected officials thought that the project served a public purpose and that the various subsidies and favors were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kinsley/one-answer-is-that-the-town-s-elected-officials-thought-that-the/) [Michael Kinsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kinsley/) > [I want to help people help themselves, not have government tell people what to do. I just don't think it's the role of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-want-to-help-people-help-themselves-not-have-government-tell-people/) [George W. 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We… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/our-point-is-we-don-t-want-to-sit-in-the-government-and-tell-you-what/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [While the government can tell you that I am an innocent man, the government's letter cannot give me back my good name or my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jewell/while-the-government-can-tell-you-that-i-am-an-innocent-man-the/) [Richard Jewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jewell/) > [Any politician who respects China's government should tell it openly what is in his heart. It is disrespectful to keep quiet about such issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/any-politician-who-respects-china-s-government-should-tell-it-openly/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) ## More by Michael Bloomberg > [I'm not going to run for president. No way, no how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/i-m-not-going-to-run-for-president-no-way-no-how/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [Now, you might say – “But why should we pay people for doing what they’re supposed to do?” It’s a fair question – but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/now-you-might-say-but-why-should-we-pay-people-for-doing-what-they-re/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [What I'm trying to do is to create excitement. So people looking at the Bloomberg's office building say, "My goodness, what's going on here?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/what-i-m-trying-to-do-is-to-create-excitement-so-people-looking-at/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [You have to understand, we have better communications and better transportation, so people know what's available elsewhere and can get a message out, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/you-have-to-understand-we-have-better-communications-and-better/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [ The system \[in U.S.\] is designed for a two-party system. And those two parties have an interest in keeping third parties out. 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That would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/i-think-one-of-the-great-dangers-here-is-going-and-categorizing/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [Stubborn isn't a word I would use to describe myself; pigheaded is more appropriate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/stubborn-isn-t-a-word-i-would-use-to-describe-myself-pigheaded-is/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [Many of America's and New York's sons and daughters are around the world fighting for the freedoms that the Statue of Liberty stands for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/many-of-america-s-and-new-york-s-sons-and-daughters-are-around-the/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [If you really believe that you're making a difference and that you can leave a legacy of better schools and jobs and safer streets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/if-you-really-believe-that-you-re-making-a-difference-and-that-you/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [The next day after I got fired, literally the next day, I started a new company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/the-next-day-after-i-got-fired-literally-the-next-day-i-started-a-new/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [We all must recognize that homeland security funds should be allocated by threat and no other reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/we-all-must-recognize-that-homeland-security-funds-should-be/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [In New York City, a lot of people think "the great outdoors" is the area between your front door and a taxi cab.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/in-new-york-city-a-lot-of-people-think-the-great-outdoors-is-the-area/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [Is your company so small you have to do everything for yourself? Wait until you're so big that you can't. That's worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/is-your-company-so-small-you-have-to-do-everything-for-yourself-wait/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) [Explore all 259 Michael Bloomberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) ## More Compelling quotes > [In early drafts, one of the trickiest things for me to do was to realize that the techniques and devices that make readable and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-rooney/in-early-drafts-one-of-the-trickiest-things-for-me-to-do-was-to/) [Kathleen Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-rooney/) > [In writing, I want to be remembered for telling good stories in beautiful and powerful language, using the poetry of words to reflect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-edwards/in-writing-i-want-to-be-remembered-for-telling-good-stories-in/) [Kim Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-edwards/) > [The epic poet has behind him a tradition of matter and a tradition of style; and that is what every other poet has behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lascelles-abercrombie/the-epic-poet-has-behind-him-a-tradition-of-matter-and-a-tradition-of/) [Lascelles Abercrombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lascelles-abercrombie/) > [Lexicon grabbed me with the opening lines, and never let go. An absolutely thrilling story, featuring an array of compelling characters in an eerily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/lexicon-grabbed-me-with-the-opening-lines-and-never-let-go-an/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [For what higher, more exalted, and more compelling goal can there be than to know God?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/for-what-higher-more-exalted-and-more-compelling-goal-can-there-be/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [I write what I like to read, and I enjoy love triangles in YA and adult fiction - not to mention in other media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/i-write-what-i-like-to-read-and-i-enjoy-love-triangles-in-ya-and/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [Among the most compelling truths in some of the early photographs is their implication of silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/among-the-most-compelling-truths-in-some-of-the-early-photographs-is/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [Michael Jackson is an extremely productive ethnographer, a serious reader of phenomenological and existential philosophy, and a remarkable writer at a level that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-kleinman/michael-jackson-is-an-extremely-productive-ethnographer-a-serious/) [Arthur Kleinman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-kleinman/) > [For me, being on set is no different than being at a dinner table or riding the subway next to someone; inevitably their life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-mahoney/for-me-being-on-set-is-no-different-than-being-at-a-dinner-table-or/) [Victoria Mahoney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-mahoney/) > [“…the excitement of doing something for the first time had passed. I laid there in the back seat looking at the moon. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hinton/the-excitement-of-doing-something-for-the-first-time-had-passed-i/) Karen Hinton > [My experience is that an original and compelling idea for a novel is a rare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thayer/my-experience-is-that-an-original-and-compelling-idea-for-a-novel-is/) [James Thayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thayer/) > [Evil is relative - and what I mean by that is that our villains are as complex, as deep and as compelling as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-johns/evil-is-relative-and-what-i-mean-by-that-is-that-our-villains-are-as/) [Geoff Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-johns/) > [The most compelling evidence for God's existence is Christ. 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