--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can't give excessive, unfettered power…" description: "\"We can't give excessive, unfettered power to a president to act alone, to bind an entire country to a set of principles, a set of rules that the presid..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/mike-lee-14226_alone_we-can-t-give-excessive-unfettered-power_1513125.jpg" --- # We can't give excessive, unfettered power to a president… ![“We can't give excessive, unfettered power to a president to act alone, to bind an entire country to a set of principles, a set of rules that the president, him or herself, makes.” quote by Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/mike-lee-14226_alone_we-can-t-give-excessive-unfettered-power_1513125.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/mike-lee-14226_alone_we-can-t-give-excessive-unfettered-power_1513125.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/mike-lee-14226_alone_we-can-t-give-excessive-unfettered-power_1513125.jpg) > “We can't give excessive, unfettered power to a president to act alone, to bind an entire country to a set of principles, a set of rules that the president, him or herself, makes.” [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Concentrating too much authority in one leader threatens democratic balance and accountability. **In simple terms:** Excessive presidential power endangers liberty. Key Takeaway Limit executive power through checks. Themes power democracy checks and balances Mood concerned hopeful Type political inspirational When to use this quote - legislative reform - citizen activism - media scrutiny - judicial review Key Concepts constitutional law political theory governance Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards best prevent abuse? - How can citizens hold leaders accountable? A Different Perspective Power can be checked by strong institutions and civic engagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alone/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules/) ## Related quotes > [When you've been president, you can't act like an outsider; it would be ridiculous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-laporta/when-you-ve-been-president-you-can-t-act-like-an-outsider-it-would-be/) [Joan Laporta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-laporta/) > [Unfortunately, these past few years, you can work hard, try to be as successful as possible, follow the rules, and President Barack Obama will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/unfortunately-these-past-few-years-you-can-work-hard-try-to-be-as/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [“Power surged through him: unfettered power, unimaginable power. It coursed through him and gave life to his maddened cry, feeding it, making it unnecesssary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-donais/power-surged-through-him-unfettered-power-unimaginable-power-it/) [Derek Donais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-donais/) > [All it takes to become president is money and a certain kind of power. Being president is the first thing I can shoot for,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rundgren/all-it-takes-to-become-president-is-money-and-a-certain-kind-of-power/) [Todd Rundgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-rundgren/) > [President Joe Biden is unfit to hold the office of the Presidency. His pattern of abuse of power as President Obama's Vice President is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/president-joe-biden-is-unfit-to-hold-the-office-of-the-presidency-his/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [You are apprehensive of monarchy; I, of aristocracy. I would therefore have given more power to the President and less to the Senate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/you-are-apprehensive-of-monarchy-i-of-aristocracy-i-would-therefore/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [With all the power that a president has, the most important thing to bear in mind is this: You must not give power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-all-the-power-that-a-president-has-the-most-important-thing-to/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [We should have a strong president. Strong enough to resist the temptation of taking power that a president shouldn't have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/we-should-have-a-strong-president-strong-enough-to-resist-the/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [The great power the president has is that he is the most prominent person in the biggest media event on the planet. He has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/the-great-power-the-president-has-is-that-he-is-the-most-prominent/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [The power that a president has in France is like the power of a king. In America, you know that his power is limited.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspar-noe/the-power-that-a-president-has-in-france-is-like-the-power-of-a-king/) [Gaspar Noe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspar-noe/) > [If America wants to retain its position as a global power, its president must listen to the people and show strong leadership at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/if-america-wants-to-retain-its-position-as-a-global-power-its/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [It is an abuse of power, when you are President of the United States, to use the White House to single out a single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-crowley/it-is-an-abuse-of-power-when-you-are-president-of-the-united-states/) [Monica Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-crowley/) > [“What’s it about?” Danny seemed authentically curious. “The night. It’s got its own set of rules.” “Day’s got rules too.” “Oh, I know,” Joe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/what-s-it-about-danny-seemed-authentically-curious-the-night-it-s-got/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [The most successful people do not make up the rules as they go. They have a set of rules that they follow and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-chancellor/the-most-successful-people-do-not-make-up-the-rules-as-they-go-they/) [John Chancellor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-chancellor/) > [Whenever I write for hotel reservations, I always enclose a set of rules I have made for the hotels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-waters/whenever-i-write-for-hotel-reservations-i-always-enclose-a-set-of/) [Ethel Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-waters/) ## More by Mike Lee > [A lot of people feel left out by a government that taxes too much and regulates them too heavily and seems to result in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/a-lot-of-people-feel-left-out-by-a-government-that-taxes-too-much-and/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [The trend of offering individualized education plans, curricula, and lessons is going to help students tremendously. “Teaching to the middle” is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/the-trend-of-offering-individualized-education-plans-curricula-and/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [There's a lot of bipartisan rancor, a lot of excessive delegation of legislative power from the legislative branch to the executive branch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/there-s-a-lot-of-bipartisan-rancor-a-lot-of-excessive-delegation-of/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [It is simply science fiction fantasy to say that, if you do not raise the debt ceiling, that everything is going to collapse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/it-is-simply-science-fiction-fantasy-to-say-that-if-you-do-not-raise/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [NYC, You Inspire Me to never stop exploring the endless possibilities of food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/nyc-you-inspire-me-to-never-stop-exploring-the-endless-possibilities/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [I think declaring a no fly zone over foreign soil is tantamount to an act of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/i-think-declaring-a-no-fly-zone-over-foreign-soil-is-tantamount-to-an/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [The conservative candidate who ignores moderates is as misguided as the moderate candidate who ignores conservatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/the-conservative-candidate-who-ignores-moderates-is-as-misguided-as/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [I think I was about 30 before I realized that not every family talks about the presentment clause on a regular basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/i-think-i-was-about-30-before-i-realized-that-not-every-family-talks/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [I tell the story of eight forgotten founders, people like Canassatego, an Iroquois Indian Chief, who taught Benjamin Franklin about federalism, about the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/i-tell-the-story-of-eight-forgotten-founders-people-like-canassatego/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [My political views have since I was a kid someway or another reflected the concerns of Tea Party movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/my-political-views-have-since-i-was-a-kid-someway-or-another/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [The best thing we can do when we want to elevate civil dialogue in our American political discourse is to do whatever we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/the-best-thing-we-can-do-when-we-want-to-elevate-civil-dialogue-in/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [When you have less revenue coming in the door, you have more money going out the door. You have to find ways of trimming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/when-you-have-less-revenue-coming-in-the-door-you-have-more-money/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [My purpose is to call on my colleagues, whether they're Republicans or Democrats, to get behind the agenda of trying to reform the government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/my-purpose-is-to-call-on-my-colleagues-whether-they-re-republicans-or/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [What I am saying is that Donald Trump can still get a lot of votes from a lot of conservatives like me, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/what-i-am-saying-is-that-donald-trump-can-still-get-a-lot-of-votes/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [If we were all to chase every squirrel that comes running along in the form of a personal dispute or a mischaracterization of someone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/if-we-were-all-to-chase-every-squirrel-that-comes-running-along-in/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) [Explore all 47 Mike Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) ## More Alone quotes > [I can be taken away from myself quite easily, I kind of start betraying myself and compromising my integrity, to keep someone else happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/i-can-be-taken-away-from-myself-quite-easily-i-kind-of-start/) [Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/) > [Perhaps our own opposition to even the level of European integration we have now, let alone any more, is well known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/perhaps-our-own-opposition-to-even-the-level-of-european-integration/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) > [If your goal is to look different, you'll see results faster with strength training than with cardio alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kaiser/if-your-goal-is-to-look-different-you-ll-see-results-faster-with/) [Anna Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kaiser/) > [With my songs, the question is always, 'Can you pull it off live, alone on just an acoustic guitar?' That's the litmus test. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-colvin/with-my-songs-the-question-is-always-can-you-pull-it-off-live-alone/) [Shawn Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-colvin/) > [I should have liked to get married, but over many decades I have lived essentially alone. I go to sleep when I'm tired, get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/i-should-have-liked-to-get-married-but-over-many-decades-i-have-lived/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) > [I am not alone in that I've had times of unemployment - unemployment is huge amongst disabled people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-jones/i-am-not-alone-in-that-i-ve-had-times-of-unemployment-unemployment-is/) [Rosie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-jones/) > [I never knew a heart could feel so cold so empty so broken until now , I don't know what to say I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-never-knew-a-heart-could-feel-so-cold-so-empty-so-broken-until-now/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you're disabled or different from what general society deems normal, it's fine. There will always be people who won't accept you, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/if-you-re-disabled-or-different-from-what-general-society-deems/) [Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/) > [Real love is a permanently self-enlarging experience…A Journey With My Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luckybannu/real-love-is-a-permanently-self-enlarging-experience-a-journey-with/) Luckybannu > [“What I'm trying to say is that I spent the last four months learning to be alone, avoiding the world, hating pretty much anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-cremer/what-i-m-trying-to-say-is-that-i-spent-the-last-four-months-learning/) [Andrea Cremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-cremer/) > [I'm used to being alone in a quiet, isolated environment - I'm kind of a low-energy, low-vibration, low-stamina person to begin with - so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-cain/i-m-used-to-being-alone-in-a-quiet-isolated-environment-i-m-kind-of-a/) [Ethel Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-cain/) > [“When I look back at myself at age twenty, what I remember most is being alone and lonely. I had no girlfriend to warm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-i-look-back-at-myself-at-age-twenty-what-i-remember-most-is/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I have developed a nasty habit of losing to the guy who wins the tournament, and that alone makes you think what you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/i-have-developed-a-nasty-habit-of-losing-to-the-guy-who-wins-the/) [Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/) > [As a child, I was this record collector/listener that would sit in a room and listen to the entire Beatles catalog alone, over and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cornell/as-a-child-i-was-this-record-collector-listener-that-would-sit-in-a/) [Chris Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cornell/) > [How one hates to think of oneself as alone. How one avoids it. It seems to imply rejection or unpopularity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/how-one-hates-to-think-of-oneself-as-alone-how-one-avoids-it-it-seems/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) [Browse all 3,082 Alone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alone/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We can't give excessive, unfettered power to a president to act alone, to bind an entire country to a set of principles, a set of rules that the president, him or herself, makes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mike Lee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/we-can-t-give-excessive-unfettered-power-to-a-president-to-act-alone/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alone" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/we-can-t-give-excessive-unfettered-power-to-a-president-to-act-alone/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/mike-lee-14226_alone_we-can-t-give-excessive-unfettered-power_1513125.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/mike-lee-14226_alone_we-can-t-give-excessive-unfettered-power_1513125.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d90/mike-lee-14226_alone_we-can-t-give-excessive-unfettered-power_1513125.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We can't give excessive, unfettered power to a president to act alone, to bind an entire country to a set of…” — Mike Lee", "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": "Mike Lee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We can't give excessive, unfettered power...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/we-can-t-give-excessive-unfettered-power-to-a-president-to-act-alone/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/we-can-t-give-excessive-unfettered-power-to-a-president-to-act-alone/#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 } } ] } ```